Hello readers and welcome back to On Politics. Zach Schermele here, USA TODAY's congressional reporter. It's Tuesday, and another day of marathon budget hearings here on Capitol Hill.
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Virginia Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans drew national condemnation on Monday after she agreed during an interview with a racist comment made by a Richmond radio host.
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As the host, Rich Herrera, was criticizing House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D‑New York, over efforts to redraw Virginia’s congressional maps, he said Jeffries, who is Black, should "get (his) cotton‑picking hands off of Virginia." The GOP congresswoman responded to the racist phrase, a reference to slavery, by saying: "That’s right. Ditto. Yes. Yes to that."
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Facing calls from some Democrats to resign, Kiggans walked back her response but did not apologize.
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"The radio host should not have used that language and I do not and did not condone it," she wrote on X . "It was obvious to anyone listening that I was agreeing Hakeem Jefferies should stay out of Virginia."
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In a statement on Tuesday, Christie Stephenson, a spokeswoman for Jeffries, called Kiggans' remarks "pathetic" and said the lawmaker, who is up for reelection, would face consequences at the ballot box in November.
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"It was a stunning failure of judgment and leadership for a so-called moderate member of Congress representing a large, vibrant African American community in Virginia," Stephenson said.
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Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia, speaks during a press conference in front of the U.S.-Mexico border south of Sierra Vista on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, in Hereford.
Antranik Tavitian, The Arizona Republic
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Photo gallery: Cruise ship heads for port after deadly hantavirus outbreak
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Scoop: ATF stripped licenses from fewer gun shops in 2025
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The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives stripped the licenses of dramatically fewer gun stores last year under the direction of President Donald Trump and a new posture for the agency.
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Data released to USA TODAY Investigative Reporter Nick Penzenstadler under the Freedom of Information Act shows the ATF revoked 56 licenses in 2025, down from 183 the previous year, which was the highest in two decades. The list of 56 sellers whose licenses were revoked includes high-profile cases which played out in court or made headlines in recent years.
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Trump's new affordability push
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A gas tax pause is one of several cost-cutting suggestions Trump has made in recent days.
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He also came out in support of a bipartisan housing reform bill that's been languishing in the House of Representatives after the Senate passed it two months ago. The legislation would cut red tape while mostly banning large institutional investors from competing with traditional buyers for existing single-family homes.
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The new affordability push has arrived just six months out from the midterms, the outcome of which will determine whether Trump will keep a mostly friendly Congress come 2027.
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Zachary Schermele is a congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.
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Looking for a clear, monthly roadmap to the 2026 midterms? Our new election guide Reddit thread tracks key primaries plus all the resources you may need as a voter (registration, deadlines, ID rules, absentee, mail voting and more). Catch the May update with local USA TODAY Network reporting and bookmark the guide for future editions.
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Sen. Jim Justice, R-West Virginia, said though he's supportive of suspending the roughly 18-cent tax, it's like "taking an aspirin for cancer."
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Patel is expected to face tough questions from Democrats about reports of excessive drinking, erratic behavior and misuse of FBI jet.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US has a plan to escalate the war in Iran "if necessary" as the Pentagon raised the war's cost to $29 billion.
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Oath Keepers. Temperament. Migrant children. Will these jabs make a repeat at the next California governor debate?
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