Transcript
NPR Podcast Host (0:00)
On the Throughline podcast from npr. Immigration enforcement might be more visible now, but this moment didn't begin with President Trump's second inauguration or even his first, a series from Throughline about how immigration became political and a cash cow. Listen to Throughline in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Lakshmi Singh (0:25)
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. As the US Senate prepares to hold another vote over a bill to reopen the government, congressional Democrats are insisting Republicans restore health insurance subsidies to millions of households. House Speaker Mike Johnson says it's up to a handful of Democrats to, quote, end the madness.
Mike Johnson (0:44)
We don't have enough Republican votes to fix this because it takes 60 votes in the Senate to break this impasse. To open the government, there's only 53 Republicans in the Senate. We need some Democrats to be thoughtful and responsible and and do the right thing.
Lakshmi Singh (0:59)
The showdown is shaping the narrative for the midterm elections. A Democratic campaign arm for House lawmakers took out digital ads in 35 districts that it considers competitive. The ads accused the GOP of blocking affordable health care. The Republican campaign organization launched digital ads in swing districts that blamed the shutdown on liberal Democrats in Congress. Ballots for California's special election are being mailed out. Starting today, voters will weigh in on a ballot measure that that would allow state officials to redraw the state's congressional map ahead of the midterm elections. Here's NPR's Ashley Lopez.
Ashley Lopez (1:32)
Proposition 50 in California is a response to Texas lawmakers who redrew the state's congressional map recently to create five more favorable seats for Republicans. Texas lawmakers took on this effort at the request of President Trump, who wants Republicans to keep control of Congress next year. California Democrats, led by Governor Gavin Newsom, vowed to counter Texas redistricting effort by creating five more favorable congressional seats for Democrats in the state. But unlike Texas, California has an independent redistricting commission, so lawmakers have to ask voters for permission first to bypass the independent commission that voters in California approved in 2008 and 2010. Ashley Lopez, NPR News.
Lakshmi Singh (2:14)
The Italian government is pressing the White House to change its decision to apply major new tariffs on pasta imports to the United States. Italy's National Union for Farmers says the tariffs would deal a fatal blow to many Italian pasta makers. Here's NPR's Ruth Sherlock.