Senate rejects ACA funding and a Republican alternative with premiums set to spike
By Sahil Kapur WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled Senate voted Thursday to reject health care bills offered by each party, as the U.S. barrels toward a cliff with steep premium hikes for millions of Americans set to hit next month. The failed votes raise the likelihood that enhanced Obamacare subsidies passed in 2021 will expire at the end of this year and cause premiums to double on average for some 22 million Americans who benefit from that funding. Neither bill achieved the 60 votes needed to advance, kicking the issue into the political arena. Democrats hope to use the issue to mobilize voters in the 2026 midterm elections if there
Oklahoma Black Lives Matter Leader Indicted for Fraud
By Lexx Thornton A federal grand jury indicted the leader of the Black Lives Matter movement in Oklahoma City over allegations that millions of dollars in grant funds were improperly spent on international trips, groceries, and personal real estate, prosecutors announced Thursday. Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, was indicted earlier this month on 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering, court records show. Court records do not indicate the name of Dickerson’s attorney, and messages left Thursday at her mobile number and by email were not immediately returned. According to the indictment, Dickerson has served since
Justice Department again fails to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James
By Ryan J. Reilly, Michael Kosnar, Gary Grumbach and Alexandra Bacallao ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A federal grand jury here refused to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday, one federal law enforcement source and another person familiar with the matter told NBC News. This was the Justice Department’s third attempt to prosecute James following a monthslong pressure campaign from President Donald Trump. A federal judge last month dismissed mortgage-related charges the Justice Department had brought against James, as well as separate, unrelated charges against former FBI Director James Comey, after ruling that the prosecutor in both cases was unlawfully appointed. The president named that prosecutor,
Trump-Zohran Mamdani voters are at the center of an unexpected relationship
By Allan Smith and Matt Lavietes Adalberto Rodriguez wasn’t someone who paid much attention to politics — until President Donald Trump faced a criminal trial in New York City last year. Rodriguez, a 30-year-old who lives in Brooklyn, felt he saw similarities between his own legal troubles and what he believed was “political lawfare” Trump dealt with in his city. Soon, he was all-in on Trump, attending rallies in the Bronx and Philadelphia and at Madison Square Garden. He proudly voted for Trump in 2024. This year, Rodriguez became enthralled with another New York City political figure on the rise: Zohran Mamdani, now
House passes NDAA, $900 billion defense policy bill, in 312-112 vote
By Caitlin Yield, Kaia Hubbard Washington — The House on Wednesday approved a $900 billion defense policy bill as both chambers race to pass it before the end of the year. The legislation — which sets lawmakers’ defense priorities and authorizes spending levels for the Defense Department and national security programs — cleared the lower chamber in a bipartisan vote with 312 voting in favor and 112 in opposition. The final hours before passage were not without some drama as House Speaker Mike Johnson struggled to maintain control of his fractious majority. A five-minute procedural vote stretched into an hour as
Meet the 167-Year-Old HBCU You’ve Never Heard Of
America’s oldest private Black university taught this nation what educated Black leadership looks like Let’s start with a confession: This might be your first time ever hearing the name Wilberforce University. Trust…once you do, you’ll never forget it. Founded in 1856, five years before the Civil War fired its first shot—Wilberforce University stands as the oldest private, historically Black university in the United States. Not just a relic of history, but the birthplace of Black higher education leadership itself. Long before hashtags proclaimed “Black Excellence,” Wilberforce was already living it, breathing it, and building it from the ground up. A University
Trump’s speech on combating inflation turns to grievances about immigrants
By The Associated Press MOUNT POCONO, Pa. — On the road in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, President Donald Trump tried to emphasize his focus on combating inflation, yet the issue that has damaged his popularity couldn’t quite command his full attention. The president told the crowd gathered at a casino and resort in Mount Pocono that inflation was no longer a problem and that Democrats had used the term “affordability” as a “hoax” to hurt his reputation. But his remarks weaved wildly to include grievances he first raised behind closed doors in his first term in 2018 — and later denied
Indiana state senators advance GOP-drawn congressional map, setting up a final vote
By Jane C. Timm A committee of Indiana state lawmakers advanced a Republican-drawn congressional map Monday, sending it to the floor of the state Senate, where its outcome remains uncertain. After more than six hours of testimony, the map passed out of the committee on a 6-3 vote, with one Republican, Sen. Greg Walker, joining with two Democrats in opposition. Half of the Republicans who voted “yes” suggested they did so to ensure a full vetting of the legislation on the Senate floor and hinted that their votes may change after further debate. The map, which passed the House last week, is designed
Rep. Jasmine Crockett launches Senate run in Texas, shaking up Democratic primary
By Bridget Bowman Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, launched her run for Senate on Monday, shaking up the Democratic primary just before the state’s filing deadline. Crockett joins the race to take on GOP Sen. John Cornyn, who is facing multiple primary challengers himself. The two-term congresswoman’s decision also comes as her Dallas-based House seat was redrawn in a GOP-led redistricting effort. “There are a lot of people that said, ‘You gotta stay in the House. We need our voice. We need you there,'” Crockett told her supporters as she launched her campaign Monday night. “And I understand. But what we need
Rep. James Clyburn criticizes redistricting push: ‘Are we going to make a mockery out of this democracy?’
By Megan Lebowitz WASHINGTON — Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., criticized the nationwide redistricting fight in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” arguing that the country is going through “a repeat of a history that led to some catastrophic consequences in our previous history.” Clyburn was asked at the start of the interview whether he agreed with Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., who opposed his state’s redistricting and argued that “if you fight fire with fire long enough, all you’re going to have left is ashes.” “I agree with him entirely,” Clyburn said. Clyburn pointed to the emergence of Jim Crow after the
