535 News

535

535 News brings you the policy of Congress, straight from Capitol Hill. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday that Congress is in session, contributors Paul Kane of The Washington Sun, Leigh Ann Caldwell and Marianna Sotomayor of Puck, Scott MacFarlane of MeidasTouch Network, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Brody Mullins, and contributing hosts and analysts Susan Davis and Colby Itkowitz sit down with members of Congress, reporters, advocates, and all the people behind the policy. These are long-form conversations about the bills, debates, and efforts shaping Washington and the country - focused on substance over spectacle. If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us.

  1. 1d ago

    Introducing Call to Order: What’s Happening on This End of Pennsylvania Avenue This Week

    A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion waiting to move. Infrastructure projects in every state ready to go.  With permitting reform, we can build faster, lower costs, create millions of good-paying jobs and keep America competitive. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.  Call to Order, your look at the week ahead on Capitol Hill, is here. In the first episode, Colby Itkowitz takes you through what’s on the schedule, what’s happening on the floor and what’s really going on behind the scenes, and 535 contributor Paul Kane joins her to talk about new member orientation and the Republican leadership fight. In this episode: A leadership fight for a party in the minority: Speaker Mike Johnson isn’t running for the top job, and two familiar names want it. What Tuesday’s leadership elections could tell us about how Republicans plan to recover.A vote on impeaching Pete Hegseth? The push isn’t coming from Democrats. Who’s forcing it, whether the votes are there, and the Republicans to watch in the party’s first post-election test.The Senate’s first vote back: Both parties say energy permitting needs fixing, so why isn’t a deal a sure thing? And now that they’ve won the Senate, should Democrats deal now or wait for January?The December 11 deadline: Government funding runs out, and the defense bill, the farm bill and highway programs are all waiting in line. Who wants to get it done now, and who would rather leave it for the next Congress?Freshman orientation week: More than 100 new lawmakers are in town for orientation, and one tradition decides who gets the view and who gets the long walk to the floor.After the break: Paul Kane, who has covered Congress for decades, joins Colby on a freshman class that rivals the biggest in modern times, what orientation is really like for new members, and why Republicans are rushing to choose between two old-guard leaders. Plus: Do you know the answer to the John Talbot Question of the Week? Listen and tag us on X or Bluesky with the answer. Start your week with Call to Order on Monday mornings, then listen to 535’s conversations with the members, reporters and insiders every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Congress is in session. A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion is parked on the sidelines.  Projects that would help create good-paying American jobs are stuck in years of burdensome reviews. Permitting reform would unlock infrastructure projects in all 50 states--  building new roads and bridges and delivering more affordable and reliable energy. With faster, more efficient permitting, we can unleash America's economic potential. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.

    Introducing Call to Order: What’s Happening on This End of Pennsylvania Avenue This Week
  2. 3d ago ·  Bonus

    The Previous Questions: A Historic Wave and What Comes Next for the 120th Congress

    A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion waiting to move. Infrastructure projects in every state ready to go.  With permitting reform, we can build faster, lower costs, create millions of good-paying jobs and keep America competitive. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.  In this edition of The Previous Questions, 535 recaps our special post-election show, where the people who know Capitol Hill best broke down the election results. Inside Elections’ Nathan Gonzales explains why “our normal laws of political gravity still applied,” and why he’s still skeptical this is a realignment. House Majority PAC’s C.J. Warnke says Democrats are on track for over 255 seats, and walks through the economy-and-corruption message behind the wave. The Cook Political Report’s Jessica Taylor and The Hotline’s Kirk Bado return a week after making their predictions to name the night’s biggest surprises. Also this week: Semafor’s Burgess Everett and Shelby Talcott on why Senate Republicans could be in the minority for at least four years.The Washington Sun’s Kadia Goba and Avani Kalra on the White House going from “buckle up” to an almost conciliatory tone.Russell Dye, former communications director for Chairman Jim Jordan, on why Jordan’s time could be now, and why some Democrats would rather face Steve Scalise.535 contributors: Scott MacFarlane, Susan Davis, Colby Itkowitz, Leigh Ann Caldwell and Mariana Sotomayor. A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion is parked on the sidelines.  Projects that would help create good-paying American jobs are stuck in years of burdensome reviews. Permitting reform would unlock infrastructure projects in all 50 states--  building new roads and bridges and delivering more affordable and reliable energy. With faster, more efficient permitting, we can unleash America's economic potential. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.

    The Previous Questions: A Historic Wave and What Comes Next for the 120th Congress
  3. 4d ago

    What Just Happened? A Post-Election Special

    A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion waiting to move. Infrastructure projects in every state ready to go.  With permitting reform, we can build faster, lower costs, create millions of good-paying jobs and keep America competitive. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.  It’s Thursday, Nov. 5, two days after Election Day, and 535’s correspondents and a team of experts and insiders break down what the results mean for the House, the Senate and the lame duck, and what comes next for the 120th Congress. Kirk Bado of National Journal Hotline and Jessica Taylor of The Cook Political Report, who spoke with 535 before Election Day, return to compare their predictions with the results. They discuss the races that surprised them, from Mississippi and South Carolina to North Carolina, Florida and Iowa, and whether the results signal a realignment. Russell Dye, the former communications director for Chairman Jim Jordan, discusses Tuesday’s results, whether Republicans should distance themselves from the president, and Jordan’s bid to be minority leader. Kadia Goba and Avani Kalra of The Washington Sun, a reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow, discuss where the larger Democratic majorities go from here, including the tension between progressives and moderates, Republicans’ relationship with the president, the White House’s response, and the tech industry. CJ Warnke, communications director for House Majority PAC, discusses how the group chose targets and recruited candidates, the economy and corruption messages, redistricting, and holding the majority in 2028. Burgess Everett and Shelby Talcott of Semafor discuss the fallout for Republicans, President Trump’s role in shaping candidates, the House and Senate leadership races, Democrats’ first 100 days, and the future of bipartisan deal-making. Nathan Gonzales of Inside Elections discusses how the election changes Congress’s committees, whether it signals a political realignment, and the newly elected members he’s watching. If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us. Watch every interview, read the newsletter and get the podcast at 535.news. A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion is parked on the sidelines.  Projects that would help create good-paying American jobs are stuck in years of burdensome reviews. Permitting reform would unlock infrastructure projects in all 50 states--  building new roads and bridges and delivering more affordable and reliable energy. With faster, more efficient permitting, we can unleash America's economic potential. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.

    What Just Happened? A Post-Election Special
  4. Nov 2 ·  Bonus

    The Previous Questions: A Watchdog Without a Quorum and the Final Predictions Before Election Day

    A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion waiting to move. Infrastructure projects in every state ready to go.  With permitting reform, we can build faster, lower costs, create millions of good-paying jobs and keep America competitive. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.  In this edition of The Previous Questions, 535 rounds up the week’s sharpest moments before Election Day. FEC Commissioner Acting as Chair Shana M. Broussard explains what it means that the agency has gone more than 500 days without a quorum. The Cook Political Report’s Jessica Taylor and The Hotline’s Kirk Bado give their House and Senate predictions. Campaign committee veterans Meredith Kelly and Brad Dayspring explain why “that battlefield is built.” Veteran Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson argues that money can buy you an umbrella but can’t change the weather. Also this week: C-SPAN’s Sam Feist makes his pitch for cameras on the House floor.John Donnelly asks whether the defense bill’s 65-year streak survives.Katie Harbath says deepfakes are here to stay.Natalie Fertig explains why diesel comes up everywhere with rural voters.Jonathan Tamari names the early warning sign: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick’s race.If it's important to the 535, it's important to us. A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion is parked on the sidelines.  Projects that would help create good-paying American jobs are stuck in years of burdensome reviews. Permitting reform would unlock infrastructure projects in all 50 states--  building new roads and bridges and delivering more affordable and reliable energy. With faster, more efficient permitting, we can unleash America's economic potential. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.

    The Previous Questions: A Watchdog Without a Quorum and the Final Predictions Before Election Day
  5. Oct 30 ·  Bonus

    535 One Minutes: Election Night with a Bottle of Scotch

    A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion waiting to move. Infrastructure projects in every state ready to go.  With permitting reform, we can build faster, lower costs, create millions of good-paying jobs and keep America competitive. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.  On the House floor, any member can claim one minute at the microphone to talk about anything they want. We borrowed the clock. At the end of our 535 interviews, we ask our guests a round of rapid-fire questions: no staff, no notes, no talking points. Every Friday, we pull together the best answers. Usually, the clock belongs to members of Congress. But with Election Day on Tuesday and most members out campaigning, this October we've been putting the questions to the people who know Washington from the inside. This week:- Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson on his Election Day ritual: a dark room and a bottle of scotch- Sam Feist, CEO of C-SPAN, on the career advice that's kept him out of trouble, the superpower every Washingtonian wants and the one thing he'd change about Congress- Katie Harbath, author of "Disrupting Politics," on the two words that work in this town, and her pick for coffee, lunch or happy hour- FEC Commissioner Acting as Chair Shana M. Broussard on her superpower and the question that made her a commissioner: "Why not me?" New One Minutes every Friday. Watch the full interviews at 535.news. Enjoying 535 One Minutes? Take a few seconds to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's the best way to help other people find the show, and we read every review. Got a question you'd put on the clock? Send it to us at 535.news. If it's important to the 535, it's important to us. A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion is parked on the sidelines.  Projects that would help create good-paying American jobs are stuck in years of burdensome reviews. Permitting reform would unlock infrastructure projects in all 50 states--  building new roads and bridges and delivering more affordable and reliable energy. With faster, more efficient permitting, we can unleash America's economic potential. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.

    535 One Minutes: Election Night with a Bottle of Scotch
  6. Oct 29

    Five Days Out From Election Day, the Fight for Control of Congress and AI in Campaigns

    A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion waiting to move. Infrastructure projects in every state ready to go.  With permitting reform, we can build faster, lower costs, create millions of good-paying jobs and keep America competitive. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.  It’s Thursday, October 29, five days until Election Day. On today’s 535, we look at how both parties are closing out the campaign, how AI is affecting election integrity, the fight for control of Congress and what’s happening on the trail in Maine. Brad Dayspring, executive director of strategy and engagement at Purple Strategies and a former NRSC communications director, and Meredith Kelly, partner and co-owner of Declaration Media and a former DCCC communications director, discuss the closing ground games, where each party is putting its resources and the data driving both sides. Katie Harbath, CEO of Anchor Change, advises policymakers, tech platforms and civil society groups on AI and election integrity. She discusses what to watch in the final days of the election. Jonathan Tamari, senior Washington reporter for Bloomberg Government and co-author of the Daily Washington Edition newsletter, discusses the battle for control of Congress in the final stretch. Nathaniel Reed, senior congressional correspondent for Scripps News, discusses his reporting from Maine and the congressional races he’s covering across the country. If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us. Watch every interview, read the newsletter and get the podcast at 535.news. A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion is parked on the sidelines.  Projects that would help create good-paying American jobs are stuck in years of burdensome reviews. Permitting reform would unlock infrastructure projects in all 50 states--  building new roads and bridges and delivering more affordable and reliable energy. With faster, more efficient permitting, we can unleash America's economic potential. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.

    Five Days Out From Election Day, the Fight for Control of Congress and AI in Campaigns
  7. Oct 28

    C-SPAN’s Sam Feist, the Final Week of Campaigning and What Rural Voters Are Saying

    A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion waiting to move. Infrastructure projects in every state ready to go.  With permitting reform, we can build faster, lower costs, create millions of good-paying jobs and keep America competitive. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.  It’s Wednesday, October 28, and we're in the final week of campaigning before Election Day. Today from Capitol Hill, four conversations: Sam Feist, CEO of C-SPAN, discusses C-SPAN’s role covering Congress and its mission of “Democracy Unfiltered.” John Donnelly, senior writer at CQ Roll Call, discusses the Pentagon, defense policy and congressional oversight heading into the lame duck. Jesse Ferguson, Democratic strategist, discusses closing messages and the ground game in the final week. Natalie Fertig, author of the Out of State newsletter, discusses rural and working-class voters on the campaign trail. If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us. Watch every interview, read the newsletter and get the podcast at 535.news. A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion is parked on the sidelines.  Projects that would help create good-paying American jobs are stuck in years of burdensome reviews. Permitting reform would unlock infrastructure projects in all 50 states--  building new roads and bridges and delivering more affordable and reliable energy. With faster, more efficient permitting, we can unleash America's economic potential. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.

    C-SPAN’s Sam Feist, the Final Week of Campaigning and What Rural Voters Are Saying
  8. Oct 27

    One Week Out: The Races That Will Decide the Balance of Power and the Money Behind Them

    A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion waiting to move. Infrastructure projects in every state ready to go.  With permitting reform, we can build faster, lower costs, create millions of good-paying jobs and keep America competitive. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.  It’s Tuesday, October 27, one week until Election Day. On today’s 535, we look at where the key races stand and the money behind them. Shana M. Broussard, Commissioner, Acting as Chair of the Federal Election Commission, discusses campaign finance enforcement and the billions of dollars being spent in the final stretch. Kirk Bado of National Journal’s The Hotline and Jessica Taylor of the Cook Political Report break down the races that will decide the balance of power in Congress. They discuss bellwethers, recent ratings changes and what to watch on election night. If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us. Watch every interview, read the newsletter and get the podcast at 535.news. A message from our presenting sponsor, the Business Roundtable: $1.8 Trillion is parked on the sidelines.  Projects that would help create good-paying American jobs are stuck in years of burdensome reviews. Permitting reform would unlock infrastructure projects in all 50 states--  building new roads and bridges and delivering more affordable and reliable energy. With faster, more efficient permitting, we can unleash America's economic potential. Congress, it’s time to enact bipartisan permitting reform.

    One Week Out: The Races That Will Decide the Balance of Power and the Money Behind Them

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About

535 News brings you the policy of Congress, straight from Capitol Hill. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday that Congress is in session, contributors Paul Kane of The Washington Sun, Leigh Ann Caldwell and Marianna Sotomayor of Puck, Scott MacFarlane of MeidasTouch Network, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Brody Mullins, and contributing hosts and analysts Susan Davis and Colby Itkowitz sit down with members of Congress, reporters, advocates, and all the people behind the policy. These are long-form conversations about the bills, debates, and efforts shaping Washington and the country - focused on substance over spectacle. If it’s important to the 535, it’s important to us.

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