博客

Former Sen Joe Manchin says Sen John Cornyn personally thanked him for defending 60-vote rule under Biden
By Adam Pack | Fox News
Published March 12, 2026 3:27pm EDT

Sen. John Cornyn’s reversal on scrapping the Senate filibuster is sparking backlash among some supporters of the 60-vote rule, with one leading proponent, former Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., accusing the Texas Republican of ditching his longstanding position for political expediency.

“When I was a U.S. Senator, there was not another person more committed to keeping the filibuster than Senator John Cornyn,” Manchin wrote in a scathing social media post Thursday. “He understood the incredible political pressure I faced from my former party to get rid of the filibuster and give Democrats complete power — and at the time, he understood why neither party should take our country past this point of no return.”

“These extreme election-year politics that put party power over everything else are why Americans are sick and tired of the duopoly of the two-party system of Democrats and Republicans,” Manchin added.

Cornyn, who is locked in a heated run-off election to win a fifth Senate term, called on Republicans in an op-ed Wednesday to consider ditching the filibuster Wednesday to pass a Trump-backed election bill. The measure, known as the (Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility) SAVE Act, is facing an uphill battle in the Senate due to expected unanimous opposition from Democrats. Under Senate rules, most legislation is subject to a 60-vote threshold to cut off debate and move on to final passage.

Former Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., sharply criticized Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, over his reversal on the Senate filibuster Thursday.(Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images; Sara Diggins/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images)

The editorial was a notable shift for the Texas Republican, who previously defended the merits of the filibuster.

“For many years, I believed that if the U.S. Senate scrapped the filibuster, Texas and our nation would stand to lose more than we would gain,” Cornyn wrote. “But when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt.”

Cornyn is currently vying in a two-man race against State Attorney General Ken Paxton, R-Texas, during which President Donald Trump’s endorsement could prove decisive. The president has repeatedly called on Senate Republicans to abolish the 60-vote requirement or pursue a rarely-tried talking filibuster and send the SAVE America Act to his desk. Paxton has previously come out in support of ending the Senate filibuster.

Cornyn is currently running in a two-man race against State Attorney General Ken Paxton, R-Texas.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

TRUMP, THUNE CLASH ON VOTER ID ULTIMATUM AS GOP REMAINS DIVIDED ON PATH FORWARD

Manchin, a former Democrat-turned-Independent who passed on running for re-election in 2024, alleged that Cornyn personally reached out to him after he defeated Democrats’ gambit to nix the 60-vote rule under former President Joe Biden.

In early 2022, Manchin supplied the critical vote alongside former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., and Republicans to tank a Democratic-led effort to abolish the filibuster and pass so-called voting rights legislation.

“It’s deeply disappointing to see that Senator Cornyn is now willing to scrap the very rule he once praised and personally thanked me for defending,” Manchin wrote.

At that time, Cornyn urged Democrats to preserve the filibuster while Republicans were serving in the minority.

“Power is fleeting and at some point the shoe will always be on the other foot,” Cornyn said in a floor speech. “Liberal activists may like the idea of nuking the filibuster today, but they’ll soon find themselves ruing the day their party broke the Senate.”

COLLINS BOOSTS REPUBLICAN VOTER ID EFFORT, BUT WON’T SCRAP FILIBUSTER

Cornyn denied Manchin’s account Thursday. He has also argued that his reversal on the Senate filibuster was not aimed at winning Trump’s endorsement.

“There’s no Joe Manchins left in the Democratic Party and no Kyrsten Sinemas …this is an entirely different circumstance, dealing with Democrats who will not negotiate or consider anything that President Trump or Republicans want,” the Texas Republican told reporters. “We can either accept that or we can fight back, and I think we should fight back.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who has come under significant pressure from Trump and conservative influencers to pass the SAVE America Act, indicated Wednesday that the filibuster is here to stay regardless of Cornyn’s pleas.

“Senator Cornyn is one of 53 Republican senators, and the opposition to nuking the filibuster runs very, very deep in our conference,” Thune told reporters.

Congressional Republicans, President Donald Trump and the GOP base want voter ID turned into law, but one barrier stands in the way: the political reality of the Senate.(Leon Neal/Getty Images; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Manchin has continued to sing the filibuster’s praises in his retirement, arguing that the 60-vote threshold protects the minority party and forces legislation to be bipartisan.

“The filibuster — the soul of the Senate — has preserved the Senate’s role for nearly 250 years as the institution that cools passions, protects minority voices, and demands consensus,” Manchin said. “America was built on institutions designed to resist political convenience, not surrender to it.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Cornyn’s office for comment.

U.S. customs agency says tariff refunds system between 40% and 80% complete

March 12, 2026 6:32 PM UTC / Reuters

Shipping containers are stacked at a terminal at the port of Los Angeles in Long Beach, California, U.S., March 10, 2026. REUTERS/Caroline Brehman

March 12 (Reuters) – The U.S. ‌government’s four-part system for refunding $166 billion in illegal tariff payments ​with interest is between ​40% and 80% complete, according ⁠to a court filing ​on Thursday from a top ​customs official.

Brandon Lord, an official with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ​said the agency is ​developing a four-part system it calls CAPE ‌that ⁠will accept refund claims, mass process them, review them and issue refunds, according to a ​court filing.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

Lord’s ​filing ⁠in the U.S. Court of International Trade ​was made to comply with an ​order ⁠issued last week by Judge Richard Eaton as part ⁠of ​his directive to ​refund tariff payments.

Reporting by Tom Hals in ​Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Noeleen Walder

Suspect in Detroit-area synagogue attack is killed by security, officials say

2026-03-12T13:01:00-0400 / CBS Detroit

A suspect in an attack on a synagogue in the Detroit area is dead after ramming a truck into the building and being confronted by synagogue security, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. There are no reported injuries among students or staff on site.

The sheriff’s department says law enforcement responded to an “active shooter situation” at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Thursday afternoon.

Bouchard said a man drove through the doors of the building and down a hallway. Two law enforcement sources told CBS News the suspect rammed the vehicle into the synagogue, then exited the vehicle with a rifle and was then shot by synagogue security, though Bouchard would not say how the suspect died.

WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICHIGAN – MARCH 12: Law enforcement respond near Temple Israel following reports of an active shooter on March 12, 2026 in West Bloomfield, Michigan. According to authorities a suspect is dead after ramming a vehicle into the Detroit-area synagogue. Police continue to investigate as emergency personnel remained on the scene. Emily Elconin / Getty Images

No students or staff were injured in the incident, Bouchard said.

“We’ve accounted for everybody that we believe was in the building at the time,” Bouchard said.

One of the lead security personnel who was hit by the vehicle and “knocked unconscious” was taken to an area hospital for treatment and is expected to be okay, Bouchard said. The guard was pulled from the area by his team.

Bouchard said something inside the suspect’s vehicle ignited, and added that out of an abundance of caution, investigators are clearing the vehicle for IED explosives. Only one person was inside the vehicle, according to Bouchard.

TOPSHOT – Law enforcement responds at the scene of a shooting on Walnut Lake Rd, outside of Temple Israel synagogue, in West Bloomfield, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, on March 12, 2026. An unidentified shooter was killed on March 12 after exchanging gunfire with security in an attack on a synagogue in the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, police said. Police said the gunman was dead following the attack on the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield. JEFF KOWALSKY /AFP via Getty Images

“Security did their job, and then the responders did theirs,” Bouchard said.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that FBI personnel were at the scene and responding.

Temple Israel is located on 5725 Walnut Lake Road near the intersection of Walnut Lake and Drake roads. According to its website, it is the largest Reform synagogue in the United States.

Multiple agencies, including West Bloomfield police, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police, responded to the scene. Emergency personnel were working to clear Temple Israel.

“Don’t come to the area. It’s active, it’s busy,” Bouchard said to those who otherwise would not be in the area.

Emergency crews gather near Temple Israel on March 12, 2026, in West Bloomfield, Michigan. CBS News Detroit

The Jewish Community Center is where parents of Temple Israel students can meet up with their children, officials said.

West Bloomfield High School, West Bloomfield Middle School, Doherty Elementary School and Bloomfield Hills Schools were in secure mode.

The Jewish Federation of Detroit asked all Jewish organizations to go into “lockout protocol.”

Helicopter view of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, about 1:25 p.m. March 12, 2026. CBS News Detroit

“We are asking for community members to stay away from the area to allow for police response. Troopers are also increasing patrols at other places of worship in the district,” Michigan State Police reported.

The Ann Arbor Police Department said it was aware of reports of the incident in West Bloomfield. Ann Arbor Police Chief Andre Anderson directed officers to increase patrols and respond to local houses of worship and schools throughout the city as a precautionary safety measure, the police department said.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a statement saying she was monitoring the situation.

“Michigan’s Jewish community should be able to live and practice their faith in peace. Antisemitism and violence have no place in Michigan. I am hoping for everyone’s safety,” Whitmer said.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a statement saying in part, “Antisemitism has no place in Michigan and cannot be tolerated. In moments like these, it’s more important than ever that we come together, stand with our neighbors, confront hate whenever it appears, and build stronger communities.”

Dawud Walid, the executive director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, condemned Thursday’s attack, saying, “There is no justification for anyone to direct violence toward any house or worship or religious institution.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Pat Milton and Paula Wethington contributed to this report.

An attacker rammed a vehicle into a synagogue in Michigan. Here’s what we know.

March 12, 2026 / 3:04 PM EDT / CBS News

Law enforcement responded to reports of an active shooter at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, on Thursday afternoon after a vehicle rammed through the building. There were no deaths reported at the synagogue and at least one suspect was killed, official said. Here’s what we know about the incident.

Reported shooting

---

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said around 1:35 p.m. Thursday that shots were fired in the area of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, a suburb northwest of Detroit.

Bouchard said a man drove through the doors of the building and down a hallway, and that security engaged the suspect with gunfire. He said a suspect exited the vehicle with a rifle and was confronted and killed by synagogue security.

According to Secure Community Network, which provides security for Jewish institutions across the country, there were two suspects in the vehicle. The status of the other supposed suspect was not immediately clear.

It was not immediately clear if the suspects fired any shots.

The vehicle caught fire when it rammed into the building, and sources told CBS News that investigators were looking to determine if there were explosives in the vehicle.

One of the lead security personnel who was hit by the vehicle when it rammed the building was taken to an area hospital for treatment. They are expected to be okay, Bouchard said.

Who are the suspects in the Michigan synagogue attack

---

Authorities did not immediately identify the attackers. A motive was also not immediately clear.

Details on Temple Israel

---

Temple Israel is the largest Reform synagogue in the United States, according to its website. The facility also houses a school that includes an early childhood center and kindergarten. All children and staff have been evacuated and accounted for, the synagogue said.

This is a developing story. It will be updated.

Jonah Kaplan, Camilo Montoya-Galvez and Pat Milton contributed to this report.

The biggest Iran polling takeaway: Americans don’t see the point of this war

2026-03-12T16:49:20.764Z / CNN Politics

Analysis by

Aaron Blake

3 hr ago

PUBLISHED Mar 12, 2026, 12:49 PM ET

The Middle East Election polls National security

See all topics

Facebook TweetEmailLink Threads

Link Copied!

President Donald Trump speaks to the press after landing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Wednesday.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The war with Iran is now about two weeks old. And we’re getting a lot of polling data on how Americans feel about the most significant new US military conflict in two decades.

It’s still a confusing picture, though — and one that could break either for or against the Trump administration.

But at least for now, pessimism and uncertainty about the benefits of this war still seem to be the prevailing takeaway.

Ad Feedback

Perhaps most strikingly, Americans seem to think this war makes us less safe.

Let’s recap.

Where support stands

---

A new Washington Post poll released Thursday should provide the Trump administration at least a little reason for optimism.

While the Post’s poll last week showed Americans opposed Trump’s strikes against Iran 52%-39%, this one suddenly showed about an even split on the “U.S. military campaign against Iran” — 42% in support, 40% opposed.

It’s now that second poll to suggest this war isn’t so unpopular, along with a Fox News survey showing an even 50%-50% split among registered voters.

But it’s too soon to say that the Post’s poll means the war is getting more popular.

First, it asked different questions between last week and this week. The first was about Trump’s initial strikes at the end of February, while the second was about the broader “U.S. military campaign” and didn’t mention Trump. (In polling, things can poll worse when you connect them to an unpopular person, as the president is.)

Second, 5 of 7 high-quality pollsters show Americans oppose the war by double digits, including a CNN poll last week.

And that includes two polls conducted in the same period as the Post’s new poll — a Quinnipiac University survey (53% of registered voters opposed, 40% support) and a Reuters-Ipsos poll (43% of Americans disapprove, 29% approve).

Third, that Reuters poll asked the same question both right after the first strikes and over the last weekend. It showed virtually no movement.

Americans think war makes us less safe

---

And to the extent Americans remain skeptical about the war, that’s not too surprising.

That’s because, when you dig beneath the overall numbers, Americans don’t seem to see the point. They actually seem to think it will be a net-negative for national security.

The Fox poll is a case in point. It shows voters split 50-50 overall on the war.

But the survey also asked whether Trump’s “handling of relations with Iran” has made the United States safer or less safe. By a 51%-29% margin, registered voters said it made the US less safe. (Another 19% said it made no difference.)

This is a thread that runs through multiple polls.

The Reuters poll showed Americans thought the war would harm US national security over the long run, 42%-29%. The Quinnipiac poll showed registered voters said it would make the US “less safe,” 47%-34%. And the CNN poll showed Americans said it would make Iran more of a threat to the US, 54%-28%.

Even the new Washington Post poll, which was somewhat better for the Trump administration, showed Americans said 53%-46% that the war “will not contribute to the long-term security of the United States.”

It’s one thing for a war to be more costly than people would like it to be — both in US lives and treasure; it’s quite another for people to think it will be counterproductive. But that’s where we’re at.

And even Republicans don’t seem universally convinced the war will wind up improving US national security. Across the five polls asking a version of this question, an average of 19% of Republicans said the war would make the US less safe, compared to 66% more safe.

That’s still a largely positive split inside Trump’s base, but it’s not an overwhelming one. And notably, it seems even some Republicans who approve of the war — which is the vast majority of Republicans — also think it will make us less safe.

This would seem to point to the softness of the support for the war.

Americans didn’t see an imminent threat

---

The threat of Iran — especially a nuclear one — has long lingered large in Americans’ minds.

But it doesn’t appear they saw that as a threat that required going to war right now.

The Fox poll showed registered voters agreed 61%-38% that Iran posed a “real national security threat” to the US. This is in line with past polling.

But when you add the i-word to such questions — “imminent” — the finding is very different. The Quinnipiac poll showed Americans said 55%-39% that Iran did not pose an “imminent military threat to the United States.”

Things could change because people aren’t really tuned in

---

If some of these findings seem confusing or difficult to reconcile, there may be a good reason.

That’s because many people haven’t really tuned in and the issue isn’t a priority for them — at least not yet.

The newer Reuters poll asked Americans how much they’d heard about the strikes against Iran. While 51% said “a lot,” almost half said only “a little” or less.

And even fewer said they cared a lot about what’s going on in Iran.

In fact, a majority of Americans said they personally cared “some” or less. Another 28% cared “quite a bit,” while just 17% cared “a great deal.”

That’s a recipe for some volatility in public opinion. And much depends on what happens in the days and weeks to come — including how long the war lasts and what it costs the United States.

Americans could seemingly be convinced of the wisdom of this war. But they’re not starting out optimistic.

The Middle East Election polls National security

See all topics

Facebook TweetEmailLink Threads

Link Copied!

US Senate fails to end standoff over funding Homeland Security, airport screening

March 12, 2026 6:05 PM UTC / Reuters

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, March 12 (Reuters) – Senate Democrats failed in a bid on Thursday to fund ​the Transportation Security Administration as Republicans demand lawmakers approve ‌funding for the entire Homeland Security Department.

The Senate later on Thursday is set to take a procedural vote on a Republican proposal to fund ​all of Homeland Security that is expected to fail like ​prior attempts, after Republican Senator Bernie Moreno objected to ⁠a Democratic proposal to separately fund the TSA.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Absences by TSA ​airport officers have already disrupted travel at some major airports ​over the last week, raising the alarm among airlines because of the busy spring break travel season.

Both sides are pointing fingers at each other for ​the standoff. Democrats said Republicans were taking hostages, while Republicans ​said Democrats were grandstanding and failing to fund all of DHS.

Funding for the ‌Department ⁠of Homeland Security lapsed on February 13 after Congress failed to reach a deal on immigration enforcement reforms demanded by Democrats.

TSA said more than 300 officers of the 50,000 working at U.S. ​airports have quit ​since the ⁠shutdown began. TSA workers on Friday will miss their first full paycheck.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Carriers are expecting a record-breaking ​spring travel period, with 171 million passengers expected ​to fly, ⁠up 4% over the same two-month period last year.

Philadelphia Airport said on Thursday it was closing a terminal checkpoint because of TSA ⁠staffing ​issues. Earlier this week, some airports ​like Houston Hobby and New Orleans reported security lines exceeding two hours as TSA ​absences rose.

Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese, Kirsten Donovan

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

节点运行失败

‘Use it or lose it’: Pentagon spending binge set record in final days of fiscal year

By Isabelle Khurshudyan | 1 hr 33 min ago | PUBLISHED Mar 12, 2026, 2:17 PM ET

Pentagon spending in September included nearly $9 million on Alaskan king crab and lobster tails, more than $200 million in furniture and $5.3 million in Apple devices – just some of the expenditures that added up to a record $93 billion price tag for the month, according to new analysis published by government watchdog Open the Books.

September spending at government agencies typically dwarfs other months because it marks the end of the fiscal year. That’s when “use it or lose it” funding rules kick in for departments rushing to spend the remainder of their budget so as to not forfeit the unused money and have to send it back to the Treasury Department.

But according to Open the Books, no federal agency has ever spent so much on grants and contracts in a single month as the Pentagon’s $93.4 billion in September 2025. More than half of that was spent in the final five working days of the month, the watchdog said.

The expensive month comes as President Donald Trump has made cutting government spending a focal point of his second term, gutting the federal workforce last year with mass layoffs across federal agencies. At the same time, Trump has called for huge increases to the Pentagon’s budget, posting in January that the 2027 fiscal year budget should be $1.5 trillion – a roughly 50% increase.

“This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe,” Trump said.

The September 2025 spending included a record $6.6 billion of purchases from foreign governments and foreign-owned businesses, smashing the previous high of $5.2 billion from September 2023.

The money spent on shellfish and steak – more than $15 million on ribeye, according to Open the Books – was likely for troops on extended deployment ahead of the current war in Iran, experts said.

“These are not for parties for (Secretary Pete) Hegseth and his buddies,” said Jerry McGinn, the director of the Center for the Industrial Base at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

“You’re doing something nice for the troops,” McGinn added.

Often described as a “surf and turf” meal, it’s a tradition in military culture as a symbolic precursor to deployments, combat operations or extended missions. The food products bought in September also typically cover holiday meals, including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, for service members deployed those days.

The steak-and-lobster dinners are meant to be a thank you to troops. When asked if lobster being served during deployments had a place for morale-boosting purposes, one retired Army officer with multiple combat tours told CNN, “I mean, it’s always disgusting, but I guess.”

In addition to the $225.6 million in furniture expenditures – purchases that typically spike in September regardless of presidential administration, according to Open the Books – musical instruments cost $1.8 million. That included a $98,329 Steinway & Sons grand piano for the Air Force chief of staff’s home, a $26,000 violin, and a $21,750 custom handmade flute from the luxury Japanese brand Muramatsu.

McGinn said government agencies typically reserve bulk orders of furniture and technology for September to use up the rest of the budget, adding “this is not uncommon.”

Because the Department of Defense’s budget was under a continuing resolution – a funding stopgap from Congress that keeps the budget at the previous fiscal year’s level until the new one is approved – for much of 2025, that also likely restricted some Pentagon spending for the first six months, leaving more leftover in the second half of the year, McGinn said.

CNN’s Haley Britzky contributed to this report.

From ‘It was done by Iran,’ to ‘I just don’t know enough’. President Trump’s explanations of strike on girls’ school shifts | CNN Politics

Published 1:35 PM EDT, Thu March 12, 2026 / CNN

Natasha Bertrand joins the Inside Politics panel to share her reporting on a strike on an Iranian elementary school at the start of the war in Iran. Two sources briefed on the preliminary findings of an investigation say the U.S. military accidently struck the target, likely because of outdated intelligence. President Trump’s responses to questions about the strike have been shifting.

Dems vote to keep DHS closed despite airport chaos, Iranian sleeper cell threat

Barrasso says Democrats want to ‘peel apart, piece by piece’ DHS while ‘homeland is under attack’

By Alex Miller
Fox News

Published March 12, 2026 2:29pm EDT

Senate Republicans are accusing Senate Democrats of trying to rip apart the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) piece by piece after again blocking a bid to reopen the agency.

Little has changed in the stalemate over the last 27 days of the partial shutdown, and communication breakdowns are dominating what could be opportunities for negotiations.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus are still demanding stringent reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, while Senate Republicans are dug in against their top demands.

‘YOU CAN CRY ABOUT IT’: TEMPERS FLARE IN SENATE AS DHS SHUTDOWN DEBATE ERUPTS, STALEMATE DIGS DEEPER

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and Senate Democrats are trying to fund everything at DHS except for immigration operations.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

Throughout the day, Senate Democrats tried to offer individual bills to fund pieces and parts of DHS. A fired-up Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., accused Senate Democrats of trying to rip the agency apart at a moment it was designed for, as the war in Iran has spurred threats of retaliation in the U.S. by sleeper cells.

“And that’s at a time when our homeland is under attack, all warning lights are flashing red, and they want to peel apart, piece by piece, the Department of Homeland Security, the comprehensive department of our government to protect the American people, because they want to stand with illegal immigrant criminals,” Barrasso said.

Schumer declared that Senate Democrats would continue to provide piecemeal funding bills to reopen certain portions of the agency, like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), while negotiations continued.

Both sides are far apart from finding a compromise, as many lawmakers have acknowledged in the ongoing fight to reopen the agency, but Democrats believe that carving out ICE funding could be a palatable option for Republicans, given that immigration operations were funded with President Donald Trump’s “One
Big, Beautiful Bill.”

KATIE BRITT BLASTS DEMOCRATS FOR PLAYING ‘POLITICAL GAMES’ WITH SHUTDOWN AMID AIRPORT CHAOS

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., railed against Senate Democrats and accused them of trying to rip apart DHS.(Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“We don’t have to tie that disagreement up and use people at the airports and American citizens as hostages,” Schumer said.

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., argued that doing so would effectively return Congress to the “defund the police” era and drew a sharp red line against any kind of carveout proposal from Senate Democrats.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who has offered a DHS funding bill without ICE or Customs and Border Patrol, told Fox News Digital that criticism was “not true.”

“It was funded by the [‘One Big, Beautiful Bill,’] and we have told them they’re not going to fund ICE until there are reforms to ICE,” Murray said. “We have made that clear. We put them out there, and they are pretending to just ignore that.”

KRISTI NOEM’S FIRING FAILS TO SWAY DEMOCRATS AS DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., tried to force a vote on Democrats’ DHS funding bill that would carve out funding for ICE and CBP.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., shot back that Republicans have tried on several occasions to temporarily fund the agency with short-term, two-week continuing resolutions (CRs) that Democrats have blocked.

“I assume the Democrat leader is aware of the fact that we have tried repeatedly to [fund everything temporarily] to allow the negotiations over the ICE budget to continue,” Thune said.

While several attempts from both sides were made to either fund the agency in chunks or reopen it temporarily, each was blocked.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., who tried to force a vote on a standalone funding bill for TSA as lines at airports around the country swell while security agents go without pay, told Fox News Digital that Republicans’ move to block her bill showed they “don’t care about their constituents, the traveling public, and the folks who work there who are not part of this discussion or this argument.”

“It says the Republican priorities are just for Donald Trump and no one else,” Rosen said.

Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.

Senate approves sweeping bipartisan housing bill, but roadblocks remain in the House

Updated on: March 12, 2026 / 2:17 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — The Senate approved a package of bills aimed at lowering housing costs on Thursday, the most sweeping housing legislation in decades and a rare point of bipartisan consensus in an election year, with the issue of affordability top of mind for many voters.

But the path forward in the House remains uncertain given conservative opposition to some portions of the bill, despite support from President Trump.

The Senate passed the measure, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, by a wide bipartisan margin of 89 to 10. The senators who voted against the bill were Democrat Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Republicans Ted Budd of North Carolina, Ted Cruz of Texas, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rick Scott of Florida, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Todd Young of Indiana.

Sponsored by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican, the bill aims to streamline the building of new homes and ease regulations to cut costs. It would also prohibit institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes, a provision that the White House has sought.

Proponents of the bill have lauded it as the largest and most significant housing package in a generation. The bill limits institutional investors from buying single-family homes, which supporters say would cut competition and benefit homebuyers.