Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks to reporters following a vote on Capitol Hill.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks to reporters following a vote on Capitol Hill.MICHAEL A. MCCOY/NYT
The Senate passed legislation to fund President Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies early Friday morning, after weeks of delays and fierce backlash to an unrelated $1.8 billion settlement fund that threatened to derail the bill.
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Trump says he will attend NBA Finals game in New York to root for his hometown Knicks — 8:17 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Trump, a longtime New York Knicks fan, said he plans to attend an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden next week at the invitation of the team’s owner.
Describing himself as a “big fan” of the team and owner James Dolan, Trump said Thursday that he will be in the arena for at least one game next week. The NBA believes it would make him the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.
“The answer is yes — he’s invited me, I’m going,” Trump said of Dolan’s invitation. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he was eyeing Game 3 on Monday but didn’t rule out Game 4 on Wednesday. “Maybe I’ll do both.”
Trump, who is simultaneously contending with a war in Iran, strife in Congress and looming midterm elections, said he made sure to catch some of Game 1 on Wednesday as the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs and took a 1-0 lead in the series.
Water begins refilling Reflecting Pool after Trump’s renovation to repaint it ‘American flag blue’ — 8:12 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Water began refilling the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Thursday, Trump announced from the Oval Office.
Trump showed a video during an unrelated event with water bubbling into the freshly painted basin at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial.
“That’s clean, beautiful water,” the president said.
Live video showed water accumulating in the center of the basin, with workers and trucks still inside the pool.
Trump noted the work to paint the shallow basin a deep shade, which he calls “American flag blue,” was completed Wednesday. The administration said in a court filing that it was set to be filled with water no later than Sunday.
Trump also announced a plan to build a “promenade” that would allow pedestrians to walk from the back of the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.
Contractors drive a vehicle in the partially filled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool during renovation work at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Contractors drive a vehicle in the partially filled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool during renovation work at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.KENT NISHIMURA/AFP via Getty Images
Senate passes $70b immigration enforcement bill without limits on Trump settlement fund — 5:08 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The Senate passed legislation to fund President Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies early Friday morning, after weeks of delays and fierce backlash to an unrelated $1.776 billion settlement fund that threatened to derail the bill.
Senators voted 52-47 for the $70 billion legislation to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol for the next three years, through the end of Trump’s term. The final vote came just before 5 a.m., after Republicans narrowly defeated multiple attempts by Democrats and Republicans to add language to the bill that would permanently ban Trump’s settlement fund for political allies who believe they have been politically persecuted.
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Senate in overnight session as Republicans debate limits on $1.8b Trump settlement — 3:25 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The Senate is working overnight to pass legislation that would fund President Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies as Democrats and some Republicans have tried to add language to permanently block Trump from creating a $1.776 billion settlement fund.
Earlier in the day, Republicans turned back a Democratic effort to block the fund, which would compensate the president’s allies who say they have been politically persecuted. But there were potentially more amendments to come overnight as Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has said he will try again to block the settlement.
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US set to hold latest oil and gas lease sale for Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — 3:18 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The Trump administration’s push to expand oil and gas development in Alaska faces a new test Friday, with the latest lease sale set for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Opponents of drilling in the refuge’s coastal plain have pointed to a lack of industry interest in the prior two sales held there and ongoing changes in Alaska’s arctic region due to climate change as proof the region should be off-limits to drilling. But supporters of drilling see the coastal plain, which is roughly the size of Delaware, as a potential untapped resource that could boost US oil production and generate new revenue and jobs.
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US employers likely added 105,000 jobs in May with labor market stable despite costly Iran war — 12:18 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The American job market has climbed out of a rut. But it’s still trudging along tepidly, frustrating young people and others out of work.
The Labor Department is expected to report Friday that companies, non-profits and government agencies added 105,000 jobs last month, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet. That would be solid by the labor market’s recent, diminished standards — but down from 115,000 in April.
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