September 21, 2023 - Your Daily Digest

Government shutdown in 9 days, House of Representatives in complete disarray, and more in today's news digest

Today is September 21st and here are several stories that you need to know about from today. If you enjoy these digests and want more, regular content then please consider becoming a monthly subscriber to support my work:

1) Disorder in the House of Representatives

Chaos has officially struck the House of Representatives as Congress is currently just nine days away from a possible government shutdown, and there does not appear to be an end in sight. Just today, Kevin McCarthy attempted to have his caucus vote on a spending bill for the Pentagon. The vote concerned starting debate on the merits of the bill. This vote previously failed. Once again, despite pressure from McCarthy and his leadership team, far-right Republicans sunk the bill again. Reports from the House floor suggest that McCarthy was extremely frustrated on the House floor.

Meanwhile, in just nine days, the government will shut down, putting thousands of Americans at risk. The current deadline is September 30, 2023. The original plan sent around by McCarthy’s team kept members of Congress in D.C. over the weekend to pass legislation that would keep the government open. Today, however, after chaos within the GOP caucus, McCarthy decided to send members home for the weekend, keeping them “on call” in case a deal is reached. It is looking increasingly likely that we may be in for a lengthy government shutdown. Learn more about what you should expect during a government shutdown here.

2) McCarthy Denies Zelensky’s Request to Speak

Meanwhile, Speaker Kevin McCarthy denied Ukrainian President Zelensky's request to address members of Congress. McCarthy's reason was fairness. According to him, the Prime Minister of Italy only received one opportunity to address Congress so Zelensky should receive the same treatment. But, Ukraine, unlike Italy is in the middle of a war with Russia. And, Zelensky was expected to lobby members of Congress for additional aid. During a time where support among Republicans is waining, this speech was critical for Zelensky and Ukraine. Unfortunately, McCarthy disagreed, siding with the pro-Putin wing of his party.

3) Russia Launches Massive Attack

Late last night, Russia launched another barrage of attacks in Ukraine, this time specifically targeting Ukraine's energy grid and power infrastructure. This is the first attack on Ukraine's power infrastructure in over six months. Ukraine successfully shot down 36 of the 43 missiles launched at the country. And, as a result of the attack several regions suffered partial blackouts including Rivne, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Zhytomyr. Ukraine has since been able to restore power to many, but as of this morning over 300 settlements remain without electricity. This latest attack came at a critical point for Ukraine. Not only is winter quickly approaching, but President Zelensky, after addressing the United Nations, is now in Washington, D.C. where he is expected to meet with President Biden to discuss increased support for Ukraine.

4) Tragedy Strikes New York

At least one person is dead and another forty injured after a bus, on its way to band camp, crashed in New York. According to reports, three of the students have suffered severe injuries, and there has been no further information about the individual who passed away. Authorities are currently on the scene and first responders are actively working to help those impacted by the crash. Stay tuned for more updates, but say a prayer for those affected.

5) Fox News Enters a New Era

Fox News Chairman Rupert Murdoch has announced that he will be stepping down as Chairman of Fox News, marking an end of an era at Fox. In a note to Fox News employees today, Murdoch announced this shift, stating that he will become Chairman Emeritus later in November. Replacing him as Chairman will be Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert's son. This announcement comes months after Fox was forced to pay a record 787 million dollar settlement to Dominion Voting Systems for misleading the public about the 2020 election.