National News Roundup: Government Shutdown Ends, NASA Delays Moon Launch, and More
Washington D.C. – A busy week in national news saw the end of a government shutdown, a delay in NASA's Artemis II moon launch, and other significant developments.
President Trump signed a massive funding bill on Tuesday, ending a partial government shutdown that lasted four days, according to CBS News. The House of Representatives approved the package with a vote of 217 to 214, with 21 Republicans and 21 Democrats crossing party lines. Speaker Mike Johnson faced challenges in securing enough GOP votes but ultimately convinced a handful of holdouts to advance the measure. The legislation includes five full-year spending bills and a two-week extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
In space news, NASA announced that the Artemis II moon launch, initially targeted for February, is being delayed to March at the earliest. The decision came after a dress rehearsal countdown experienced problems, including an out-of-limits hydrogen leak, CBS News reported. "With the conclusion of the wet dress rehearsal today, we are moving off the February launch window and targeting March for the earliest possible launch of Artemis II," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a post on X. He added, "We fully anticipated encountering challenges. That is precisely why we conduct a wet dress rehearsal. These tests are designed to surface issues before flight and set up launch."
Meanwhile, Sen. Mitch McConnell, 84, was hospitalized after experiencing flu-like symptoms, ABC News reported. "In an abundance of caution, after experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend, Senator McConnell checked himself into a local hospital for evaluation last night," said McConnell spokesman David Popp in a statement. "His prognosis is positive and he is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving. He is in regular contact with his staff and looks forward to returning to Senate business." McConnell had previously announced his plans to end his long tenure in the Senate.
In Las Vegas, a property manager was arrested in connection with a possible illicit biological lab operation and faces a federal firearm charge, according to ABC News. Ori Solomon, the property manager of the residence where the alleged bio lab was located, was arrested over the weekend. A federal criminal complaint alleges that "numerous firearms" were seized from his home, which he was not legally allowed to possess. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case, with 1,000 samples sent for testing after the possible biological lab was discovered.
Finally, federal lawmakers are scrutinizing the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) over its ties to a Chinese Communist Party-controlled agribusiness and its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Fox News reported. The House Ways and Means Committee and the Congressional FFA Caucus are leading the inquiry, raising national security concerns and questioning the organization's tax-exempt status. They are particularly focused on the FFA's relationship with Syngenta Group.
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