Showdown looms over efforts to dip
into a special war fund to bypass spending caps. CQ Roll Call's
national security reporter Megan Scully has the scoop.

Lawmakers to Pull All-Nighter on Defense Bill

Political analyst Stuart Rothenberg explains why down-ballot Republican candidates could be in trouble because of Donald Trump's frontrunner status. Also, CQ Roll Call's budget reporter Kellie Mejdrich on Republican inability to pass a budget and legal affairs writer Todd Ruger on the Supreme Court looking to define a line between political corruption and official duty.

GOP Troubles Are Just Beginning

Controversy hung over the opening night of the Republican National Convention as parts of Melania Trump's speech were nearly identical to one Michelle Obama delivered in 2008. Anti-Trump delegates also unsuccessfully challenged convention rules. CQ News Director, Steve Komarow, gives us a preview of what's ahead on day two of the RNC with House Speaker Paul Ryan due up. "There is no place for him to hide,'' Komarow says.  http://admin.rollcall.com/video/rnc_day_one_highlights_and_a_look_ahead#sthash.iR27Yu4v.dpuf

Echoes of Michelle Obama in Melania Trump's RNC Speech

President Donald Trump's well-received speech reflects three factions operating within the White House, says CQ Roll Call White House reporter John Bennett. But the president's ambitious goals are likely to encounter obstacles especially because - unlike his predecessors&nbsp;at this stage - Trump has yet to send one piece of legislation to Congress, adds Senior Editor David Hawkings.

The Problems Facing Trump's Big Government Agenda

The demise of the Republican health care bill has added to a growing list of disagreements between President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, from the future of Attorney General Jeff Sessions to Russia sanctions to transgender people serving in the military. Is the relationship breaking down? CQ Roll Call White House reporter John T. Bennett and Defense reporter John M. Donnelly explain.

Trump and GOP Lawmakers at Odds

President Donald Trump is a television fan and a polarizing figure in American culture. Two critically acclaimed television shows that just wrapped up their seasons reflect the political, cultural and economic anxieties of the era of Trump, CQ Staff Writer and cultural observer Clyde McGrady tells Jason Dick in this week’s Political Theater podcast.

Roseanne, Donald Glover and Desperate-Class TV

Democrats "definitely have a chance to win the Senate,'' election analyst Nathan Gonzales tells CQ on Congress. He maps out where Democrats can pick up Senate seats in the midterm elections as well as which races they are most likely to lose.

Anti-Trump Fervor Puts Senate in Play

The first woman to serve as Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, wants to return to the job now that Democrats control the chamber again. Dissenters in her caucus say they can block her ascent. Pelosi biographer Marc Sandalow says the renegades are in for a battle.

Why Nancy Pelosi Won't Back Down

We take a deep dive into the criminal sentencing and prison programming overhaul Congress is expected to pass this year, which is shaping up to be a major bipartisan achievement. Credit goes to Republicans, like Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, sponsor of the bill, who says it's a matter of money and morals to try to help the incarcerated. And to activists, like Kevin Ring, a former federal prisoner, who explains why he is lobbying for a reduction in mandatory minimum sentences. CQ reporter Todd Ruger credits Jared Kushner with persuading his father-in-law, President Donald Trump, to put aside his reservations and agree to sign it.

Congress on Cusp of Criminal Justice Changes In Year-End Surprise

House Democrats are packaging spending bills with the aim of completing all 12 by the end of the month, a goal that is likely to generate a lot of policy debates and amendments, explains Jennifer Shutt in this episode of the CQ Budget podcast. The first package contains five bills including the two largest, Defense and Labor-HHS-Education.

Democrats' Spending Bill Strategy

With only 25 days left with both the House and Senate in session before the new fiscal year begins, the Senate has yet to draft any of its 12 spending bills and has no plan in place to pass them. The result is likely another short-term stopgap funding measure as congressional leaders struggle to reach a bipartisan deal on overall spending limits. CQ Roll Call's chief budget reporter Paul M. Krawzak explains why Congress has reached this point.

Echoes of Michelle Obama in Melania Trump's RNC Speech

CQ Roll Call Podcast

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