Ryan presses Dems to back bill keeping government open

House Speaker Paul Ryan tried pressuring Democrats on Wednesday to back legislation preventing a weekend federal shutdown. But he gave little ground on the partisan battle over immigration, an issue many Democrats say must be resolved before they'll vote to keep agencies functioning.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger: Lawmakers may pass spending measure without immigration deal

Rep. Adam Kinzinger said Wednesday that even if a deal on immigration isn't reached by Friday, lawmakers may still be able to pass a funding measure. "I think if the outlines of the deal come forward and it appears we're going to be able get to something, then maybe at that point we'll get to a clean CR," Mr. Kinzinger, Illinois Republican, said on CNN.

Tom Kacich: Fired Cunningham Township workers say they’re owed money

The controversial firing of two veteran deputy assessors by Cunningham Township Assessor Wayne Williams has taken a new turn with the female former employees claiming that they are owed more money than Williams has paid them. Williams, who was elected assessor unopposed last year and took office on Jan. 1, immediately dismissed Jamie Willard, the chief deputy assessor, and Kim Hooper, a deputy assessor.

Government shutdown looms as a Dreamera deal stalls

House Republicans considered on Tuesday a stopgap bill to fund the U.S. government through Feb. 16 to avert a shutdown, but the measure would not include Democrats' demands for protections for young people brought to the United States illegally as children. Partisan finger-pointing over immigration policy on Tuesday left Congress and the White House stumbling closer to a possible federal government shutdown by the end of the week.

MSNBC’s Mika hammers DHS chief’s ‘painful’ defense of Trump’s ‘racism’

MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski said Homeland Security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen's "pained" defense of President Donald Trump's racist remarks overshadowed just how "depressing" the situation is in the White House. The cabinet official testified Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where lawmakers grilled her over the president's reported "sh*thole" remarks toward African nations and Haiti.

Here are details of latest bipartisan DACA deal to protect DREAMers

Senators to introduce bill providing $18 billion for border-security over the next decade in exchange for DREAMers getting permanent legal status. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, both Republicans, focused on immigration and DACA when asked about President Trump's reported comments about African countries and Haiti on Monday.

No Closer To DACA Deal, Republicans Push Plan B To Keep Government Open

Demonstrators protest at Sen. Dean Heller's, R-Nev., office in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals , and Temporary Protected Status , programs on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. Jose Luis Magana/AP hide caption Demonstrators protest at Sen. Dean Heller's, R-Nev., office in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals , and Temporary Protected Status , programs on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.

Citizen engagement with Congress reached a high in 2017. How will it fare in 2018?

It's one of several ways for people who aren't lobbyists or donors to engage with the people who govern their lives. Aside from all the solo callers, coordinated efforts that catered to the movement against President Donald Trump - like the Indivisible Guide, 5 Calls and Resistbot - gave direction to constituents , about whom to call, when and about what.

Trump administration to appeal ‘Dreamer’ immigrant ruling

Protesters calling for an immigration bill addressing the so-called Dreamers, young adults who were brought to the United States as children, carry a sign supporting DACA in the office of Senator Chuck Grassley on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday.

‘Very strong’ Democratic sentiment to oppose GOP budget bill

Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said Wednesday there's "very, very strong" sentiment among Democrats in the chamber to oppose GOP-drafted legislation to keep the government's doors open, comments that could indicate the chances are increasing that the government could shut down at midnight Friday night. Democrats' votes are needed to advance the stopgap measure through the Senate, but they have been rebuffed in their demands to add protections against deportation for younger immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children.

Frigid temperatures trail storm dropping more snow on South

A wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain blanketed a large swath of the South, trailed by a blast of frigid air that could approach record low temperatures Wednesday. By Tuesday evening, steadily dropping snow about 15 miles northwest of Atlanta was forcing cars on Interstate 75 to slow considerably amid scattered fender benders.

Trump warns of immigration threat to national security

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that America's current immigration system weakens national security, as his administration sought Supreme Court backing to lift protections shielding 700,000 "Dreamer" immigrants from deportation. Days after Trump sparked an international uproar by reportedly complaining about immigration from "shithole" countries, his administration sought to refocus the debate by tying a series of current immigration programs to terror threats.

Steve Bannon – refuses to answer questions’ about working for Donald Trump

Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon refused to answer a broad array of queries from the House Intelligence Committee about his time working for President Donald Trump on Tuesday, provoking a subpoena from the panel's Republican chairman. The development brought to the forefront questions about White House efforts to control what the former adviser tells Congress about his time in Mr Trump's inner circle and whether Republicans on Capitol Hill would force the issue in light of the newly issued subpoena from the Republican-controlled panel.

Bipartisan Senate Group To Roll Out Soft DACA Bill

A bipartisan group of senators will unveil a DACA replacement bill Wednesday that combines Democrats' favorite amnesty proposal with some border security and immigration reforms, but stops far short of what the Trump administration has demanded. The bill marries the Dream Act, which would set a path to citizenship for millions of younger illegal immigrants, with some border security enhancements, including limited funding for President Donald Trump's border wall.

Gowdy: Democrats Want To Drag Out Russia Probe ‘As Long As They Possibly Can’ [VIDEO]

South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy said Tuesday that Democrats want to drag out the Russia investigations "as long as they possibly can" in hopes of retaking the House. "There's a built in advantage for the Democrats dragging this out for as long as they possibly can," Gowdy said in an interview with Fox News' Tucker Carlson.

Immigration deal distant as leaders try to avert shutdown

A deal between President Donald Trump and Congress to protect young immigrants from deportation remained distant Tuesday, as House Republicans leaders turned their attention to building support for a backup plan: a stopgap funding bill to stave off the threat of an election-year shutdown. The focus on a budget Plan B - another temporary measure that would buy time for more talks - was the latest sign of a breakdown in bipartisan deal-making in a Congress that has struggled to find common ground even on areas of broad agreement.