Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 3.14.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary Episode: Government Shutdown Countdown & EPA Makes Historic Cuts | 03.14.25

Introduction In the March 14, 2025 episode of "Morning Wire," Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley and co-host Georgia Howe delve into critical developments in U.S. politics and environmental policy. The episode primarily focuses on the looming government shutdown threat and significant changes within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Additionally, the discussion touches upon Utah's historic decision to ban fluoride in public drinking water and the broader implications of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.

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1. Government Shutdown Countdown

Overview The episode opens with a tense atmosphere as Senate Democrats threaten to block the impending spending bill, inching the federal government closer to a shutdown. The hosts and guest Cabot Phillips dissect the political maneuvering and potential fallout of this high-stakes scenario.

Key Points:

• Countdown to Shutdown: The possibility of a government shutdown intensifies as Senate Democrats hold up the spending bill.

  John Bickley [00:03]: "The countdown to government shutdown is underway as Senate Democrats threaten to sink the spending bill."

• Impact on Americans: Georgia Howe emphasizes that a shutdown would predominantly affect average Americans rather than the political elite.

  Georgia Howe [00:08]: "If the government shuts down, it will be average Americans who suffer most..."

• Spending Bill Stalemate: Senior editor Cabot Phillips explains the dynamics in Congress, highlighting the Republican House's passing of a continuing resolution (CR) and the challenges it faces in the Senate.

  Cabot Phillips [01:39]: "The federal government is on the verge of a shutdown as Congress debates a spending package in Washington."

• Democratic Resilience and Schumer's Shift: Initially unified under Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's stance to oppose the CR, Democrats faced internal pressure. However, Schumer's unexpected shift to support the Republican resolution marks a pivotal moment.

  Chuck Schumer [04:02]: "The only way to avoid the chaos of a government shutdown."

• Potential Outcomes: With Schumer backing the CR, the crucial question remains whether enough Democrats will join to reach the necessary 60 votes in the Senate to pass the bill and avert the shutdown.

  Georgia Howe [06:15]: "I'm hearing a lot of Democrats are going to vote for it, and I hope they do."

Notable Quotes:

• John Fetterman [02:37]: "A no vote would be chaos. And I will never vote for chaos."
• Georgia Howe [03:50]: "Either proceed with the bill before us or risk Donald Trump throwing America into the chaos of a shutdown."

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2. EPA's Historic Deregulatory Actions

Overview A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the EPA's transformative actions under its new administrator, Lee Zeldin. The discussion underscores the administration's commitment to dismantling what it terms the "Green New Scam," reshaping environmental policies, and reallocating federal spending.

Key Points:

• Historic EPA Restructuring: Administrator Lee Zeldin announces 31 actions aimed at reducing federal environmental regulations to bolster American energy sectors.

  Georgia Howe [07:03]: "EPA will be reconsidering many suffocating rules that restrict nearly every sector of our economy..."

• Critique of Green Policies: Zeldin's Wall Street Journal op-ed criticizes the previous administration's environmental initiatives, labeling them as detrimental to American energy progress.

  Tim Pierce [07:36]: "Zeldin wrote that the Trump administration is driving a dagger through the heart of climate change religion..."

• Recovery of Funds: The administration seeks to retrieve $20 billion in grants disbursed by the Biden EPA, labeling them as "green slush fund" and questioning their lawful allocation.

  Georgia Howe [08:20]: "They were getting billions of dollars. ... unable to answer a whole lot of very simple questions required whenever the federal government is spending even a dollar."

• IRS Workforce Cuts: Parallel to EPA changes, the Department of Government Efficiency proposes reducing the IRS workforce by a fifth, although facing legal challenges.

  Tim Pierce [09:23]: "This kind of major restructuring is facing roadblocks and legal challenges in the courts."

Notable Quotes:

• Lee Zeldin [07:13]: "Our actions include the Biden administration's deeply flawed Clean Power Plan..."
• John Bickley [06:38]: "EPA makes the biggest deregulatory action in US History."

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3. Utah Bans Fluoride in Public Water

Overview Utah makes history by becoming the first state to enact a statewide ban on fluoride in public drinking water. This legislative move is part of a growing national debate on water fluoridation, fueled by health concerns and advocacy from influential figures.

Key Points:

• Legislation Details: Sponsored by Republican Representative Stephanie Grishius, the bill prohibits fluoridation statewide while allowing pharmacists to prescribe fluoride supplements as needed.

  Amanda Prestige Mohammed [10:14]: "The legislation is sponsored by Republican Representative Stephanie Grishius, who argues that it's expensive to add fluoride and nixing this addition is about promoting individual choice."

• National Movement: The push against fluoride gains momentum through endorsements from prominent figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now Secretary of Health and Human Services, who labels fluoride an "industrial waste" with adverse health effects.

  Amanda Prestige Mohammed [11:05]: "RFK has highlighted that ruling as well as other recent studies."

• Public and Judicial Response: The movement receives mixed reactions, with supporters lauding the protection of individual choice and opponents citing the essential role of fluoride in oral health.

  Dr. Lena Wen [12:33]: "There are still Americans living in areas... where harm has been associated."

Notable Quotes:

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. [11:05]: "On day one he would advise that all US Water systems remove fluoride from public water."
• Dr. Lena Wen [12:33]: "Maybe the EPA's maximum level should be lowered. So I definitely think that more studies are needed."

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4. Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Movement Developments

Overview The MAHA movement, spearheaded by RFK Jr., seeks to overhaul health policies, including vaccine research and food safety regulations. The episode explores recent initiatives and the public's reception of these efforts.

Key Points:

• Vaccine Research Cuts: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) terminates over 40 grants related to vaccine hesitancy, aligning with MAHA's priorities.

  Amanda Prestige Mohammed [12:41]: "On vaccines, the National Institutes of Health will stop spending money to find out why Americans are hesitant to take vaccines."

• Food Safety Revisions: The FDA is directed to require companies to submit safety data for new food ingredients publicly, enhancing transparency.

  Amanda Prestige Mohammed [12:41]: "...manufacturers will have to publicly submit safety data for new ingredients."

• Corporate Meetings: RFK Jr. engages with major food companies to advocate for the elimination of certain dyes from their products.

  Amanda Prestige Mohammed [12:41]: "On Monday, Kennedy met with executives from major food companies... and he urged them to eliminate certain dyes from their recipes."

• Public Support: Kansas Senator Roger Marshall highlights overwhelming public backing for the MAHA movement, emphasizing the nation's health crises.

  Lee Zeldin [13:49]: "I saw some today that over 90, 95% of Americans support Make America Healthy Again."

Notable Quotes:

• Roger Marshall [13:49]: "60% of Americans have a chronic disease... So America's very sick."
• Lee Zeldin [14:17]: "What I look forward to doing is working with Secretary Kennedy now and trying to make America healthy again."

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Conclusion The March 14 episode of "Morning Wire" provides a comprehensive analysis of pressing issues facing the United States, from the brink of a government shutdown to transformative changes in environmental and public health policies. Through insightful commentary and expert interviews, John Bickley and Georgia Howe offer listeners a clear understanding of the potential impacts these developments hold for the nation.

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Notable Quotes Recap:

• John Bickley [00:03]: "The countdown to government shutdown is underway as Senate Democrats threaten to sink the spending bill."
• Georgia Howe [06:15]: "I'm hearing a lot of Democrats are going to vote for it, and I hope they do."
• Lee Zeldin [13:49]: "Over 90, 95% of Americans support Make America Healthy Again."

Stay informed with Morning Wire for daily insights into the latest political, cultural, and societal developments.

Transcript

[John Bickley]

The countdown to government shutdown is underway as Senate Democrats threaten to sink the spending bill.

[Georgia Howe]

If the government shuts down, it will be average Americans who suffer most, who.

[Cabot Phillips]

Wins and who loses in the high stakes gamble.

[John Bickley]

I'm Daily Wire editor in chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Friday, March 14th, and this is Morning Wire. The EPA's new administrator takes historic action declaring the death of what he calls the Green New Scam.

[Georgia Howe]

You're talking about hundreds of millions, billions and sometimes into the trillions when you're looking at the impact of each of these regulations.

[Cabot Phillips]

And Utah is set to become the first state to ban fluoride in its water as the Maha movement gains even more momentum.

[Tim Pierce]

You know, it's one of the easiest thing you can do to start restoring American health is just get the floor out of the water.

[John Bickley]

Thanks for waking up with MORNING wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.

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[John Bickley]

The federal government is on the verge of a shutdown as Congress debates a spending package in Washington. Here with the latest is Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips, A Cabot. So a politically precarious situation on Capitol Hill, particularly for Democrats coming down to the wire here. First, how did we get to this point?

[Lee Zeldin]

Yeah. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have until midnight tonight to come to an agreement on a spending bill that will keep the government running. Otherwise, there will be a shutdown. For context, on Tuesday, Republicans in the House passed a continuing resolution, or CR that will keep the lights on until September 30th with spending levels staying put. Now it has to make it through the Senate, which is a tall order. That's because 60 votes are required for legislation to make it to the floor for a final vote. And as we know, There are only 53 Republican members, 52 of whom are on board. Kentucky's Rand Paul is out. That means they'll need at least eight Democrats to Get on board or we could be heading for a shutdown.

[John Bickley]

All right, so the big question here, obviously, does it look like enough Democrats will actually go along here?

[Lee Zeldin]

Well, from what we're hearing out of Washington, no one really knows what to expect. It's going to be a crazy morning. But things shifted in the CR's favor yesterday evening. As of Thursday afternoon, Pennsylvania's John Fetterman had been the only Democrat to cross the aisle and give support to the resolution, saying a no vote would be, quote, chaos. And I will never vote for chaos. He went on to refer to the Democrats strategy of blocking the CR as, quote, total theater. That is neither honest with constituents nor a winning argument. Now, one reason more Democrats weren't getting on board is because Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was urging them to stand firm. Voting no. Schumer spent the week saying Democrats were unified against the Republican bill and would only vote to support a 30 day stopgap measure that will keep funding levels steady and then allow for more time to negotiate a larger, longer agreement. Here he is making that point Wednesday.

[Georgia Howe]

Our caucus is unified on a clean 4-11-cr that will keep the government open and give Congress time to negotiate bipartisan legislation that can pass. We should vote on that.

[Lee Zeldin]

But in a stunning about face Thursday night, Schumer reversed course and announced that he would support the Republican resolution, saying it was the only way to avoid the chaos of a government shutdown.

[Georgia Howe]

Either proceed with the bill before us or risk Donald Trump throwing America into the chaos of a shutdown. This, in my view, is no choice at all. While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse.

[Lee Zeldin]

Schumer faced immediate backlash from Democrats over that flip. Some called him the capitulator in chief, while others vowed to fund primary challenges against him. Now, publicly, Schumer is saying that he will not be pressuring other Democrats to join him. But it's all but certain that he is working behind the scenes to get other Dems on board. It'll take at least six more yes votes. And some folks say that he would not have come out in support if he did not think he had those votes.

[John Bickley]

So a major shift there from Schumer. Now, what exactly are the Democrat holdouts looking for?

[Lee Zeldin]

So, first, they're outraged that the resolution would give Republicans and the Trump administration the ability to slash billions of dollars in federal spending. Democrats are essentially arguing that Congress should have the final say on how much money is allocated and where those cuts come from. To that point, they're calling for explicit language in the bill that will bar Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency from slashing certain federal agencies or workforces. And look, Democrats admit they're in a tough spot here. They can either approve the bill and risk angering their base who does not want them doing anything to help advance Trump's agenda, or they can vote no and take the blame for shutting the government down, pleasing their base, but angering a lot of other people, including the majority of Americans who voted for Trump and his promise to cut spending. Democrats in the hardest position are those from swing states like Michigan, Arizona and Pennsylvania, all places that voted for Trump and gave a clear mandate that they want his agenda enacted. As Maine's Angus King put it, quote, it is a choice between two terrible alternatives. On Thursday, President Trump said he believes Democrats will ultimately get on board because they know they'll be blamed for a shutdown. If not, if there's a shutdown, even the Democrats admit it'll be their fault.

[Georgia Howe]

And I'm hearing a lot of Democrats are going to vote for it, and I hope they do.

[Lee Zeldin]

Republican Majority Leader John Thune has said the vote to advance the measure will take place today. If it gets to 60 votes, a final vote will be held hours later and a shutdown will be avoided. If they cannot get over that 60 vote threshold by midnight, a shutdown will begin.

[John Bickley]

We'll soon see if he can get those votes that he needs. Kevin, thanks so much for reporting.

[Lee Zeldin]

Anytime.

[John Bickley]

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the biggest deregulatory action in US History this week. The radical restructuring of US Environment policy has signaled the death of Democrats dreams of a green New Deal.

[Cabot Phillips]

Here to talk about the future of environmental policy is Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce. So Tim Zeldin is touting a full restructuring of the epa. What exactly does that entail?

[John Bickley]

Hey.

[Tim Pierce]

Georgia Administrator Zeldin said Wednesday that the EPA would take 31 historic actions to shrink the scope of federal environmental policy and unleash American energy. Here's Zeldin.

[Georgia Howe]

EPA will be reconsidering many suffocating rules that restrict nearly every sector of our economy and cost Americans trillions of dollars. Our actions include the Biden administration's deeply flawed Clean Power Plan, 2.0 Medium and Heavy car and truck rules, and the so called social cost of carbon.

[Tim Pierce]

Alongside this announcement came an op ed in the Wall Street Journal. Zeldin wrote that the Trump administration is driving a dagger through the heart of climate change religion and he dec the death of the green news scam.

[Cabot Phillips]

So a massive shift in how we approach climate policy. It sounds like now Administrator Zeldin has also been busy on another issue, which is getting back $20 billion that the Biden EPA handed out in grants ahead of the election. Zeldin terminated those grants on Wednesday. Did he actually get that money back?

[Tim Pierce]

Not yet. There are still legal challenges to sort through and litigate. But Zeldin's announcement does give us an idea of how he plans to get that money back. It's not just that the money is what Zeldin calls green slush fund. Here's him explaining that on Fox News.

[Georgia Howe]

Out of nowhere they would create these NGOs and they were getting billions of dollars. I mean, it's not like they were creating an entity and then getting $100,000 or getting $5 million. They were getting 2 billion, 5 billion, 7 billion. And they were doing it in a way where they were deliberately restricting oversight from the federal government. So that I as EPA administrator sit before you today unable to answer a whole lot of very simple questions required whenever the federal government is spending even a dollar.

[Tim Pierce]

Essentially, he suspects that the Biden administration bent or broke laws to get that much money paid out that quickly. It's worth noting that these grants are part of the largest green fund that the EPA has ever controlled, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. And these grants that it gave out went to recipients who also had never handled that much money. It's not hard to see why Trump officials are skeptical about how these grants were paid out.

[Cabot Phillips]

So major reforms underway at the epa, which is in keeping with how Trump is approaching the rest of the federal government.

[Tim Pierce]

Right. This is how the Trump operation is moving right now. Outside of the epa, there is a big shakeup going on at the IRS where the Department of Government Efficiency has proposed cutting a fifth of the agency's workforce. Of course, this kind of major restructuring is facing roadblocks and legal challenges in the courts. A Clinton appointed federal judge on Thursday ordered the administration to hire back tens of thousands of probationary employees. The judge called their removals a sham that violated rules around terminating federal employees.

[Cabot Phillips]

So a bit of whiplash for those workers. Tim, thanks for coming on.

[Tim Pierce]

Thanks for having me.

[Cabot Phillips]

Utah is set to become the first state in the nation to ban fluoride in public drinking water.

[John Bickley]

Here to discuss is DAILY Wire reporter Amanda Prestige Mohammed. So we have a first ever ban here. Tell us about this legislation in Utah.

[Amanda Prestige Mohammed]

Hey, John. Yeah. This bill would ban the fluoridation of public water statewide. Now, currently two counties in the state add fluoride to its water supply. But nearly half of all state residents live in those counties. The legislation is sponsored by Republican Representative Stephanie Grishius, who argues that it's expensive to add fluoride and nixing this addition is about promoting individual choice. The bill actually moves to allow pharmacists to prescribe fluoride tablets to those who need it. Republican Governor Spencer Cox has said that he will sign the bill into law and that would take effect on May 7th. And also I'll note that while Utah is poised to be the first state to implement this ban, Hawaii does not fluoridate its water, though there is no ban in place there.

[John Bickley]

Got it. Now this has become an increasingly debated topic nationally. Tell us about that. This movement behind the push to ban the addition of fluoride.

[Amanda Prestige Mohammed]

Right. So of course this has definitely gained a lot of traction following Robert F. Kennedy Jr's endorsement of Trump in this last election. Rfk, whose now the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the figurehead of the Make America Healthy Again movement. He said just before the election that on day one he would advise that all US Water systems remove fluoride from public water. He's called fluoride an industrial waste and he says that it's associated with numerous negative effects like arthritis, IQ loss and thyroid disease. Also back in October, an Obama appointed federal judge ruled that fluoride in drinking water presents an unreasonable risk and ordered the EPA to respond. RFK has highlighted that ruling as well as other recent studies. But it's not just Kennedy and Maha figures debating this. Dr. Lena Wen, for example, has said that this policy of adding fluoride to our drinking water must be reevaluated. Wen is the former president of Planned Parenthood and she strongly opposed Kennedy as HHS secretary. She called him a conspiracy theorist. But on this issue she agrees. Here she is on ABC. There are still Americans living in areas, about 3 million Americans living in areas where the fluoride level is above 1.5, where harm has been associated. And so I think there's a good question about what should the level be. Maybe the EPA's maximum level should be lowered. So I definitely think that more studies are needed. Proponents of water fluoridation argue that it's safe in drinking water at low levels and it's important for oral health, which can also impact your overall health.

[John Bickley]

Now shifting gears a bit. There are more developments related to this MAHA movement that's behind this. What's the latest coming out of hhs?

[Amanda Prestige Mohammed]

Well, there are major updates related to both vaccines and food. On vaccines, the National Institutes of Health will stop spending money to find out why Americans are hesitant to take vaccines. The NIH, which is part of HHS, is terminating or scaling back more than 40 related grants and they say that this spending no longer aligns with NIH priorities. The CDC is also reportedly studying if there's any link between vaccinations and the rise in autism. A CDC study from 2020 found that 1 in 36 children in the US have been diagnosed with autism. Now on food RFK has directed the FDA to revise a rule that allows companies to self affirm the safety of food ingredients. Under the revision, manufacturers will have to publicly submit safety data for new ingredients. HHS says that such enhanced oversight will bring transparency to American consumers. Also on Monday, Kennedy met with executives from major food companies including Pepsi, General Mills and Kellogg's and he urged them to el certain dyes from their recipes. And final note here, I have to add that the MAHA movement has tremendous support from the American public. Morning Wire spoke to Kansas Senator Roger Marshall about that.

[Lee Zeldin]

I saw some today that over 90, 95% of Americans support Make America Healthy Again. Think about this. My grandma always said if you have your health you have everything. But 60% of Americans have a chronic disease. 20% of our children are on a prescription drug. 30, 40% of our adolescents are pre diabetic or diabetic as well. So America's very sick. And what I look forward to doing is working with Secretary Kennedy now and trying to make America healthy again.

[John Bickley]

As we said, a lot going on with this movement and RFK's initiative. Amanda, thank you so much for reporting.

[Amanda Prestige Mohammed]

You're welcome.

[Cabot Phillips]

Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back later this afternoon with more news. You need to know.