Em Luetkemeyer

Rep. Rashida Tlaib has yelled at Trump several times during his State of the Union speech:

"You’re killing Americans"
"We saw the videos"
“You’re shooting them” she said, doing a finger gun.
“Epstein files … release them”

Longtime Lawmakers Yearn for a Time When Political Violence Was Rare “You weren't worried about doing town hall meetings,” Rep. Tom Cole told NOTUS.

Congress' longest serving members told me about a time before political violence was their new normal.

“There was never a sense that you had to look over your shoulder,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro said.

Read my latest:
www.notus.org/congress/lon...

GOP Senators Ready to Dump Trump Nominee With Self-Proclaimed ‘Nazi Streak’ "I can't imagine supporting that,” Sen. James Lankford told reporters.

Republican senators are coming out of the woodwork to oppose a Trump nominee who reportedly said he had a “Nazi streak” in leaked texts.

“I can't imagine supporting that,” Sen. James Lankford said Monday, adding the nominee should withdraw.
www.notus.org/senate/paul-...

NEWS: The Interior Department is planning on firing more than 2000 people, including hundreds at the National Park Service.

Interior gave new detailed numbers after a federal judge got very frustrated and expanded her restraining order.
www.notus.org/trump-white-...

Rand Paul Thought He Could Get Away with Bucking Trump. He Was Wrong. Paul told NOTUS that Trump “understands” him. Forty-eight hours later, the president called him a “sick Wacko.”

Sen. Rand Paul told me his relationship with the Trump admin wasn't "terrible" on Wednesday, despite not voting with Republicans on the shutdown.
On Friday, Trump called Paul "a nasty liddle' guy."

Read more about their disconnect:
www.notus.org/republicans/...

Are Tribal Programs Safe From OMB Shutdown Cuts? Lawmakers Aren’t Sure. “I worry about loss of staff,” Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, said Thursday.

A shutdown angle you may not have seen yet: Lawmakers are concerned Russ Vought might cut tribal programs.

“I worry about loss of staff,” Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, told me.

www.notus.org/congress/ind...

Republican Leaders Say Federal Workers Should Get Back Pay After Shutdown A draft White House memo says workers have no guarantee of compensation for time the government is closed.

Republicans leaders argued that federal employees should receive back pay after a draft White House memo said workers aren’t guaranteed compensation for the time they must work during the government shutdown.
www.notus.org/congress/gov...

Republican Leaders Say Federal Workers Should Get Back Pay After Shutdown A draft White House memo says workers have no guarantee of compensation for time the government is closed.

Republican leaders say they want back pay for fed workers after the shutdown despite a White House memo that says otherwise.

“All you have to do to prevent any federal employee from not getting paid is to open up the government," Sen. John Thune said.

www.notus.org/congress/gov...

Speaker Mike Johnson pointed out he was 9 years old when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was elected to Congress 44 years ago.

"He's been in Congress for a long, a long time, and he is not the flavor of the day," Johnson said in his news conference today.

Mike Johnson Tells Hakeem Jeffries to ‘Just Ignore’ Trump’s Sombrero Videos “These are games. These are sideshows. People are getting caught up in battles over social media memes,” the speaker said on Thursday.

Speaker Mike Johnson offered Leader Hakeem Jeffries some advice this morning for how to deal with Trump's sombrero memes:

“Man, just ignore it," Johnson said.

NEW: www.notus.org/congress/mik...

Voters Elected Her to Congress. Mike Johnson Is Making Her Wait. “At this point, I can’t hire staff. We don’t have an office. I can’t get around without being escorted,” Arizona’s incoming House Democrat, Adelita Grijalva, said Tuesday.

Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva hasn't been sworn in, so she has to roam Congress with an escort

I saw her this morning going through security along visitors — something lawmakers don't need to do when walking into the Capitol

More on her limbo status here:
www.notus.org/congress/ade...

Voters Elected Her to Congress. Mike Johnson Is Making Her Wait. “At this point, I can’t hire staff. We don’t have an office. I can’t get around without being escorted,” Arizona’s incoming House Democrat, Adelita Grijalva, said Tuesday.

Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva is in limbo: she hasn't been sworn in, and a gov shutdown is around the corner.

“At this point, I can't hire staff. We don't have an office. I can't get around without being escorted,” Grijalva said.

w/ @oriana.bsky.social
www.notus.org/congress/ade...

Oklahoma's MAGA-Loving School Superintendent Ryan Walters Is Considering Resigning The Trump ally’s potential next steps are still unclear.

NEW: Ryan Walters is considering resigning from his post as superintendent of Oklahoma schools.

w/ @reesegorman.bsky.social for @notus.com
www.notus.org/oklahoma/rya...

Forget Retirement: Older Lawmakers Want to Stay in Congress Why are so many lawmakers ages 75 and older running for reelection?

Almost 70% of lawmakers in Congress age 75 and older say they're running for reelection next year.

“No matter what age you are, if you’re in good shape and you can do what it takes," Rep. Maxine Waters, 87, told me, "then you should do it."

www.notus.org/congress/old...

Burgum Tells California Democrats that Budget Cuts Are Higher Priority than Some ‘Solid’ Programs Several California lawmakers raised concerns that Trump’s budget proposal zeroes out funds for a crucial water infrastructure program.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told California Democrats from drought-prone districts that reducing the deficit is a higher priority than some 'solid' water security programs.

Read more:
www.notus.org/california/b...

In the Wake of Padilla's Forceful Removal, Democrats Scramble for Security “We need our own fucking security at this point to protect us from ICE agents, to protect us from executive branch officials,” one House Democrat told NOTUS.

After the Alex Padilla incident, Democrats are scrambling to protect themselves from prosecution by the Trump admin

"We need our own fucking security at this point to protect us from ICE agents, to protect us from executive branch officials," one House Dem told me
www.notus.org/congress/pad...

Silicon Valley lawmakers sound alarm on Trump’s military mobilization - San José Spotlight Northern California’s representatives are keeping a close eye on the swell of militarized law enforcement sent to Los Angeles this week, predicting that President Donald Trump may expand his use of th...

Northern California’s representatives are keeping a close eye on the swell of militarized law enforcement sent to Los Angeles this week, predicting that President Donald Trump may expand his use of the tactics in the coming days.

‪✍️ @emluetkemeyer.bsky.social, @notusreports.bsky.social

An ‘Egregious’ Backlog: Interior Searches for Ways to Speed Up Native American Probate Court There were 48,000 unresolved probate cases as of May. Some families wait generations for their case to be heard.

A backlog in probate court at the Bureau of Indian Affairs has some Native Americans waiting months, years or generations for their cases to be decided.
www.notus.org/oklahoma/nat...

Transgender People May Soon Be Barred From Using Federal Funds for Gender-Affirming Care “It’s the new Hyde Amendment,” said Rep. Dan Crenshaw.

House GOP's reconciliation bill bans Medicaid from being used for gender-affirming care for trans people of any age

"It's the new Hyde Amendment," Dan Crenshaw, who led the provision, told me

Conservatives want to go further in the appropriations process
www.notus.org/congress/tra...

An ‘Egregious’ Backlog: Interior Searches for Ways to Speed Up Native American Probate Court There were 48,000 unresolved probate cases as of May. Some families wait generations for their case to be heard.

Interior Sec. Doug Burgum says 48,000 probate court cases are backlogged at the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Some Native Americans wait months, years or generations for their cases to get through.

Read more: www.notus.org/oklahoma/nat...

Oklahoma’s Governor Wants More Say in What Federal Funding Gets Cut Lawmakers in Congress say he shouldn’t hold his breath.

“I think states need a seat at the table when we’re talking about spending cuts," Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt told me. Read my latest: www.notus.org/oklahoma/okl...

Republican Lawmakers Are Hearing From Angry Constituents Over Trump's Federal Funding Cuts House members home for recess this week heard complaints about Trump administration cuts from constituents, who flooded their town halls to express frustration.

plugging @emluetkemeyer.bsky.social’s reporting
www.notus.org/republicans/...

Trump’s Gender Order Won't Affect Existing Passports — Unless They’re Renewed “They can still apply to renew their passport — they just have to use their God-given sex, which was decided at birth,” the White House press secretary told NOTUS.

NEW: Trump's EO recognizing “only two sexes” won't invalidate existing passports issued to trans and nonbinary people that have their preferred gender or X marker

But to renew, "they have to use their God-given sex, which was decided at birth," the White House told me
www.notus.org/whitehouse/t...

Yes, Headlights Are Brighter. No, Congress Isn’t Doing Anything About It. An online organizing effort has raised overly bright headlights to members of Congress. But their advocacy hasn’t gained much momentum on Capitol Hill.

Yes, headlights are brighter. No, Congress isn’t doing anything about it. www.notus.org/congress/hea...

‘RedNote’ Becomes a ‘Red Scare’: Republicans Already Want to Ban This TikTok Alternative “It provides an opportunity for the CCP to further influence Americans,” Rep. Dan Newhouse said of Xiaohongshu, known as “RedNote” in the U.S.

Republicans — many of whom were learning what RedNote is in the last couple of hours — now want to ban the Chinese-based TikTok alternative.

“We will legislate against them. I mean we have to," Rep. Rich McCormick told NOTUS.

www.notus.org/congress/red...

Joe Biden Made His Farewell a Warning After a decades-long career in politics, President Joe Biden gave a farewell address in which he emphasized his commitment to a peaceful transfer of power.

Biden made his farewell a warning. Read here: www.notus.org/joe-bidens-f...

The DOJ Finally Released Its Report on the Tulsa Race Massacre The report, released days before Biden leaves office, seeks to correct the historical record on the massacre that destroyed Black Wall Street.

The DOJ published the first federal review of the Tulsa Race Massacre on Friday in an effort to correct the historical record on the deadly attack on a vibrant Black community in Oklahoma.
www.notus.org/whitehouse/d...

NEW: When the 1st Trump admin proposed a rule allowing homeless shelters to turn trans people away, congressional Dems were furious

Now, it’s unclear how much Dems would push back if it happens again

It’s “a complicated issue,” one senior House Dem told me
www.notus.org/policy/trans...