David Sherfinski
Articles by David Sherfinski
GOP claims victory in fight over ICE detention powers
They struck a deal in principle. Now begins the arguing over what it actually means. Published February 12, 2019
Government shutdown deal reached, Richard Shelby says
The Senate's top spending negotiator said Monday night that Republicans and Democrats have reached an agreement in principle on a new deal to avert a partial government shutdown. Published February 11, 2019
Congressional leaders to meet Monday, hope to jump-start stalled spending talks
Four leading congressional negotiators are scheduled to meet Monday afternoon in hopes of jump-starting stalled talks over border security funding, as lawmakers race to avert another shutdown ahead of a Feb. 15 deadline. Published February 11, 2019
3D-printed gun blueprint website owner sues New Jersey attorney general in free speech challenge
The man behind a website devoted to sharing online blueprints for 3D-printed gun is suing the attorney general of New Jersey, after being alerted that the activity was violating a new gun control law. Published February 10, 2019
House Dems push restrictions of Trump asylum policies
Democrats are pushing for the package of spending bills Congress is writing to include language that would block the Trump administration from tightening the bar on those seeking asylum. Published February 8, 2019
ICE, shut out of border talks, warns Democrats’ plans would free thousands of criminals
A briefer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stood outside the closed-door meeting Wednesday while negotiators working on a homeland security spending deal heard from border experts, who made their pitch for a border wall. The ICE briefer never made it in the room, an administration official said. Published February 7, 2019
Democrats signal openness to border barriers as second government shutdown looms
Top Democrats are now signaling they're open to some kind of enhanced physical barrier along the southern border, raising chances for a spending deal to avert another government shutdown next week. Published February 6, 2019
Nancy Pelosi: Trump line about partisan investigations was a ‘threat’
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday said she viewed President Trump's line in his State of the Union Address slamming "ridiculous partisan investigations" as a "threat." Published February 6, 2019
Border wall emergency declaration missing from Donald Trump pitch at State of the Union
Even as President Trump argued the case for his border wall Tuesday, one thing was missing -- the emergency declaration that would allow him to leapfrog over lawmakers and build the barrier even without Congress's approval. Published February 5, 2019
Austin Jones’ Atlas Arms to offer armor-penetrating ‘cop-killer’ bullets
An engineer says he is on the cusp of developing legal armor-penetrating ammunition that skirts a 1986 law intended to ban "cop-killer" bullets -- and that he plans to eventually turn over the plans to the public along the lines of what others have done with blueprints for 3D-printed firearms. Published February 5, 2019
Congressional negotiators to hear from border patrol professionals Wednesday
Negotiators working on a homeland security funding bill are scheduled to receive a closed-door briefing from border patrol agents Wednesday about the experts' experiences protecting the U.S.-Mexico border. Published February 5, 2019
Republicans aim high with border security spending package
Republicans working on a new border security deal say they want to "go big" and aim for a universal deal that would solve not only the immediate shutdown threat but also a looming debt-limit fight and spending caps that are poised to bite in October. Published January 31, 2019
Democrats’ border security plan takes fire from the left
An influential group of immigration activists lashed out at Democrats on Thursday, saying the party's new border security plan is still too cruel toward illegal immigrants and should instead focus on granting citizenship rights. Published January 31, 2019
Nancy Pelosi rules out money for border wall in spending legislation
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday downgraded her ante on border wall money from $1 to zero dollars, putting chances for a homeland security spending deal even further out of reach. Published January 31, 2019
Democrats’ border security counteroffer doesn’t include wall funding — yet
House Democrats revealed the outlines of their border security counteroffer Wednesday, saying they will pump money into stopping drugs and providing care for illegal immigrants -- including cutting the number of detention beds to hold them for deportation. Published January 30, 2019
Lawmakers kick off negotiations on border security as deadline looms
Lawmakers tasked with finding a compromise on border security funding officially kicked off talks at a public meeting Wednesday at the Capitol, saying they're determined to strike a deal ahead of the next government funding deadline of Feb. 15. Published January 30, 2019
White House won’t release Trump’s 2020 budget blueprint next week
The White House is going to miss the statutory deadline for the president to submit his annual budget proposal to Congress, as federal agencies grind back into gear following the longest-ever federal government shutdown. Published January 29, 2019
Dem spending priorities could spike deficit to near $7 trillion: GOP
Democrats' expansive agenda of universal health care and tuition-free college could send the federal deficit soaring from $1 trillion to nearly $7 trillion a year by the end of the next decade, House Republicans said Tuesday, erecting a fiscal roadblock to liberals' priorities. Published January 29, 2019
Donald Trump vows shutdown or national emergency if border funding fails
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Sunday that President Trump is prepared to orchestrate another shutdown or declare a national emergency to secure funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall if Congress can't strike a security deal by the new funding deadline of Feb. 15. Published January 27, 2019
House Democrats pass waivers for new 72-hour reading legislation rule
Less than a month after officially retaking the majority, House Democrats already are passing waivers for their new requirement to give members at least 72 hours to read legislation. Published January 27, 2019
