Democrats were confronted with two painful options: allowing passage of a bill they believe gives President Donald Trump vast discretion on spending

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks to reporters as Republicans work to pass an interim spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown and keep federal agencies funded through September, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) AP

The Senate voted Friday to advance a bill funding the government through September and averting a government shutdown, thwarting an effort by some Democratic lawmakers who had wanted to use a shutdown threat to curtail President Donald Trump's mass firing of federal workers.

A group backed by Elon Musk is running ads targeting Republican lawmakers in several states over their support of a federal drug pricing program.

Republican lawmakers are signaling that they aren't above using federal law enforcement to protect Elon Musk's interests.

Democratic U.S. representative John Larson criticized Elon Musk on Wednesday (March 12) for failing to appear before a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee, shouting at his Republican colleagues for blocking Musk's testimony.