WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says his $300 million White House ballroom will be paid for “100% by me and some friends of mine.”

The White House released a list of 37 donors, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/cryptocurrency">crypto</a>&nbsp;billionaires, charitable organizations, sports team owners, powerful financiers, tech and tobacco giants, media companies, longtime supporters of Republican causes and several of the president’s neighbors in Palm Beach, Florida.

It’s incomplete. Among others, the list doesn’t include Carrier Group, which offered to donate an HVAC system for the ballroom, and artificial intelligence chipmaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nvidia-corp">Nvidia</a>, whose CEO,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-trillion-ai-apple-huang-trump-xi-c9bbf5cfa017dadaf248a4d197763cb9">Jensen Huang</a>, publicly discussed its donation.

The White House hasn’t said how much each donor is giving, and almost none was willing to divulge that. Very few commented on their contributions when contacted by The Associated Press.

A senior White House official said the list has grown since it was first released in October, but some companies don’t want to be publicly named until required to do so by financial disclosure regulations. No foreign individuals or entities were among the donors, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that haven’t been made public.

Amazon Background: Trump was once highly critical of company founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeff-bezos">Jeff Bezos</a>, who also owns The Washington Post, but has been much less so lately.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/amazoncom-inc">Amazon</a>&nbsp;donated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-meta-zuckerberg-inauguration-donation-c540bf7c638def11b8428e633965c718">$1 million to Trump’s inauguration</a>, an event attended by Bezos. Its video streaming service paid $40 million to license a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-documentary-amazon-ratner-bezos-fc36fc99e3eff0a18ef8b72335af88f6">documentary about first lady Melania Trump</a>. Its cloud-based computing operation, Amazon Web Services, is a major government contractor.

Apple Background: After an up-and-down relationship during Trump’s first term, CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tim-cook">Tim Cook</a>&nbsp;has sought to improve his standing with the president this time. Before returning to the White House, Trump hosted Cook at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, and said he had spoken with Cook about the company’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-european-union-tech-b1575db8c8c03e5ac8dcd32f94f7984f">long-running tax battles with the European Union.</a>&nbsp;Cook also donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund. In the spring, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-apple-iphone-tax-170021e8fad22878d0183b5d48971087">threatened the computing giant</a>&nbsp;with tariffs after Apple announced plans to build manufacturing facilities in India. In August, Cook presented the president with a customized glass plaque with a gold base as the CEO announced plans to bring Apple’s total investment commitment in U.S. manufacturing over four years to $600 billion.

Google Background: During his first term, Trump’s administration sued Google for antitrust violations. While a candidate last year, Trump suggested he might seek to break up the search engine behemoth. Once Trump won the election, Google donated $1 million to his inauguration, and its CEO,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sundar-pichai">Sundar Pichai</a>, joined other major tech executives in attending the ceremony. Google’s subsidiary, YouTube, agreed in September to pay $24.5 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-youtube-google-settlement-january-6-01275f67afed84402fcff0118ce698a5">to settle a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;with Trump after it suspended his account following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol</a>. According to court filings, $22 million of that went to the Trust for the National Mall, which can help pay for ballroom construction.

HP Background: An original Silicon Valley stalwart, the company donated to Trump’s inaugural fund.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hp-inc">HP</a>&nbsp;‘s CEO, Enrique Lores, participated in a White House roundtable event in September. Lores also previously met with President Joe Biden at the White House on multiple occasions as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-tom-linebarger-c80b2d5a060270e54561900bfd58880b">top CEOs endorsed</a>&nbsp;that administration’s economic plans.

Meta Background: Founder and CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mark-zuckerberg">Mark Zuckerberg</a>&nbsp;had been critical of Trump going back to 2016, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/facebook">Facebook</a>&nbsp;suspended Trump for years after the Jan. 6 insurrection. This time around, Meta contributed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-meta-zuckerberg-inauguration-donation-c540bf7c638def11b8428e633965c718">$1 million to Trump’s inauguration</a>, and Zuckerberg attended.

Micron Technology Background: The producer of advanced memory computer chips&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/micron-biden-trump-schumer-chips-computer-ab9eeef7636262177e7b1aabbd6d1245">announced</a>&nbsp;an April 2024 agreement with the Biden administration to provide $6.1 billion in government support for Micron to make chips domestically. Then, in June, Micron pledged $200 billion for U.S. memory chip manufacturing expansion under Trump. But at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-investment-trillions-economy-jobs-eb4ca4b9ed632bd12c559c1ec5fd5764">least $120 billion of that involved holdovers first announced during Biden’s administration</a>.

Microsoft Background: The company donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, twice what it spent for Biden’s or for Trump’s first inauguration. CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/satya-nadella">Satya Nadella</a>&nbsp;has also met with Trump numerous times, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/microsoft-corp">Microsoft</a>&nbsp;has supported the administration’s relaxation of regulations on artificial intelligence. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-modi-state-visit-tim-cook-sundar-pichai-6bbdc208ed532d0344cfc09347f9c401">met</a>&nbsp;previously with Biden, too. Trump has called for Microsoft’s president of global affairs, Lisa Monaco, to be fired because she was a deputy attorney general under Biden when the Justice Department led several investigations against Trump.

Palantir Technologies Background: Co-founded by billionaire libertarian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/peter-thiel">Peter Thiel</a>, the firm concentrates on artificial intelligence and machine learning. It has seen profits soar thanks to lucrative defense and other federal contracts.

Coinbase Background: The major&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crypto-treasury-strategy-bitcoin-tron-trump-f288fa3040cb48486f2f8a0c1886f7d0">cryptocurrency</a>&nbsp;exchange was founded by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crypto-top-names-3b88647472efd8a5fe7b6e98c9a1442f">Brian Armstrong</a>, a top donor to a political action committee that helped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crypto-campaign-spending-sherrod-brown-ohio-senate-cea29489a717c9babc234f7f6b7d46f1">Trump and other pro-crypto candidates in 2024</a>. Armstrong attended the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crypto-summit-bitcoin-sacks-c87505c8cf0aaef3398bf0bb1139b420">first crypto summit at the White House</a>&nbsp;in March. Coinbase also hired Trump’s co-campaign manager, Chris LaCivita, to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crypto-coinbase-democrats-plouffe-a450a4a8dc8fac1fd94856f952c6263f">its Global Advisory Council</a>.

Ripple Background: In March, the Securities and Exchange Commission dropped a lawsuit filed during Trump’s first term, which accused the company of violating securities laws by selling XRP crypto coins without a securities registration. In his second term, Trump has eased regulations on digital assets, repealing an SEC accounting rule and a previous presidential executive order mandating more federal study and proposed changes to crypto regulations.

Tether Background: A cryptocurrency company and major&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crypto-stablecoin-regulations-trump-a1266b6a9b30edf59d73f835251fa23f">stablecoin</a>&nbsp;issuer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/circle-ipo-stablecoin-usdc-tether-nyse-b39736690f28824bdd06cfd2ad98dcf3">Tether</a>&nbsp;paid fines for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-commodity-futures-trading-commission-82e9e2375eac8ba0495f1c7838080b35">misleading investors</a>. CEO Paolo Ardoino has been to Trump’s White House, and, in April, the company hired former Trump administration crypto policy official Bo Hines to lead its domestic expansion efforts.

Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss Background: Each Winklevoss twin is listed as a separate donor. Best known as Zuckerberg’s chief antagonists in “The Social Network,” the brothers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crypto-top-names-3b88647472efd8a5fe7b6e98c9a1442f">founded</a>&nbsp;the Gemini cryptocurrency exchange. Biden’s SEC sued Gemini for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-southeastern-conference-united-states-government-business-lawsuits-55f5beeff6a66a7301ab4d02f66cd6ae">selling unregistered securities</a>, but the case has been paused under Trump.

Caterpillar Background: The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caterpillar-tariff-trump-7b682153761b68d98e4b9b1486ff912f">equipment maker</a>&nbsp;‘s PAC has donated to candidates from both parties, but given more to Republicans. It has also said publicly that Trump’s tariffs, some of which the administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/markets-stocks-rates-trump-china-0a5c13b5a515a7af0d108c7375995511">now eased</a>, could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caterpillar-tariff-trump-7b682153761b68d98e4b9b1486ff912f">increase its costs</a>&nbsp;and hurt earnings.

NextEra Energy Background: NextEra is the world’s largest electric utility holding company. Trump says he’ll work to ensure tech giants can secure their own sources of electricity to power data centers, especially as they expand energy-hogging artificial intelligence operations. Google recently entered into&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.nexteraenergy.com/NextEra-Energy-and-Google-Announce-New-Collaboration-to-Accelerate-Nuclear-Energy-Deployment-in-the-U-S?l=12" target="_blank">an agreement</a>&nbsp;to buy power from a shuttered nuclear power plant in Iowa owned by NextEra, which the company plans to bring back online in 2029.

Paolo Tiramani Background: An American industrial designer who has donated to Trump’s political campaigns. Tiramani, with his son, runs BOXABL, a firm specializing in modular, prefabricated homes.

Union Pacific Background: Trump has endorsed the company’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/union-pacific-norfolk-southern-transcontinental-railroad-merger-b15664ec5cc55b985a0a32a1bf990d41">proposed $85 billion acquisition</a>&nbsp;of Norfolk Southern, which would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/smarttd-union-pacific-norfolk-southern-railroad-merger-39d0c6237856f96a78446c1f4cb80bd4">largest-ever rail merger</a>. It also will be up to the president to appoint two more Republican members of the Surface Transportation Board, who will ultimately decide whether to approve the merger. In August, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/primus-stb-trump-surface-transportation-board-up-809f0e78d0e428cf9fd04c919b4ef950">fired</a>&nbsp;one of the two Democratic members of the board.

Adelson Family Foundation Background: Founded to strengthen the state of Israel and the Jewish people, the foundation was created by Miriam Adelson, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miriam-adelson-mark-cuban-dallas-mavericks-las-vegas-6cc268d924dc4083161322753efe5ceb">majority owner</a>&nbsp;of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, close Trump ally and longtime GOP megadonor. She’s also the widow of Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire founder and owner of Las Vegas Sands.

Betty Wold Johnson Foundation Background: Based in Palm Beach, the foundation supports health, arts and culture initiatives, as well as environmental and educational programs. It’s named in honor of the mother of New York Jets owner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/woody-johnson">Woody Johnson</a>, who served as Trump’s ambassador to the United Kingdom during his first term.

Laura &amp; Isaac Perlmutter Foundation Background: The nonprofit based in Lake Worth Beach, near Palm Beach, focuses on promoting health care, social justice, the arts and community initiatives. Isaac is an Israeli American businessman and financier and former chair of Marvel Entertainment. He and his wife have donated to Trump’s presidential campaigns and affiliated PACs.

Benjamin Leon Jr. Background: The Cuban American founder of Miami-based Leon Medical Centers is Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Spain.

Kelly Loeffler and Jeffrey Sprecher Background: A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelly-loeffler-sba-trump-cabinet-41c2a57e7098d75653eeb28a959f4d16">former Republican senator from Georgia</a>, Loeffler heads Trump’s Small Business Administration. Her husband is CEO of the energy market Intercontinental Exchange Inc. and chairs the New York Stock Exchange. The couple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/sen-loeffler-to-sell-stock-holdings-after-trading-scrutiny-546bae3a28f1710613d931d73d30f23c">faced scrutiny</a>&nbsp;in 2020 for dumping substantial portions of their portfolio and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/georgia-sen-loeffler-gets-renewed-scrutiny-over-stock-moves-aec6dbbe22ef74db94e5833b4f31a7ed">purchasing new stocks</a>, including in firms making protective equipment, after Congress received briefings on the severity of the coming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus pandemic</a>.

Lutnick Family Background:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/howard-lutnick-trump-crypto-economy-elon-musk-a03d95e323f7d2d4b722184d83e7b388">Howard Lutnick</a>&nbsp;is Trump’s commerce secretary. A crypto enthusiast, he once headed the brokerage and investment bank&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-lutnick-weather-service-privatization-conflicts-9892de853c283468e6fb970cfd898d96">Cantor Fitzgerald</a>.

Comcast Background: The mass media and telecom conglomerate has often been criticized by Trump, including in April, when the president posted that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/comcast-corp">Comcast</a>&nbsp;was a “disgrace to the integrity of broadcasting.” The company owns NBC and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/msnbc-nbc-tv-news-media-dc47bd203e163ea79553d16976b1efa3">spinning off</a>&nbsp;MSNBC. It could be interested in acquiring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warner-bros-discovery-paramount-addec120019b49a63f3200a0c236e80e">Warner Bros. Discover,</a>&nbsp;and that would leave Comcast looking for government approval.

Hard Rock International Background: A Florida-based gaming and tourism concern owned by the Seminole Tribe, the company operates a number of casinos, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atlantic-city-business-gambling-d31dabecec5f1d708e6832bd8bfd8a8c">former Trump Taj Mahal casino</a>&nbsp;in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Trump has for decades criticized federal exemptions allowing tribes to operate casinos.

T-Mobile Background: The wireless carrier is indirectly linked to Trump Mobile, which the president’s family&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mobile-phone-white-house-business-361455bb3c65593bade7d4edfe4da7e9">controls</a>&nbsp;and offers gold phones and cell service in a licensing deal. Trump Mobile uses Liberty Mobile Wireless, a small, Florida-based network that T-Mobile says runs its operations on T-Mobile’s network. T-Mobile says that is unrelated to its decision to donate to Trump’s ballroom, which it says is meant to “restore and enrich the historic landmarks that define our nation’s capital.”

Altria Group Background: The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/juul-altria-vaping-cigarette-njoy-b376515ea25e08ddc4372ace214c86a3">tobacco giant</a>&nbsp;controls Philip Morris USA, maker of Marlboro. It has pressed for federal crackdowns on counterfeit and illegal vaping products. The company donated $50,000 to Trump’s inauguration.

Reynolds American Background: With brands including Lucky Strike and Camel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-tennessee-memphis-winston-salem-clarksville-91151635f0d563f6fbfc1ad101c3490b">the company</a>&nbsp;has been active in lobbying to steer the Trump administration away from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/menthol-cigarettes-fda-ban-white-house-bb9395ecb0921affd589e6a9cfcd8fb1">Biden-proposed ban on menthol cigarettes</a>.

Booz Allen Hamilton Background: A major defense and national security technology firm with extensive government contracts, it paid fines to settle lawsuits with the Justice Department under Biden. Booz Allen Hamilton&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/booz-allen-agrees-pay-37745-million-settle-false-claims-act-allegations#:~:text=Booz%20Allen%20Agrees%20to%20Pay%20$377.45%20Million%20to%20Settle%20False%20Claims%20Act%20Allegations,-Friday%2C%20July%2021&amp;text=Booz%20Allen%20Hamilton%20Holding%20Corporation,costs%20to%20its%20government%20contracts." target="_blank">agreed</a>&nbsp;to pay more than $377 million in 2023 to settle allegations that it improperly billing costs to its government contracts. In January, it paid&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gsaig.gov/news/booz-allen-agrees-pay-15875m-settle-false-claims-act-allegations#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20GSA%20Office%20of%20Inspector,been%20no%20determination%20of%20liability." target="_blank">nearly $16 million</a>&nbsp;to settle allegations that it submitted fraudulent claims in connection with government contracts.

Lockheed Martin Corporation Background: The massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/lockheed-martin-corp">defense contractor</a>&nbsp;has huge government contracts. It said in a statement that it “is grateful for the opportunity to help bring the President’s vision to reality and make this addition to the People’s House.”

Stefan E. Brodie Background: A biotech entrepreneur and co-founder of the chemical manufacturing company Purolite, Brodie and his family donated to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and affiliated committees. Brodie and his brother, Donald, were&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/403/123/561333/" target="_blank">convicted</a>&nbsp;in 2002 of circumventing U.S. sanctions on Cuba.

Charles and Marissa Cascarilla Background: Charles Cascarilla is co‑founder of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-blockchain-lifestyle-e0b51430d7b3c4853cd4618984b7d484">blockchain</a>&nbsp;firm Paxos. He and his wife are philanthropists who have advocated for financial technology sector deregulation.

J. Pepe and Emilia Fanjul Background: Longtime Republican donors and Palm Beach residents, the couple controls U.S. sugar refining interests that includes the Domino brand.

Edward and Shari Glazer Background: Members of the family that owns the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/man-united-joel-glazer-jim-ratcliffe-ten-hag-40ac2bfec5cb820b1b105569c0e832c9">controlling stake</a>&nbsp;in the Manchester United football club, the couple donated to Trump’s campaign. Edward is the founder and CEO of US Property Trust, which operates shopping centers, and the car dealership company US Auto Trust.

Harold Hamm Background: The billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-north-dakota-sd-state-wire-harold-hamm-e74d548496715888921c8454f8935e31">oil tycoon</a>&nbsp;and pioneer of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hydraulic-fracturing">hydraulic fracturing</a>&nbsp;heads the oil producer Continental Resources. He’s praised the Trump administration for aggressively moving to purchase oil to replenish the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-opec-business-government-and-politics-climate-environment-59aa11307b222550d48fb42ff0c3bd59">Strategic Petroleum Reserve</a>&nbsp;stockpile.

Stephen A. Schwarzman Background: A Palm Beach resident and chair and CEO of the Blackstone Group, a global private equity firm he helped establish in 1985. Schwarzman has donated to Trump and his PACs previously and&nbsp;<a href="http://blackstone.com/news/press/president-elect-trump-establishes-the-president-s-strategic-and-policy-forum/" target="_blank">led</a>&nbsp;his first-term President’s Strategic and Policy Forum.

Konstantin Sokolov Background: Born in Russia, he immigrated to the U.S. and now heads the Chicago-based private equity firm IJS Investments. Sokolov has donated to many educational and charitable causes in the past, and to Trump’s political campaigns.

These are the donors helping pay for Trump’s $300 million White House ballroom

GOP lawmaker honors Eisenhower, Dole in Kansas Oral History Project interview

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Former U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts fondly recalls personal relationships with U.S. Rep. Kika de la Garza and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow that moved beyond party labels to shape bipartisan agriculture and food legislation.

Roberts said during an October interview at the U.S. Capitol that the get-the-work-done approach he admired, which brought a stalwart Republican like himself together with dedicated Democrats such as De La Garza and Stabenow, should serve as a salve for partisan wounds inflicted by political champions of division.

Raw partisanship placing Republicans and Democrats in uncompromising conflict has been a feature of the latest government shutdown.

“Somehow we’ve got to get control of this ideology,” Roberts said during an interview for the Kansas Oral History Project. “If you’re talking to somebody who’s an ideologist, they’re going to be right, and you’re wrong, regardless. You just can’t really talk to them, and we have far too much of that. We’re getting to the point of almost a meltdown in what the Senate used to be and the House used to be. That’s a real concern to me. That’s very sad.”

“The first thing you’ve got to learn in politics is to listen, and the second thing is there’s no ‘I’ in politics. It’s a ‘we’ thing,” he said.

Roberts said quality people were exiting Congress because they tired of clashes that inhibited the functioning of government. Some replacements didn’t have benefit of guidance from old-guard lawmakers who understood the value of collaboration, he said.

“I would hope that we could get back to a more bipartisan situation where you got things done,” Roberts said.

<a href="https://ksoralhistory.org/interview/interview-of-senator-pat-roberts-by-jackie-cottrell-and-mike-seyfert-october-14-2025/" target="_blank">He was interviewed for the Kansas Oral History Project</a>&nbsp;by Jackie Cottrell, who was chief of staff to Roberts for 18 years while he was in the Senate, and Mike Seyfert, who was Roberts’ staff director on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Roberts, the first person to chair both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate agriculture committees, represented the 1st District of Kansas for eight terms in the U.S. House, from 1981 to 1997. When GOP U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum declined to seek reelection in 1996, Roberts was elected to her seat. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1997 to 2021.

The interviewers asked Roberts about his dedication to regular listening tours that involved visits to every county in the Big First of western Kansas while he was a U.S. representative and subsequently each of the state’s 105 counties while serving as a U.S. senator.

In response, Roberts remembered advice given to him by Frank Carlson, who was elected to the Kansas House, became Kansas governor and then served in U.S. House and U.S. Senate.

“First thing you learn, Sen. Carlson told me, ‘You never get hurt by what you don’t say.’ He said, ‘You always want to listen.’ And, that’s what we did,” Roberts said.

Roberts said he was routine for him to stop in the county seat and run into acquaintances. He encountered critics who “would always show up and give me a hard time,” but that came with the job. It helped to hold onto a sense of humor at the public gatherings, he said, even when his views were at odds with recommendations from Kansas.

Roberts was born in Topeka, grew up in Holton, graduated from Kansas State University and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He worked as a journalist but eventually followed a political career path, first as a congressional staffer and then as an elected official.

His father, Wesley Roberts, was deeply involved with Kansas GOP politics and served as chairman of the Republican National Committee.

While still a teenager, due to his father’s role in the Republican Party, Roberts met Dwight Eisenhower, the war hero who was elected president in 1952.

“Obviously, I was very familiar with politics. Perhaps that gave me the impetus to keep going with it,” Roberts said.

In the interview, Roberts looked back on the difficult process of completing the Eisenhower Memorial on Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C. He was chair of the memorial commission for the final six years. There was a protracted family dispute over the design. The monument features an open-air plaza with statues of Eisenhower as president, general and a child. The backdrop is a steel tapestry depicting the Normandy cliffs in France.

“I am sad that it took so long because we lost a lot of World War II veterans, and they couldn’t come up after looking at the World War II Memorial, which Bob Dole did, and then come up and salute their commander. That was my hope,” he said.

Roberts said he remembered speaking with Dole, the GOP’s unsuccessful nominee for president in 1996 and a retired US. Senator, twice a week when Dole was in his 90s. Dole was a disabled veteran from World War II and died in 2021 at age 98. Roberts recalled an especially poignant conversation with Dole.

“It’s fair for elderly men to say this, but all of a sudden he said, ‘Pat, there’s one thing I want you to understand.’ I said, ‘What’s that, Bob?’ He said, ‘I love you.’ And I said, ‘I love you, too, Bob.’ I teared up the whole day. He was a great man.”

Roberts said that in his first campaign for the U.S. House in 1980 he told Kansas voters he would not support a federal tax increase. President Ronald Reagan, however, reached an agreement with Democrats to cut $3 in federal spending for every $1 of federal taxes increased. The Reagan administration pressed Roberts to vote for the agreement.

In a White House meeting, Roberts told Reagan of his campaign promise. He also said some elderly people, including his mother, were concerned about a banking provision in the legislation. He recalled that other Republicans in the meeting looked at Roberts as if he was a leper.

“The president says, ‘Well, Pat, you’re following your convictions and I understand that, but I hope we can change your mind,'” Roberts said. “I arrived back to the office and the staff says, ‘Congressman, you’re invited to go to the White House with your mother at 10:00 in the morning.’ So, I had to call my mom. She (Ruth) says, ‘What kind of trouble have you got me into?'”

Reagan put on a charm offensive despite Ruth Roberts’ confession that she wasn’t an early supporter of Reagan. She had favored George H.W. Bush in the presidential primary. Roberts left the White House that day after affirming to the president he wouldn’t vote for the tax increase.

The White House had former U.S. Rep. Keith Sebelius, who was Roberts’ predecessor, call from a hospital bed to urge Roberts to back Reagan on the bill. In the end, Roberts relented.

In 2003, Roberts served as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. His role was significant because the United States launched an invasion of Iraq in March 2003 based, in part, on a premise Iraq President Saddam Hussein was in control of weapons of mass destruction.

He said leadership at the Department of Defense and CIA were convinced Hussein had WMDs, but the Senate Intelligence Committee concluded in a 2004 report that pre-war assessments were unsupported by evidence. The committee’s bipartisan conclusion undercut assertions made by President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney to justify war with Iraq.

“That was probably the toughest responsibility that I had was to go to the White House and tell President Bush and Vice President Cheney, ‘Do not endorse your national intelligence estimate. It is flawed. Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction.’ That was a tough deal,” Roberts said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762288000118.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, who was the longest-serving member of Congress in Kansas history, shares with the Kansas Oral History Project insights into his service to the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. He says Congress will be better served with a return to bipartisanship. (Photo by Jill Hummels for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, who was the longest-serving member of Congress in Kansas history, shares with the Kansas Oral History Project insights into his service to the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. He says Congress will be better served with a return to bipartisanship. (Photo by Jill Hummels for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>GOP lawmaker honors Eisenhower, Dole in Kansas Oral History Project interview</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Former U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts fondly recalls personal relationships with U.S. Rep. Kika de la Garza and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow that moved beyond party labels to shape bipartisan agriculture and food legislation.Roberts said during an October interview at the U.S. Capitol that the get-the-work-done approach he admired, which brought a stalwart Republican like himself together with dedicated Democrats such as De La Garza and Stabenow, should serve as a salve for partisan wounds inflicted by political champions of division.Raw partisanship placing Republicans and Democrats in uncompromising conflict has been a feature of the latest government shutdown.“Somehow we’ve got to get control of this ideology,” Roberts said during an interview for the Kansas Oral History Project. “If you’re talking to somebody who’s an ideologist, they’re going to be right, and you’re wrong, regardless. You just can’t really talk to them, and we have far too much of that. We’re getting to the point of almost a meltdown in what the Senate used to be and the House used to be. That’s a real concern to me. That’s very sad.”“The first thing you’ve got to learn in politics is to listen, and the second thing is there’s no ‘I’ in politics. It’s a ‘we’ thing,” he said.Roberts said quality people were exiting Congress because they tired of clashes that inhibited the functioning of government. Some replacements didn’t have benefit of guidance from old-guard lawmakers who understood the value of collaboration, he said.“I would hope that we could get back to a more bipartisan situation where you got things done,” Roberts said.<a href="https://ksoralhistory.org/interview/interview-of-senator-pat-roberts-by-jackie-cottrell-and-mike-seyfert-october-14-2025/" target="_blank">He was interviewed for the Kansas Oral History Project</a>&nbsp;by Jackie Cottrell, who was chief of staff to Roberts for 18 years while he was in the Senate, and Mike Seyfert, who was Roberts’ staff director on the Senate Agriculture Committee.<h2>‘Always want to listen’</h2>Roberts, the first person to chair both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate agriculture committees, represented the 1st District of Kansas for eight terms in the U.S. House, from 1981 to 1997. When GOP U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum declined to seek reelection in 1996, Roberts was elected to her seat. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1997 to 2021.The interviewers asked Roberts about his dedication to regular listening tours that involved visits to every county in the Big First of western Kansas while he was a U.S. representative and subsequently each of the state’s 105 counties while serving as a U.S. senator.In response, Roberts remembered advice given to him by Frank Carlson, who was elected to the Kansas House, became Kansas governor and then served in U.S. House and U.S. Senate.“First thing you learn, Sen. Carlson told me, ‘You never get hurt by what you don’t say.’ He said, ‘You always want to listen.’ And, that’s what we did,” Roberts said.Roberts said he was routine for him to stop in the county seat and run into acquaintances. He encountered critics who “would always show up and give me a hard time,” but that came with the job. It helped to hold onto a sense of humor at the public gatherings, he said, even when his views were at odds with recommendations from Kansas.Roberts was born in Topeka, grew up in Holton, graduated from Kansas State University and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He worked as a journalist but eventually followed a political career path, first as a congressional staffer and then as an elected official.<h2>Ike, Dole connections</h2>His father, Wesley Roberts, was deeply involved with Kansas GOP politics and served as chairman of the Republican National Committee.While still a teenager, due to his father’s role in the Republican Party, Roberts met Dwight Eisenhower, the war hero who was elected president in 1952.“Obviously, I was very familiar with politics. Perhaps that gave me the impetus to keep going with it,” Roberts said.In the interview, Roberts looked back on the difficult process of completing the Eisenhower Memorial on Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C. He was chair of the memorial commission for the final six years. There was a protracted family dispute over the design. The monument features an open-air plaza with statues of Eisenhower as president, general and a child. The backdrop is a steel tapestry depicting the Normandy cliffs in France.“I am sad that it took so long because we lost a lot of World War II veterans, and they couldn’t come up after looking at the World War II Memorial, which Bob Dole did, and then come up and salute their commander. That was my hope,” he said.Roberts said he remembered speaking with Dole, the GOP’s unsuccessful nominee for president in 1996 and a retired US. Senator, twice a week when Dole was in his 90s. Dole was a disabled veteran from World War II and died in 2021 at age 98. Roberts recalled an especially poignant conversation with Dole.“It’s fair for elderly men to say this, but all of a sudden he said, ‘Pat, there’s one thing I want you to understand.’ I said, ‘What’s that, Bob?’ He said, ‘I love you.’ And I said, ‘I love you, too, Bob.’ I teared up the whole day. He was a great man.”<h2>The hard parts</h2>Roberts said that in his first campaign for the U.S. House in 1980 he told Kansas voters he would not support a federal tax increase. President Ronald Reagan, however, reached an agreement with Democrats to cut $3 in federal spending for every $1 of federal taxes increased. The Reagan administration pressed Roberts to vote for the agreement.In a White House meeting, Roberts told Reagan of his campaign promise. He also said some elderly people, including his mother, were concerned about a banking provision in the legislation. He recalled that other Republicans in the meeting looked at Roberts as if he was a leper.“The president says, ‘Well, Pat, you’re following your convictions and I understand that, but I hope we can change your mind,'” Roberts said. “I arrived back to the office and the staff says, ‘Congressman, you’re invited to go to the White House with your mother at 10:00 in the morning.’ So, I had to call my mom. She (Ruth) says, ‘What kind of trouble have you got me into?'”Reagan put on a charm offensive despite Ruth Roberts’ confession that she wasn’t an early supporter of Reagan. She had favored George H.W. Bush in the presidential primary. Roberts left the White House that day after affirming to the president he wouldn’t vote for the tax increase.The White House had former U.S. Rep. Keith Sebelius, who was Roberts’ predecessor, call from a hospital bed to urge Roberts to back Reagan on the bill. In the end, Roberts relented.In 2003, Roberts served as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. His role was significant because the United States launched an invasion of Iraq in March 2003 based, in part, on a premise Iraq President Saddam Hussein was in control of weapons of mass destruction.He said leadership at the Department of Defense and CIA were convinced Hussein had WMDs, but the Senate Intelligence Committee concluded in a 2004 report that pre-war assessments were unsupported by evidence. The committee’s bipartisan conclusion undercut assertions made by President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney to justify war with Iraq.“That was probably the toughest responsibility that I had was to go to the White House and tell President Bush and Vice President Cheney, ‘Do not endorse your national intelligence estimate. It is flawed. Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction.’ That was a tough deal,” Roberts said.

Retired Kan. U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts yearns for days when bipartisanship wasn’t a nasty word

SEDGWICK COUNTY—The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal car-pedestrian crash that occurred early Sunday morning near Kansas 15 Highway and MacArthur Road in Sedgwick County.

Just after 12:30 a.m., a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputy came upon a collision on southbound Kansas 15 Highway just south of MacArthur, according to Sheriff's Department Spokesman Branden Stitt.

The deputy located a 33-year-old Newton man with critical injuries after being struck by a car. The deputy immediately began life-saving measures while Sedgwick County EMS and Sedgwick County Fire District 1 responded to the scene. The victim was transported by EMS to a Wichita hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

The preliminary investigation indicates that a Toyota Camry driven by a 22-year-old Wichita woman was traveling south on Kansas 15 when it struck the man, who was in the roadway. The man was not in a crosswalk, and the reason he was in the roadway remains under investigation.

The driver stopped immediately after the collision. Speed and impairment are not suspected on the part of the driver, according to Stitt.

This incident remains under investigation by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Team.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal car-pedestrian crash that occurred early Sunday morning near Kansas 15 Highway and MacArthur Road in Sedgwick County.Just after 12:30 a.m., a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputy came upon a collision on southbound Kansas 15 Highway just south of MacArthur, according to Sheriff's Department Spokesman Branden Stitt.The deputy located a 33-year-old Newton man with critical injuries after being struck by a car. The deputy immediately began life-saving measures while Sedgwick County EMS and Sedgwick County Fire District 1 responded to the scene. The victim was transported by EMS to a Wichita hospital, where he later died from his injuries.The preliminary investigation indicates that a Toyota Camry driven by a 22-year-old Wichita woman was traveling south on Kansas 15 when it struck the man, who was in the roadway. The man was not in a crosswalk, and the reason he was in the roadway remains under investigation.The driver stopped immediately after the collision. Speed and impairment are not suspected on the part of the driver, according to Stitt.This incident remains under investigation by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Team.

Sheriff: Kansas man struck by a car and killed 

NEW YORK (AP) — Visa and Mastercard have proposed a settlement in their long-running legal dispute with merchants and retailers over how much they charge merchants to accept their cards.

The most important part of the settlement could directly impact how customers use their Visa- and Mastercard-issued credit cards, and may result in some consumers getting denied at the point-of-sale for purchases

Visa and Mastercard have been in litigation with a class-action group of merchants for nearly 20 years over the costs they impose on merchants to use their payment networks, known as interchange. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/visa-mastercard-merchants-swipe-fee-5f2a75674d472ef95af9f6fd426f1f6e">previous settlement</a>&nbsp;was rejected by the judge overseeing the case last this year, requiring Visa and Mastercard’s lawyers to go back to the drawing board on the scope and size of the settlement.

The new part of the settlement announced Monday addresses the “honor all cards” rule, a cornerstone of how credit and debit cards work in the U.S.

The “honor all cards” rule states that if a merchant accepts Visa or Mastercard as a form of payment, they are required to accept all iterations of Visa and Mastercard products, regardless of who issues it and the cost to the merchant.

That has led to consternation among merchants over the years because rewards-heavy credit cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Citi Strata Elite, use a premium version of a Visa or Mastercard. For the Sapphire Reserve, Chase uses the Visa Infinite card, and for a card like Strata Elite, it’s issued as a World Elite Mastercard. These cards have gotten far more popular in the last decade.

Both a Visa Infinite and World Elite Mastercard cost more for a merchant to accept. The amount of additional interchange a merchant will pay varies on size and industry, but one example is the Visa Infinite, which can be 15 basis points (0.15%) more expensive than a Visa Signature (a mid-tier credit card) for a merchant to accept.

Under the proposed settlement, merchants could discriminate between the different tiers of Visa and Mastercard products, meaning high-reward credit card users may be declined at checkout if the merchant has opted out of accepting the higher-tier card. A merchant may also be able to pass along the higher cost to accept the rewards cards to the customer in the form of a surcharge on their bill, under the proposed settlement.

This will place merchants in the position of making a choice: accept all cards with the higher fees or reject some of the higher-fee cards and likely upset wealthier consumers who typically enjoy earning points on routine purchases.

Like the previous settlement last year, merchants would receive a temporary reduction on swipe fees for a few years. In this settlement it would be a 10 basis point reduction in swipe fees for five years, and standard credit card transactions would be processed at 1.25% of the purchase price for eight years.

When the settlement was announced on Monday, the major merchant and retail lobby groups came out in opposition, so it’s not certain whether this settlement will ultimately be the one that is finalized. Merchants and lobbyists have been pushing for years to get Congress to regulate interchange fees, as they do with debit cards. The merchant groups say this settlement does not go far enough.

“Once again, this proposal is all window dressing and no substance. The reduction in swipe fees doesn’t begin to go far enough, and the change in the honor-all-cards rule would accomplish nothing. If the courts can’t fix this, it’s time for Congress to take action,” said Stephanie Martz, chief administrative officer and general counsel for the National Retail Federation, in a statement.

The payment networks, who are ready to put the matter behind them after two decades of litigation, say this may be the best solution for the merchants to potentially avoid a drawn out trial-and-appeal process.

“We believe that this is the best resolution for all parties, delivering the clarity, flexibility and consumer protections that were sought in this effort,” a Mastercard company spokesperson said.

The settlement involves Visa and Mastercard only. American Express, which uses a closed-loop system where it’s both the issuing bank and payment network for their cards, is not involved in this ongoing litigation. The settlement also does not impact debit cards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675718911158.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Visa and Mastercard have proposed a settlement in their long-running legal dispute with merchants and retailers over how much they charge merchants to accept their cards.The most important part of the settlement could directly impact how customers use their Visa- and Mastercard-issued credit cards, and may result in some consumers getting denied at the point-of-sale for purchasesVisa and Mastercard have been in litigation with a class-action group of merchants for nearly 20 years over the costs they impose on merchants to use their payment networks, known as interchange. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/visa-mastercard-merchants-swipe-fee-5f2a75674d472ef95af9f6fd426f1f6e">previous settlement</a>&nbsp;was rejected by the judge overseeing the case last this year, requiring Visa and Mastercard’s lawyers to go back to the drawing board on the scope and size of the settlement.The new part of the settlement announced Monday addresses the “honor all cards” rule, a cornerstone of how credit and debit cards work in the U.S.The “honor all cards” rule states that if a merchant accepts Visa or Mastercard as a form of payment, they are required to accept all iterations of Visa and Mastercard products, regardless of who issues it and the cost to the merchant.That has led to consternation among merchants over the years because rewards-heavy credit cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Citi Strata Elite, use a premium version of a Visa or Mastercard. For the Sapphire Reserve, Chase uses the Visa Infinite card, and for a card like Strata Elite, it’s issued as a World Elite Mastercard. These cards have gotten far more popular in the last decade.Both a Visa Infinite and World Elite Mastercard cost more for a merchant to accept. The amount of additional interchange a merchant will pay varies on size and industry, but one example is the Visa Infinite, which can be 15 basis points (0.15%) more expensive than a Visa Signature (a mid-tier credit card) for a merchant to accept.Under the proposed settlement, merchants could discriminate between the different tiers of Visa and Mastercard products, meaning high-reward credit card users may be declined at checkout if the merchant has opted out of accepting the higher-tier card. A merchant may also be able to pass along the higher cost to accept the rewards cards to the customer in the form of a surcharge on their bill, under the proposed settlement.This will place merchants in the position of making a choice: accept all cards with the higher fees or reject some of the higher-fee cards and likely upset wealthier consumers who typically enjoy earning points on routine purchases.Like the previous settlement last year, merchants would receive a temporary reduction on swipe fees for a few years. In this settlement it would be a 10 basis point reduction in swipe fees for five years, and standard credit card transactions would be processed at 1.25% of the purchase price for eight years.When the settlement was announced on Monday, the major merchant and retail lobby groups came out in opposition, so it’s not certain whether this settlement will ultimately be the one that is finalized. Merchants and lobbyists have been pushing for years to get Congress to regulate interchange fees, as they do with debit cards. The merchant groups say this settlement does not go far enough.“Once again, this proposal is all window dressing and no substance. The reduction in swipe fees doesn’t begin to go far enough, and the change in the honor-all-cards rule would accomplish nothing. If the courts can’t fix this, it’s time for Congress to take action,” said Stephanie Martz, chief administrative officer and general counsel for the National Retail Federation, in a statement.The payment networks, who are ready to put the matter behind them after two decades of litigation, say this may be the best solution for the merchants to potentially avoid a drawn out trial-and-appeal process.“We believe that this is the best resolution for all parties, delivering the clarity, flexibility and consumer protections that were sought in this effort,” a Mastercard company spokesperson said.The settlement involves Visa and Mastercard only. American Express, which uses a closed-loop system where it’s both the issuing bank and payment network for their cards, is not involved in this ongoing litigation. The settlement also does not impact debit cards.

Why a Visa-Mastercard legal settlement could lead to your rewards credit card getting declined

By TIFFANY STANLEY &nbsp;Associated Press

U.S. Catholic bishops voted Wednesday to make official a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender patients at Catholic hospitals. The step formalizes a yearslong process for the U.S. church to address transgender health care.

From a Baltimore hotel ballroom, the bishops overwhelmingly approved revisions to their ethical and religious directives that guide the nation’s thousands of Catholic health care institutions and providers.

More than one in seven patients in the U.S. are treated each day at Catholic hospitals, according to the Catholic Health Association. Catholic hospitals are the only medical center in some communities.

Major medical groups and health organizations support gender-affirming care for transgender patients.

Most Catholic health care institutions have taken a conservative approach and not offered gender-affirming care, which may involve hormonal, psychological and surgical treatments. The new directives will formalize that mandate. Bishops will have autonomy in making the directives into law for their dioceses.

“With regard to the gender ideology, I think it’s very important the church makes a strong statement here,” said Bishop Robert Barron of Minnesota’s Winona-Rochester diocese during the public discussion of the revised directives.

The Catholic Health Association thanked the bishops for incorporating much of the organization’s feedback into the directives. It said in a statement, “Catholic providers will continue to welcome those who seek medical care from us and identify as transgender. We will continue to treat these individuals with dignity and respect, which is consistent with Catholic social teaching and our moral obligation to serve everyone, particularly those who are marginalized.”

The new guidelines incorporate earlier documents on gender identity from the Vatican in 2024 and the U.S. bishops in 2023.

In the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-bishops-lgbtq-transgender-health-care-d840600deab56a681e02d16463322892">2023 doctrinal note</a>, titled “Moral Limits to the Technological Manipulation of the Human Body,” the bishops specified: “Catholic health care services must not perform interventions, whether surgical or chemical, that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex, or take part in the development of such procedures.”

The Catholic Church is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-united-states-gender-identity-marquette-e88473adf85944f912511fc85d542d29">not monolithic</a>&nbsp;when it comes to transgender rights. Some parishes and priests welcome trans Catholics into the fold, while others are not as accepting.

“Catholic teaching upholds the invaluable dignity of every human life, and for many trans people, gender-affirming care is what makes life livable,” said Michael Sennett, a trans man who is active in his Massachusetts parish.

Sennett serves on the board of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church. In 2024, the group arranged a meeting with Pope Francis to discuss the need for gender-affirming care.

New Ways Ministry’s executive director, Francis DeBernardo, said that for many transgender Catholics he knows, "the transition process was not just a biological necessity, but a spiritual imperative. That if they were going to be living as authentic people in the way that they believe God made them, then transition becomes a necessary thing.”

On the same day that U.S. Catholic bishops were discussing gender identity, the heads of several major progressive religious denominations issued a statement in support of transgender, intersex and nonbinary people, at a time when many state legislatures and the Trump administration are curtailing their rights.

The 10 signers included the heads of the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Episcopal Church, the Union for Reform Judaism and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

“During a time when our country is placing their lives under increasingly serious threat, there is a disgraceful misconception that all people of faith do not affirm the full spectrum of gender – a great many of us do. Let it be known instead that our beloveds are created in the image of God – Holy and whole,” the religious leaders said in a statement.

U.S. bishops united in their concern for immigrants

The Catholic bishops, wrapping up their conference in Baltimore, overwhelmingly approved a “special message” on immigration Wednesday. Such pastoral statements are rare; the last was in 2013 in response to the Obama administration’s mandate for insurers to provide contraception coverage.

Catholic leaders individually have criticized the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-crackdown-catholic-church-washington-874e6deca9e54a4e14081c63adca7718">Fear of immigration enforcement</a>&nbsp;has suppressed Mass attendance at some parishes. Local clerics are fighting to administer sacraments to detained immigrants.

“We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” the bishops’ statement reads. “We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care.”

In a show of unity, multiple bishops stood up to speak in favor of the statement during the final afternoon discussion, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-catholic-bishops-new-leader-trump-immigration-d34d176942aa0a0faf7e9842e0973c87">Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley</a>, the newly elected president of the conference.

“I’m strongly in support of it for the good of our immigrant brothers and sisters, but also to find a nice balance,” Coakley said, noting that they call “upon our lawmakers and our administration to offer us a meaningful path of reform of our immigration system.”

Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich walked to the microphone to recommend stronger language around mass deportation. “That seems to be the central issue we are facing with our people at this time,” he said.

His brother bishops agreed. The updated text now states that U.S. Catholic bishops “oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763255006732.png" alt="Image from the conference video" />
 <figcaption>Image from the conference video</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIFFANY STANLEY &nbsp;Associated PressU.S. Catholic bishops voted Wednesday to make official a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender patients at Catholic hospitals. The step formalizes a yearslong process for the U.S. church to address transgender health care.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k1KwnUlUoww?si=c6W_7RtFb2O9mofy&amp;start=12" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>From a Baltimore hotel ballroom, the bishops overwhelmingly approved revisions to their ethical and religious directives that guide the nation’s thousands of Catholic health care institutions and providers.More than one in seven patients in the U.S. are treated each day at Catholic hospitals, according to the Catholic Health Association. Catholic hospitals are the only medical center in some communities.Major medical groups and health organizations support gender-affirming care for transgender patients.Most Catholic health care institutions have taken a conservative approach and not offered gender-affirming care, which may involve hormonal, psychological and surgical treatments. The new directives will formalize that mandate. Bishops will have autonomy in making the directives into law for their dioceses.“With regard to the gender ideology, I think it’s very important the church makes a strong statement here,” said Bishop Robert Barron of Minnesota’s Winona-Rochester diocese during the public discussion of the revised directives.The Catholic Health Association thanked the bishops for incorporating much of the organization’s feedback into the directives. It said in a statement, “Catholic providers will continue to welcome those who seek medical care from us and identify as transgender. We will continue to treat these individuals with dignity and respect, which is consistent with Catholic social teaching and our moral obligation to serve everyone, particularly those who are marginalized.”The new guidelines incorporate earlier documents on gender identity from the Vatican in 2024 and the U.S. bishops in 2023.In the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-bishops-lgbtq-transgender-health-care-d840600deab56a681e02d16463322892">2023 doctrinal note</a>, titled “Moral Limits to the Technological Manipulation of the Human Body,” the bishops specified: “Catholic health care services must not perform interventions, whether surgical or chemical, that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex, or take part in the development of such procedures.”<h2>Progressive religious voices respond</h2>The Catholic Church is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-united-states-gender-identity-marquette-e88473adf85944f912511fc85d542d29">not monolithic</a>&nbsp;when it comes to transgender rights. Some parishes and priests welcome trans Catholics into the fold, while others are not as accepting.“Catholic teaching upholds the invaluable dignity of every human life, and for many trans people, gender-affirming care is what makes life livable,” said Michael Sennett, a trans man who is active in his Massachusetts parish.Sennett serves on the board of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church. In 2024, the group arranged a meeting with Pope Francis to discuss the need for gender-affirming care.New Ways Ministry’s executive director, Francis DeBernardo, said that for many transgender Catholics he knows, "the transition process was not just a biological necessity, but a spiritual imperative. That if they were going to be living as authentic people in the way that they believe God made them, then transition becomes a necessary thing.”On the same day that U.S. Catholic bishops were discussing gender identity, the heads of several major progressive religious denominations issued a statement in support of transgender, intersex and nonbinary people, at a time when many state legislatures and the Trump administration are curtailing their rights.The 10 signers included the heads of the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Episcopal Church, the Union for Reform Judaism and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).“During a time when our country is placing their lives under increasingly serious threat, there is a disgraceful misconception that all people of faith do not affirm the full spectrum of gender – a great many of us do. Let it be known instead that our beloveds are created in the image of God – Holy and whole,” the religious leaders said in a statement.<h2>U.S. bishops united in their concern for immigrants</h2>The Catholic bishops, wrapping up their conference in Baltimore, overwhelmingly approved a “special message” on immigration Wednesday. Such pastoral statements are rare; the last was in 2013 in response to the Obama administration’s mandate for insurers to provide contraception coverage.Catholic leaders individually have criticized the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-crackdown-catholic-church-washington-874e6deca9e54a4e14081c63adca7718">Fear of immigration enforcement</a>&nbsp;has suppressed Mass attendance at some parishes. Local clerics are fighting to administer sacraments to detained immigrants.“We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” the bishops’ statement reads. “We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care.”In a show of unity, multiple bishops stood up to speak in favor of the statement during the final afternoon discussion, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-catholic-bishops-new-leader-trump-immigration-d34d176942aa0a0faf7e9842e0973c87">Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley</a>, the newly elected president of the conference.“I’m strongly in support of it for the good of our immigrant brothers and sisters, but also to find a nice balance,” Coakley said, noting that they call “upon our lawmakers and our administration to offer us a meaningful path of reform of our immigration system.”Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich walked to the microphone to recommend stronger language around mass deportation. “That seems to be the central issue we are facing with our people at this time,” he said.His brother bishops agreed. The updated text now states that U.S. Catholic bishops “oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

US Catholic bishops address gender affirming care, immigration

OSAGE COUNTY&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation continues investigating an officer-involved shooting that left one suspect deceased and four officers injured.

Just before 10:30 a.m. Saturday, the Osage County Sheriff's Office and Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) were dispatched to a domestic disturbance at 11222 S. Topeka Ave. in Osage County after a female resident called 911, according to a media release from the KBI.

Law enforcement encountered a male suspect, identified as Stephen M. McMillan, 22, outside the residence. During the encounter, gunfire was exchanged. Three deputies and two KHP troopers fired during the incident. In the shooting, three deputies, one trooper, the suspect and a male resident were struck. The male resident was identified as the suspect's 77-year-old grandfather.

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded, cleared the residence, and rendered aid to the injured. All law enforcement officers were transported to Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center. The trooper was later transferred to KU Medical Center. The suspect's grandfather, 77, was also injured and taken to the hospital. McMillan was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

As of this update, two deputies from the Osage County Sheriff's Office underwent surgery and are in good condition, and the other was discharged from the hospital. The KHP trooper and McMillan's grandfather are expected to recover.

This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.

When this investigation concludes case findings will be presented to the prosecutor for determination of charges. The investigation is ongoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763259271274.png" alt="Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene -Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene -Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation continues investigating an officer-involved shooting that left one suspect deceased and four officers injured.Just before 10:30 a.m. Saturday, the Osage County Sheriff's Office and Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) were dispatched to a domestic disturbance at 11222 S. Topeka Ave. in Osage County after a female resident called 911, according to a media release from the KBI.Law enforcement encountered a male suspect, identified as Stephen M. McMillan, 22, outside the residence. During the encounter, gunfire was exchanged. Three deputies and two KHP troopers fired during the incident. In the shooting, three deputies, one trooper, the suspect and a male resident were struck. The male resident was identified as the suspect's 77-year-old grandfather.Multiple law enforcement agencies responded, cleared the residence, and rendered aid to the injured. All law enforcement officers were transported to Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center. The trooper was later transferred to KU Medical Center. The suspect's grandfather, 77, was also injured and taken to the hospital. McMillan was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;As of this update, two deputies from the Osage County Sheriff's Office underwent surgery and are in good condition, and the other was discharged from the hospital. The KHP trooper and McMillan's grandfather are expected to recover.This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.When this investigation concludes case findings will be presented to the prosecutor for determination of charges. The investigation is ongoing.

Update on Kansas deputies,Trooper injured in gunfight 

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fetterman-hospitalized-ventricular-fibrillation-cbbab8f44a228142a9ae0f7c8ed65e66">Sen. John Fetterman</a>&nbsp;says he has returned home to his family in Pennsylvania after being hospitalized due to what his office said was a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that caused him to feel light-headed and fall during an early morning walk Thursday.

Fetterman, D-Pa., posted a picture Saturday on X that showed the aftereffects to his nose and forehead, saying “20 stitches later and a full recovery, I’m back home” with his wife, Gisele, and their children.

The smiling Fetterman also said he was grateful for the medical team in Pittsburgh that “put me back together.”

Ventricular fibrillation is the most serious form of abnormal heartbeat and can lead to cardiac arrest — when the heart suddenly stops beating — and sudden cardiac death, according to the American Heart Association.

Ventricular fibrillation occurs in the heart’s lower chambers, and the heart association says its causes include cardiomyopathy, which Fetterman was diagnosed with in 2022. Cardiomyopathy can impede blood flow and potentially cause heartbeats so irregular they can be fatal.

Fetterman, 56, disclosed that he was diagnosed with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-pennsylvania-government-and-politics-0c413bfeb7b00ceae5c172c7fa33007e">cardiomyopathy</a>&nbsp;and another type of abnormal heartbeat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-stroke-campaigns-congress-2216e12ec0d031d89d5343cf4f24d42c">atrial fibrillation</a>, after he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-government-and-politics-congress-0bedb2673ca27915afcbc84e36f42cfe">had a stroke</a>&nbsp;during his 2022 campaign.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fetterman-hospitalized-ventricular-fibrillation-cbbab8f44a228142a9ae0f7c8ed65e66">Sen. John Fetterman</a>&nbsp;says he has returned home to his family in Pennsylvania after being hospitalized due to what his office said was a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that caused him to feel light-headed and fall during an early morning walk Thursday.Fetterman, D-Pa., posted a picture Saturday on X that showed the aftereffects to his nose and forehead, saying “20 stitches later and a full recovery, I’m back home” with his wife, Gisele, and their children.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">20 stitches later and a full recovery, I’m back home with <a href="https://twitter.com/giselefetterman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@giselefetterman</a> and the kids. I’m overwhelmed + profoundly grateful for all the well-wishes. Truly. Grateful for <a href="https://twitter.com/UPMC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UPMC</a> for the incredible medical care that put me back together. THANK YOU SO MUCH. See you back in DC. <a href="https://t.co/j81LXZGLBx">pic.twitter.com/j81LXZGLBx</a>&mdash; U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenFettermanPA/status/1989784336170684880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The smiling Fetterman also said he was grateful for the medical team in Pittsburgh that “put me back together.”“See you back in DC,” he concluded.Ventricular fibrillation is the most serious form of abnormal heartbeat and can lead to cardiac arrest — when the heart suddenly stops beating — and sudden cardiac death, according to the American Heart Association.Ventricular fibrillation occurs in the heart’s lower chambers, and the heart association says its causes include cardiomyopathy, which Fetterman was diagnosed with in 2022. Cardiomyopathy can impede blood flow and potentially cause heartbeats so irregular they can be fatal.Fetterman, 56, disclosed that he was diagnosed with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-pennsylvania-government-and-politics-0c413bfeb7b00ceae5c172c7fa33007e">cardiomyopathy</a>&nbsp;and another type of abnormal heartbeat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-stroke-campaigns-congress-2216e12ec0d031d89d5343cf4f24d42c">atrial fibrillation</a>, after he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-government-and-politics-congress-0bedb2673ca27915afcbc84e36f42cfe">had a stroke</a>&nbsp;during his 2022 campaign.

U.S. Senator shares graphic photo after heart rhythm scare

KANSAS CITY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a building fire In Kansas City, Missouri.&nbsp;

Just before noon Saturday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported building fire in the 11300 block of Blue Ridge Boulevard, according to Kansas Fire Department Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

 On arrival crews reported smoke showing and found a fire in the basement of the building. KCFD quickly got the fire under control and checked for extension.&nbsp;Searches of the building came back all clear. KCFD transported 3 civilian patients from the scene by ambulance to a local hospital.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a building fire In Kansas City, Missouri.&nbsp;Just before noon Saturday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported building fire in the 11300 block of Blue Ridge Boulevard, according to Kansas Fire Department Battalion Chief Riley Nolan. On arrival crews reported smoke showing and found a fire in the basement of the building. KCFD quickly got the fire under control and checked for extension.&nbsp;Searches of the building came back all clear. KCFD transported 3 civilian patients from the scene by ambulance to a local hospital.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.

3 hospitalized after  building fire in Kansas City

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — A Texas trooper who had an altercation with South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor after his touchdown on Saturday was sent home from the game, according to the state Department of Public Safety.

Harbor scored on an 80-yard reception in the second quarter and ran into the tunnel limping following the score. As he and three other players were walking back to the field, the trooper walked in between Harbor and another player and bumped into them as they passed each other.

The trooper and Harbor turned around and the trooper pointed at Harbor with both hands and said something to him. Harbor was quickly pushed away by his teammate and they continued to the field.

The public safety department issued a statement saying the trooper was sent home.

“Our Office of Inspector General (OIG) is also aware of the incident and will be further looking into the matter. No additional information will be released at this time,” the statement reads.

The video was widely shared on social media with many commenting on it, including Lakers star LeBron James.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — A Texas trooper who had an altercation with South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor after his touchdown on Saturday was sent home from the game, according to the state Department of Public Safety.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Any comments on this embarrassing behavior? <a href="https://twitter.com/TAMUPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TAMUPolice</a> 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/BDxdkeqMDe">pic.twitter.com/BDxdkeqMDe</a>&mdash; RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/RedditCFB/status/1989765735107699132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Harbor scored on an 80-yard reception in the second quarter and ran into the tunnel limping following the score. As he and three other players were walking back to the field, the trooper walked in between Harbor and another player and bumped into them as they passed each other.The trooper and Harbor turned around and the trooper pointed at Harbor with both hands and said something to him. Harbor was quickly pushed away by his teammate and they continued to the field.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is aware of the incident that occurred today during the Texas A&amp;M football game. The DPS Trooper involved was sent home from the game. Our Office of Inspector General (OIG) is also aware of the incident and will be further looking into…&mdash; Texas DPS (@TxDPS) <a href="https://twitter.com/TxDPS/status/1989787150485725668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The public safety department issued a statement saying the trooper was sent home.“Our Office of Inspector General (OIG) is also aware of the incident and will be further looking into the matter. No additional information will be released at this time,” the statement reads.The video was widely shared on social media with many commenting on it, including Lakers star LeBron James.

🎥Texas trooper who had run-in with player was sent home from game

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — Congress has roughly two months to find bipartisan agreement to curb rising health insurance costs if lawmakers want to avoid another government shutdown.

That herculean task would be difficult in the best circumstances, but is much more challenging after lawmakers spent the last 43 days criticizing each other instead of building the types of trust that are usually needed for large deals. Democrats maintained they wanted to address skyrocketing premiums for individual health care plans, while Republicans insisted those talks had to occur when the government was open.

At the same time, congressional leaders will try to wrap up work on the nine full-year government funding bills that were supposed to become law before Oct. 1 and weren’t included in the package that reopened the government.&nbsp;

Congress must pass all of those bills or another stopgap measure before the new Jan. 30 deadline, regardless of how well or disastrous talks on a health care bill turn out.&nbsp;

The two-track negotiations will push party leaders to compromise on issues they’d rather not, especially as next year’s November midterm elections inch closer.&nbsp;

House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a Wednesday night press conference the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits set to expire at the end of the year are a “boondoggle” and that “Republicans would demand a lot of reforms” before agreeing to extend those in any way.&nbsp;

“We currently have 433 members of the House of Representatives. There’s a lot of opinions in this building. And on our side, certainly, a lot of opinions on how to fix health care and make it more affordable. I have to allow that process to play out,” Johnson, R-La., said.&nbsp;

While Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., made a commitment to hold a vote on a health care bill before the end of December to conclude the shutdown, Johnson has avoided giving a timeline for when he would bring any similar legislation to the floor.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump, aside from throwing insults at Democrats, largely stayed on the sidelines of the shutdown fight, though he suggested the funds used for the tax credits should in some way go directly to individuals instead of large insurance companies.

The shutdown highlighted the stark differences Republicans and Democrats hold on health care as prices for insurance continue to spike, forcing millions of Americans to choose between taking care of themselves and breaking their budgets, States Newsroom found in interviews with members of Congress.&nbsp;

GOP leaders held together throughout the funding lapse and didn’t negotiate on the expiring ACA marketplace tax credits, or anything else.&nbsp;

Now that it’s over, Republicans will need to put something forward.

Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said her sense is that Congress will “probably be in the same place on January 30th that we are now.”

“We have two parties here, two sides,” DeLauro said. “In the past … we’ve had serious negotiation back and forth, and that’s what we need to do, and that’s not happening.”

While Republicans have unified control of government, major legislation needs the support of at least 60 senators to advance in that chamber. Republicans hold 53 seats at the moment, meaning at least some Democrats must support a bill for it to pass.&nbsp;

DeLauro did not rule out another shutdown, saying Democrats plan to take the next few months “one day at a time,” while closely watching what Republicans are willing to do on the nine full-year appropriations bills and health care costs.&nbsp;

Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer, former House majority leader and a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, said Republican leaders keeping that chamber in recess for nearly two months leading up to and during the shutdown significantly delayed work on the full-year government funding bills.&nbsp;

Hoyer said that scheduling decision was a clear “indication they’re not interested in solving the problem.”

“If they were, they would have had members here working on appropriation bills,” Hoyer said. “And the only way you’re going to ultimately solve this problem is to pass appropriation bills.”

Hoyer said the real question facing Congress now isn’t whether there is time to work out agreement on the remaining nine government spending bills, but whether there’s a will to make the types of compromises needed.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/government-reopens-after-43-days-trump-signs-bill-ending-record-shutdown" target="_blank">spending package that reopened the government</a>&nbsp;included three of the dozen full-year bills, funding the Agriculture Department, Food and Drug Administration, Legislative Branch, military construction projects and Department of Veterans Affairs.

The remaining appropriations bills will be considerably tougher to resolve, especially because the House and Senate have yet to agree on how much they want to spend across the thousands of programs. Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-asks-congress-cut-163b-non-defense-spending-ax-dozens-programs" target="_blank">proposed major cutbacks</a>&nbsp;in multiple programs in his budget request earlier this year that Democrats have strongly resisted.

The Defense, Homeland Security, Labor-HHS-Education and State-Foreign Operations bills will be some of the more difficult to settle.&nbsp;

Congress could always lean on another stopgap spending bill to keep funding relatively flat for the departments and agencies not covered by a full-year bill before Jan. 30. But lawmakers will need bipartisan support to advance in the Senate.

Washington Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal, former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Republicans don’t seem to grasp how much Americans are struggling with the cost of living, including for health insurance and health care.&nbsp;

“My constituents are already telling me that they’re making that choice between having health insurance or having a house to live in, and they’re going to choose the house,” Jayapal said.&nbsp;

Whether or not a partial government shutdown begins in early 2026 will likely depend on whether Republican lawmakers from swing districts force bipartisanship on a health care bill.&nbsp;

“I really don’t know,” Jayapal said. “I think it depends on these vulnerable House Republicans, who are not going to be able to go back to their constituents without telling them that they’ve done something on health care.”

Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico said she wouldn’t be surprised if Congress is unable to strike a deal on government funding and winds up in a partial shutdown by February.&nbsp;

“Do I think that the Republicans have the political juice to get … the rest of their appropriation bills across the finish line and a health care deal? No,” Stansbury said.&nbsp;

She added that she hopes a handful of Republicans decide to join Democrats on the discharge petition bill that would force a floor vote on a bill to extend the ACA marketplace subsidies for three years.&nbsp;

“We gotta find a few brave Republicans who still have a backbone and some guts to stand up to this administration and actually care for their constituents,” Stansbury said.&nbsp;

But any bipartisan deal to extend those health care tax credits seems fraught, as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries slammed Republicans as having “zero credibility on this issue.”

He pointed to Republicans trying several times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, including their last attempt in 2017, when GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and the late John McCain of Arizona crossed party lines to vote against repealing the 2010 law.

“There’s no evidence that they’re serious about extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” Jeffries, of New York, said. “Republicans have zero interest in fixing the health care crisis that they’ve created.”

When Democrats controlled both chambers, temporary health care subsidies were originally passed as part of the COVID-19-era American Rescue Plan in 2021 for two years.&nbsp;

With Democrats still controlling both chambers, lawmakers approved the Inflation Reduction Act, the 2022 signature climate policy bill from the Biden administration, that extended those health care subsidies for three years, expiring at the end of December 2025.

The outcome of the just concluded shutdown is shaping some House Democrats’ views.

Virginia Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott said if there is a new shutdown come February, Senate Democrats will have to decide whether they’re going to “cave again, or at least engage in negotiations.”&nbsp;

“When the (Senate) Democrats say: ‘Our strategy wasn’t working,’ it wasn’t working because they assume you’re going to cave, which you just proved,” Scott told States Newsroom. “Their strategy worked — trying to get them to negotiate and talk to you doesn’t because they know you’re going to cave.”

Scott said “there’s no point in taking 41 days to cave,” pointing to the eight members of the Senate Democratic Caucus who broke ranks&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-advances-bill-end-record-breaking-government-shutdown" target="_blank">to advance</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-bipartisan-vote-passes-bill-end-record-breaking-shutdown-house-next" target="_blank">later approve</a>&nbsp;the package to reopen the government.&nbsp;

“Why don’t you just cave right at the beginning, on February 2nd?” he said. “If the Republican strategy is: ‘We’re not going to negotiate at all because you’re going to cave,’ you have to show them that you’re not going to cave, then you can have a discussion.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763246330614.png" alt="Image Office of&nbsp; U.S. Senate Democrat Leade" />
 <figcaption>Image Office of&nbsp; U.S. Senate Democrat Leade</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>WASHINGTON — Congress has roughly two months to find bipartisan agreement to curb rising health insurance costs if lawmakers want to avoid another government shutdown.That herculean task would be difficult in the best circumstances, but is much more challenging after lawmakers spent the last 43 days criticizing each other instead of building the types of trust that are usually needed for large deals. Democrats maintained they wanted to address skyrocketing premiums for individual health care plans, while Republicans insisted those talks had to occur when the government was open.At the same time, congressional leaders will try to wrap up work on the nine full-year government funding bills that were supposed to become law before Oct. 1 and weren’t included in the package that reopened the government.&nbsp;Congress must pass all of those bills or another stopgap measure before the new Jan. 30 deadline, regardless of how well or disastrous talks on a health care bill turn out.&nbsp;The two-track negotiations will push party leaders to compromise on issues they’d rather not, especially as next year’s November midterm elections inch closer.&nbsp;Early signs were not good.House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a Wednesday night press conference the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits set to expire at the end of the year are a “boondoggle” and that “Republicans would demand a lot of reforms” before agreeing to extend those in any way.&nbsp;“We currently have 433 members of the House of Representatives. There’s a lot of opinions in this building. And on our side, certainly, a lot of opinions on how to fix health care and make it more affordable. I have to allow that process to play out,” Johnson, R-La., said.&nbsp;While Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., made a commitment to hold a vote on a health care bill before the end of December to conclude the shutdown, Johnson has avoided giving a timeline for when he would bring any similar legislation to the floor.&nbsp;President Donald Trump, aside from throwing insults at Democrats, largely stayed on the sidelines of the shutdown fight, though he suggested the funds used for the tax credits should in some way go directly to individuals instead of large insurance companies.<h2>Pessimism over progress</h2>The shutdown highlighted the stark differences Republicans and Democrats hold on health care as prices for insurance continue to spike, forcing millions of Americans to choose between taking care of themselves and breaking their budgets, States Newsroom found in interviews with members of Congress.&nbsp;GOP leaders held together throughout the funding lapse and didn’t negotiate on the expiring ACA marketplace tax credits, or anything else.&nbsp;Now that it’s over, Republicans will need to put something forward.Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said her sense is that Congress will “probably be in the same place on January 30th that we are now.”“We have two parties here, two sides,” DeLauro said. “In the past … we’ve had serious negotiation back and forth, and that’s what we need to do, and that’s not happening.”While Republicans have unified control of government, major legislation needs the support of at least 60 senators to advance in that chamber. Republicans hold 53 seats at the moment, meaning at least some Democrats must support a bill for it to pass.&nbsp;DeLauro did not rule out another shutdown, saying Democrats plan to take the next few months “one day at a time,” while closely watching what Republicans are willing to do on the nine full-year appropriations bills and health care costs.&nbsp;Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer, former House majority leader and a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, said Republican leaders keeping that chamber in recess for nearly two months leading up to and during the shutdown significantly delayed work on the full-year government funding bills.&nbsp;Hoyer said that scheduling decision was a clear “indication they’re not interested in solving the problem.”“If they were, they would have had members here working on appropriation bills,” Hoyer said. “And the only way you’re going to ultimately solve this problem is to pass appropriation bills.”Hoyer said the real question facing Congress now isn’t whether there is time to work out agreement on the remaining nine government spending bills, but whether there’s a will to make the types of compromises needed.&nbsp;<h2>Untangling spending bills</h2>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/government-reopens-after-43-days-trump-signs-bill-ending-record-shutdown" target="_blank">spending package that reopened the government</a>&nbsp;included three of the dozen full-year bills, funding the Agriculture Department, Food and Drug Administration, Legislative Branch, military construction projects and Department of Veterans Affairs.The remaining appropriations bills will be considerably tougher to resolve, especially because the House and Senate have yet to agree on how much they want to spend across the thousands of programs. Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-asks-congress-cut-163b-non-defense-spending-ax-dozens-programs" target="_blank">proposed major cutbacks</a>&nbsp;in multiple programs in his budget request earlier this year that Democrats have strongly resisted.The Defense, Homeland Security, Labor-HHS-Education and State-Foreign Operations bills will be some of the more difficult to settle.&nbsp;Congress could always lean on another stopgap spending bill to keep funding relatively flat for the departments and agencies not covered by a full-year bill before Jan. 30. But lawmakers will need bipartisan support to advance in the Senate.Washington Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal, former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Republicans don’t seem to grasp how much Americans are struggling with the cost of living, including for health insurance and health care.&nbsp;“My constituents are already telling me that they’re making that choice between having health insurance or having a house to live in, and they’re going to choose the house,” Jayapal said.&nbsp;Whether or not a partial government shutdown begins in early 2026 will likely depend on whether Republican lawmakers from swing districts force bipartisanship on a health care bill.&nbsp;“I really don’t know,” Jayapal said. “I think it depends on these vulnerable House Republicans, who are not going to be able to go back to their constituents without telling them that they’ve done something on health care.”<h2>Political juice and a backbone</h2>Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico said she wouldn’t be surprised if Congress is unable to strike a deal on government funding and winds up in a partial shutdown by February.&nbsp;“Do I think that the Republicans have the political juice to get … the rest of their appropriation bills across the finish line and a health care deal? No,” Stansbury said.&nbsp;She added that she hopes a handful of Republicans decide to join Democrats on the discharge petition bill that would force a floor vote on a bill to extend the ACA marketplace subsidies for three years.&nbsp;“We gotta find a few brave Republicans who still have a backbone and some guts to stand up to this administration and actually care for their constituents,” Stansbury said.&nbsp;But any bipartisan deal to extend those health care tax credits seems fraught, as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries slammed Republicans as having “zero credibility on this issue.”He pointed to Republicans trying several times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, including their last attempt in 2017, when GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and the late John McCain of Arizona crossed party lines to vote against repealing the 2010 law.“There’s no evidence that they’re serious about extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” Jeffries, of New York, said. “Republicans have zero interest in fixing the health care crisis that they’ve created.”<h2>‘No point in taking 41 days to cave’</h2>When Democrats controlled both chambers, temporary health care subsidies were originally passed as part of the COVID-19-era American Rescue Plan in 2021 for two years.&nbsp;With Democrats still controlling both chambers, lawmakers approved the Inflation Reduction Act, the 2022 signature climate policy bill from the Biden administration, that extended those health care subsidies for three years, expiring at the end of December 2025.The outcome of the just concluded shutdown is shaping some House Democrats’ views.Virginia Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott said if there is a new shutdown come February, Senate Democrats will have to decide whether they’re going to “cave again, or at least engage in negotiations.”&nbsp;“When the (Senate) Democrats say: ‘Our strategy wasn’t working,’ it wasn’t working because they assume you’re going to cave, which you just proved,” Scott told States Newsroom. “Their strategy worked — trying to get them to negotiate and talk to you doesn’t because they know you’re going to cave.”Scott said “there’s no point in taking 41 days to cave,” pointing to the eight members of the Senate Democratic Caucus who broke ranks&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-advances-bill-end-record-breaking-government-shutdown" target="_blank">to advance</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-bipartisan-vote-passes-bill-end-record-breaking-shutdown-house-next" target="_blank">later approve</a>&nbsp;the package to reopen the government.&nbsp;“Why don’t you just cave right at the beginning, on February 2nd?” he said. “If the Republican strategy is: ‘We’re not going to negotiate at all because you’re going to cave,’ you have to show them that you’re not going to cave, then you can have a discussion.”Scott said the same health care issues will still exist if nothing happens between now and the package’s Jan. 30 government funding deadline.&nbsp;&nbsp;“By then, we’ll know that several million people don’t have health insurance, we’ll know that rural hospitals are beginning to suffer,” Scott said.&nbsp;Delaware Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride said that “from today through November (2026) and after, we will continue to be talking about health care, to be fighting for health care.”“I think what you’ve seen over the last several months, you will continue to see from us through November and then, God willing, once we’re in a majority, we’ll do all that we can to reverse these cuts and restore care and expand access to it,” she said.&nbsp;