Mary Clare Jalonick, Author at The Rapid City Post

The Capitol is illuminated at dawn in Washington, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

At the center of shutdown fight, health care is one of the most intractable issues in Congress

October 6, 2025

Democrats believe health care is an issue that will resonate with a majority of Americans as they demand an extension of subsidies in exchange for their votes to reopen the shuttered U.S. government. But it is also one of the most intractable issues in Congress, and a real compromise to end the shutdown will not likely be easy. There are some Republicans in Congress who want to extend the higher subsidies, which were first put in place in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. But many GOP lawmakers are firmly opposed to any extension.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, of N.Y., walks to a press conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Democrats voted for a shutdown. Now they have to find a way out

October 1, 2025

Senate Democrats kept their promise to reject any Republican spending bill that didn’t extend or restore health care benefits, choosing instead to force a government shutdown. Now they have to figure out how to get out of it. Just hours after the shutdown began, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said that if the Republicans work with them, “the shutdown could go away very quickly.” But that won’t be easy. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump have said that they won’t negotiate or be “held hostage” by Democrats demanding concessions to reopen the government.

FILE - House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, left, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, both of New York, tell reporters that they are united as the Sept. 30 funding deadline approaches, at the Capitol in Washington, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

A look at previous government shutdowns and how they ended

September 29, 2025

Party leaders in Congress have long criticized government shutdowns as toxic and destructive. Yet Congress often finds itself at the brink of one as the two major political parties’ differences grow more intractable each year. This time, Democrats are threatening to vote against keeping the government open Oct. 1. Democrats say they won’t budge unless Republicans extend health care subsidies that expire at the end of the year. Republicans say they don’t want to add complicated policy to their “clean” stopgap funding bill. In President Donald Trump’s first term, he led the country into its longest shutdown with demands Congress give him money for a border wall. The Republican president retreated after 35 days.

FILE—Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., left, hold a news conference on the GOP reconciliation bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file)

As Democrats prepare for a possible federal shutdown, their endgame is uncertain

September 27, 2025

Senate Democrats have struggled for months to counter President Donald Trump. Now, with a possible government shutdown looming, they’ve settled on a bold, one-step strategy if they don’t get significant concessions on health care before federal funding runs out Wednesday. That strategy is to vote to shut down. The plan is heartily endorsed by many of the party’s frustrated voters in the base and by activists. Less clear is what’s in the party playbook come that deadline. That’s when the administration could begin laying off hundreds or even thousands of federal workers, if it carries through with plans laid out by the White House this week.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Thune says a shutdown can still be avoided if Democrats ‘dial back’ their demands

September 26, 2025

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is rejecting Democratic demands on health care as unserious but says a government shutdown is still “avoidable.” Thune tells The Associated Press in an interview he’s “a big believer that there’s always a way out.” Thune says Democrats are going to have to “dial back” their demands to immediately extend health insurance subsidies and reverse the health care policies Republicans passed over the summer. Absent that, the South Dakota Republican says, “we’re probably plunging forward toward the shutdown.” Democrats have shown little evidence of pulling back on their threats.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is met by reporters as he walks to his office while Congress works on a government funding solution, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate confirms 48 of Trump’s nominees at once after changing the chamber’s rules

September 18, 2025

The Senate has confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s nominees. Republicans acted for the first time under new rules to clear a backlog of executive branch positions that had been delayed by Democrats. Frustrated by the stalling tactics, Senate Republicans moved last week to make it easier to confirm large groups of lower-level, non-judicial nominations. Democrats had forced multiple votes on almost every one of Trump’s picks, infuriating the president and tying up the Senate floor. The new rules allow Senate Republicans to move multiple nominees with a simple majority vote. The rules don’t apply to judicial nominations or high-level Cabinet posts.

Democrats plan to force Senate vote on Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Brazil

September 16, 2025

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine is planning to force two Senate votes on President Donald Trump’s tariffs in the coming weeks, keeping the pressure on his Republican colleagues as many of them have voiced frustration with the policies. The Virginia senator says he will introduce two separate resolutions this week that would terminate the national emergencies that Trump declared to justify the tariffs he has imposed on Canada and Brazil. In April, four Republicans voted with Democrats to block Trump’s tariffs on Canada, but the House never took it up.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, left, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, both of New York, tell reporters that they are united as the Sept. 30 funding deadline approaches, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Schumer warns of a shutdown if Republicans don’t accept Democrats’ health care demands

September 12, 2025

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is willing to risk a government shutdown at the end of the month if Republicans don’t accept Democratic demands on health care. Schumer tells The Associated Press he and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries oppose any legislation that doesn’t include key health care provisions and a commitment not to roll them back. Schumer argues the country is in a different place than it was earlier this year, when he argued against a shutdown. The New York senator weathered backlash from fellow Democrats in March when he voted with Republicans to keep the government open. Senate Majority Leader John Thune says Schumer needs to approach Republicans with a health care proposal.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., center, speaks during a news conference after a policy luncheon at the CapitolTuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

Senate Republicans poised to change rules to speed up Trump’s nominees

September 11, 2025

Republicans are taking the first steps to change the rules of the Senate to confirm more of President Donald Trump’s nominees. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has set up votes for Thursday that would allow large numbers of nominees to be confirmed at the same time. It’s just the latest move to change Senate rules after a dozen years of gradual changes by both parties to weaken the filibuster and make the nominations process more partisan. Thune has said the Democrats’ obstruction is “unsustainable” as they have drawn out the confirmation process and infuriated Trump as many positions in his administration remain unfilled.

FILE - Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., joined at left by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., the GOP whip, speaks to reporters following closed-door strategy meetings, at the Capitol in Washington, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Thune says Senate will change the rules to push through Trump’s blocked nominees

September 8, 2025

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says Republicans are ready to change the chamber’s rules to allow quick confirmations of dozens of President Donald Trump’s executive branch nominees. Republicans are moving to speed up votes on Trump’s nominees after months of Democratic delays. Thune said he’ll start the process of changing the rules Monday evening, with a final vote coming as soon as next week. It’s the first time in recent history that the minority party hasn’t allowed at least some quick confirmations. If Republicans act quickly, they could confirm more than 100 of Trump’s pending nominations this month.

Washington Metropolitan Police officers and military police soldiers with the District of Columbia National Guard watch as activists protest President Donald Trump's federal takeover of policing of the District of Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Congress is expected to allow Trump’s takeover of DC police to expire

September 5, 2025

Congress is expected to allow President Donald Trump’s temporary takeover of Washington’s police department to expire next week as the 30 day limit comes to an end. Trump took control of the Metropolitan Police Department in August for 30 days in addition to deploying hundreds of National Guard troops, saying he was going to “take our capital back” from criminals. Congress would have to approve an extension, and Republicans on Capitol Hill have no plans to do so in the next week. Mayor Muriel Bowser has said the city will continue to coordinate with federal law enforcement.

Republicans are preparing to change Senate rules to speed Trump’s nominees

September 3, 2025

Republican senators say they are prepared to change the chamber’s rules to get around the Democratic blockade of President Donald Trump’s nominees, discussing a proposal to make it easier to confirm multiple nominees at once. Republicans have been talking about various options for changing the rules since early August, when the Senate left for a monthlong recess after a breakdown in bipartisan negotiations over the confirmation process. Democrats have blocked nearly every single one of Trump’s nominees, forcing majority Republicans to spend valuable floor time on procedural votes and leaving many positions in the executive branch unfilled.

Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., center, speaks during a news conference after a policy luncheon at the Capitol Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

Senate delays August recess for now as Trump presses for more confirmations

August 1, 2025

A stalemate over the pace of confirmations has delayed the Senate’s yearly August recess for now as President Donald Trump declares that his nominees “should NOT BE FORCED TO WAIT.” Democrats have slowed the confirmation process by forcing procedural votes on almost all of Trump’s picks. Caught in the middle is Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who says he will keep the Senate in session over the weekend to hold confirmation votes while also trying to negotiate a deal with Democrats. The two sides haven’t come to agreement yet and it’s unclear if Trump would be onboard with any bipartisan deal.

Republicans consider changing Senate rules to speed confirmation of Trump nominees

July 30, 2025

Senate Republicans are considering changing Senate rules to speed up confirmation of President Donald Trump’s executive branch nominees, forcing a possible clash with Democrats as Trump pressures them to fill dozens of administration posts before they leave town for the monthlong August recess. Trump’s pressure comes as Senate Majority Leader John Thune has already more than doubled the number of executive branch and judicial confirmations compared to Trump’s first term by holding the Senate in session for more days and longer hours all year. Still, Trump says he wants more, and Democrats are delaying a vote on most every nominee, arguing that Trump’s picks are extreme.

Sen. Cory Booker in angry outburst says ‘complicit’ Democrats need a ‘wake-up call’

July 29, 2025

In a rare public outburst on the Senate floor Tuesday, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker took his Democratic colleagues to task, saying the party “needs a wake up call!” Booker angrily screamed at two of his shocked Democratic colleagues and blocked the passage of several bipartisan bills that would fund police programs, arguing that President Donald Trump’s administration has been withholding law enforcement money from Democratic-leaning states. The surprise Senate spat over police bills that have broad bipartisan support strikes at the heart of the beleaguered Democratic party’s dilemma in the second Trump era as they try to find a way back to power.

FILE - Emil Bove, attorney for former US President Donald Trump, sits Manhattan criminal court during Trump's sentencing in the hush money case in New York, Jan. 10, 2025. (Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via AP, Pool, File)

Senate considering nomination of ex-Trump defense lawyer for lifetime appointment to appeals court

July 22, 2025

The Senate has narrowly voted to begin considering the nomination of former Trump lawyer Emil Bove for a lifetime appointment as a federal appeals court judge. On Tuesday, at least one Republican opposed, and Democrats are vowing to try to slow his confirmation. Bove is a former criminal defense lawyer for President Donald Trump, and he is now a top official at the Justice Department. His nomination for the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has come under intense scrutiny from Democrats after a fired department lawyer said he suggested the Trump administration may need to ignore judicial commands. Bove denies the claim.

FILE - Whitney Hermandorfer of the Tennessee Attorney General's Office speaks before a panel of judges, April 4, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

Senate confirms Trump’s first judicial nominee of his second term

July 14, 2025

The Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s first judicial pick of his second term, voting along party lines to approve Whitney Hermandorfer as a judge for the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Hermandorfer worked for Tennessee’s attorney general. The Democratic-led Senate under former President Joe Biden confirmed 235 federal judges, and the Republican-led Senate in Trump’s first term confirmed 234 federal judges. The two presidents each worked to reshape the judiciary, with Trump taking advantage of a high number of judicial vacancies at the end of President Barack Obama’s term and Democrats working to beat Trump’s number.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., is seen with other Republican House members after the passage of President Donald Trump's signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Takeaways as Congress sends tax and spending cuts bill to Trump’s desk

July 3, 2025

The House has passed the massive tax and spending cuts package that President Donald Trump calls “beautiful,” getting it to his desk a day before the July 4 deadline that he had set. The 887-page bill includes spending cuts, tax breaks, military spending, money for deportations and other longtime GOP priorities like cuts to Medicaid and renewable energy programs. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that under the bill 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 and 3 million more would not qualify for food stamps, also known as SNAP benefits.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, Sunday, June 22, 2025, after the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel's effort to destroy the country's nuclear program. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Intelligence leaders are set to brief Congress on Trump’s Iran strikes

June 23, 2025

Members of Congress are hearing directly from President Donald Trump’s intelligence leaders about the strikes on Iran. The House and Senate will be receiving classified briefings Tuesday, just three days after Trump directed strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and a day after Iran struck a U.S. base in Qatar. Democrats in Congress, along with some Republicans, have questions about Trump’s unilateral decision to launch military action. Many of them argue he should have come to Congress for approval — or at least provided more justification for the attacks. CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard will be among the officials briefing Congress.

FILE - A handgun with a silencer and two magazines are shown at a gun range in Atlanta, Jan. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Lisa Marie Pane, File)

GOP tax bill would ease regulations on gun silencers and some rifles and shotguns

June 22, 2025

The massive tax and spending cuts package that President Donald Trump wants on his desk by July 4 would loosen regulations on gun silencers and certain types of rifles and shotguns. It advances a longtime priority of the gun industry as Republican leaders in the House and Senate try to win enough votes to pass the bill. The House bill would remove silencers from a 1930s law that regulates firearms that are considered the most dangerous, eliminating a $200 tax on the accessories and also removing a layer of background checks.

‘Shocked’ and ‘sickened’ Democrats react with fury to video of Padilla’s removal

June 12, 2025

Senate Democrats were shaken to the core after seeing videos of officers aggressively pushing California Sen. Alex Padilla out of a news conference with the Homeland Security secretary and eventually restraining him on the floor outside the room. Democrats have been beaten down politically for months as President Donald Trump has returned to power and ruled Washington with a united Republican Congress. But the Democrats’ anger exploded as they skipped their traditional Thursday flights home and stayed on the floor to speak out against the incident. They called it the latest and most inflammatory example of what they say is Trump’s gradual assault on democracy.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifies during a Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Defense, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Senate rejects effort to block arms sales over Trump’s dealings with Qatar and UAE

June 11, 2025

Senate Republicans have blocked an effort by Democrats to temporarily block arms sales to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in response to President Donald Trump’s dealings in the region. Democrats forced the procedural vote Wednesday to protest Qatar’s donation of a $400 million plane to be used as Air Force One and a $2 billion investment by a UAE-backed company using a Trump family-linked stablecoin, a form of cryptocurrency. Senators voted to block the Democratic effort led by Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy. Murphy forced the votes under a mechanism known as a joint resolution of disapproval that allows the Senate to reject arms sales.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks with reporters after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Republican senators to watch in the maneuvering over Trump’s big bill

June 9, 2025

The Senate has set an ambitious timeline to pass President Donald Trump’s sweeping legislation to cut taxes and spending. But getting it on the Republican president’s desk by July 4 will require some big decisions, and soon. Republican senators are airing concerns about different parts of the legislation, including cuts to Medicaid, changes to food aid and the impact on the deficit. To push the bill to passage, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other negotiators will need to find a compromise that satisfies both ends of their conference. And they’ll need to ensure those changes don’t threaten support in the House.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., flanked by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., center, and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, speak with reporters after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Thune’s first big test as Senate leader has arrived with Trump’s tax bill

June 4, 2025

Only six months into the job, Senate Majority Leader John Thune faces a massive challenge as he tries to quickly pass President Donald Trump’s sprawling tax and spending cuts package. While most of his Republican senators are inclined to vote for it, he can still only lose four votes. To get it done by July 4, Thune has to figure out how to balance the demands of different Republicans. It’s a complicated and risky undertaking, one that is likely to make or break the first year of Thune’s tenure and his evolving relationship with Trump.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks to reporters at the Capitol, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Senate clears way to block clean air standards in California, including vehicle emission rules

May 21, 2025

Senate Republicans have voted to establish a new precedent that will allow them to roll back clean air standards in California, including a rule phasing out the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. The winding series of Senate procedural votes that went late into Wednesday evening could have profound implications on California’s longstanding efforts to reduce air pollution. Republicans established a new, narrow exception to the Senate filibuster, and Democrats strongly objected to the move. The votes cleared the way procedurally for Republicans to bring up three House-passed resolutions that would block the rules. The Senate could pass the resolutions later this week.

Mary Clare Jalonick.