Daily Briefing: The government is open today
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A temporary deal reached by Congress in a shocking, last-minute twist keeps government funding at current levels until Nov. 17. Also in the news: The Chiefs-Jets Sunday night game had all the drama and we were "ready for it." The Supreme Court is back for a new term that's destined to touch on a number of hotbed issues from abortion pills to gun rights to social media censorship.
🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Say goodbye to the pandas.
Here are Monday's top stories.
Government funding deal averts shutdown, but kicks the can down the road
Congress successfully averted a government shutdown on Saturday after lawmakers made no progress on keeping the government's doors open for weeks on end.
The legislation staves off a costly government shutdown while lawmakers try to negotiate a longer-term solution.
Americans can be relieved for the moment without a potential shutdown looming over the country, which could have furloughed hundreds of thousands of federal employees, delayed food assistance programs and more.
While the deal, called a continuing resolution, received overwhelming bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, itdidn’t leave everyone happy. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy now faces an immediate threat from conservative hardliners to oust him from the speakership.
Meanwhile, Democrats suggested they forced McCarthy's hand. But House Democrats didn't get everything they wanted. They ultimately ended up supporting the bill to keep the government open, even if it meant punting Ukraine aid to a separate vote.
Related: President Joe Biden was quick to assure the Kyiv government that U.S. support remains steadfast.
It's Taylor Swift's NFL and we're all watching
Taylor Swift? Aaron Rodgers with crutches? Deadpool, Ant-Man and Wolverine? Zach Wilson outperforming Patrick Mahomes? A 17-0 lead in the first quarter? A major comeback? A three-point victory that comes down to the wire? Sunday night's showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets had it all. And it was game over when quarterback Patrick Mahomes could have scored a touchdown. Instead, he slid down at the two-yard line, good enough for a first down and cinching a 23-20 win. Read more
Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes set the NFL record for the fastest to reach 200 TD passes.
32 things we learned in NFL Week 4: 49ers standing above the rest of the competition.
Taylor Swift's ''open invitation'' from the NFL: A Hail Mary pass to Gen Z and female fans.
NFL in London highlights: How Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars topped Falcons in Week 4 victory.
More news to know now
Jimmy Carter is the longest-living U.S. president.
What happened with Rep. Jamaal Bowman pulling a Capitol Hill fire alarm?
UAW's strike expanded with calls for an additional 7,000 Ford and GM workers to walk off the job.
For subscribers: Michigan has become a dumping ground for the country's most dangerous chemicals.
On today's 5 Things podcast, why Vladimir Putin may hope Donald Trump wins reelection. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.
What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Emily’s List President Laphonza Butler to fill late Sen. Dianne Feinstein's seat
California Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint Laphonza Butler to fill the vacant seat left by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who passed away Friday at age 90, the governor's spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY. Butler is the first Black woman and mother to lead Emily’s List, an organization that helps Democratic women win elections. She was also an adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris and is a former union organizer. The terms of her appointment mean Butler could join the candidates vying for Feinstein's seat next year. Read more
Known for working across the aisle while championing progressive causes, Feinstein was the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein and her life in photos.
Gun rights, fisherman and an ethics hangover: The Supreme Court is back
The Supreme Court kicks off a nine-month term Monday that will thrust the justices into partisan quagmires over guns, social media and the Biden administration's power to make decisions without Congress. But as the justices step into the ornate courtroom to hear oral arguments for the first time in months, they'll be confronting more than the usual docket full of controversies: They'll also be wrestling with persistent questions about ethics and foreign travel that polls show have undermined Americans' faith in the institution. Read more
These two moms lost sons to opioids. Now they’re on opposite sides at the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court takes on social media: First Amendment fight over "censorship" is on the docket
Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined the bench of Supreme Court justices honored with a postage stamp.
Quick hits
Consumers spent $214 billion on summer travel, setting a new record.
Week 5 college football winners, losers: Bowers powered Georgia while Central Florida melted down.
Simone Biles's history-making Yurchenko double pike will be named after her.
What is ''Brotox''?
Be gone, porch thieves.
America can prevent (and control) Type 2 diabetes. So why aren’t we doing it?
Type 2 diabetes, in which the body can’t properly regulate blood sugar, has become so common it’s almost considered inconsequential. More than 1 in 10 Americans have the disease (though many don't know it) and another nearly 4 in 10 are at risk for it. The most frustrating aspect of Type 2 diabetes, experts say, is that it has long been largely preventable and controllable. To better understand why, USA TODAY's health team traveled across the country, talking to researchers, clinicians and patients. They found people with diabetes often must fend for themselves against systemic barriers and a difficult disease. Explore the series
Photo of the day: Harvard inaugurates Claudine Gay, the university's first Black president
Harvard University inaugurated Claudine Gay as its 30th president — the first person of color and second woman to lead the Ivy League institution. In her inaugural address, Gay said “Our stories — and the stories of the many trailblazers between us — are linked by this institution’s long history of exclusion and the long journey of resistance and resilience to overcome it." Read more
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.
Associated Press contributed reporting.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Government shutdown, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, NFL, Dianne Feinstein, Supreme Court, diabetes, Harvard: Daily Briefing
