Republicans believe they have the political upper hand, pointing to Schumer’s own past warnings against shutdowns. “What we’re seeing today from the Minority Leader is exactly what he once condemned,” Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 2 Senate Republican, said on the floor before the vote. “He is holding the American people hostage.”

Facing Democratic opposition, the GOP has discarded a series of precedents and weakened minority power in order to vote through Trump's nominees and legislation.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed 48 appointees of President Donald Trump, almost entirely made up of ambassador and sub-cabinet positions.

The Senate voted to confirm former national security adviser Mike Waltz to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Friday, on the eve of a week of high-level meetings and debates at the U.N. General Assembly.

Fla., led the passage of a resolution to be observed on Charlie Kirk's birthday. ABC pulled late-night host Jimmy Kimmel off the air indefinitely over comments about the alleged Kirk assassin, Tyler Robinson.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said on Sunday he does not share Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) concern over free speech after Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr threatened to “take action” against ABC if it did not address comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s joke about Charlie Kirk’s assassin.

Allies to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) say she is weighing a number of options as she considers the next steps in her political career, including a run for president. The allies say she is also considering a possible challenge to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.

DNC Chair Ken Martin hit the pavement, knocking doors for candidate Debra Shigley ahead of Tuesday's special election runoff.