The U.S. government has banned American government personnel in China, as well as family members and contractors with security clearances, from any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens, The Associated Press has learned.

Four people with direct knowledge of the matter told the AP about the policy, which was put into effect by departing U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns in January shortly before he left China. The people would speak only on condition of anonymity to discuss details of a confidential new directive.

Ten Senate Democrats voted Friday to help Republicans break a 60-vote filibuster and advance a Trump-backed government funding bill that paves the way for Congress to avoid a midnight shutdown deadline.

The Senate passed a House-approved government funding bill that averts a government shutdown that was set to be triggered at the end of the day Friday.

The Senate voted 54 to 46 to pass the bill. The approval of the bill follows several Democrats voting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to keep the funding bill moving forward despite blowback from other members of their party.

Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen voted in favor of the bill. All other Democrats voted against it...

Senators voted Friday to pass legislation to prevent cuts to the District of Columbia’s local budget after city officials warned the District faced a $1 billion hit under a stopgap government funding bill approved by the Senate moments earlier.

The bill, which allows D.C. to continue operating at its adopted fiscal 2025 budget, passed by voice vote.

With less than two weeks to go before a March 14 deadline, Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress appear to be nowhere close to a deal to avert a government shutdown that would throw Washington into deeper turmoil...

Newly sworn-in FBI Director Kash Patel has informed senior officials that he is planning to relocate up to 1,500 employees, according to a report published on Friday evening.

Under the plan, about 1,000 employees would move from Washington to FBI field offices around the nation while an additional 500 would be relocated to an FBI facility in Huntsville, Alabama, according to the Associated Press.

The Trump administration's month-old efficiency initiative that has hit the federal government like an earthquake has no leader. 

Not offically at least.

Elon Musk is not the administrator of the US DOGE Service, the agency that houses the temporary Department of Government Efficiency. He's not even a DOGE employee, according to the White House. 

In fact, the world's richest man, who was named by President Donald Trump to lead DOGE in November, who posts about it...

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signaled late Monday she may use her authority to remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office.

Hochul acknowledged in a statement that ousting Adams, a fellow Democrat, would be a "serious step" but said "alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored."

Hochul said she plans to meet with "key leaders" in Manhattan on Tuesday before issuing a decision.

This development comes after controversy surrounding Adams deepened...

I would not put much stock in media coverage or political rhetoric suggesting that the federal courts are in revolt against President Trump and his efforts to rein in government size and spending. Undoubtedly, there are some progressive judges (mainly those appointed by Presidents Obama and Biden) who are philosophically sympathetic to claims that the president is interfering with the safe, professional operation of the administrative state -- as if the chief executive has no say in how executive agencies conduct business.

House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) agreement with Democrats to prevent a government shutdown until March includes provisions that would give members of Congress their first pay raise since 2009 and allow them to opt out of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).