GOOD MORNING

I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI

IT’S THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2025, AND THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES:

A BUDGET BATTLE IN WASHINGTON, AS REPUBLICANS TRY TO PUSH THROUGH A SPENDING PLAN TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT RUNNING.  WHY ITS A HEAVY LIFT IN THE U.S. SENATE AND WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS NO DEAL.

ALSO, MISSION SCRUBBED. THE ATTEMPT TO BRING TWO STRANDED AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS, HOME,  FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TAKES A DISAPPOINTING TURN.  WHEN THEY MIGHT TRY AGAIN TO LAUNCH FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. 

HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE URGING THEIR SENATE COUNTERPARTS TO REJECT A REPUBLICAN BILL. THAT WOULD KEEP THE federal GOVERNMENT FROM SHUTTING DOWN, IN LESS THAN 48 HOURS.

THE MEASURE JUST BARELY PASSED IN THE HOUSE TUESDAY, WITH NO SUPPORT FROM DEMOCRATS.  

IN ORDER TO MAKE IT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DESK,  IN TIME TO KEEP SOME PARTS OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM CLOSING, REPUBLICANS NEED TO GET TO SIXTY SUPPORTERS.

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS REPORTER LAUREN TAYLOR THE DETAILS ON WHAT IS NOW, A  SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN.

THE SENATE’S DEMOCRATIC LEADER, CHUCK SCHUMER OF NEW YORK, SAID ON THE SENATE FLOOR WEDNESDAY — 

THE HOUSE’S STOPGAP BILL – WHICH THE HOUSE PASSED TUESDAY AND WOULD FUND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH VOTES IN THE SENATE. 

“FUNDING THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE A BI-PARTISAN EFFORT….”

IF CONGRESS DOES NOT PASS A CONTINUING RESOLUTION BY 11:59 PM FRIDAY, THE GOVERNMENT WILL SHUTDOWN.

THIS MEANS MANY NON-ESSENTIAL FEDERAL WORKERS WILL EITHER BE SENT HOME OR WORK WITH NO PAY.

ESSENTIAL SERVICES WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE — LIKE NATIONAL SECURITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. 

CERTAIN GOVERNMENT SERVICES MAY BE DISRUPTED OR HALTED.

NATIONAL PARKS, MUSEUMS, AND SOME FEDERAL OFFICES MAY CLOSE — WHILE OTHERS MAY OPERATE WITH LIMITED STAFFING.

HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON APPEARED ON FOX NEWS’ “FOX AND FRIENDS” PROGRAM WEDNESDAY MORNING.

“CHUCK SCHUMER HAS A BIG DECISION TO MAKE. IS HE GOING TO CAST A VOTE TO KEEP…”

SPEAKER JOHNSON SENT HOUSE MEMBERS HOME AFTER THE CHAMBER PASSED THE STOPGAP BILL —

AND THEY’RE NOT SCHEDULED BACK ON CAPITOL HILL UNTIL MARCH 24. 

REPUBLICANS CONTROL 53 SENATE SEATS AND WOULD NEED SEVEN SENATE DEMOCRATS TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF

THEIR CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT FUNDED.

SOME DEMOCRATS HAVE ALSO VOICED CONCERNS THAT SUPPORTING THE BILL WOULD SET A BAD PRECEDENT BY EFFECTIVELY TELLING HOUSE REPUBLICANS THEY CAN WRITE GOVERNMENT FUNDING MEASURES **WITHOUT** DEMOCRATIC INPUT.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS U-S OFFICIALS ARE HEADED TO RUSSIA TO DISCUSS A POSSIBLE CEASEFIRE DEAL WITH UKRAINE.

THIS COMES AS RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN MADE A SURPRISE VISIT TO RUSSIA’S KURSK REGION — PARTS OF WHICH HAVE BEEN UNDER UKRAINE’S CONTROL SINCE AN INCURSION LAST YEAR.

WHILE THERE, Putin TOLD TROOPS ON THE FRONT LINE MOSCOW’S GOAL IS TO QUOTE “COMPLETELY LIBERATE” THE REGION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

EARLIER THIS WEEK,  UKRAINE AGREED TO A 30-DAY CEASEFIRE PLAN PROPOSED BY THE trump administration.

NOW, PUTIN MUST DECIDE WHETHER RUSSIA WILL ACCEPT THE DEAL.

A KREMLIN SPOKESPERSON SAID WEDNESDAY THAT the russian leader  IS QUOTE “CAREFULLY STUDYING” THE PROPOSAL AND A PHONE CALL BETWEEN PUTIN AND TRUMP IS POSSIBLE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP DID NOT SAY WHICH OF HIS ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS HE has sent TO MOSCOW.

THE HEAD OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR AN AGGRESSIVE ROLLBACK OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS NATIONWIDE — PROMISING TO PUT QUOTE “A DAGGER THROUGH THE HEART OF CLIMATE-CHANGE RELIGION.”

ON WEDNESDAY — ADMINISTRATOR LEE ZELDIN SAID,  IN BOTH A WALL STREET JOURNAL ESSAY AND AN OFFICIAL E-P-A NEWS RELEASE, HE INTENDS TO RECONSIDER MORE THAN A DOZEN CORE E-P-A RULES AND REGULATIONS,  INCLUDING SOME ON VEHICLE EMISSIONS STANDARDS AND POLLUTION FROM POWER PLANTS.

HE ALSO PLEDGED A REVIEW OF THE FINDING THAT PROVIDES THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE ROLLBACKS MUST FIRST GO THROUGH A LENGTHY PROCESS THAT INCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT — BUT ZELDIN SAYS, IF APPROVED, THE MOVES WILL ELIMINATE **TRILLIONS** OF DOLLARS IN REGULATORY COSTS AND “HIDDEN TAXES.”

HE SAYS THE PLANNED ACTIONS might CUT,  THE COST OF LIVING FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES AND REDUCE PRICES FOR SUCH ESSENTIALS as BUYING A CAR, HEATING YOUR HOME AND RUNNING A BUSINESS.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS NOW REQUIRING CANADIAN VISITORS WHO STAY IN THE U.S. LONGER THAN 30 DAYS TO REGISTER WITH THE GOVERNMENT.

ACCORDING TO A new rule UPLOADED WEDNESDAY TO THE FEDERAL REGISTER — THOSE OLDER THAN 14 WILL ALSO NEED TO APPLY FOR FINGERPRINTING WITH AUTHORITIES… TIGHTENING A LAW THAT ALREADY EXISTED, BUT CANADIANS ARE USUALLY EXEMPT FROM.

ON HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE — PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER REQUIRING ALL PREVIOUSLY UNREGISTERED FOREIGN NATIONALS COMPLY WITH THE LAW.

UNDER THE ORDER, THOSE WHO DO NOT COMPLY WILL BE QUOTE “TREATED AS A CIVIL AND CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT PRIORITY.”

DISAPPOINTMENT THIS MORNING ON THE GROUND AND IN SPACE,  LAST NIGHT,  SPACEX HAD TO DELAY A FLIGHT TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TO bring home TWO AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS WHO HAVE BEEN STUCK THERE FOR NINE MONTHS. 

THE SPACECRAFT WAS SET TO takeoff Wednesday FROM CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA, WHEN MANAGERS SCRUBBED THE LAUNCH AFTER CONCERNS OR PROBLEMS WITH THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM.   The new crew OF FOUR, WILL REPLACE Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams ON THE I-S-S.

THE FALCON ROCKET LIFTOFF MIGHT NOW TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAY FROM THE Kennedy Space Center.

LAST NIGHT, THE COUNTDOWN CLOCK WAS ALREADY TICKING WHEN ENGINEERS EVALUATED THE HYDRAULICS, USED TO RELEASE ONE OF THE  TWO ARMS,  clamping the rocket to its support structure.  The structure needs to **tilt back**,  before liftoff.

SPACEX THEN CANCELED THE LIFTOFF WITH LESS THAN ONE HOUR TO GO.

ASTRONAUTS  FROM THE U.S., Japan and Russia will replace Wilmore and Williams, the American TEST PILOTS who HAVE BEEN STUCK on the space station SINCE JUNE, AFTER THE BOEING STARLINER EXPERIENCED MAJOR BREAKDOWNS AND HAD to RETURN TO EARTH, EMPTY.  

SPACEX HAS TAKEN OVER THE RETURN LEG.  

A TRIP THAT WAS TO LAST A WEEK FOR WILMORE AND WILLIAMS HAS TURNED INTO A MONTH TO MONTH SAGA ON HOW TO GET THEM HOME. 

FINALLY THIS MORNING — AS SELECTION SUNDAY NEARS, THE BUBBLE IS ABOUT TO BURST FOR TEAMS HOPING TO MAKE it INTO THE NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS,  KNOWN AS  MARCH MADNESS.

 AS MILLIONS OF AMERICANS GET READY TO FILL OUT THEIR BRACKETS, OR IN MANY CASES,  A BUNCH OF THEM. IT’S BECOMING COMMON TO NOT ONLY PLAY FOR FUN,  AT THE OFFICE,  BUT TO ALSO –  BET AND TRY TO **WIN BIG**.  NOW, FEDERAL LAWMAKERS ARE LOOKING TO PROTECT THEM FROM GETTING IN TOO DEEP.

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT RAY BOGAN EXPLAINS HOW.

March Madness is less than a week away and if it’s anything like last year, Americans will place more than $2.5 billion in bets on the tournament. That’s why two members of Congress introduced the SAFE Bet Act, a bill to regulate online sports betting which they hope will save vulnerable Americans from addiction and financial turmoil.

“It’s important to balance public health with competing economic interests. Trust me, I understand that. But when every single solitary moment of every sporting event across the globe has become a betting opportunity in the palm of your hand, government must put its duty to protect its citizens from harm first.”

The SAFE Bet Act would require states offering sports betting to ensure operators meet minimum federal standards in three categories: marketing, affordability and artificial intelligence. 

Sports books can’t run ads during live sporting events, and can’t run programs designed to induce gambling like bonuses or odds boosts. 

Operators are prohibited from accepting more than five deposits from a customer in a 24-hour period.

Operators are required to conduct affordability checks before betting $1,000 in 24 hours or $10,000 in 30 days. 

Credit card deposits will no longer be accepted.

Prohibits the use of AI to track gambling habits and offer individualized promotions.

Prohibits the use of AI to create gambling products, like microbets.

Bans prop bets on college and amateur sports.

Creates a national self-exclusion list through which people can voluntarily bar themselves from gambling.

The bill’s sponsors say it’s necessary because the amount of money Americans lose on bets increases every year. In 2024, the sports gambling industry made $14 billion in revenue. 

“The reality is that $14 billion in revenue for the gambling industry is $14 billion extracted from the pockets of everyday Americans,” Tonko said. “And the even greater concern and the even greater reality is that most of that revenue is made off of the suffering of a disproportionately small number of gamblers.”

Gambling is considered an addictive product.

According to the Mayo Clinic, gambling can stimulate the brain’s reward system much like drugs or alcohol, leading to addiction. 

Andrew Douglas is one of the estimated 7 million people in the U.S. who have a gambling problem or disorder. He began betting in college –– bets his father described as small and innocent. However, Douglas’ gambling got so out of hand that he tried to take his own life on May 27, 2024. 

“Gambling addiction had a hold of me and had taken me to the darkest hole that I could ever imagine. For years and years, constantly being targeted and no way to escape the advertising, the offers, the predatory and targeted business practices.” 

Although he’s now in recovery, Douglas’ addiction is still a source of pain for his family.

“This addiction was hidden from us because it can be done on a telephone at any hour of the day and night. There’s virtually no way to reach a safe time or place away from the possibilities of making a bet.” 

The lawmakers say they do not want to stop sports betting. Rather, they are accusing the sports betting industry of exploiting addiction and purposefully driving people deeper into gambling abuse disorder.

“It’s a science. The algorithms, the artificial intelligence, are all tools to drive pitches and promotions at the losers, the most vulnerable, the people who are most susceptible to this addiction.”

The bill was introduced last year but it did not pass before the congressional term ended. Lawmakers are now starting the process again and have until January 2026 to get it approved.