535 News

What is Gabe Fleisher watching for next week? He tells us to keep an eye on a bipartisan bill targeting “ghost students” — people accused of using FAFSA and federal student aid without actually attending college. The issue, he says, could involve hundreds of millions of dollars in fraud.

What happened this week on Capitol Hill? Gabe Fleisher breaks down the Senate vote-a-rama, the reconciliation fight, and a House vote on a War Powers Resolution aimed at curbing U.S. involvement in Iran with @pkcapitol.bsky.social & Susan Davis

.@repjohnnyo.bsky.social says Congress is stalling on issues that would likely have bipartisan support if they actually came up for a vote, from kids’ online safety to stock trading, background checks, reproductive rights, and health care.

.@repjohnnyo.bsky.social says his Supreme Court reform push is designed as a constitutional amendment so changes would last beyond one presidency or one court majority. He told 535 the goal is consistent turnover, congressional authority, and reforms he says many Americans support.

“Your reputation becomes your currency in this town.” Amos Snead explains why reputation matters early on Capitol Hill — and why how you treat people can follow you throughout a Washington career.

Amos Snead says one of the best things young Hill staffers can do is build real relationships early — because the people around them now may be running Washington in the years ahead. Watch the conversation on 535.news

“Violence is a leading cause of death for pregnant women.” @repemiliasykes.bsky.social says any serious conversation about maternal mortality has to include violence against pregnant women — an issue she says is too often left out of the policy debate. Watch the conversation on 535.news

“It’s not just what happens in the hospital. It’s what’s happening outside of the hospital as well.” @repemiliasykes.bsky.social tells 535 that addressing Black maternal health means confronting violence, housing, clean air and water, safe communities, and economic security — not just medical care.

Rep. Moran says apprenticeship tax credits could help businesses train new workers without taking on the full cost alone. Moran told 535 the goal is to make it easier for employers to launch apprenticeship programs and build a stronger pipeline for skilled jobs.

“My best guess is we’re actually going to see more disruption from jobs that have historically been called white collar jobs.” Sen. Todd Young says that workers who deal in words and data may face more disruption — and says Congress needs policy that supports both existing industries and new jobs.

If @reptedlieu.bsky.social could pass an AI bill tomorrow, he says it would start with testing and disclosure requirements for the most advanced models — aimed at preventing catastrophic risks like new pandemics or major cyberattacks. Watch the on 535.news

On the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, @pelosi.house.gov joined 535 to reflect on the San Francisco rally that followed, China’s suppression of dissent, and why the moment was “intolerable.”

.@pelosi.house.gov says she never planned to run for Congress — until she was asked, and first checked with her daughter. “I’ve never aspired to that… I love my life here.” Watch her reflect on the unexpected start of her congressional career on 535.

On this day in 1919, Congress passed the 19th Amendment and sent women’s suffrage to the states. @pelosi.house.gov is live on 535 and reflected on the fight that followed, the Tennessee vote that made history, and why expanding freedom has always required action. Watch on 535.news

Mark Keida with Narrative Strategies says 61% of voters want to hear Washington talk about inflation and cost of living — while only about 20% say leaders are focused on the issues they care about.

“That’s what I was here to do — pass legislation.” Former Rep. Patrick McHenry joined 535 to explain why he left Congress after 10 terms, saying his term limit as chair of the House Financial Services Committee felt like a natural endpoint.

Now on 535: Former Rep. Patrick McHenry, who made history as Speaker pro tempore and gaveled the House through one of its most chaotic moments, joins us to talk life after Congress, leadership, and more.

Rep. Liccardo says he is “deeply concerned” about how Americans get their information — and who controls their data — warning that foreign influence over major media and personal information is “deeply disconcerting.” Watch the exchange on 535.

Rep. Liccardo says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is “no friend of free journalism,” citing U.S. intelligence findings about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and raising concerns about potential influence over CNN. Watch the exchange on 535.

“I think it is the story.” Robert Egge of the @alzassociation.bsky.social told 535 that when advocates go to Congress, personal experiences with Alzheimer’s diagnosis — or the lack of one — can be more powerful than statistics alone. Watch the conversation on 535.

“We have this massive expense that’s projected to grow to as much as $1 trillion in today’s dollars by mid-century.” Robert Egge of the @alzassociation.bsky.social explained why earlier diagnosis and treatment could matter not just for patients and families, but for the long-term cost of care.

“Congress said 13-year-olds can be adults online. I’m on a mission to change that.” Rep. Houchin told 535 how her daughter accessed Instagram at 13 without her family’s knowledge — and why that experience is driving her push to raise online protections for kids.

“Trade is a factor in peace building around the world.” On 535, Ed Brzytwa with the Consumer Technology Association discussed how durable commercial relationships can create more stability, predictability, and certainty — and why that matters for avoiding conflict.

Ed Brzytwa with the Consumer Technology Association: “A constant state of uncertainty and trade chaos is not in the long-term interests of our country.” On 535, he broke down what comes next on tariffs, trade policy, and why durable agreements with U.S. allies matter.

.@repwalkinshaw.bsky.social says a new Republican-led task force is examining “institutional abuses and constitutional rights” — while ignoring what he calls “the big elephant in the room”: Pres. Trump’s alleged violations of the Constitution and the law.

The Epstein files keep coming up in oversight hearings, and now Rep. Walkinshaw says Republicans are avoiding formal hearings because Democrats could force subpoena votes. “That means you can’t make a motion to subpoena anybody.”

The average age of a first-time homebuyer hit a record high of 40 years old, a big jump from age 29 in the 1980s. Rep. Lou Correa and Rep. Mark Alford are leading a bipartisan effort to make buying a home more affordable.

We spoke with Rep. Kamlager Dove about the conditions women are facing in federal custody. She told @macfarlanenews.bsky.social about reports of incarcerated women being shackled while giving birth — and why she believes more attention is needed on the treatment of women in custody.

We spoke to National Association of Realtors Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn about how to unlock more #housing across the country, including fixing the market lock-in.

Sports Betting Alliance president and CEO Joe Maloney joins us to break down the witnesses at the Senate's "No Sure Bets" hearing on sports betting integrity.

Rep. Kamlager-Dove on why she says more attention needs to be paid to the disproportionate impact the prison system has on women. ⬇️

Rep. Kamlager-Dove on the Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act: "Women are incarcerated every single day, but we never think about it because when we think about jails, prisons, and detention facilities, we're often thinking about men. But the fastest-growing population in our prisons are women."

Did the Department of Homeland Security take its eye off FEMA? @SenPeterWelch on Sec. Noem: "She didn't care. She said let's abolish FEMA — how could somebody say that?" ⬇️

Sen. Peter Welch on the importance of FEMA — and why he's fighting to give communities more local control over disaster response and recovery efforts. ⬇️

Scott Breen, President of the Can Manufacturers Institute, on how tariffs are impacting consumers at the grocery store — and what the industry is doing about it. ⬇️

"We need an emergency solution to how bad gas prices have become — but that can't be the only arrow in the quiver." Rep. Josh Harder says lowering costs today isn't enough. He argues Congress also needs to build more energy and rethink how America funds roads and highways. ⬇️

"The gas tax is long overdue to be reformed." Rep. Josh Harder says the gas tax has become a deeply unfair tax — learn why ⬇️

Daniel Shulman, Executive Director of the American Governance Institute: "The money for the policy work hasn't really increased in 25 years. Where almost all of the new money has gone is to cops and buildings." ⬇️

"The worst people to do magic tricks are members of Congress." Rep. Mark Pocan explains why ⬇️

Did you know Rep. Mark Pocan paid his way through college by performing magic shows? 🎩✨ ⬇️

We asked Rep. Nikki Budzinski whether a discharge petition could be used to force consideration of the bipartisan PREDICT Act on the House floor: "That should be on the table." ⬇️

Rep. Nikki Budzinski introduced the bipartisan PREDICT Act, legislation that would prohibit senior government officials from participating in insider prediction market trading. "We want to rebuild public trust, I think this is a step forward in that direction."

Shannon McGahn discusses how the National Association of REALTORS is putting affordability front and center — working across the aisle on bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help more Americans access housing at better rates.

The House just passed the biggest housing legislation package in a generation. What happens next — and can it actually become law? We asked Rep. Lou Correa & Rep. Mark Alford ⬇️

Rep. Lou Correa and Rep. Mark Alford are working across party lines to increase housing supply, lower costs, and expand opportunities for homebuyers — especially first-time buyers. "We have to keep the American dream alive."

Laura Modi, co-founder and CEO of Bobbie, on the power of personal stories in advocacy: “When you start to talk about breast cancer — it's very hard to meet someone who doesn't have someone within a certain degree in their life that they can point to and recognize the impact of this.” Watch ⬇️

Laura Modi, co-founder and CEO of Bobbie, is pushing for legislation to close a critical insurance gap. The proposal would create a pilot program to cover donor milk and infant formula for parents who medically cannot breastfeed due to cancer, maternal loss, or other chronic conditions. Watch ⬇️

Rep. Landsman: "Instead of trying to manage the floor like we have for decades, which is a few bills a week, just flood it — flood it with good bills. Get as much done as humanly possible." Watch ⬇️

Rep. Landsman says the country needs a roadmap — which is why he introduced “Our Great American Moment.” “Wealth and power in this country have been concentrated for decades in the most dangerous way. It’s all at the top.” Watch ⬇️

The House recently passed bipartisan legislation to combat the growing threat of cargo theft, crimes often carried out by networks operating across state and international borders. We asked Ian Jeffries of the Association of American Railroads why this matters for consumers and what's next ⬇️

The House could take action soon on a major surface transportation reauthorization bill. Why is that such a big deal — and what could it mean for the future of infrastructure and freight movement in America? We asked Ian Jeffries, President & CEO of the Association of American Railroads ⬇️

Rep. Deluzio introduced the bipartisan SMART Kids Act to direct the U.S. Surgeon General to develop evidence-based screen time recommendations for children. Why should the federal government be involved in screen time and kids’ health? We asked him ⬇️

It’s been more than three years since the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine. This year, Rep. Deluzio reintroduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act to strengthen freight rail safety. So why hasn’t it passed? We asked him ⬇️

Rep. Stutzman introduced the Streamlining Rural Housing Act to cut red tape slowing affordable housing projects in rural communities. Right now, projects using both HUD and USDA programs often face duplicative reviews and inspections that drive up costs and delay construction.

Rep. Stutzman calls the House-passed housing bill, "Probably the most successful bipartisan bill we have seen, and it just shows that both parties are very concerned about housing for our constituents." Hear what he's focused on and where the legislation stands in Congress ⬇️

Rep. Auchincloss: "We are trying to prevent [big tech companies] from, frankly, acting as pharmaceutical companies that are the merchants and miners of digital dopamine. They are exploiting the dopamine reinforcement system in young brains."

Rep. Auchincloss introduced the Parents Over Platforms Act to strengthen protections for minors downloading apps on their phones. On the current system: "A child can sign terms and conditions with Facebook, or with Insta, or with TikTok. That is absurd on its face." Watch ⬇️

The Senate voted for a resolution from Sen. John Kennedy to withhold senators’ pay during government shutdowns until the government reopens. Gabe Fleisher & @pkcapitol.bsky.social walk through what happened with a bit of history for good measure.

Believe it or not, Congress actually accomplished a few things this week. Gabe Fleisher breaks down what happened on Capitol Hill - and a story you may have missed.

A major crypto bill is moving through Congress. What would it actually do - and how did we get here? Robin Cook, Director of U.S. Policy at Coinbase, breaks it down.

Why is Congress getting more involved in sports betting? Joe Maloney, President and CEO of the Sports Betting Alliance, breaks it down ahead of an important Senate hearing next week.

.@RepMcGovern, ranking member of the House Rules Committee: "The Rules Committee has become a place where democracy goes to die."

Rep. McGovern: "We live in the richest country in the history of the world and there are 48 million of our fellow citizens who are hungry or food insecure. We should be ashamed of that."

How did the longtime alliance between the Democratic Party and labor unions start to unravel? We asked Ben Brubeck, Principal and CEO of Government Affairs Solutions. Hear his answer ⬇️

Mike Efaw of Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the surface transportation bill that could be marked up as soon as next week: "I am worried at hte way they have gone about this bill."

Rep. Pressley on the Trump Administration, the Supreme Court, and the current redistricting push: "That is an anti-freedom agenda."

Rep. Pressley on introducing the Housing for Formerly Incarcerated Reentry and Stable Tenancy (Housing FIRST) Act: "Housing first. Before you can pursue education, before you can pursue employment, you need housing first."

Rep. Moolenaar: "The reality is that Chinese EVs are rolling data-collection devices."

Rep. Magaziner on his Protected Time Off (PTO) Act: "You talk to anyone across America who works for a living, people are burnt out." Watch live at 535.news

More than 27 million private-sector workers in America get zero paid vacation time today. Rep. Magaziner’s Protected Time Off (PTO) Act would guarantee at least 10 paid vacation days for every full-time worker. Hear why he's leading this bill. Watch live at 535.news

We spoke with Rep. Walkinshaw about the jump from Congressional staffer to member of Congress, the reality of being a freshman on Capitol Hill, and the first bill he introduced.

Rep Casar: "What I have heard from people that used to be Democrats but now have just quit voting or maybe voted for Trump this last election is they feel that the Democratic Party has either been weak or has been scared to stand up to those special interests that are screwing them over."

Rep Lawler on his bill to expand breast cancer screenings: "Having the age reduced and requiring the insurance companies to cover these screenings is something that I think is important, it's something I think we should be pushing on."

If Rep. Pat Ryan could change one thing about Congress and the legislative process, what would it be? "Term limits." Hear more and watch the show live at 535.news

Rep. Pat Ryan on the war with #Iran: "Taxpayers are incredibly concerned about the cost of this war." Hear more and watch live at 535.news.

Stephanie Woodward: "Having the technology you need to live your life shouldn’t be like winning the lottery. You shouldn’t have to be lucky to get what you need."

Rep. Moskowitz on his bipartisan legislative package to reform the Department of Homeland Security.

Scott MacFarlane of MeidasTouch Network talks with Rep. Lucy McBath about efforts to reinstate the assault weapons ban, reduce gun violence, and keep communities safe.

Rep. Sara Jacobs on the three ways Congress should be thinking about AI right now 👇

Rep. Don Beyer on his work with Rep. Sara Jacobs to establish transparency rules for how AI models are built and used: "We're both big AI optimists, but everyone in the industry knows there has to be some predictable regulatory scheme."

A recent @pewresearch.org study found that in nearly five decades under the current federal budgeting system, Congress has passed all required appropriations bills on time just four times. So what’s broken? Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) shares his answer on 535.

Rep. Linda Sanchez on the reality of making legislation to expand child care more bipartisan in Congress. Watch 535 live at 535.news every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday when Congress is in session.

Rep. Bice on the importance of the CHILD Act with Rep. Houlahan - expanding access to child care, building bipartisan support, and pushing to get the effort moving in both the House and Senate.

Drew Maloney, President & CEO of Edison Electric Institute, on why the electrical grid matters: “It’s one of the three most innovative inventions in the United States.”

Mike Sommers, President & CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, on how they're advocating on Capitol Hill - and how they’re making their case directly to members of Congress.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) on building bipartisanship in Congress, just now on 535. Watch the show live at 535.news.

.@heinrich.senate.gov just now on 535: "Public lands are the one thing we agree on." Watch more 👇

Our 535 Contributing Host and Analyst Sue Davis has A LOT of questions for members of Congress. New legislation ready to drop? Working on a bipartisan or bicameral bill? We want to know about it. Contact: booking@535.news and tell us