Federal Reserve cuts interest rates quarter point; newest Fed Governor Stephen Miran votes no, calls for half-point cut

Federal Reserve announces an interest rate cut of a quarter percentage point, lowering borrowing costs for the first time since December. Newest Fed Governor Stephen Miran, who has taken a leave of absence from his job as chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, votes for a bigger cut of 0.5%; U.S. House begins work on the federal government funding extension to prevent a shutdown at the end of the month, debating and voting a resolution to set the rules for House floor debate on the funding measure itself; Former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Susan Monarez tells the Senate Health Committee that she was fired by Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for refusing to provide "blanket approval" for changes to vaccine recommendation not supported by science. She says, "Even under pressure, I could not replace evidence with ideology"; President Donald Trump & First Lady Melania Trump are welcomed for their state visit to Great Britain by the King & Queen with a carriage ride on the grounds of Windsor Castle, a military parade, RAF flyover, a chapel choir, and a lavish banquet; FBI Director Kash Patel testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about the Epstein files and politically-inspired violence; Former President Barack Obama discusses the current political climate after the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FBI Director Kash Patel testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee about accusations the agency is being politicized, whether all the Epstein files will be released and his handling of the investigation into the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; Utah County's Attorney General says the suspect in the Kirk shooting is being charged with aggravated murder, with an aggravating factor that Kirk was targeted for his political beliefs, and the state will pursue the death penalty; Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), who was targeted for his views, calls on all political violence to be condemned; U.S. House to vote on an additional $30 million for additional security for members of Congress and $28 million for Supreme Court Justices; House Republicans present a 7-week temporary federal government spending bill to prevent a shutdown at the end of the month, but Democrats are opposing it because it does not make changes they are seeking to healthcare programs; House takes up a bill to allow 14 year old defendants in Washington, DC charged with violent crimes to be tried as adults; President Donald Trump flies to Great Britain for a state visit; reaction to Israel's ground assault on Gaza City; actor and activist Robert Redford has died. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump announces he’s sending the National Guard into Memphis, Tennessee to combat crime; Vice President JD Vance host the late Charlie Kirk's daily radio show; talks continue in Congress to keep the government open and funded past the end of the month.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First – we chat with Punchbowl News congressional reporter Max Cohen about the prospects for a potential government shutdown in a few short weeks – and the political and policy obstacles to a potential deal. Then: Vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit discusses his recent removal from the FDA vaccine advisory committee – and his concerns about Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's leadership at HHS. Finally: a conversation with Republican Mike Bost of Illinois - Chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee-- on this week's 9/11 anniversary, veterans' issues, and the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) announces the arrest in the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk of 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson of Utah; President Donald Trump says he will send National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, the next city he is targeting with federal resources to reduce crime; former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre gives a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight Committee in its investigation of former President Biden's mental fitness while in office; The Hill's health care reporter Nathaniel Weixel on President Trump's Executive Order signed this week targeting pharmaceutical drug TV ads (30); NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Alexus Grynkevich launch "Eastern Sentry," a boost in military assets on the Eastern front in response to Russian drones flying into Polish airspace this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FBI releases photos of a person of interest in the shooting death of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk and asks the public for help in identifying him. FBI also gives an update on the evidence recovered so far, including the suspected firearm used; President Donald Trump announces he will award Charlie Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom; House & Senate Democratic Leaders are asked about President Trump blaming the shooting on the 'radical left'; solemn ceremonies on this 24th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks at Ground Zero in New York City,  at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania; Gen. Christopher Mahoney, Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chair nominee, is asked at his Senate confirmation hearing about handling a potential order from President Trump to deploy more U.S. troops to more U.S. cities to fight crime; Senate Republicans unilaterally change the rules to make it easier to confirm President Trump's nominees; bipartisan group of Senators introduce a bill to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism over its kidnapping of thousands of Ukrainian children; Herschel Walker, former professional football star & Republican nominee for U.S. Senator, testifies at his Senate hearing as nominee for U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk is shot and killed at an event at Utah Valley University; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) forces a vote in the Senate on an amendment to release all the files related to the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says Russia flying drones over Poland "reckless and dangerous… whether it was intentional or not". Poland shot down the drones with the aid of NATO allies; U.S. House of Representatives votes on whether to continue U.S. aid to Ukraine for its war with Russia; Senate Banking committee approves the nomination of Stephen Miran for Federal Reserve Board governor in a party-line vote; Rep.-elect James Walkinshaw (D-VA) is sworn-in after winning Tuesday's special election; Attorney General Pam Bondi announces a major seizure of illegal vaping products around the country smuggled in from China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump Administration's Make America Health Again (MAHA) Commission releases a report with strategies to fight childhood chronic disease that focuses more on nutrition and lifestyle changes rather than government regulations; White House says President Donald Trump would be willing to bring in a handwriting expert to show that it is not his signature on a suggestive birthday congratulations 20 years ago to the late sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein; former researchers at tech giant Meta tell a Senate subcommittee that the company downplayed research on the dangers to children of its virtual reality devices and apps; discussions are ongoing over extended federal government funding past the October 1st deadline to avoid a shutdown, but few signs of an agreement between Republicans and Democrats; President Trump criticizes Israel for a military attack in Doha, Qatar targeting Hamas leaders; House begins debate on the annual defense authorization bill (NDAA); House task force holds a hearing on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), with military veterans telling Members they have video of flying things they cannot explain and subcommittee member Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) saying, “I don’t really know what is true… I do know when we’re being lied to and we are definitely being lied to." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

News from the Supreme Court today….In a 6-3 decision, it blocked a federal judge’s ruling that restricted federal officers’ ability to conduct immigration stops in the Los Angeles area…. The Court also received… a formal request from the White House to let it hold back 4 billion dollars of congressionally approved foreign aid. The appeal comes after a federal judge ruled last week that the administration must spend the money… -On Capitol Hill, multiple media accounts this afternoon say Congressional leaders are trying to de-escalate a standoff over the Sept. 30 government funding deadline, with both Republicans and Democrats saying they’d be open to a short-term bill that wouldn't include substantial funding cuts…. Meanwhile, Senate Republican leader John Thune is taking the first steps to change rules on executive nominations… This after Democrats blocked several of the president’s picks before August recess…. -From the Washington Post…A divided Supreme Court on Monday lifted a ruling by a lower-court judge who placed limits on immigration raids in the Los Angeles area after finding federal agents were indiscriminately targeting people based on race and other factors… The justices sided with the Trump administration, which argued that a temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge was hampering its ability to crack down on illegal migration and that the stops by authorities were not unlawful…. The Post goes on to write…The majority did not offer a rationale for the decision, which is common in cases decided on the Supreme Court’s emergency docket…. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a concurring opinion that illegal immigration is a major issue in the Los Angeles area…. He added…“To be clear, apparent ethnicity alone cannot furnish reasonable suspicion; under this Court’s case law regarding immigration stops, however, it can be a ‘relevant factor’ when considered along with other salient factors… Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Kentanji Brown Jackson sharply disagreed… Justice Sotomayor wrote “We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job…Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent.” That from The Washington Post… Now….we'll hear what California Attorney General Rob Bonta had to say about the decision coming up… But now to the White House request to hold back 4 billion dollars in federal aid… NBC News' Lawrence Hurley reporting today… The case marks a showdown over to what extent the president can refuse to spend money that Congress has appropriated, a brewing issue as the Trump administration has embraced a sweeping view of presidential power since taking office again in January…. In the new filing, Solicitor General D. John Sauer described the case as raising “a grave and urgent threat” to the power of the presidency…. Under the Constitution, it is the job of Congress to allocate funds that the president can spend…. While the Trump administration has said it wants to withhold the 4 billion dollars…it has said it plans to spend another 6.5 billion dollars that Congress appropriated... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. Congress returned to Washington this week – and immediately was consumed by the Epstein files controversy and the looming government funding deadline at the end of the month. We talk with two lawmakers – on opposites sides of the aisle -- about potential Congressional action on the matter: Democrat Al Green of Texas and Republican Adrian Smith of Nebraska. Then – a conversation with Cook Political Report Senior Editor David Wasserman on how redistricting efforts in several states COULD impact the 2026 midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices