Eleventh-Hour Dealmaking on ACA, Epstein Files Photo Dump and New Breast Cancer Vaccine

Summary

Podcast Summary: Here's the Scoop (NBC News)

Episode: Eleventh-Hour Dealmaking on ACA, Epstein Files Photo Dump and New Breast Cancer Vaccine
Air Date: December 12, 2025
Host: Yasmin Vossoughian

---

Episode Overview

This episode dives into three major stories making headlines:

1. Eleventh-hour negotiations in Congress over Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that affect 22 million Americans.
2. The release of an extensive trove of Jeffrey Epstein-related photographs by the House Oversight Committee.
3. Early but promising news on a new vaccine targeting aggressive triple negative breast cancer, plus a fast rundown of other important national headlines.

---

1. ACA Subsidy Showdown: Congressional Gridlock as Deadline Approaches

Segment Start: [01:00]
Guests: Ryan Nobles (NBC Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent)

Key Points & Discussion:

• Background: The Senate rejected both Democratic and Republican bills to address the expiration of enhanced Obamacare (ACA) subsidies, putting 22 million Americans at risk of soaring health care costs starting January 1.

• Democratic Proposal:

  • Sought a three-year extension of ACA premium subsidies to protect those at risk.
  • Simple extension; opposed by Republicans for its cost ($83 billion/3 years) and perceived lack of need for all beneficiaries.

• Republican Counterproposal:

  • Offered more plan flexibility, high-deductible options, and cash payments into health savings accounts ($1,000/year for adults under 50; $1,500 for ages 50–64 below 700% of federal poverty level).
  • Criticized for being insufficient compared to high out-of-pocket costs.
  • Would have forced many into high-deductible plans ($6,000+), shifting burden to those with ongoing medical needs or chronic illnesses.

• Political Logjam:

  • Lack of serious alternatives; opportunity for bipartisan, short-term fixes (“discharge petition” process) remains slim due to short calendar before Congress adjourns for the holidays.

• Moderate Republicans’ Dilemma:

  • Some voted with Democrats, notably Senators Susan Collins, Josh Hawley, Lisa Murkowski, and Dan Sullivan.
  • Vulnerable, frontline Republicans weighed the real harm to constituents and looming 2026 midterms.
  • Discussion highlighted Marjorie Taylor Greene’s rare bipartisanship on the health care issue, citing personal impact.

• Notable Quotes:

  • On the Republican plan:
    “So we're gonna…provide you a thousand dollar buffer here, but you're still gonna have to come up with at least five grand of your own out of your own pocket before you then even begin to reap the benefits of this healthcare plan.” – Ryan Nobles [04:03]
  • On the policy stalemate:
    “…You just have to be prepared for it... It's impossible to forecast... There's no way to forecast.” – Ryan Nobles [04:53]
  • On the outlook:
    "I think it would take a miracle. But, you know, miracles do happen." – Ryan Nobles [06:24]
  • On consequences:
    “The outcome of that is that 22 million Americans are probably going to see their premiums skyrocket here in the next couple of weeks.” – Ryan Nobles [09:12]

---

2. Epstein Files Photo Dump: Transparency, Public Curiosity, and Fallout

Segment Start: [09:13]
Guests: Ryan Nobles

Key Points & Discussion:

• House Oversight Committee Democrats released 95,000 documents and images from the Epstein estate, showing known associations with high-profile figures:

  • Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Bill Gates, Woody Allen, among others.

• Purpose: To illustrate the volume of material and underscore the depth of relationships, not necessarily evidence of criminal activity.

• Public Reaction:

  • American public is “thirsting for…everything” regarding the Epstein story.
  • Even absent direct evidence of crime, those shown to have been associated with Epstein are being judged harshly in the court of public opinion.
  • Larry Summers singled out as a current example facing scrutiny.

• More to Come:

  • This is “just the tip of the iceberg”; Department of Justice is expected to release compelled information shortly.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “What we've seen... is that what the American people are kind of thirsting for when it comes to Epstein is, I wanna know everything.” – Ryan Nobles [10:07]
  • “This is just going to continue to drip, drip, drip, drip, drip. And these folks that have had these relationships are going to continue to be forced to answer questions.” – Ryan Nobles [10:40]

---

3. Breast Cancer Breakthrough: Early-Stage Vaccine Shows Promise

Segment Start: [12:55]
Guest: Dr. Kavita Patel (NBC News Medical Contributor)

Key Points & Discussion:

• Triple Negative Breast Cancer:

  • Accounts for 10-15% of breast cancers; lacks three common receptors (estrogen, progesterone, HER2), making it harder to target with existing treatments.
  • Disproportionately affects Black women, those with BRCA1 mutations, and younger patients.

• The Vaccine Trial:

  • Experimental vaccine tested in Cleveland Clinic Phase 1 trial.
  • Targeted the protein alpha lactalbumin; administered in three doses.
  • Designed to prompt the immune system to identify and attack cancer cells expressing this protein.
  • Result: Found to be safe and generated an immune response (production of specific antibodies) in most patients.

• Clinical Development:

  • Phase 1 focused on safety and immune response; not yet proven to prevent cancer recurrence or onset—those results will come in future, larger trials.

• Who would get it?

  • Initially, those at elevated risk: previous triple negative breast cancer diagnosis, BRCA gene carriers, or suspicious clinical history.
  • Vision: May eventually become a preventive tool for select high-risk groups, but not a general-population vaccine.

• Broader Implications:

  • Model could, theoretically, be adapted for other forms of breast, colon, or lung cancers down the line, but breast cancer is currently the furthest along.
  • Research was launched with U.S. government funding—a reminder of the role of public research support.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “The idea that we can develop a vaccine for cancer is not new. But the idea about targeting...breast cancer where we are really blind, is something that's been a bit of like a...holy grail for doctors.” – Dr. Kavita Patel [14:40]
  • “You have to show you're not harming the patient. So this is the first step in showing that it did not harm these patients and it developed this immune response.” – Dr. Kavita Patel [16:26]
  • “It's not likely to be the kind of vaccine, like we talk about, the flu shot that everybody gets.” – Dr. Kavita Patel [17:34]
  • “This research got started by the United States government. So that’s another reminder…how [science] happens with government-provided funding that we take for granted.” – Dr. Kavita Patel [19:02]

---

4. Headlines Roundup

Segment Start: [19:09]

Key Stories Briefed:

• Catastrophic Flooding in the Pacific Northwest:
  • Historic flooding forces tens of thousands to evacuate in Washington State. Most rivers have peaked, but more rain expected. [Camilla Bernal reports at 19:18]
• President Trump’s AI Executive Order:
  • Order creates federal AI litigation task force; aims to preempt state-by-state regulation and favor lighter federal touch. Critics fear it may gut meaningful regulation at a critical moment. [Monica Alba at 20:01]
• Federal Worker Collective Bargaining:
  • House votes to overturn Trump-era order restricting union protections, in rare bipartisan vote (20 Republicans joining). Prognosis in the Senate unclear.
• Lindsey Vonn Makes History:
  • At 41, wins World Cup downhill after five-year retirement, oldest skier ever to do so, now aiming for the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
• Pop Culture:
  • Rumors swirl that masked British rapper EZ D. Kidd is actually actor Timothée Chalamet—fueled by his SNL performance and old high school rap video. Chalamet teases, "all will be revealed in due time."
  • Fun segment with the crew rapping along to “Statistic.” [22:46]

---

5. Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Yasmin Vossoughian on the ACA Deadlock:
  "Is there any hope here, Ryan, that something can actually get passed before these subsidies actually expire at the end of the year?" [05:56]
• On the horror of high deductibles:
  "There's no way to forecast." – Ryan Nobles [04:53]
• On triple negative breast cancer:
  "In a way, Yasmin, it's as if you're having to fly blind when you're thinking about making a treatment because you don't have a target." – Dr. Kavita Patel [13:43]
• On science and public funding:
  "[This vaccine] research got started by the United States government. So that's another kind of reminder…how [these] happen[s] with government-provided funding that we take for granted." – Dr. Patel [19:02]
• On the Timothée Chalamet rap rumors:
  "It is unclear when or how Chalamet might have actually had time to record… but he did play a rapper on SNL, and there was that viral video of him rapping in his high school statistics class." – Yasmin Vossoughian [22:28]

---

6. Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:00] ACA Subsidies & Congressional Standoff with Ryan Nobles
• [09:13] Epstein Photo Dump and Fallout
• [12:55] New Breast Cancer Vaccine Breakthrough with Dr. Kavita Patel
• [19:09] Headlines: Flooding, AI Executive Order, Federal Unions, Lindsey Vonn, and Pop Culture

---

Tone and Style

The tone is brisk, solution-seeking, and frequently conversational—with hosts and expert guests pausing to clarify complex issues for listeners. Yasmin Vossoughian brings both urgency and relatability, while correspondents ground explanations in real-world examples.

---

Summary prepared for listeners seeking depth and clarity on the day's top stories, without slogging through the full 20+ minute runtime.

Transcript

[Fantasy Sports Advertiser]

Before the trophy and bragging rights are rightfully yours. Before your sleeper turns. In a season no one saw coming, before stats and projections turn into points on the board and your lineup falls perfectly into place, you flip the lid on a can of on nicotine pouches. And as you make your first pick, you know this is the season where fantasy's going to surpass reality. It's on products for tobacco consumers 21 years of age or older. Warning. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

[Sling TV Advertiser]

Sling is the live TV service that puts you in charge. Choose your plan. Orange for sports and entertainment favorites. Blue for news and reality. Or select for the essentials. Only pay for the stuff you actually watch and pause your subscription anytime. Because paying for TV or not watching, that's just rude. No long term contracts, no nonsense. Pick your plan, add what you want. Sling lets you do that. Visit sling.com to learn more.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Hey, everybody, and welcome to here's this group. From NBC News, I'm Yasmin Vasugin. There's a lot to get to today before we head into the weekend. A new vaccine that could help treat triple negative breast cancer. Plus catastrophic floods in the Pacific Northwest. And could one of Hollywood's top actors be living a double life? Up first, though, our top story. We are heading to Capitol Hill, where the Senate rejected two competing health care bills this week that is a problem for some 22 million Americans who benefit from enhanced Obamacare subsidies, who could see their health care costs spike. And time is running out to come up with a solution since Congress plans to break for the holidays at the end of next week. I want to bring in chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles to help us break this all down. Hi, Ryan.

[Ryan Nobles]

Hi. Yes. Good to see you again.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Good to see you. So. So the Senate rejected these two bills extending ACA subsidies. Tell me about them.

[Ryan Nobles]

So. So there was no realistic chance that either one of them was gonna pass, just based on the politics on Capitol Hill right now. What the Democrats were asking for was a relatively simple three year extension of the Affordable Care act premium subsidies, which would have protected the 22 million Americans who are on the verge of their premiums skyrocketing as a result of this lapse. But Republicans just aren't in favor of that. They think they're too expensive. They think there are far too many people who benefit from them who don't need that assistance.

[Sling TV Advertiser]

Or.

[Ryan Nobles]

But the problem is that Republicans didn't really have an alternative that would protect those that are gonna be in trouble as a result of These subsidies expiring the plan they put on the table was a situation which would have allowed those on Obamacare to have a little bit more flexibility in which plans they entered and then would also. And kind of the big part of that plan was providing everyone that would have benefited from those subsidies with basically a direct cash payment that they could put into a health savings account to pay for some of their care expenses out of pocket. Democrats believe that that wasn't enough. And then they also felt that there would have been a huge kind of burden put on the health care system because a, it would lead to some people just exiting the health care market completely. And then it would take people who have, who are generally healthy people and pull them out of the market where the coverage is needed for the people who are the most sick, which is kind of how insurance balances itself out.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

I want to be clear here when it comes to the Republican plan and the health savings account, because the way in which they spelled this thing out was, would allow adults earning under 700% of the federal poverty level to access $1,000 per year in a tax advantaged health savings account if they're younger than 50. And then that would rise to $1,500 a year for those that are 50 to 64 years of age. That's not a lot of money. That would not necessarily cover the cost of much of anything when it comes to visiting the doctor, especially if you have some sort of chronic illness.

[Ryan Nobles]

Well, especially too when you take into account that what they were asking people to also do is move into plans with higher deduct. So in some cases you were talking about a plan that could have as much as a $6,000 deductible.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Wow.

[Ryan Nobles]

So we're gonna, you know, provide you a thousand dollars buffer here, but you're still gonna have to come up with at least five grand of your own out of your own pocket before you then even begin to reap the benefits of this healthcare plan. Now, if you're someone who is healthy and you are not gonna visit the doctor in a calendar year and you don't break your leg or you don't get into a car accident, you know, maybe you end up ahead because you're paying a little bit less overall, and then you can take that $1,000 and keep it in that savings account and it builds interest and everything going forward.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

That's best case scenario.

[Ryan Nobles]

Right. If you're sick on any level, if you have a prescription that you need, if you come down with some sort of illness over the Course of a year if you have kids. I mean, it is impossible to think. I mean, my wife and I, every year when we're going through open enrollment, we're forecasting, you know, like, how many times do you think the kids are going to go to the doctor this year? There's no way to forecast.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Exactly.

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

Yeah.

[Ryan Nobles]

You just have to, you know, you have to be prepared for it. And so the way that Chuck Schumer described it was they were junk policies. They were policies that provided at least the appearance of care, but when actually put into practical implementation, they probably wouldn't do the job. And so that's why you just couldn't find a lot of Democratic support. But I think it's important to say, Yasmin, that the subsidy situation isn't necessarily a good one either. The Democrats wrote this bill during COVID with the expectation that they would go away and at the end of 2025, and here we are and there's still a need for them. And so, you know, Republicans have a point here in that you wrote a bill that was specifically designed to end things and you have not come up with a plan to prevent those subsidies from being needed. In other words, the system itself requires the federal government to sort of prop it up.

[Micro Perfumes Advertiser]

Right.

[Ryan Nobles]

And so it was going to cost $83 billion to extend these subsidies for the next three years. Republicans just didn't think that was worth the investment. And so that's why I think we saw the vote go the way the.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Subsidies didn't necessarily seem like a long term solution either for those that were against it. But you did have Republicans that were actually siding with the Democrats in this vote, which landed at 51 to 48. You got Senator Susan Collins voting with Democrats, Josh Hawley, Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan as well. Is there any hope here, Ryan, that something can actually get passed before these subsidies actually expire at the end of the year? I mean, we're about two and a half weeks away from that time.

[Ryan Nobles]

So I think it would take a miracle. But, you know, miracles do happen. But the only path toward some sort of last ditch Hail Mary effort here would be that there are a few bipartisan proposals that are floating around the House right now that could make their way to the floor through the discharge petition process, which you and I have talked about before, because that's how they got the Epstein bill passed was through a discharge petition, which basically means that 218 members make an end run around leadership and say this is something we want to vote on. So if they can find a package that can get the 218 signatures necessary for a discharge petition and that gets to the floor that would pass. The question then would be, would John Thune put it on the floor in the Senate, vote for it, and would Donald Trump sign it into law? Those are all very much unknowns. And then the other problem with it is there's just a timing issue, right? I mean, they're here next week and then they're out, but then they're gone. So they gotta do something. I mean, they really have to have something come together Monday or Tuesday of next week. If they don't, there's really not gonna be enough time to get it done.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

I'm glad you brought up the point about the possibility of something that their constituents want. In watching some of their Republican side with the Democrats here, and we obviously saw Marjorie Taylor Greene being incredibly outspoken throughout the government shutdown about being in favor of extending these subsidies when it comes to health care, citing her own daughter's issues with it because there are real life implications, folks that you've spoken to as well, that are gonna see their premiums double, that have chronic illnesses come January 1st.

[Ryan Nobles]

I don't think there's anybody on Capitol Hill or anyone who takes advantage of these premium subsidies that thinks that this is the best plan. The problem here is that we're reaching a deadline, and if you just ignore the problem, it's going to fester and get worse. And so I think what you're seeing, some of these moderate Republicans, particularly ones that are in frontline districts, that are the most vulnerable of losing their seats in the 2026 midterms, they're saying, yes, I think Obamacare is not great policy. Yes, I disagree with these subsidies. Yes, I think the Democrats are to blame, but I'm in charge now. I've got to fix this problem. I was voted in, in to fix this problem. So what we need is some sort of a compromise where, yes, we'll give this bad policy a one year extension to prevent people from being hurt. And then during that window of time, we'll try and come up with some sort of better plan or a better solution. And that's what's not happening right now. You don't see the two sides coming together to agree on, a, we need some level of reform, but B, we also need to do something in the near term to prevent a lot of people from being hurt. And so the, the outcome of that is that 22 million Americans are probably going to see their premiums skyrocket here in the next couple of weeks, I'm.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Going to have to pivot for a moment because I want to talk about the other big thing that's breaking on Capitol Hill today, and that is this trove of of new photos from the Epstein estate released on Capitol Hill today by the Democrats in the House Oversight Committee. And some of the faces that are popping up in these photos are people that we know already having associations with, with Jeffrey Epstein, President Donald Trump, longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon, former President Bill Clinton, former Clinton Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, Bill Gates, Woody Allen as well. What is new here in what is being revealed in some of these documents and in these photos?

[Ryan Nobles]

Well, the first thing that is important about this is the volume of information that congressional leaders and investigators have collected, I'm told 95,000 documents, mostly pictures and images.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Wow.

[Ryan Nobles]

But I think what the Democrats that released this on the House Oversight Committee are trying to demonstrate is that, A, we've got a lot of stuff here, but, B, you know, there was, like, real relationships happening here. This wasn't just a kind of very surfacey situation. And, you know, there's no evidence of crime. But what we've seen, Yasmin, is that what the American people are kind of thirsting for when it comes to Epstein is, I wanna know everything. And what we're finding is that people who might not even be specifically guilty of a crime are still being penalized in the court of public opinion because of the judgment that they had having any sort of association with Jeffrey Epstein, Larry Summers being the most obvious example right now. And so this is just gonna continue to drip, drip, drip, drip, drip. And these folks that have had these relationships are gonna continue to be forced to answer questions as a result of it, because this is just really the tip of the iceberg. And this isn't even the Department of Justice information that. That Congress has compelled the DoJ to release, which we're expecting next week.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Ryan Nobles, thank you.

[Ryan Nobles]

Thanks. Yeah. It's always great to talk to you.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

All right, we are going to take a very quick break, and when we are back, there is hope for a new vaccine that could target the deadliest and most aggressive form of breast cancer.

[Fantasy Sports Advertiser]

Before the trophy and bragging rights are rightfully yours, before your sleeper turns. In a season no one saw coming, before stats and projections turn into points on the board and your lineup falls perfectly into place. You've flipped the lid on a can of. On nicotine pouches. And as you make your first pick, you know, this is the season where fantasy's going to surpass reality. It's on products for tobacco consumers 21 years of age or older. Warning, this product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

[Micro Perfumes Advertiser]

Ever spend $200 on a fragrance only to realize you hate it? Micro Perfumes fixes that. Now you can try luxury scents without the luxury price. Pick from real designer fragrances like Gucci, Chanel and Versace. It's the real deal, authentic scents starting at just a few bucks. They come in sleek travel sprays, ship fast and there's no subscription required. Why gamble on a full bottle? Go to microperfumes.com podcast for up to 60% off. That's microperfumes.com podcast for up to 60% off.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Hi there and happy holidays.

[Ryan Nobles]

Or as I like to say, Holly.

[Sling TV Advertiser]

It's Craig and Savannah from the TODAY.

[Ryan Nobles]

Show inviting you to spend the holiday season with us.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

We're spreading holiday Chee with special live performances from Gwen Stefani, Lady A and Brad Paisley. Plus, some of Hollywood's biggest stars stopped by for our annual toy drive.

[Sling TV Advertiser]

It's the most wonderful time of the.

[Ryan Nobles]

Year and there's no better way to.

[Sling TV Advertiser]

Spend it than with the TODAY show.

[Ryan Nobles]

Family every morning on NBC.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

From our family to yours, happy holidays. Welcome back to Here's a scoop from NBC News. There is new hope in the fight against breast cancer. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic just shared promising results from an experimental vaccine trial for triple negative breast cancer. Though the study is in its early stages, the Phase 1 clinical trial found the vaccine is safe and triggered an immune response in most patients. I want to bring in now NBC News medical contributor Dr. Kavita Patel. Hi, Dr. Patel.

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

Thanks for having me. This is very exciting news indeed.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

This study is testing this experimental vaccine aimed at preventing triple negative breast cancer. I want to start with the basics and explain for us what triple negative breast cancer is.

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

Triple negative means that the tumor, in this case, a breast cancer, lacks three common receptors that we usually use to target cancers with drugs. Some people might know these names, estrogen, progesterone, HER2. Many cancers actually have these receptors on even the cancer cells so that we can actually target drugs to target the cancer directly and eliminate the cancer. In triple negative breast cancer, which is about 10 to 15% of breast cancers, none of these receptors are there. So in a way, Yasmin, it's as if you're having to fly blind when you're thinking about making a treatment because you don't have a target like you do in the majority of cancers. And this cancer, unfortunately strikes more black women, more women with BRCA1 mutations. That's a genetic mutation that some people might be familiar with, and it tends to grow and spread faster than other types of. And also in younger women.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

So take us through this study, how it worked and the results that have come from it.

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

The idea that we can develop a vaccine for cancer is not new. But the idea about targeting, if you will, a breast cancer where we are really blind, Is something that's been a bit of like a, you know, a holy grail for doctors. So this vaccine in particular, and there are several, by the way, in trial, but this one that was read out in data at the San Antonio press conference, targets what we call alpha lactalbumin. And with the idea of a vaccine which is delivered over three doses, Is that you're trying to teach the immune system to basically look for that protein and then try to attack it.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

I want to stop you for a second because I found this pretty confusing. And if I found it confusing, I feel like probably our listeners are going to find it confusing. I don't understand. How do you have an immune response to cancer?

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

The key here is what is the immune response to. So the immune response is to developing kind of an antibody against this lactalbumin protein, that milk producing protein. So that protein is the target of the vaccine. And what the vaccine does, injection, and it provokes your own natural immune system to basically say, aha. Every time I see one of those lactalbumin proteins floating around, I need to kind of get into gear and take action. If you remember back in the days, we were checking for Covid antibodies built from the immune system to make sure the vaccine was working on you. And we still do that in some patients. That's exactly what the researchers did. They wanted to prove that you could tolerate three doses of this vaccine and that it wouldn't hurt you, and that it could also help in those triple negative breast cancer patients to actually create immune, meaning antibodies, that are targeted to those albumin proteins. And I know that sounds like a small step to say, well, how is that a success? You didn't even tell me if it prevents the breast cancer.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Right. That was gonna be my next question.

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

This is considered step one in kind of whenever you take anything, drug trial, a vaccine devices, whatever it is, you have to show that you're not harming the patient. So this is the first step in showing that it did not harm these patients and it developed this immune response, which is what you want a vaccine to do. Now the next stages will be to expand the trial and to follow over time, years, to see if there's a recurrence.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

So who would be best suited to get a vaccine like this, and what would they want to see as an outcome?

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

So right now, with the data we have, we don't have enough. But if we were hopeful, phase two and phase three would demonstrate that if we find that you're at risk for triple negative breast cancer, either because you've had it before, you carry the brca gene, or you have some other history that makes us suspicious, you could have this type of cancer, that you would be a recipient of this vaccine, and that, in theory, you could prevent the cancer from coming back, but you could also, in a subset of patients, prevent the cancer from ever occurring. I think that's what we all want. It's not likely to be the kind of vaccine, like we talk about, the flu shot that everybody gets.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

And when could that actually be a reality, considering how these trials go?

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

We all want these trials to happen faster, but then I think we have to weigh kind of the consequences of that. So because of the positive outcome of this phase one trial, they have already kind of received the guidance to go ahead and move forward as they are with phase two and phase three. That is gonna take several. And then, of course, kind of going through FDA approval and some of those others. I would say it's still a little ways off. We're not talking decades, but it's going to be several years before we even know if it's read out as something we can use in the general public.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

You said that the dream here for the medical community and honestly for everybody around the world is to have vaccines against cancers like this one.

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

Right.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Is there a possibility of being able to replicate this type of model, this type of vaccine for other forms of breast cancer, other forms of cancer in.

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

General, the desire to find vaccines for all types of cancers that can especially target some of the largest. Breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer. All of those studies are actually in motion right now, but only in this area of breast cancer have we had some success, Largely because of our ability to identify genetic markers as well as these receptors. It is fascinating to see, and I hope that that kind of research and funding, which, by the way, this research got started by the United States government. So that's another kind of reminder of, like, how happens with government provided funding that we take for granted.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Dr. Kavit Patel, thank you.

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

Thank you.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

All right, let's get to some headlines. Washington state has been facing historic flooding, Forcing tens of thousands to evacuate their homes. Our correspondent Camilla Bernal has more.

[Camilla Bernal]

We've seen the water steadily rising here in Washington State over the last couple of days. Today we've been in Burlington where people were still being evacuated. Unfortunately, we've seen a number of homes already flooded. We know first responders had to rescue some in this area. The water has also forced road closures, and it continues to get close to homes and businesses. Most rivers in the state have crested, so that means we've seen their highest levels already and hopefully they will continue to drop. But officials are still telling people to be on alert. There's more rain in the forecast for this weekend.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

President Trump has signed an executive order on artificial intelligence. NBC News White House correspondent Monica Alba has the details.

[Monica Alba]

With this new order, President Trump is trying to limit the way that states can regulate AI while also attempting to thwart some existing laws in this space. Essentially, the president says he wants to streamline the process for AI companies who want to invest and want to work in the US but sometimes face a bunch of different approvals in a bunch of different states. So what he did on Thursday was direct the attorney general to create an AI litigation task force within the next month or so to challenge state AI laws that right now stand in the way of what the president views as the Trump administration's ideal goal, which would be a lighter touch regulation posture. So the order won't affect current state laws that pertain to child safety protections and data center infrastructure, which are two important considerations. But some critics are concerned that this move could block meaningful regulation of AI at a time when there is little faith in Congress to replace existing state laws with some kind of national standard that would govern AI at the federal level.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

The House approved a measure Thursday to reinstate collective bargaining rights for federal workers, voting to overturn an executive order from President Trump for the first time this term. The measure would restore labor union protections for nearly a million federal employees. It was a Rare bipartisan vote. 20 Republicans crossed the aisle to side with Democrats. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it's unclear if Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune is going to bring it to a vote. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lindsey Vonn, the queen of downhill skiing and one of the world's fastest skiers, is back on top. At 41 years of age, Vaughn just won a World cup downhill race at St. Moritz, making her the oldest alpine skier in history to win a cup race. Vaughn made a return to the slopes after a five year retirement. Now equipped with titanium implants in her right knee. She's got her sights set on the Milan Cortina Winter Games, where the three time Olympic winner is looking to meddle again. And before we let you go, we gotta talk about some of these rumors swirling online about an underground British rapper who goes by EZ D. Kidd. Okay. This EZD kid guy is an overnight success, allegedly from Liverpool, who performs in a balaclav lava that covers his face, which has led some fans to speculate that he might be. Drumroll, please. Oscar winning actor Timothee Chalamet. It is unclear when or how Chalamet might have actually had time to record in between filming Marty supreme or the next Dune, but he did play a rapper on snl, and there was that viral video of him rapping in his high school statistics class.

[Dr. Kavita Patel]

Let's go.

[Ryan Nobles]

Statistic.

[Sling TV Advertiser]

Yep.

[Ryan Nobles]

Statistic. Yup, yup. Statistic. Yup. Statistic.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

Yep. And Chalamet isn't exactly putting the rumors to rest. As he told British radio, all will.

[Fantasy Sports Advertiser]

Be revealed in due time.

[Yasmin Vasugin]

So let us know in the comments if you think Timmy is actually up to something or if this is a case of mistaken identity. All right, that is going to do it for us at. Here's this group from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Bisugin. Have a great weekend. We'll see you back here on Monday with whatever the weekend may bring. And if you like what you heard, be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening and we'll see you Monday.

[Hoda Kotb]

Hey, guys, I'm Hoda Kotb. Look, I know how busy life can get, and sometimes we all just need a moment to pause and connect. Well, that's what my podcast Making Space is all about. Real conversations with. With people who've learned how to live with purpose and heart. Think authors, thought leaders, actors, performers. And every time I walk away with something, that changes how I see the world. And I think you will, too. Join me for Making Space every week, wherever you get your podcasts.