Government shutdown averted as Republicans vie to replace Mitch McConnell: Live

Fox News host Steve Doocy appeared perplexed this morning on Fox & Friends as to why Rep James Comer didn’t ask Hunter Biden a single question at his deposition after demanding he come in and sit in front of the joint committee hearing.

Mr Comer apparently also left the session early…

Here’s the full transcript of Mr Biden’s testimony:

The youngest Republican woman to serve in the US Senate will deliver the response to President Biden’s State of the Union address next week.

Alabama Senator Katie Britt is set to give the remarks – a rebuttal speech to the president’s address made by the opposing party – on 7 March, which she has promised will be a “candid discussion about the future of our nation”.

At 42 years old, Ms Britt is the youngest Republican woman to ever serve in the US Senate, and the second youngest ever, following Democratic Senator Blanche Lincoln, who was elected in 1999 at the age of 38.

Mike Bedigan takes a look at the rising star in the Republican Party:

Eric Garcia filed this report from Capitol Hill last night:

The continuing resolution will keep the government open until 8 March. The bill came as part of a larger agreement from Mr Johnson, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries as well as the leadership on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to vote on six of the 12 spending bills by 8 March.

The bill passed in the House by 320 to 99 – Republicans being split on the matter and Democrats making up most of the support for the agreement. Only two House Democrats voted against the legislation. Similarly, the Senate voted 77 to 13 on the stopgap funding bill to head to President Joe Biden’s desk.

Mr Cornyn, a close ally of the minority leader, released a statement announcing his candidacy in which he pledged to end “backroom deals” and give members adequate time to read legislation before it is voted upon.

“I believe the Senate is broken – that is not news to anyone. The good news is that it can be fixed, and I intend to play a major role in fixing it,” said the Texas Republican on Thursday.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC:

The full transcript of Hunter Biden’s evidence to House Republicans has been released, following his six-hour testimony held behind closed doors.

For the last three presidential election cycles, North Carolina, a red-leaning state, has favoured the Republican presidential candidate. But a January analysis by Moody’s suggests it could flip in 2024.

It projects that the assumed Democratic nominee President Joe Biden will flip North Carolina in Democrats’ favour by less than a percentage point.

It’s no secret that North Carolina’s red has appeared more purple in recent years. Mr Trump barely secured the state in 2020, winning by a margin of 1.3 per cent. Republicans only narrowly won a Senate seat in the 2022 midterms by 3.2 per cent.

Republicans currently have control over the legislature but the governor is a Democrat. With an electorate that is almost completely split between the two parties, neither one can afford to lose any votes.

In a letter sent to Fox News executives, White House spokesperson Ian Sams accused the right-wing network of failing to “retract, correct, or update its reporting” on a false allegation made by FBI informant, Alexander Smirnov, about a bribery scheme worth millions involving the Bidens, according to CNN.

The claim, which has been central to attempts by Republicans to impeach the Bidens in Congress, was later found to be false.

If a presidential election year wasn’t enough in Washington DC, this year will also see a lot of new faces in Congress, as many members have decided to not seek re-election, with many citing frustration with the chambers’ productivity as their reason for stepping down.

Eight Senators and 42 Representatives have announced their intentions to step down from their current post in 2024, with some running for different elected positions and others leaving politics altogether. Some of those could still run for their current seats if they do not win primary elections.

The mass Congressional exodus includes several controversial seats, which could alter the control of each chamber and numerous Committee chairs.

Here is a list of every member of Congress who has announced that they won’t seek re-election in 2024:

The continuing resolution will keep the government open until 8 March. The bill came as part of a larger agreement from Mr Johnson, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries as well as the leadership on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to vote on six of the 12 spending bills by 8 March.