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What the Trump-Elon Breakup Means for Congress Feat. Dasha Burns

It is the feud that has consumed Washington, but what does President Trump and Elon Musk’s falling out mean for Congress’ agenda? Dasha Burns – POLITICO Playbook's Chief Correspondent, White House Bureau Chief and Host of "The Conversation” – joins Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller to discuss Musk’s rise and fall in Trumpworld and what it portends for the One Big Beautiful Bill. Plus, Dasha shares what it is like to cover this White House and how it feels to cold call the President.
 
Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller
Guest: Dasha Burns, POLITICO
Audio Producer: Benji Englander
Video Producer: Regina Andersson
 
Articles Discussed:
POLITICO: Trump, White House aides signal a possible détente with Musk
Washington Post: Republicans fume as Elon Musk complicates tax bill path
POLITICO: House Speaker says July 4 still the target for passing ‘big beautiful bill’
The Hill: Freedom Caucus warns it will ‘not accept’ Senate changes on green energy tax credits
Punchbowl: Rescissions fight looms even as reconciliation reigns
POLITICO: Rahm Emanuel wants to save the ‘weak’ and ‘woke’ Democratic Party brand

All Eyes on the Senate Feat. Burgess Everett

On a new episode of CONTROL, hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller reflect on Speaker Johnson’s latest magic act in passing the One Big Beautiful Bill before pivoting to the action in the Senate with the help of Semafor’s Congressional Bureau Chief Burgess Everett. They discuss the dynamics and personalities involved as Senators look to put their stamp on the OBBB. Can Majority Leader Thune deliver? Or will the whole thing fall apart?
 
Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller
Guest: Burgess Everett
Audio Producer: Benji Englander
Video Producer: Regina Anderson
 
Articles Discussed:
Politico: Mike Johnson urges Senate not to make major changes to megabill
Punchbowl: Thune’s turn in the reconciliation grinder
Semafor: Ron Johnson takes on Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
Politico: ‘We’re not going there': Thune vows not to overrule parliamentarian on megabill
NOTUS: White House to Send Congress a Rescission Package for Select DOGE Cuts

Mike Johnson’s Make-or-Break Moment

It’s the biggest week of Mike Johnson’s speakership, which means a trio of hosts are needed to break down all the intrigue around the One Big Beautiful Bill. Brendan Buck, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss the drama over SALT and Medicaid before previewing the upcoming, late-night rules committee hearing. Plus, is now the time for President Trump to wield his influence? And can Congress still get this done by the Fourth of July?
 
Hosts: Brendan Buck, Annalyse Keller, Mike Ricci
Producer: Benji Englander
 
Articles Discussed:
WaPo: Trump’s tax and immigration bill clears hurdle after late-night vote
Punchbowl: Another week of hard choices for Johnson
New York Times: These Are the Dueling Republican Factions Imperiling the Party’s Megabill
Politico: House GOP leaders want Trump to dissuade hard-liners on deeper Medicaid cuts
The Hill: Senate Republicans want to break up House’s Trump bill into bite-size pieces
Politico: ‘The Titanic’: Johnson predicts House’s ‘big, beautiful’ bill will sink in the Senate

Game Day in House Committees Feat. Zach Cohen

Three House Committees are teed up to consider their pieces of the "Big, Beautiful Bill," but big questions remain. Hosts Annalyse Keller and Brendan Buck discuss how moderates largely triumphed in the debate on Medicaid, what fiscal hawks have to say about that, and how the SALT issue still threatens the entire reconciliation package. After weighing on what the Senate is up to and making predictions about when all this might get wrapped up, they welcome Zach Cohen of Bloomberg Tax. Zach shares what to expect in the (long) Ways and Means markup and dives into the policy decisions that the committee has made and still needs to make before the bill comes to the floor. 
Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller
Guest: Zach Cohen
Producer: Benji Englander
Second Producer: Regina Anderson
Articles Discussed:
Punchbowl: Senate GOP leaders: House isn’t cutting enough
The Hill: GOP charges ahead despite deep divisions on Medicaid, SALT
Bloomberg: Why the SALT Deduction is Key to Trump's Tax Bill
NYTimes Opinion: The Political Tariff Trap for Republicans

The Biggest Hurdle: Medicaid 101 Feat. Jonathan Burks

With key markups delayed and internal GOP debates spilling into public view, hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller discuss the state of the “one, big, beautiful bill” – and if it will get passed at all. Then, Jonathan Burks, Executive Vice President of Economic and Health Policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center and former Chief of Staff to Speaker Ryan, joins the show to help Brendan and Annalyse get smart on all things Medicaid and offer his perspective on passing a massive tax bill.
 
Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller
Guest: Jonathan Burks
Producer: Benji Englander
 
Articles Discussed:
Punchbowl: Will Republicans ever get a reconciliation deal?
Politico: GOP leaders take more time for key megabill markup after Medicaid snags
Axios: Pressure intensifies for Medicaid decisions
Fox News: Senate Democrats predicting 'brutal' UN ambassador confirmation hearing for Mike Waltz

The Reconciliation Rubber Meets the Road

After a two-week recess, Members of Congress are returning to a packed schedule of reconciliation markups – but with deadlines already slipping, what kind of progress can the GOP make? Hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller discuss the path ahead, including timing, potential pitfalls and if moderates will stand firm in defense of Medicaid. Plus, a debate about Donald Trump’s poll numbers 100 days into his term along with some assorted political odds and ends.
 
Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller
Producer: Benji Englander
 
Articles discussed:
Politico: Mike Johnson’s tight megabill timeline is on a collision course with reality
CNN: GOP centrists borrow hardliner tactics to sway Trump agenda
Politico: White House wariness tempers GOP plans to share food-aid spending with states
The Hill: Trump’s flirtation with millionaire tax increase gets strong pushback from the right
NBC News: What the polls say about Trump's presidency at 100 days
Punchbowl: House Republican leaders eye rescissions vote in early May

Budget Battles & Backlash

All are eyes are on the House of Representatives (again). Hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller discuss the fallout from the Senate passing the budget resolution and gauge its chances in the House. Can Speaker Johnson quell the rising complaints among the Republican Conference and keep the reconciliation process moving forward? Plus, after days of tariff-induced market turmoil, is now the time Congressional Republicans stand up to President Trump? At the end, the rise and fall of the proxy voting discharge petition.
 
Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller
Producer: Benji Englander
 
Articles Discussed:
CNN: Senate GOP adopts budget blueprint to advance Trump agenda as spending fight consumes Capitol Hill
NBC News: Some House Republicans voice opposition to the Senate's newly adopted budget for Trump's agenda
POLITICO: House GOP leaders vow to push forward with budget vote
The Hill: 7 GOP senators sign on to bill to check Trump’s trade authority
NYT: Johnson Reaches Agreement to Kill Proxy Voting Proposal in the House

Another Make or Break Week for the GOP Feat. Laura Weiss

It is another make or break week for Congressional Republicans as the Senate tees up a vote on a budget resolution. Hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller are joined by Punchbowl News’ Laura Weiss to answer some big questions about the reconciliation debate. Is the new timeline feasible? How will the two chambers handle different budget instructions? And will the Senate overrule the parliamentarian if need be?
 
Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller
Guest: Laura Weiss
Producer: Benji Englander
 
Articles Discussed:
Punchbowl: The big moments this week that will define Republicans’ tax plans
Politico: Senate GOP to start moving budget plan as soon as Wednesday
Politico: ‘Never been done’: Why Republicans might approve a budget whose numbers don’t match up
New York Times: A Special Election That Was Supposed to Be a Snoozer Is Suddenly Buzzing
NBC News: Inside Trump's shock decision to pull the plug on Elise Stefanik's nomination

Reconciliation Heats up and Democrats Melt Down, Feat. Liam Donovan

The House and Senate return following the passage of a CR, and the next thing on the table is a return to budget reconciliation negotiations. Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller are joined by Liam Donovan, senior political strategist at Bracewell, to talk about where discussions stand, what obstacles remain, and how long this thing may take. Plus what happened with the Democrats on the CR vote, the firestorm its created, and how they try to move forward. 
 
Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller
Guest: Liam Donovan
Producer: Benji Englander
Second producer: Regina Anderson
 
Articles Mentioned:
Axios: Behind the Curtain: Dems' dark, deep hole
Axios: "They hate us": Democrats confront their own Tea Party
The New York Times Opinion: There’s a Price for Promising What Isn’t Possible in Congress
The Atlantic: The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans

Will Republicans Avoid a Shutdown? Feat. Nicholas Wu

With government funding set to run out in a matter of days, Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller are joined by POLITICO congressional reporter Nicholas Wu to assess the shutdown state-of-play. They discuss if Speaker Johnson can muster the votes for a CR, the differing strategies of House and Senate Democrats, and what the censure of Al Green portends for the final vote tally. Plus, what Democrats will discuss at their retreat as they look for a way out of the wilderness.
 
Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller
Guest: Nicholas Wu
Producer: Benji Englander
 
Articles Discussed:
NBC News: GOP-led Congress races to avert government shutdown ahead of Friday deadline
Politico: House Dems still offer no promises to help GOP avoid shutdown
Axios: Senate Democrats warm to helping GOP avoid government shutdown
Politico: Al Green censured for joint session outburst
Politico: House Democrats set to hear from governors, pollsters and more at issues conference