House to vote on shutdown deal; US warship nears Venezuela waters
After more than six weeks, Congress closes in on a deal to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The House is set to vote Wednesday on the Senate-passed funding bill.
Plus, Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva will finally be sworn into Congress later Wednesday, seven weeks after her special-election win.
And America’s largest aircraft carrier has entered the Caribbean, drawing closer to Venezuela as part of a widening U.S. military buildup.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025.
House to vote on measure to reopen government, fund it through Jan. 30
After 43 days, the bill to reopen the government now heads to the House floor, and if it passes, President Donald Trump said he’ll sign it.
The Senate cleared the bill in a 60-40 vote Monday night, with eight Democrats crossing the aisle to break the stalemate.
House lawmakers are back in Washington on Wednesday, with many returning early after Speaker Mike Johnson warned of travel delays due to the shutdown.
The package would fund most federal agencies through Jan. 30, with full-year funding for military construction, the legislative branch, and agriculture.
It also restores pay and jobs for federal workers impacted by the shutdown, but does not include an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, a key Democratic demand.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is keeping a temporary order in place, allowing the Trump administration to withhold full SNAP benefits during the shutdown, extending uncertainty for millions of Americans who rely on food stamps.
The order expires on Thursday night, giving Congress and the president two more days to finalize a deal before those benefits expire.
The House vote is expected as early as 4 p.m. EST on Wednesday.
If it passes, Trump is expected to sign it immediately, officially ending a shutdown that has cost billions, grounded flights and stretched into its 43rd day.
Johnson to swear in Grijalva after 7 weeks of partisan delay claims
Before Wednesday’s shutdown vote, Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva will be sworn in as the newest member of Congress. The move comes seven weeks after winning her special election to fill the seat once held by her late father, Raul Grijalva.
Speaker Mike Johnson’s office confirmed Tuesday night that it will happen on Wednesday.
Grijalva has been outspoken about the delay, calling it an “unlawful breach of the democratic process.”
“After 7 weeks of waiting, I almost can’t believe it’s true,” she said. “This can never happen again to another member-elect that is waiting in the wings because someone doesn’t want to do their job or because they’re playing politics.”
Critics claimed Johnson stalled her swearing-in to avoid giving Democrats the 218th signature needed to force a vote on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Johnson has denied those claims, however, calling the accusation a “moot point.” He said the House Oversight Committee is already conducting its own investigation into Epstein.
When he was asked on Monday whether or not he would finally swear in Grijalva, he told CNN “just as I promised, as soon as we get back to legislative session, so I mean, before we have this vote that we’re talking about, she’ll be administered to the government.”
When Grijalva takes her oath on Wednesday afternoon, the House Republican majority will narrow once again, 219 to 214.
Ford carrier deployed to Latin America aimed at disrupting drug trade
The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford, has moved into waters near Latin America.
The Pentagon said it’s part of the Trump administration’s expanding campaign against drug cartels. However, the move is fueling speculation of a much larger plan.
The Ford strike group, including three destroyers and more than 4,000 sailors and marines, is now operating under U.S. Southern Command, north of the Caribbean Sea.
The Pentagon said the carrier will help disrupt narcotics trafficking and dismantle transnational criminal groups.
It joins existing assets already in the region, including surveillance drones, F-35 fighters and at least one U.S. submarine.
Since September, the administration said it has carried out 19 strikes on suspected drug-running boats, killing 76 people, in part of what the administration calls a crackdown on cartels.
But the buildup has renewed speculation that it could also be aimed at Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the mission is solely focused on counter-narcotics, while Trump asserts that Maduro’s days are numbered.
Maduro has warned of “millions with rifles” if the U.S. attacks. The Ford’s arrival brings the total U.S. military presence in the region to about 15,000 personnel — one of the largest in decades.
John F. Kennedy’s grandson to run for Congress
Nearly 62 years after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, his grandson is stepping into politics.
Jack Schlossberg, 32, the son of Caroline Kennedy and her husband, Edwin Schlossberg, announced he’s running for Congress in New York’s 12th district, aiming to replace retiring Democrat Jerry Nadler.
He’s the first direct descendant of JFK to run for elected office, identifying himself as part of a new generation of Democrats.
Schlossberg said he’ll focus on affordability, blaming what he calls a “cost-of-living crisis sponsored by the big, beautiful bill” for cuts to health care, education and child care.
He’s also been sharply critical of Trump, calling him a dangerous man who controls all three branches of government.
Even his own family isn’t exempt. Schlossberg once posted on X that “RFK loser is a threat to public health and American scientific leadership.”
Bob Ross paintings auction aims to raise money for public television
Three original Bob Ross paintings went up for auction Tuesday to raise funds for public broadcasting. The sale came as government funds for public television have run out after cuts made by the Trump administration.
“I think this actually would have been Bob’s idea,” Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc., told Straight Arrow News. “And when I think about that, it makes me very proud.”
Ross’s “The Joy of Painting” aired on public television from 1983 to 1994 and continues to this day.
Kowalski said she had the idea of directing funds to American Public Television and PBS, and noticed that Ross’ paintings were increasing in value. So, she reached out to the auction house, Bonhams.
Kowalski said the sale ensures Ross’ “legacy continues to support the very medium that brought his joy and creativity into American homes for decades.”
More from Straight Arrow News:
VA loans can get veterans homes years earlier as more buyers waiting longer
Many veterans can buy a home much sooner using a Veterans Affairs, or VA loan, because it often doesn’t require a down payment, unlike conventional mortgages. According to a new report from Realtor.com, a veteran using a 0% down VA loan could potentially buy a home 4.4 years earlier than someone saving for a conventional down payment.
Seventy-four percent of first-time VA loan users put 0% down, and by comparison, first-time conventional buyers usually put down about 12% of the home’s price, according to the report. If a first-time buyer earns a median income of $78,700 per year and saves 15% of it each year, it would take 4.4 years to save up that $51,600 down payment. By contrast, a veteran using a 0% down VA loan could potentially buy a home 4.4 years earlier than someone saving for a conventional down payment.
The time VA loans save for first-time homebuyers varies by location. In more affordable areas such as Akron and Dayton, Ohio, veterans can reach homeownership about 2.7 to 2.8 years sooner than with a conventional loan. However, in higher-cost cities where down payments are much larger, buyers purchase homes roughly 6.5 years sooner in New York City, 7.5 years sooner in San Diego and Oxnard–Thousand Oaks, California, and up to 10 years sooner in Los Angeles. Read the full story now>
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
