Senator Mark Kelly on Partisan Briefings and Government Shutdown

Concerns Over Partisan Intelligence Briefings

• 📌 Senator Kelly expresses concern that intelligence briefings on strikes against "Caribbean boats" were only provided to Republicans, not all members of Congress.
• ⚠️ He states this is not how constitutional oversight is supposed to work, as Congress needs information to make decisions on defense policy.
• 💬 Kelly notes that previous administration briefings on this topic have been challenging due to pointed questions from both parties, suggesting a potential reason for withholding information.
• 🧐 He has not encountered a partisan briefing like this before and emphasizes the need for information to communicate effectively with the American people.

Addressing the Government Shutdown and Healthcare Premiums

• 🏥 Kelly highlights that constituents are reporting significant increases in healthcare premiums, often over $1,000, which they find unaffordable.
• 🗣️ He believes the government should be able to fix this issue, especially if it is open.
• 🤝 Kelly suggests that an "offramp" for the shutdown involves getting all parties, including the President, into a room to focus on resolving these critical issues.
• 🎯 He urges the President to shift focus from personal projects to opening the government and addressing the healthcare premium problem.