House Advances Bill to End Government Shutdown; Clintons to Give Epstein Deposition

Government Funding Bill Advances

• 🏛️ A revised funding bill has passed a procedural vote in the House, aiming to end the partial government shutdown which is currently in its fourth day.
• 🗓️ The bill proposes to fund the Pentagon, State, and Treasury departments through September, but Homeland Security would only receive funding for two weeks to allow for further negotiations on immigration enforcement.
• ⚠️ The final vote's outcome is uncertain, as House Republicans can only afford to lose one vote if all Democrats vote against it.

Clintons' Deposition in Epstein Investigation

• ⚖️ Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to give depositions as part of the House Oversight Committee's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
• 🗓️ Hillary Clinton is scheduled for a closed-door deposition on February 26th, followed by Bill Clinton on February 27th.
• 📜 This agreement comes after the Clintons were reportedly close to being recommended for criminal charges by the House for refusing to comply with a subpoena in the investigation.
• 🗣️ A spokesperson for the Clintons stated they negotiated in good faith and look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone, while social media posts suggest they may prefer a public hearing.

Political Calendar and Expectations

• 🎤 The week of the depositions also includes President Trump's State of the Union address on the Tuesday of that week.
• ✅ The House is expected to take its final vote on the government funding package around 1:30 PM, with expectations that it will pass and officially end the shutdown.
• 🤝 A procedural motion saw Republicans largely unite, with one member, Congressman John Rose, initially refusing to vote for the bill but eventually caving after discussions with leadership.
• 📰 NewsNation will report any unexpected snags in the process.