America in Brief

US Government Nears Shutdown as Senate Rejects Funding Bill

A government shutdown is in the air after the U.S. Senate rejected an emergency congressional budget bill on Sept. 19, which would last through late November. As of now, both parties are struggling to come to an agreement before the Sept. 30 deadline.

The bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), is a temporary spending measure that sets a rough spending plan until Nov. 21, when Congress is expected to vote on a more thorough plan for the year.

Emergency spending votes are common in Congress, where disagreements on spending often occur across both sides of the aisle.

This year, a fourth CR was voted on in March, which is uncommon, but happened due to post-election seat shifts in the House and partisan disagreements.

The Department of Government Efficiency, which was created at the beginning of the year, also played a hand in spending disagreements due to recommending large cutbacks.

Department of Education Brings Back Civics to Schools

The Education Department is bringing civics back to schools across the nation, in partnership with more than 40 conservative organizations, which will create a program celebrating the United States’ 250th Anniversary.

The America 250 Civics Education Coalition, which was announced on Sept. 17 as a “landmark initiative,” is dedicated to restoring patriotism, strengthening civic knowledge, and rediscovering America’s founding principles in the education system.

“We are proud to announce this coalition to ensure every young American understands the beauty of our nation and is equipped with the civic knowledge required to contribute meaningfully to its future,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in a press release.

America First Policy Institute, Turning Point USA, and Hillsdale College are included in the partnership.

US Announces Deal to Reign in TikTok

A deal has been reached between the United States and China to bring TikTok’s algorithm and data security under U.S. control, following a period of anticipation that nearly led to the app being banned in the United States.

Congress put TikTok under scrutiny in 2024, leading to a Federal Court giving the app’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, an ultimatum to either sell TikTok’s operations or face a ban.

The deal was announced following a phone call between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Sept. 19, where China agreed to sell its operations to U.S. investors.

Federal prosecutors had argued that TikTok creates a serious national security threat owing to its access to 170 million Americans’ data.

Judge Throws out Trump’s New York Times Defamation Case

A Florida judge has thrown out President Donald Trump’s case against The New York Times.

District Judge Steve Merryday said that the multimillion-dollar defamation lawsuit was in violation of court rules in that it lacked clear legal claims.

Trump had filed a $15 billion lawsuit on Sept. 15 against the New York Times and its reporters over articles and books that they published during the height of the 2024 election, claiming they meant “actual malice, calculated to inflict maximum damage” in an effort to undermine his presidential campaign.

Merryday has given Trump 28 days to amend the lawsuit.