GOP immigration funding stalls ahead of recess
Congress is preparing to leave Washington for a weeklong recess without passing a Republican-backed measure that would fund immigration enforcement for the next three years, NPR reported. The reported impasse comes even as President Donald Trump pressed congressional Republicans for additional funding to be approved by June 1.
NPR said the delay centers on disagreements inside the Senate over a separate initiative Trump announced: a $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” NPR reported that the fund is intended to compensate people who say they have been targeted by the government and that it is not included in the immigration enforcement legislation currently moving through Congress.
NPR correspondent Barbara Sprunt reported that some Republican senators said they were blindsided by the fund announcement. Sprunt said Senate Republicans had been nearing passage of the immigration enforcement funding measure, but that some withdrew support over concerns tied to both the fund and related White House plans for a ballroom event.
Sprunt also said the ballroom, initially expected to be covered by private donations after the correspondents’ dinner shooting, became a secure facility and that costs increased to about a billion dollars. She reported that Trump wanted Congress to pay for additional security for the venue, and that Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana—who lost his primary this week—publicly denounced funding for the ballroom and criticized the anti-weaponization fund.
Lawsuit challenges the anti-weaponization fund
While lawmakers grapple with the budget timeline, NPR reported that two police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration. NPR said the officers argue that the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is illegal and dangerous, and that it is widely expected that some of the money would go to Jan. 6 insurrectionists.
The reported lawsuit underscores that the fund is drawing legal scrutiny even as Congress debates related appropriations, according to NPR.
GOP tensions also show up in House war-powers vote
NPR also reported growing discord among House Republicans. NPR said the House called off a vote on a resolution limiting the president’s war powers.
DNC releases outside review, faces criticism
NPR said the Democratic National Committee released an external review of its 2024 campaign losses as part of efforts to identify lessons for 2026 and beyond. NPR reported that DNC Chairman Ken Martin has faced internal criticism after shelving the report once it was received in December 2025.
NPR said Martin apologized for not releasing the report and for not being more transparent about the decision, while also saying he disavows the report because it was delivered incomplete. NPR reported that the document is 192 pages long and was written by Paul Rivera, a Democratic consultant who is unaffiliated with the Biden and Harris campaigns, and that it lacks key sections including a conclusion and an executive summary.
NPR’s Stephen Fowler said the report is full of incorrect claims that can’t be verified. NPR reported that the DNC released the document with a disclaimer stating it was not provided with “the underlying sourcing, interviews, or supporting data” for many assertions, and that Fowler said the review barely addresses voter concerns such as the cost of living, the conflict in Gaza, and former President Joe Biden’s age.
Still, NPR reported that Fowler said the review points to what he described as an important disconnect: while voters may disapprove of the DNC and national party leaders, they still support local Democrats and candidates. NPR said this pattern suggests the national party could be weak heading into the 2028 presidential nominating process, where it is reported to have substantial influence.
Hurricane season forecast: 8 to 14 storms expected
In its weather briefing, NPR said National Hurricane Center forecasters predicted the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season will produce slightly fewer storms than the historical average. NPR reported that the forecast calls for 8 to 14 storms in the Atlantic between June 1 and Nov. 30.
NPR said abnormally warm waters in the Atlantic increase the risk that at least one very large, destructive hurricane could form. NPR said the forecast could affect tens of millions of people in areas vulnerable to flooding, wind damage, and coastal storm surges, including large parts of the eastern and southern United States as well as inland regions in Appalachia and the Northeast.
Abortion messaging shifts as advocates pursue state access
NPR reported that since January, Democratic candidates have invested nearly four times less in campaign ads highlighting abortion compared with the same period in 2024. NPR said abortion rights advocates described the difficulty of delivering their message amid a crowded news cycle, while arguing that protecting reproductive access and care remains vital to political conversations about affordability.
NPR also reported that a Planned Parenthood affiliate launched an initiative called “Just In Case Abortion Pills.” NPR said the initiative, shared exclusively with NPR, allows Washington state and Hawaii residents to get mifepristone and misoprostol on their shelves for future use if they want to end an early pregnancy.
Climate outreach and weekend picks
NPR said it is dedicating “Climate Solutions Week” to stories and conversations about how communities are moving forward on climate solutions despite political headwinds, including efforts by states, cities, regions, and neighborhoods to cut climate pollution and adapt to extreme weather.
NPR also highlighted an Illinois State University initiative intended to teach students recycling skills, including a “Front Yard Free-Cycle” event at the start of the school year hosted by the Office of Sustainability and the ISU Share Shop. NPR said the event lets students gather free dorm essentials such as clothes and small furniture and that the store continues efforts year-round.
For weekend entertainment, NPR listed movie, TV, book, music, and theater picks, including a film described as “Is God Is,” binge-watching suggestions for “Survivor,” and coverage of John Cage’s opera “Apartment House 1776.”