National News Roundup: Government Funding Secured, Space Mission Delayed, and More
Washington D.C. - A busy Tuesday saw significant developments across the nation, ranging from the resolution of a government shutdown to a setback in space exploration and health concerns for a prominent senator.
President Trump signed a massive funding bill on Tuesday, ending a partial government shutdown after a four-day standoff, according to CBS News. The House approved the package by a vote of 217 to 214, with 21 Republicans and 21 Democrats crossing the aisle. Speaker Mike Johnson faced challenges in securing the bill's passage, ultimately convincing a handful of GOP holdouts to advance the measure for a final vote. The legislation includes five full-year spending bills and a two-week extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats are reportedly demanding reforms to how immigration enforcement agencies like ICE operate.
In space news, NASA announced a delay in the launch of the Artemis II moon mission. Citing issues encountered during a dress rehearsal countdown, NASA is now targeting March as the earliest possible launch date. "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, according to CBS News. The rehearsal, intended to clear the way for a possible February launch, was called off early Tuesday due to an out-of-limits hydrogen leak. Isaacman 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, in Washington, D.C., Sen. Mitch McConnell, 84, was hospitalized after experiencing flu-like symptoms. "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," McConnell spokesman David Popp said in a statement, according to ABC News. Popp added that McConnell's "prognosis is positive" and that he "is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving." McConnell, who announced last February he would end his long tenure in the Senate at the end of his term, is reportedly in regular contact with his staff and looks forward to returning to Senate business.
In Las Vegas, a property manager was arrested in connection with a possible illicit biological lab operation and faces a federal firearm charge, ABC News reported. Ori Solomon, the property manager of the residence where the alleged bio lab was located, was arrested over the weekend. According to a federal criminal complaint, "numerous firearms" were seized from his home, which were illegal for him 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, in Portland, Oregon, a judge issued an order to temporarily restrict federal officers from using tear gas at protests outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building, Fox News reported. U.S. District Judge Michael Simon instructed federal officers not to use chemical or projectile munitions on people who pose no imminent threat of physical harm or who are only trespassing or refusing dispersal orders. The ruling comes after agents deployed gas at a crowd of demonstrators, including young children, despite the mayor describing the assembly as peaceful.
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