WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat who was elected to the Senate in 1992 in the “Year of the Woman” and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, has died. She was 90.

Three people familiar with the situation confirmed her death to The Associated Press on Friday.

Feinstein, the oldest sitting U.S. senator, was a passionate advocate for liberal priorities important to her state -- including environmental protection, reproductive rights and gun control -- but was also known as a pragmatic lawmaker who reached out to Republicans and sought middle ground.

She was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969 and became its first female president in 1978, the same year Mayor George Moscone was gunned down alongside Supervisor Harvey Milk at City Hall by Dan White, a disgruntled former supervisor. Feinstein found Milk’s body.

After Moscone’s death, Feinstein became San Francisco's first female mayor. In the Senate, she was one of California’s first two female senators, the first woman to head the Senate Intelligence Committee and the first woman to serve as the Judiciary committee’s top Democrat.

Although Feinstein was not always embraced by the feminist movement, her experiences colored her outlook through her five decades in politics.

"I recognize that women have had to fight for everything they have gotten, every right," she told The Associated Press in 2005, as the Judiciary Committee prepared to hold hearings on President George W. Bush's nomination of John Roberts to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court.

"So I must tell you, I try to look out for women's rights. I also try to solve problems as I perceive them, with legislation, and reaching out where I can, and working across the aisle," she said.

Her tendency for bipartisanship helped her notch legislative wins throughout her career. But it also proved to be a liability in her later years in Congress, as her state became more liberal and as the Senate and the electorate became increasingly polarized.

A fierce debater who did not suffer fools, the California senator was long known for her verbal zingers and sharp comebacks when challenged on the issues about which she was most fervent. But she lost that edge in her later years in the Senate, as her health visibly declined and she often became confused when answering questions or speaking publicly. In February 2023, she said she would not run for a sixth term the next year. And within weeks of that announcement, she was absent for the Senate for more than two months as she recovered from a bout of shingles.

Amid the concerns about her health, Feinstein stepped down as the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel after the 2020 elections, just as her party was about to take the majority. In 2023, she said she would not serve as the Senate president pro tempore, or the most senior member of the majority party, even though she was in line to do so. The president pro tempore opens the Senate every day and holds other ceremonial duties.

One of Feinstein’s most significant legislative accomplishments was early in her career, when the Senate approved her amendment to ban manufacturing and sales of certain types of assault weapons as part of a crime bill that President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1994. Though the assault weapons ban expired 10 years later and was never renewed or replaced, it was a poignant win after her career had been significantly shaped by gun violence.

Feinstein remembered finding Milk’s body, her finger slipping into a bullet hole as she felt for a pulse. It was a story she would retell often in the years ahead as she pushed for stricter gun control measures.

She had little patience for Republicans and others who opposed her on that issue, though she was often challenged. In 1993, during debate on the assault weapons ban, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, accused her of having an insufficient knowledge of guns and the gun control issue.

Feinstein spoke fiercely of the violence she’d lived through in San Francisco and retorted: ''Senator, I know something about what firearms can do.”

Two decades later, after 20 children and six educators were killed in a horrific school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, first-term Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas similarly challenged Feinstein during debate on legislation that would have permanently banned the weapons.

"I'm not a sixth grader,” Feinstein snapped back at the much younger Cruz -- a moment that later went viral. She added: "It's fine you want to lecture me on the Constitution. I appreciate it. Just know I've been here a long time."

Feinstein became mayor of San Francisco after the 1978 slayings of Moscone and Milk, leading the city during one of the most turbulent periods in its history. Even her critics credited Feinstein with a calming influence, and she won reelection on her own to two four-year terms.

With her success and growing recognition statewide came visibility on the national political stage.

In 1984, Feinstein was viewed as a vice presidential possibility for Walter Mondale but faced questions about the business dealings of her husband, Richard Blum. In 1990, she used news footage of her announcement of the assassinations of Moscone and Milk in a television ad that helped her win the Democratic nomination for California governor, making her the first female major-party gubernatorial nominee in the state's history.

Although she narrowly lost the general election to Republican Pete Wilson, the stage was set for her election to the Senate two years later to fill the Senate seat Wilson had vacated to run for governor.

Feinstein campaigned jointly with Barbara Boxer, who was running for the state's other U.S. Senate seat, and both won, benefiting from positive news coverage and excitement over their historic race. California had never had a female U.S. senator, and female candidates and voters had been galvanized by the Supreme Court hearings in which the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Anita Hill about her sexual harassment allegations against nominee Clarence Thomas.

Feinstein was appointed to the Judiciary panel and eventually the Senate Intelligence Committee, becoming the chairperson in 2009. She was the first woman to lead the intelligence panel, a high-profile perch that gave her a central oversight role over U.S. intelligence controversies, setbacks and triumphs, from the killing of Osama bin Laden to leaks about National Security Agency surveillance.

Under Feinstein’s leadership, the intelligence committee conducted a wide-ranging, five-year investigation into CIA interrogation techniques during President George W. Bush’s administration, including waterboarding of terrorism suspects at secret overseas prisons. The resulting 6,300-page “torture report” concluded among other things that waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" did not provide key evidence in the hunt for bin Laden. A 525-page executive summary was released in late 2014, but the rest of the report has remained classified.

The Senate investigation was full of intrigue at the time, including documents that mysteriously disappeared and accusations traded between the Senate and the CIA that the other was stealing information. The drama was captured in a 2019 movie about the investigation called “The Report,” and actor Annette Bening was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Feinstein.

In the years since, Feinstein has continued to push aggressively for eventual declassification of the report.

"It's my very strong belief that one day this report should be declassified," Feinstein said. "This must be a lesson learned: that torture doesn't work."

Feinstein sometimes frustrated liberals by adopting moderate or hawkish positions that put her at odds with the left wing of the Democratic Party, as well as with the more liberal Boxer, who retired from the Senate in 2017. Feinstein defended the Obama administration’s expansive collection of Americans' phone and email records as necessary for protecting the country, for example, even as other Democratic senators voiced protests. “It’s called protecting America,” Feinstein said then.

That tension escalated during Donald Trump’s presidency, when many Democrats had little appetite for compromise. Feinstein become the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel in 2016 and led her party’s messaging through three Supreme Court nominations -- a role that angered liberal advocacy groups that wanted to see a more aggressive partisan in charge.

Feinstein closed out confirmation hearings for Justice Amy Coney Barrett with an embrace of Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and a public thanks to him for a job well done. “This has been one of the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in,” Feinstein said at the end of the hearing.

Liberal advocacy groups that had fiercely opposed Barrett's nomination to replace the late liberal icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg were furious and called for her to step down from the committee leadership.

A month later, Feinstein announced she would remain on the committee but step down as the top Democrat. The senator, then 87 years old, did not say why. In a statement, she said she would “continue to do my utmost to bring about positive change in the coming years.”

Feinstein was born on June 22, 1933. Her father, Leon Goldman, was a prominent surgeon and medical school professor in San Francisco, but her mother was an abusive woman with a violent temper that was often directed at Feinstein and her two younger sisters.

Feinstein graduated from Stanford University in 1955, with a bachelor’s degree in history. She married young and was a divorced single mother of her daughter, Katherine, in 1960, at a time when such a status was still unusual.

In 1961, Feinstein was appointed by then-Gov. Pat Brown to the women's parole board, on which she served before running for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Typical of the era, much of the early coverage of her entrance into public life focused on her appearance, and she was invariably described as stunning, tall, slender and raven-haired.

Feinstein's second husband, Bert Feinstein, was 19 years older than she, but she described the marriage as "a 10" and kept his name even after his death from cancer in 1978. In 1980, she married investment banker Richard Blum, and thanks to his wealth, she was one of the richest members of the Senate. He died in February 2022.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681478968321.png" alt="A fierce debater who did not suffer fools, the California senator was long known for her verbal zingers and sharp comebacks when challenged on the issues about which she was most fervent- photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A fierce debater who did not suffer fools, the California senator was long known for her verbal zingers and sharp comebacks when challenged on the issues about which she was most fervent- photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat who was elected to the Senate in 1992 in the “Year of the Woman” and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, has died. She was 90.Three people familiar with the situation confirmed her death to The Associated Press on Friday.Feinstein, the oldest sitting U.S. senator, was a passionate advocate for liberal priorities important to her state -- including environmental protection, reproductive rights and gun control -- but was also known as a pragmatic lawmaker who reached out to Republicans and sought middle ground.She was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969 and became its first female president in 1978, the same year Mayor George Moscone was gunned down alongside Supervisor Harvey Milk at City Hall by Dan White, a disgruntled former supervisor. Feinstein found Milk’s body.After Moscone’s death, Feinstein became San Francisco's first female mayor. In the Senate, she was one of California’s first two female senators, the first woman to head the Senate Intelligence Committee and the first woman to serve as the Judiciary committee’s top Democrat.Although Feinstein was not always embraced by the feminist movement, her experiences colored her outlook through her five decades in politics."I recognize that women have had to fight for everything they have gotten, every right," she told The Associated Press in 2005, as the Judiciary Committee prepared to hold hearings on President George W. Bush's nomination of John Roberts to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court."So I must tell you, I try to look out for women's rights. I also try to solve problems as I perceive them, with legislation, and reaching out where I can, and working across the aisle," she said.Her tendency for bipartisanship helped her notch legislative wins throughout her career. But it also proved to be a liability in her later years in Congress, as her state became more liberal and as the Senate and the electorate became increasingly polarized.A fierce debater who did not suffer fools, the California senator was long known for her verbal zingers and sharp comebacks when challenged on the issues about which she was most fervent. But she lost that edge in her later years in the Senate, as her health visibly declined and she often became confused when answering questions or speaking publicly. In February 2023, she said she would not run for a sixth term the next year. And within weeks of that announcement, she was absent for the Senate for more than two months as she recovered from a bout of shingles.Amid the concerns about her health, Feinstein stepped down as the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel after the 2020 elections, just as her party was about to take the majority. In 2023, she said she would not serve as the Senate president pro tempore, or the most senior member of the majority party, even though she was in line to do so. The president pro tempore opens the Senate every day and holds other ceremonial duties.One of Feinstein’s most significant legislative accomplishments was early in her career, when the Senate approved her amendment to ban manufacturing and sales of certain types of assault weapons as part of a crime bill that President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1994. Though the assault weapons ban expired 10 years later and was never renewed or replaced, it was a poignant win after her career had been significantly shaped by gun violence.Feinstein remembered finding Milk’s body, her finger slipping into a bullet hole as she felt for a pulse. It was a story she would retell often in the years ahead as she pushed for stricter gun control measures.She had little patience for Republicans and others who opposed her on that issue, though she was often challenged. In 1993, during debate on the assault weapons ban, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, accused her of having an insufficient knowledge of guns and the gun control issue.Feinstein spoke fiercely of the violence she’d lived through in San Francisco and retorted: ''Senator, I know something about what firearms can do.”Two decades later, after 20 children and six educators were killed in a horrific school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, first-term Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas similarly challenged Feinstein during debate on legislation that would have permanently banned the weapons."I'm not a sixth grader,” Feinstein snapped back at the much younger Cruz -- a moment that later went viral. She added: "It's fine you want to lecture me on the Constitution. I appreciate it. Just know I've been here a long time."Feinstein became mayor of San Francisco after the 1978 slayings of Moscone and Milk, leading the city during one of the most turbulent periods in its history. Even her critics credited Feinstein with a calming influence, and she won reelection on her own to two four-year terms.With her success and growing recognition statewide came visibility on the national political stage.In 1984, Feinstein was viewed as a vice presidential possibility for Walter Mondale but faced questions about the business dealings of her husband, Richard Blum. In 1990, she used news footage of her announcement of the assassinations of Moscone and Milk in a television ad that helped her win the Democratic nomination for California governor, making her the first female major-party gubernatorial nominee in the state's history.Although she narrowly lost the general election to Republican Pete Wilson, the stage was set for her election to the Senate two years later to fill the Senate seat Wilson had vacated to run for governor.Feinstein campaigned jointly with Barbara Boxer, who was running for the state's other U.S. Senate seat, and both won, benefiting from positive news coverage and excitement over their historic race. California had never had a female U.S. senator, and female candidates and voters had been galvanized by the Supreme Court hearings in which the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Anita Hill about her sexual harassment allegations against nominee Clarence Thomas.Feinstein was appointed to the Judiciary panel and eventually the Senate Intelligence Committee, becoming the chairperson in 2009. She was the first woman to lead the intelligence panel, a high-profile perch that gave her a central oversight role over U.S. intelligence controversies, setbacks and triumphs, from the killing of Osama bin Laden to leaks about National Security Agency surveillance.Under Feinstein’s leadership, the intelligence committee conducted a wide-ranging, five-year investigation into CIA interrogation techniques during President George W. Bush’s administration, including waterboarding of terrorism suspects at secret overseas prisons. The resulting 6,300-page “torture report” concluded among other things that waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" did not provide key evidence in the hunt for bin Laden. A 525-page executive summary was released in late 2014, but the rest of the report has remained classified.The Senate investigation was full of intrigue at the time, including documents that mysteriously disappeared and accusations traded between the Senate and the CIA that the other was stealing information. The drama was captured in a 2019 movie about the investigation called “The Report,” and actor Annette Bening was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Feinstein.In the years since, Feinstein has continued to push aggressively for eventual declassification of the report."It's my very strong belief that one day this report should be declassified," Feinstein said. "This must be a lesson learned: that torture doesn't work."Feinstein sometimes frustrated liberals by adopting moderate or hawkish positions that put her at odds with the left wing of the Democratic Party, as well as with the more liberal Boxer, who retired from the Senate in 2017. Feinstein defended the Obama administration’s expansive collection of Americans' phone and email records as necessary for protecting the country, for example, even as other Democratic senators voiced protests. “It’s called protecting America,” Feinstein said then.That tension escalated during Donald Trump’s presidency, when many Democrats had little appetite for compromise. Feinstein become the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel in 2016 and led her party’s messaging through three Supreme Court nominations -- a role that angered liberal advocacy groups that wanted to see a more aggressive partisan in charge.Feinstein closed out confirmation hearings for Justice Amy Coney Barrett with an embrace of Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and a public thanks to him for a job well done. “This has been one of the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in,” Feinstein said at the end of the hearing.Liberal advocacy groups that had fiercely opposed Barrett's nomination to replace the late liberal icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg were furious and called for her to step down from the committee leadership.A month later, Feinstein announced she would remain on the committee but step down as the top Democrat. The senator, then 87 years old, did not say why. In a statement, she said she would “continue to do my utmost to bring about positive change in the coming years.”Feinstein was born on June 22, 1933. Her father, Leon Goldman, was a prominent surgeon and medical school professor in San Francisco, but her mother was an abusive woman with a violent temper that was often directed at Feinstein and her two younger sisters.Feinstein graduated from Stanford University in 1955, with a bachelor’s degree in history. She married young and was a divorced single mother of her daughter, Katherine, in 1960, at a time when such a status was still unusual.In 1961, Feinstein was appointed by then-Gov. Pat Brown to the women's parole board, on which she served before running for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Typical of the era, much of the early coverage of her entrance into public life focused on her appearance, and she was invariably described as stunning, tall, slender and raven-haired.Feinstein's second husband, Bert Feinstein, was 19 years older than she, but she described the marriage as "a 10" and kept his name even after his death from cancer in 1978. In 1980, she married investment banker Richard Blum, and thanks to his wealth, she was one of the richest members of the Senate. He died in February 2022.

Dianne Feinstein dies at 90; longest-serving woman in U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is just hours<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">&nbsp;away from a shutdown</a>&nbsp;that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands, force a confrontation over federal spending.

While some government entities will be exempt — Social Security checks, for example, will still go out — other functions will be severely curtailed. Federal agencies will stop all actions deemed non-essential, and millions of federal employees, including members of the military, won't receive paychecks.

A look at what's ahead if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-mccarthy-congress-house-republicans-biden-249d83636e9d61cdd2aabdf34a129514">the government shuts down</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.

A shutdown happens when Congress fails to pass some type of funding legislation that is signed into law by the president. Lawmakers are supposed to pass 12 different spending bills to fund agencies across the government, but the process is time-consuming. They often resort to passing a temporary extension, called a continuing resolution or CR, to allow the government to keep operating.

When no funding legislation is enacted, federal agencies have to stop all nonessential work and will not send paychecks as long as the shutdown lasts.

Although employees deemed essential to public safety such as air traffic controllers and law enforcement officers still have to report to work, other federal employees are furloughed. Under a 2019 law, those same workers are slated to receive backpay once the funding impasse is resolved.

WHEN WOULD A SHUTDOWN BEGIN AND HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?

Government funding expires Oct. 1, the start of the federal budget year. A shutdown will effectively begin at 12:01 a.m. Sunday if Congress is unable to pass a funding plan that the president signs into law.

It is impossible to predict how long a shutdown would last. The Democratic-held Senate and Republican-controlled House are working on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-republicans-e4c37673b6507deaed2902f2166ef759">vastly different plans</a>&nbsp;to avert a shutdown, and House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;is struggling to win&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">any support from hard-right</a>&nbsp;conservatives to keep the government open.

Many are bracing for a stoppage that could last weeks.

Millions of federal workers face delayed paychecks when the government shuts down, including many of the roughly 2 million military personnel and more than 2 million civilian workers across the nation.

Nearly 60% of federal workers are stationed in the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.

While all of the military's active-duty troops and reservists would continue to work, more than half of the Department of Defense's civilian workforce, which is roughly 440,000 people, would be furloughed.

Across federal agencies, workers are stationed in all 50 states and have direct interaction with taxpayers — from Transportation Security Administration agents who operate security at airports to Postal Service workers who deliver mail.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has said new training for air traffic controllers will be halted and another 1,000 controllers in the midst of training will be furloughed. Even a shutdown that lasts a few days will mean the department won't hit its hiring and staffing targets for next year, he said.

“Imagine the pressure that a controller is already under every time they take their position at work, and then imagine the added stress of coming to that job from a household with a family that can no longer count on that paycheck," Buttigieg said.

Beyond federal workers, a shutdown could have far-reaching effects on government services. People applying for government services like clinical trials, firearm permits and passports could see delays.

Some federal offices will also have to close or face shortened hours during a shutdown.

Businesses closely connected to the federal government, such as federal contractors or tourist services around national parks, could see disruptions and downturns. The travel sector could lose $140 million daily in a shutdown, according to the U.S. Travel Industry Association.

Lawmakers also warn that a shutdown could rattle financial markets. Goldman Sachs has estimated that a shutdown would reduce economic growth by 0.2% every week it lasted, but growth would then bounce back after the government reopens.

Others say the disruption in government services has far-reaching impacts because it shakes confidence in the government to fulfill its basic duties. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned, “A well-functioning economy requires a functioning government.”

WHAT ABOUT COURT CASES, THE WORK OF CONGRESS AND PRESIDENTIAL PAY?

The president and members of Congress will continue to work and get paid. However, any members of their staff who are not deemed essential will be furloughed.

The Supreme Court, which begins its new term Monday, would be unaffected by a short shutdown because it can draw on a pot of money provided by court fees, including charges for filing lawsuits and other documents, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said.

The rest of the federal judiciary also would operate normally for at least the first two weeks of October, said Peter Kaplan, a spokesman for the judiciary.

Even in a longer shutdown, the entire judiciary would not shut down, and decisions about what activities would continue would be made by each court around the country. The justices and all federal judges would continue to be paid because of the constitutional prohibition on reducing judges’ pay during their tenure, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Notably, funding for the three special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland would not be affected by a government shutdown because they are paid for through a permanent, indefinite appropriation, an area that’s been exempted from shutdowns in the past.

That means the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">two federal cases</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, the former president, as well as the case against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>, the son of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, would not be interrupted. Trump has demanded that Republicans defund the prosecutions against him as a condition of funding the government, declaring it their “last chance” to act.

Prior to the 1980s, lapses in government funding did not result in government operations significantly shuttering. But then-U.S. Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti, in a series of legal opinions in 1980 and 1981, argued that government agencies cannot legally operate during a funding gap.

Federal officials have since operated under an understanding they can make exemptions for functions that are “essential” for public safety and constitutional duties.

Since 1976, there have been 22 funding gaps, with 10 of them leading to workers being furloughed. But most of the significant shutdowns have taken place since Bill Clinton's presidency, when then-Speaker Newt Gingrich and his conservative House majority demanded budget cuts.

The longest government shutdown happened between 2018 and 2019 when then-President Trump and congressional Democrats entered a standoff over his demand for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2f4affc2b2ed426e823fd62102696670">funding for a border wall</a>. The disruption lasted 35 days, through the holiday season, but was also only a partial government shutdown because Congress had passed some appropriations bills to fund parts of the government.

It's the responsibility of Congress to fund the government. The House and Senate have to agree to fund the government in some way, and the president has to sign the legislation into law.

The two sides are deeply entrenched and nowhere near reaching a deal to avert a shutdown.

But if the shutdown lasts for weeks, pressure will build to end the impasse, particularly if active-duty military members miss pay dates on Oct. 13 or Nov. 1. If the wider public starts seeing disruptions in air travel or border security as workers go unpaid, it will further goad Congress to act.

Congress often relies on a so-called continuing resolution, or CR, to provide stopgap money to open government offices at current levels as budget talks are underway. Money for pressing national priorities, such as emergency assistance for victims of natural disasters, is often attached to a short-term bill.

But hardline Republicans say any temporary bill is a non-starter for them. They are pushing to keep the government shut down until Congress negotiates all 12 bills that fund the government, which is historically a laborious undertaking that isn't resolved until December, at the earliest.

Trump, who is Biden's top rival heading into the 2024 election, is urging on the Republican hardliners.

If they are successful, the shutdown could last weeks, perhaps even longer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695951910798.png" alt="FILE - A sign reading "Because of the Federal Government SHUTDOWN All National Parks are Closed" is posted on a barricade in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Oct. 1, 2013. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - A sign reading "Because of the Federal Government SHUTDOWN All National Parks are Closed" is posted on a barricade in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Oct. 1, 2013. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is just hours<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">&nbsp;away from a shutdown</a>&nbsp;that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics as Republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands, force a confrontation over federal spending.While some government entities will be exempt — Social Security checks, for example, will still go out — other functions will be severely curtailed. Federal agencies will stop all actions deemed non-essential, and millions of federal employees, including members of the military, won't receive paychecks.A look at what's ahead if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-mccarthy-congress-house-republicans-biden-249d83636e9d61cdd2aabdf34a129514">the government shuts down</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.WHAT IS A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN?A shutdown happens when Congress fails to pass some type of funding legislation that is signed into law by the president. Lawmakers are supposed to pass 12 different spending bills to fund agencies across the government, but the process is time-consuming. They often resort to passing a temporary extension, called a continuing resolution or CR, to allow the government to keep operating.When no funding legislation is enacted, federal agencies have to stop all nonessential work and will not send paychecks as long as the shutdown lasts.Although employees deemed essential to public safety such as air traffic controllers and law enforcement officers still have to report to work, other federal employees are furloughed. Under a 2019 law, those same workers are slated to receive backpay once the funding impasse is resolved.WHEN WOULD A SHUTDOWN BEGIN AND HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?Government funding expires Oct. 1, the start of the federal budget year. A shutdown will effectively begin at 12:01 a.m. Sunday if Congress is unable to pass a funding plan that the president signs into law.It is impossible to predict how long a shutdown would last. The Democratic-held Senate and Republican-controlled House are working on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-republicans-e4c37673b6507deaed2902f2166ef759">vastly different plans</a>&nbsp;to avert a shutdown, and House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;is struggling to win&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">any support from hard-right</a>&nbsp;conservatives to keep the government open.Many are bracing for a stoppage that could last weeks.WHO DOES A SHUTDOWN AFFECT?Millions of federal workers face delayed paychecks when the government shuts down, including many of the roughly 2 million military personnel and more than 2 million civilian workers across the nation.Nearly 60% of federal workers are stationed in the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.While all of the military's active-duty troops and reservists would continue to work, more than half of the Department of Defense's civilian workforce, which is roughly 440,000 people, would be furloughed.Across federal agencies, workers are stationed in all 50 states and have direct interaction with taxpayers — from Transportation Security Administration agents who operate security at airports to Postal Service workers who deliver mail.U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has said new training for air traffic controllers will be halted and another 1,000 controllers in the midst of training will be furloughed. Even a shutdown that lasts a few days will mean the department won't hit its hiring and staffing targets for next year, he said.“Imagine the pressure that a controller is already under every time they take their position at work, and then imagine the added stress of coming to that job from a household with a family that can no longer count on that paycheck," Buttigieg said.Beyond federal workers, a shutdown could have far-reaching effects on government services. People applying for government services like clinical trials, firearm permits and passports could see delays.Some federal offices will also have to close or face shortened hours during a shutdown.Businesses closely connected to the federal government, such as federal contractors or tourist services around national parks, could see disruptions and downturns. The travel sector could lose $140 million daily in a shutdown, according to the U.S. Travel Industry Association.Lawmakers also warn that a shutdown could rattle financial markets. Goldman Sachs has estimated that a shutdown would reduce economic growth by 0.2% every week it lasted, but growth would then bounce back after the government reopens.Others say the disruption in government services has far-reaching impacts because it shakes confidence in the government to fulfill its basic duties. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned, “A well-functioning economy requires a functioning government.”WHAT ABOUT COURT CASES, THE WORK OF CONGRESS AND PRESIDENTIAL PAY?The president and members of Congress will continue to work and get paid. However, any members of their staff who are not deemed essential will be furloughed.The Supreme Court, which begins its new term Monday, would be unaffected by a short shutdown because it can draw on a pot of money provided by court fees, including charges for filing lawsuits and other documents, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said.The rest of the federal judiciary also would operate normally for at least the first two weeks of October, said Peter Kaplan, a spokesman for the judiciary.Even in a longer shutdown, the entire judiciary would not shut down, and decisions about what activities would continue would be made by each court around the country. The justices and all federal judges would continue to be paid because of the constitutional prohibition on reducing judges’ pay during their tenure, according to the Congressional Research Service.Notably, funding for the three special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland would not be affected by a government shutdown because they are paid for through a permanent, indefinite appropriation, an area that’s been exempted from shutdowns in the past.That means the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">two federal cases</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, the former president, as well as the case against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>, the son of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, would not be interrupted. Trump has demanded that Republicans defund the prosecutions against him as a condition of funding the government, declaring it their “last chance” to act.HAS THIS HAPPENED BEFORE?Prior to the 1980s, lapses in government funding did not result in government operations significantly shuttering. But then-U.S. Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti, in a series of legal opinions in 1980 and 1981, argued that government agencies cannot legally operate during a funding gap.Federal officials have since operated under an understanding they can make exemptions for functions that are “essential” for public safety and constitutional duties.Since 1976, there have been 22 funding gaps, with 10 of them leading to workers being furloughed. But most of the significant shutdowns have taken place since Bill Clinton's presidency, when then-Speaker Newt Gingrich and his conservative House majority demanded budget cuts.The longest government shutdown happened between 2018 and 2019 when then-President Trump and congressional Democrats entered a standoff over his demand for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2f4affc2b2ed426e823fd62102696670">funding for a border wall</a>. The disruption lasted 35 days, through the holiday season, but was also only a partial government shutdown because Congress had passed some appropriations bills to fund parts of the government.WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO END A SHUTDOWN?It's the responsibility of Congress to fund the government. The House and Senate have to agree to fund the government in some way, and the president has to sign the legislation into law.The two sides are deeply entrenched and nowhere near reaching a deal to avert a shutdown.But if the shutdown lasts for weeks, pressure will build to end the impasse, particularly if active-duty military members miss pay dates on Oct. 13 or Nov. 1. If the wider public starts seeing disruptions in air travel or border security as workers go unpaid, it will further goad Congress to act.Congress often relies on a so-called continuing resolution, or CR, to provide stopgap money to open government offices at current levels as budget talks are underway. Money for pressing national priorities, such as emergency assistance for victims of natural disasters, is often attached to a short-term bill.But hardline Republicans say any temporary bill is a non-starter for them. They are pushing to keep the government shut down until Congress negotiates all 12 bills that fund the government, which is historically a laborious undertaking that isn't resolved until December, at the earliest.Trump, who is Biden's top rival heading into the 2024 election, is urging on the Republican hardliners.If they are successful, the shutdown could last weeks, perhaps even longer.

Government shutdown is near. What it means, who's hit and what's next?

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— The Nebraska State Patrol and Nebraska National Guard are proud to announce a partnership that will help soldiers completing their military service continue to serve the public as Nebraska State Troopers.

Today, Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, and Brigadier General Craig Strong, Adjutant General of the Nebraska National Guard, signed a memorandum of participation in the U.S. Army PaYS (Partnership for Your Success) program.

“Service is at the heart of both military service and law enforcement. We’re proud to have numerous military veterans serving today as troopers,” said Colonel Bolduc. “This agreement will help us recruit the next generation of troopers as we connect with soldiers looking for a career of making a difference in communities across Nebraska.”

The PaYS program helps current soldiers of the U.S. Army, including the Army National Guard and Army Reserve, prepare for a career following their military service. This partnership will allow the State Patrol to work alongside U.S. Army recruiters to make connections with soldiers who desire to continue serving the public after they complete their service in the Army.

“It just seems like a natural fit. There’s always been partnership between the State Patrol and National Guard, but this takes our partnership to a new level,” said Brigadier General Strong. “What’s great about this program is it’s giving our service members an opportunity to get interviewed, guaranteeing that an actual human being will review their application and give them a shot.”

Today’s signing ceremony featured a joint Color Guard consisting of troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol Honor Guard and cadets from the University of Nebraska Army ROTC Color Guard. Several troopers were also recognized for their simultaneous service as members of the Nebraska National Guard.

To connect with a Nebraska State Patrol recruiter, visit&nbsp;<a>NebraskaTroopers.com.</a>&nbsp;To connect with a Nebraska National Guard recruiter, visit&nbsp;<a>NationalGuard.com.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695931233638.jpeg" alt="Photo provided by Nebraska State Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo provided by Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— The Nebraska State Patrol and Nebraska National Guard are proud to announce a partnership that will help soldiers completing their military service continue to serve the public as Nebraska State Troopers.Today, Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, and Brigadier General Craig Strong, Adjutant General of the Nebraska National Guard, signed a memorandum of participation in the U.S. Army PaYS (Partnership for Your Success) program.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695931276297.jpeg" alt="Photo provided by Nebraska State Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo provided by Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>“Service is at the heart of both military service and law enforcement. We’re proud to have numerous military veterans serving today as troopers,” said Colonel Bolduc. “This agreement will help us recruit the next generation of troopers as we connect with soldiers looking for a career of making a difference in communities across Nebraska.”The PaYS program helps current soldiers of the U.S. Army, including the Army National Guard and Army Reserve, prepare for a career following their military service. This partnership will allow the State Patrol to work alongside U.S. Army recruiters to make connections with soldiers who desire to continue serving the public after they complete their service in the Army.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695931300114.jpeg" alt="Photo provided by Nebraska State Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo provided by Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>“It just seems like a natural fit. There’s always been partnership between the State Patrol and National Guard, but this takes our partnership to a new level,” said Brigadier General Strong. “What’s great about this program is it’s giving our service members an opportunity to get interviewed, guaranteeing that an actual human being will review their application and give them a shot.”Today’s signing ceremony featured a joint Color Guard consisting of troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol Honor Guard and cadets from the University of Nebraska Army ROTC Color Guard. Several troopers were also recognized for their simultaneous service as members of the Nebraska National Guard.To connect with a Nebraska State Patrol recruiter, visit&nbsp;<a>NebraskaTroopers.com.</a>&nbsp;To connect with a Nebraska National Guard recruiter, visit&nbsp;<a>NationalGuard.com.</a>

 State Patrol, National Guard Partner to Recruit Troopers

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans launched a formal impeachment hearing Thursday against President Joe Biden, promising to “provide accountability” as they probe the family finances and lucrative business dealings of his son Hunter and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-hunter-house-republicans-impeachment-inquiry-f679eb1239cd4f7b5f06949cc1445567">make their case</a>&nbsp;to the public, colleagues and a skeptical Senate.

(Click below to watch a replay of the hearing.)

The chairmen of the Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means committees used the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-oversight-republicans-impeachment-6f454b9ea2d38468a848c495bda0b5bf">opening hearing</a>&nbsp;to review the constitutional and legal questions involved with impeachment. They are trying to show what they say are links to Biden's son Hunter’s overseas businesses, though key witnesses said they do not yet see hard evidence of impeachable offenses.

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky, the Oversight chairman, said the lawmakers have “a mountain of evidence” that will show that the elder Biden “abused his public office for his family's financial gain.”

Comer announced he was issuing subpoenas for additional banking records from Hunter Biden and the president's brother, James Biden. He said the panel will continue to “follow the money and the evidence to provide accountability.”

It’s a high-stakes opening act for Republicans, taking place just before a potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">federal government shutdown</a>, as they begin a process that can lead to the ultimate penalty for a president, dismissal from office for what the Constitution describes as “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

The White House pushed back with statements throughout the hearing saying nothing can distract from the Republicans’ inability to govern as the shutdown loomed. Spokesperson Sharon Yang called the hearing a “baseless stunt” and said, “President Biden will always stay focused on the priorities of the American people – not these political games.”

The more than six-hour hearing came as House Republicans face scattered resistance to an impeachment inquiry from their own ranks and deep reluctance in the Senate from Republicans who worry about political ramifications and say Biden’s conviction and removal from office is unlikely.

As the hearing began, Democrats displayed a screen showing the days, hours and minutes left until the government shuts down as Congress struggles to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-biden-trump-mccarthy-f1b06964cf549b09977677e5f70bf9ff">fund the government</a>&nbsp;before Saturday’s deadline.

“We’re 62 hours away from shutting down the government of the United States of America and Republicans are launching an impeachment drive, based on a long debunked and discredited lie,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the Oversight panel.

Raskin questioned the legitimacy of the hearing since the House has not voted to formally launch the impeachment inquiry. He said Republicans are rehashing five-year-old allegations raised by Donald Trump, who is Biden’s chief rival in 2024, during the former president's 2019 impeachment over Ukraine.

“They don’t have a shred of evidence against President Biden for an impeachable offense,” he said.

The hearing Thursday did not feature witnesses with information about the Bidens or Hunter Biden's business. Instead, the panel heard from outside experts in tax law, criminal investigations and constitutional legal theory.

A top Republican-called witness, Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor who is an expert in impeachment issues, said he believed the House had passed the threshold for an inquiry but that the current evidence was not enough for charges.

“I do not believe that the current evidence would support articles of impeachment,” Turley said.

Democrats, who decry the investigation as a political ploy aimed at hurting Biden and helping Trump as he runs again for president, brought in Michael Gerhardt, a law professor who has also appeared as an expert in previous impeachment proceedings.

In detailing the reasons Republicans say they have to impeach Biden, Gerhardt concluded: “If that’s what exists, as a basis for this inquiry, it is not sufficient. I say that with all respect.”

Still, questions remain as Republicans dig into the Biden family finances and the overseas business dealings of Hunter Biden, who has acknowledged being a drug user during much of the time under scrutiny. The president's brother, James, was also involved in some work with Hunter.

Republicans have been investigating Hunter Biden for years, since his father was vice president. And while there have been questions raised about the ethics around the family’s international business, none of the evidence so far has proven that the president, in his current or previous office, abused his role, accepted bribes or both.

One former business partner of Hunter Biden has told House investigators the son was selling the “illusion of access” to his father.

Turley told the lawmakers the question remains, “Was the president involved?”

In the run-up to the hearing, Republicans unveiled a tranche of new documents and bank records that detail wire transfers from a Chinese businessman to Hunter Biden in 2019. Hunter Biden had listed his father’s address on the wire transfer form, which Republicans say provided a clear link to the president.

Abbe Lowell, an attorney for Hunter Biden, said the address on the wire transfer, which he says was a loan, was listed to the president's Delaware home because it was the address on Hunter Biden's driver's license and "his only permanent address at the time.”

“Once again Rep. Comer peddles lies to support a premise — some wrongdoing by Hunter Biden or his family — that evaporates in thin air the moment facts come out,” Lowell said in a statement.

House Republicans are also looking into the Justice Department investigation into Hunter Biden's taxes and gun use that began in 2018.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-irs-justice-department-congress-republicans-32d9f33fb0d05c483d76926504d45bef">Two IRS whistleblowers came forward to Congress</a>&nbsp;in the spring with claims that department officials thwarted their efforts to fully investigate Hunter Biden and that they faced retaliation when they pushed back.

The claims have since been disputed by the Department of Justice, the IRS and FBI agents who worked on the case.

“The Biden Justice Department protected the Biden family brand.” said Rep. Jason Smith, a Missouri Republican and Ways and Means chairman.

What Smith did not mention was that the discussions occurred during the Trump Justice Department and were likely in keeping with the agency’s practice of avoiding overt investigative steps concerning political candidates in the immediate run-up to an election.

But Republicans have pointed to a failed plea deal over the summer as proof that Hunter Biden received preferential treatment because of who his father was.

“They tried to put together this sweetheart deal,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the Judiciary chairman.

The impeachment inquiry hearing is taking place as the federal government is days away from what is likely to be a damaging government shutdown that would halt paychecks for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-gop-federal-workers-congress-government-5978a4c7411eba06261d16c3aff3dfc5">millions of federal workers</a>&nbsp;and the military and disrupt services for millions of Americans.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced the impeachment inquiry this month egged on by Trump and with mounting pressure from his right flank to take action against Biden or risk being ousted from his leadership job.

Trump is the only president to be twice impeached, first over accusations he pressured Ukraine to dig up dirt on Biden and later over accusations that he incited the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol. He was acquitted in both cases by the Senate.

The hearing Thursday is expected to be the first of many as House Republicans explore whether or not they will pursue articles of impeachment against the president.

It's unclear if McCarthy has support from his slim Republican majority to impeach Biden. If Biden was impeached, the charges would then be sent to the Senate for a trial.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans launched their formal impeachment hearing Thursday against President Joe Biden, saying they intend to “provide accountability” as they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-hunter-house-republicans-impeachment-inquiry-f679eb1239cd4f7b5f06949cc1445567">make their case</a>&nbsp;to the public, their colleagues and skeptics in the Senate.

The chairmen of the Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means committees are using the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-oversight-republicans-impeachment-6f454b9ea2d38468a848c495bda0b5bf">first hearing</a>&nbsp;of their impeachment inquiry to review the constitutional and legal questions involved. They are trying to show what they say are links to his son Hunter’s overseas businesses, though key witnesses said they do not yet see hard evidence of impeachable offenses.

Comer said the panel will continue to “follow the money and the evidence to provide accountability” to the American people.

It’s a high-stakes opening act for Republicans, coming in the midst of a potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-biden-trump-18ef8a03363d31742c5b4c5ecb23506f">federal government shutdown</a>, as they begin a process that can lead to the ultimate penalty for a president, punishment for what the Constitution describes as “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

The hearing comes as House Republicans face scattered reluctance from their own ranks to the inquiry and deep resistance in the Senate from Republicans who worry about political ramifications of impeachment — and who say Biden’s conviction and removal from office is a near impossibility.

As the hearing began, Democrats displayed a screen showing the days, hours and minutes left until the government shuts down as Congress struggles to fund the government before Saturday’s deadline.

Raskin questioned the legitimacy of the hearing since the House has not voted to formally launch the impeachment inquiry. He said Republicans are rehashing five-year-old allegations from Donald Trump, who is Biden’s chief rival in 2024, first raised during the former president's first impeachment in 2019.

The hearing Thursday is not featuring witnesses with information about the Bidens or Hunter Biden's business work. Instead, the panel heard from outside experts in tax law, criminal investigations and constitutional legal theory.

A top Republican witness, Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor who is an expert in impeachment issues, said he believed the House had passed the threshold for an inquiry but that the current evidence was not enough for charges.

Gerhardt said, “A fishing expedition is not a legitimate purpose.”

Still, questions remain as Republicans dig into the Biden family finances and Hunter Biden, who has acknowledged being a drug user during much of the time under scrutiny.

The hearing Thursday is expected to be the first of many as House Republicans explore how this inquiry will end and whether or not they will pursue articles of impeachment against the president.

It's unclear if McCarthy has support from his slim Republican majority to impeach Biden, as rank-and-file lawmakers have expressed reservations about the inquiry. If Biden was impeached, the charges would then be sent to the Senate for a trial.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have insisted for months that they have the grounds to launch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-oversight-republicans-impeachment-57c5b1b40d19ede4ecf7fde08c027cee">impeachment proceedings against President Joe Biden</a>. On Thursday, they will begin formally making their case to the public and their skeptical colleagues in the Senate.

(click below to watch the hearing 9a.m. CDT)

The chairmen of Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means will hold the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-oversight-republicans-impeachment-6f454b9ea2d38468a848c495bda0b5bf">opening hearing</a>&nbsp;of their impeachment inquiry by reviewing the constitutional and legal questions surrounding their investigation of Biden and what they say are links to his son Hunter’s overseas businesses.

“Based on the evidence, Congress has a duty to open an impeachment inquiry into President Biden’s corruption,” Rep. James Comer, the Oversight chairman, said in a statement this week.

Comer added that the committee plans to "present evidence uncovered to date and hear from legal and financial experts about crimes the Bidens may have committed as they brought in millions at the expense of U.S. interests.”

It’s a high-stakes opening act for Republicans as they begin a process that can lead to the ultimate penalty for a president, punishment for what the Constitution describes as “high crimes and misdemeanors.” This is all while they face a resistance in the Senate from Republicans who are worried about the political ramifications of another impeachment — and who say Biden’s conviction and removal from office is a near impossibility.

But House Republicans say they are only investigating and have made no final decision on impeaching the president.

The hearing Thursday will not feature witnesses with information about the Bidens or Hunter Biden's business work. Instead, it will be a soft launch of sorts with testimony from outside experts in tax law, criminal investigations and constitutional legal theory.

Democrats, who decry the investigation as a political ploy aimed at hurting Biden and helping Donald Trump as he runs again for president, said they plan to bring Michael Gerhardt, a law professor who has appeared as expert on two previous impeachment efforts.

In the run-up to the hearing, Republicans were touting a tranche of new documents and bank records that detail wire transfers from a Chinese businessman to Hunter Biden in 2019. Hunter Biden had listed his father’s address on the wire transfer form, which Republicans said provided a clear link to the president.

Abbe Lowell, an attorney for Hunter Biden, said the address on the wire transfer, which he says was a loan, was listed to the president's Delaware home only because it was the address on Hunter Biden's driver's license and "his only permanent address at the time.”

Republicans have been investigating Hunter Biden for years, since his father was vice president. And while there has been questions raised about the ethics around the family's international business, none of the evidence so far has proven that the president, in his current or previous office, abused his role, accepted bribes or both.

House Republicans are also looking into the Justice Department investigation in Hunter Biden's taxes and gun use that began in 2018.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-irs-justice-department-congress-republicans-32d9f33fb0d05c483d76926504d45bef">Two IRS whistleblowers came forward to Congress</a>&nbsp;in the spring with claims that department officials thwarted their efforts to fully investigate Hunter Biden and his business dealings and the agents faced retaliation when they pushed back.

The claims have since been disputed by IRS and FBI agents who worked on the case.

The central focus of the testimonies have been surrounding an Oct. 7, 2022 meeting that agents from both the IRS and FBI had with David Weiss, U.S. attorney for Delaware, who has been charged with investigating Hunter Biden.

Gary Shapley, a veteran IRS agent who had been assigned to case, testified to Ways and Means committee in May that Weiss said during that meeting that he was not the “deciding person whether charges are filed” against Hunter Biden.

Two FBI agents who were in attendance told lawmakers this month that they have no recollection of Weiss saying that.

Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo, the chair of the Ways &amp; Means committee, said that their investigation has shown that “Biden family were afforded special treatment that no other American would receive were they not the son of the President of the United States.”

The impeachment inquiry hearing is taking place as the federal government is days away from what is likely to be a damaging government shutdown that would halt paychecks for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-gop-federal-workers-congress-government-5978a4c7411eba06261d16c3aff3dfc5">millions of federal workers</a>&nbsp;and the military.

Democrats say they plan to use the impending fiscal disaster to question Republicans' priorities.

“Three days before they’re set to shut down the United States government, Republicans launch a baseless impeachment drive against President Biden,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on Oversight, said Wednesday. “No one can figure out the logic of either course of action.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced the impeachment inquiry this month after he yielded to mounting pressure from his right flank to take action against Biden or risk being ousted from his leadership job.

🎥 House Republicans make their case for Biden impeachment inquiry at hearing

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The American soldier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-citizen-crossed-border-e4aaa883901052e65f5c400c8279438b">who sprinted into North Korea</a>&nbsp;across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas more than two months ago was whisked to a Texas Army base Thursday for medical checks and interviews after his return to the U.S., according to the Pentagon.

North Korea&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-travis-king-quick-release-analysis-e0e1a2e3a90097c0d666cb385b185071">abruptly announced</a>&nbsp;a day earlier that it would expel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/travis-king/">Pvt. Travis King</a>. His return was organized with the help of ally Sweden and rival China, according to the White House.

While officials have said King, 23, is in good health and the immediate focus will be on caring for him and reintegrating him into U.S. society, his troubles are likely far from over.

King, who had served in South Korea, ran into the North while on a civilian tour of a border village on July 18, becoming the first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-king-americans-north-korea-detained-715d3fd4c85d5457237624e5110452c0">American confirmed to be detained</a>&nbsp;in the isolated country in nearly five years. At the time, he was supposed to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-soldier-travis-king-border-fe5da15f52122af9acc45412fe391465">heading to Fort Bliss, Texas</a>, following his release from prison in South Korea on an assault conviction.

He was declared AWOL from the Army, but not considered a deserter. Punishment for going AWOL can vary, and it depends in part on whether the service member voluntarily returned or was apprehended. King’s two-month absence and ultimate handover by the North Koreans makes that more complicated.

King arrived in the early hours of Thursday at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center, according to the Pentagon. He will undergo an array of medical and psychological assessments and debriefings, and he will also get a chance to meet with family.

Video aired by a Texas news station showed King walking off a plane. Dressed in a dark top and pants, he could be seen speaking briefly with people waiting on the tarmac. He shook hands with one before being led into a building.

Many questions remain about King's case, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-soldier-border-7b0b2f3b87f4cb9352c1cc458ab576b6">why he fled in the first place</a>&nbsp;and why the North — which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-peninsula-nuclear-b23f9c70307cfd095dc9a5cceecb1f5e">tense relations</a>&nbsp;with Washington over Pyongyang’s nuclear program, support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and other issues — agreed to turn him over.

The White House has not addressed North Korean state media reports that King fled because of his dismay about racial discrimination and inequality in the military and U.S. society.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that King made such complaints but verifying that is impossible.

On Wednesday, Swedish officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-soldier-travis-king-00c171778e378d95fe1115fe31612ec2">took King to the Chinese border</a>, where he was met by U.S. Ambassador to China&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-china-beijing-xi-jinping-foreign-policy-11da755d1e1d8e5ae904648bc8c4dc99">Nicholas Burns,</a>&nbsp;the Swedish ambassador to China, and at least one U.S. Defense Department official.

He was then flown to a U.S. military base in South Korea before heading to the U.S.

His detention was relatively short by North Korean standards.

Several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-king-americans-north-korea-detained-715d3fd4c85d5457237624e5110452c0">recent American detainees</a>&nbsp;had been held for over a year — 17 months in the case of Otto Warmbier, a college student who was arrested during a group tour. Warmbier was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3811ef56c16b4170b50fe12b4bedad6e">in a coma when he was deported</a>, and later died.

North Korea has often been accused of using American detainees as bargaining chips, and there had also been speculation that the North would try to maximize the propaganda value of a U.S. soldier.

But analysts say King’s legal troubles could have limited his propaganda value, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Biden administration</a>&nbsp;officials insisted they provided no concessions to North Korea to secure his release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692140954260.png" alt="A TV screen shows a file image of American soldier Travis King during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, July 24, 2023. The deputy commander of the U.N. Command said Monday it has started conversations with North Korea over King who ran into the North last week across the Koreas' heavily armed border. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)" />
 <figcaption>A TV screen shows a file image of American soldier Travis King during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, July 24, 2023. The deputy commander of the U.N. Command said Monday it has started conversations with North Korea over King who ran into the North last week across the Koreas' heavily armed border. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)</figcaption>
 </figure>SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The American soldier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-citizen-crossed-border-e4aaa883901052e65f5c400c8279438b">who sprinted into North Korea</a>&nbsp;across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas more than two months ago was whisked to a Texas Army base Thursday for medical checks and interviews after his return to the U.S., according to the Pentagon.North Korea&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-travis-king-quick-release-analysis-e0e1a2e3a90097c0d666cb385b185071">abruptly announced</a>&nbsp;a day earlier that it would expel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/travis-king/">Pvt. Travis King</a>. His return was organized with the help of ally Sweden and rival China, according to the White House.While officials have said King, 23, is in good health and the immediate focus will be on caring for him and reintegrating him into U.S. society, his troubles are likely far from over.King, who had served in South Korea, ran into the North while on a civilian tour of a border village on July 18, becoming the first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-king-americans-north-korea-detained-715d3fd4c85d5457237624e5110452c0">American confirmed to be detained</a>&nbsp;in the isolated country in nearly five years. At the time, he was supposed to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-soldier-travis-king-border-fe5da15f52122af9acc45412fe391465">heading to Fort Bliss, Texas</a>, following his release from prison in South Korea on an assault conviction.He was declared AWOL from the Army, but not considered a deserter. Punishment for going AWOL can vary, and it depends in part on whether the service member voluntarily returned or was apprehended. King’s two-month absence and ultimate handover by the North Koreans makes that more complicated.King arrived in the early hours of Thursday at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center, according to the Pentagon. He will undergo an array of medical and psychological assessments and debriefings, and he will also get a chance to meet with family.Video aired by a Texas news station showed King walking off a plane. Dressed in a dark top and pants, he could be seen speaking briefly with people waiting on the tarmac. He shook hands with one before being led into a building.Many questions remain about King's case, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-soldier-border-7b0b2f3b87f4cb9352c1cc458ab576b6">why he fled in the first place</a>&nbsp;and why the North — which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-peninsula-nuclear-b23f9c70307cfd095dc9a5cceecb1f5e">tense relations</a>&nbsp;with Washington over Pyongyang’s nuclear program, support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and other issues — agreed to turn him over.The White House has not addressed North Korean state media reports that King fled because of his dismay about racial discrimination and inequality in the military and U.S. society.The North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that King made such complaints but verifying that is impossible.On Wednesday, Swedish officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-us-soldier-travis-king-00c171778e378d95fe1115fe31612ec2">took King to the Chinese border</a>, where he was met by U.S. Ambassador to China&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-china-beijing-xi-jinping-foreign-policy-11da755d1e1d8e5ae904648bc8c4dc99">Nicholas Burns,</a>&nbsp;the Swedish ambassador to China, and at least one U.S. Defense Department official.He was then flown to a U.S. military base in South Korea before heading to the U.S.His detention was relatively short by North Korean standards.Several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-king-americans-north-korea-detained-715d3fd4c85d5457237624e5110452c0">recent American detainees</a>&nbsp;had been held for over a year — 17 months in the case of Otto Warmbier, a college student who was arrested during a group tour. Warmbier was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3811ef56c16b4170b50fe12b4bedad6e">in a coma when he was deported</a>, and later died.North Korea has often been accused of using American detainees as bargaining chips, and there had also been speculation that the North would try to maximize the propaganda value of a U.S. soldier.But analysts say King’s legal troubles could have limited his propaganda value, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Biden administration</a>&nbsp;officials insisted they provided no concessions to North Korea to secure his release.___

American soldier who bolted into North Korea has returned to the US

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/27/state-watchdogs-say-theyre-still-doing-their-job-albeit-slower-since-legal-opinion/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Members of a North Omaha racial justice group expressed fears Wednesday night that a recent, adverse legal opinion may be shutting off a vital resource for addressing problems in state agencies.

If state “inspectors general” for corrections and child welfare can’t get access to what’s going on, how can they report on concerns with government functions and suggest changes? they asked.

“The key words are transparency and accountability, and we don’t have enough of that in government,” said A’Jamal Byndon, chairman of the board of the Movement in Omaha for Racial Equality (MORE).

On Wednesday night, about 20 people crowded into the Fabric Lab along North 24th Street to learn more about the two inspectors generals offices, established by the Nebraska Legislature, as well as the State Ombudsman’s Office, which investigates complaints about state agency performance.

At the forefront were concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/16/attorney-generals-opinion-casts-doubt-on-powers-of-legislatures-inspectors-general/">a recent legal opinion</a>&nbsp;from the state’s top attorney, the Nebraska Attorney General, which opined that the investigative powers conferred on the inspectors general violated the separation of powers clause of the State Constitution.

The opinion, signed by Attorney General Mike Hilgers, also said probes from those legislatively appointed watchdogs “significantly impairs” the powers of the Executive Branch and state judiciary to govern their operations.

The legal opinion, while lacking the power to change state laws or shut down the inspectors general, has put a chill on their access to information needed to look into complaints from inmates and those involving state wards.

For instance, the two offices have received no report of deaths and serious injuries — previously a routine matter&nbsp;that would prompt an investigation — since Hilger’s Aug. 16 opinion.

Shut off was the two offices’ access to disciplinary actions, reports on disturbances, and grievances in the computer systems of state prisons and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Visits with prison inmates also were severely limited, with access denied to some inmates, and visits restricted to public areas only — meaning the Inspectors General for Corrections can go to visiting rooms, but are blocked from seeing housing units and other parts of a prison where problems may have been reported.

“We’re in a holding pattern,” said State Ombudsman Julie Rogers, whose 19-person office dedicated to government accountability includes the more specialized, inspector generals operations.

Her office, an independent investigator of general complaints about activities of state agencies and employees, also had its access shut off immediately after the AG’s opinion.

Doug Koebernick, the inspector general for corrections, and Jennifer Carter, the inspector general for child welfare, both said they are still trying to figure out what access they have, and what access has been taken away.

Both officials, along with Rogers, insisted that they’re still doing the job assigned by the Nebraska Legislature — to inform lawmakers about issues in state prisons, with state wards and state agencies — only they’re doing it more slowly.

But how can you do your job if you’re denied access to information? one women in the audience asked.

Rogers said that she is expecting a “legislative response” to the AG’s opinion. The Legislature’s Executive Board has hired an attorney to advise lawmakers on reacting to the opinion. Some discussions, she said, have taken place with the involved agencies.

“We try to be patient,” Rogers said, since the 2024 legislative session, and the introduction of bills to clarify access issues, is nearly four months away.

Koebernick said his office is still getting letters from inmates about conditions inside state prisons, even though other channels of information have been cut off.

The concern, the three officials said, is that “we don’t know what we don’t know” about problems in agencies.

“We’re still trying to figure things out,” Carter said.

The officials told the MORE group that they’re optimistic that something can be worked out with state agencies to allow good access to information.

Rogers added that, at a recent conference of inspectors general, representatives from other states said it’s common for such government watchdog agencies to be “attacked.”

“Especially if they’re doing a good job of shining a light on issues,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695918607839.jpeg" alt="State legislative ‘inspector generals’ (from left) Doug Koebernick and Jennifer Carter, along with State Ombudsman Julie Rogers and moderator A’Jamal Byndon take questions Wednesday night. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State legislative ‘inspector generals’ (from left) Doug Koebernick and Jennifer Carter, along with State Ombudsman Julie Rogers and moderator A’Jamal Byndon take questions Wednesday night. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/27/state-watchdogs-say-theyre-still-doing-their-job-albeit-slower-since-legal-opinion/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Members of a North Omaha racial justice group expressed fears Wednesday night that a recent, adverse legal opinion may be shutting off a vital resource for addressing problems in state agencies.If state “inspectors general” for corrections and child welfare can’t get access to what’s going on, how can they report on concerns with government functions and suggest changes? they asked.“The key words are transparency and accountability, and we don’t have enough of that in government,” said A’Jamal Byndon, chairman of the board of the Movement in Omaha for Racial Equality (MORE).On Wednesday night, about 20 people crowded into the Fabric Lab along North 24th Street to learn more about the two inspectors generals offices, established by the Nebraska Legislature, as well as the State Ombudsman’s Office, which investigates complaints about state agency performance.<h2>Legal opinion</h2>At the forefront were concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/16/attorney-generals-opinion-casts-doubt-on-powers-of-legislatures-inspectors-general/">a recent legal opinion</a>&nbsp;from the state’s top attorney, the Nebraska Attorney General, which opined that the investigative powers conferred on the inspectors general violated the separation of powers clause of the State Constitution.The opinion, signed by Attorney General Mike Hilgers, also said probes from those legislatively appointed watchdogs “significantly impairs” the powers of the Executive Branch and state judiciary to govern their operations.The legal opinion, while lacking the power to change state laws or shut down the inspectors general, has put a chill on their access to information needed to look into complaints from inmates and those involving state wards.For instance, the two offices have received no report of deaths and serious injuries — previously a routine matter&nbsp;that would prompt an investigation — since Hilger’s Aug. 16 opinion.Shut off was the two offices’ access to disciplinary actions, reports on disturbances, and grievances in the computer systems of state prisons and the Department of Health and Human Services.<h2>Prison visits limited</h2>Visits with prison inmates also were severely limited, with access denied to some inmates, and visits restricted to public areas only — meaning the Inspectors General for Corrections can go to visiting rooms, but are blocked from seeing housing units and other parts of a prison where problems may have been reported.“We’re in a holding pattern,” said State Ombudsman Julie Rogers, whose 19-person office dedicated to government accountability includes the more specialized, inspector generals operations.Her office, an independent investigator of general complaints about activities of state agencies and employees, also had its access shut off immediately after the AG’s opinion.Doug Koebernick, the inspector general for corrections, and Jennifer Carter, the inspector general for child welfare, both said they are still trying to figure out what access they have, and what access has been taken away.Both officials, along with Rogers, insisted that they’re still doing the job assigned by the Nebraska Legislature — to inform lawmakers about issues in state prisons, with state wards and state agencies — only they’re doing it more slowly.But how can you do your job if you’re denied access to information? one women in the audience asked.Rogers said that she is expecting a “legislative response” to the AG’s opinion. The Legislature’s Executive Board has hired an attorney to advise lawmakers on reacting to the opinion. Some discussions, she said, have taken place with the involved agencies.“We try to be patient,” Rogers said, since the 2024 legislative session, and the introduction of bills to clarify access issues, is nearly four months away.Koebernick said his office is still getting letters from inmates about conditions inside state prisons, even though other channels of information have been cut off.The concern, the three officials said, is that “we don’t know what we don’t know” about problems in agencies.“We’re still trying to figure things out,” Carter said.The officials told the MORE group that they’re optimistic that something can be worked out with state agencies to allow good access to information.Rogers added that, at a recent conference of inspectors general, representatives from other states said it’s common for such government watchdog agencies to be “attacked.”“Especially if they’re doing a good job of shining a light on issues,” she said.