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Live from NPR News in Washington, D.C. i'm Dale Willman. The federal government is partially shut down once again. Congress has failed to fund some of the country's largest federal agencies and departments before Friday night deadline. NPR's Luke Garrett reports.
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The Senate advanced a massive five bill appropriation package Friday night. It funds the Pentagon Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, labor and Education. It also includes a stopgap measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks. The Senate funding package comes after the White House struck a deal with Democrats who want serious changes in DHS policy after its agents shot and killed Alex Preddy in Minneapolis. The funding package now goes back to the House, which returns Monday. The government will remain partially shut down until the House advances the package and President Trump signs it. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.
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The Justice Department Friday released millions more records from its investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein. Included in the files were records concerning some of Epstein's more famous associates, along with emails between Epstein and Elon Musk and other prominent contacts. Some of the files were heavily redacted and and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche explained why some files have still been withheld.
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The categories of documents withheld include those permitted under the act to be withheld, files that contain personally identify information of victims or victims personal and medical files and similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Any depiction of CSAM or child pornography was obviously excluded, anything that would jeopardize an active federal investigation.
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The files are available on the Department of Justice website. President Trump has issued an executive order that aims to expedite rebuilding in Los Angeles after last year's deadly wildfires. But as NPR's Kirk Siegler reports, the move appears to work around the authority of local recovery planners.
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Trump's order says wildfire victims should be able to rebuild without, quote, duplicative or obstructive requirements. He's directing FEMA and Homeland Security to preempt local officials who issue building permits. The number of building permits issued in the LA fire zones is still sluggish at around 1300 to date. Likely the biggest delay in rebuilding is not red tape, but the fact that scores of fire victims are still in insurance limbo. Governor Gavin Newsom accuses the president of deliberately slowing recovery, noting only a fraction of the billions of promised federal aid has been sent to California fire victims. Kirk Zigler, NPR News.