Crude oil output in the U.S.-regulated areas of the Gulf of Mexico has been cut by almost 59 percent, or 1.1 million barrels per day, because of Tropical Storm Barry.

The U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) also estimated that natural gas production has been reduced by about 49 percent, or about 1.4 million cubic feet per day.

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Oil producers have shut production on 257 platforms, which make up 38 percent of the platforms in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Eleven dynamic positioning drilling rigs were moved out of the storm’s path and 10 other drilling rigs were evacuated. 

President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump boasts that Kim Jong Un ‘was so happy to see me’ Romney defends Paul Ryan: ‘The fault for our 2012 loss is mine alone’ Trump declares emergency over Tropical Storm Barry MORE on Friday declared an emergency in Louisiana as Barry approaches the state, ordering federal assistance to supplement state and local efforts ahead of the impending storm.

The National Hurricane Center on Friday tweeted that “hazardous conditions” would arrive with the storm, and the New Orleans branch of the National Weather Service wrote that there was a “significant flood threat.”

New Orleans has already experienced flooding ahead of the storm’s landfall.

“This is going to be a Louisiana event with coastal flooding and widespread, heavy rainfall potentially impacting every part of the state,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said in a statement.

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Former special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerTop Republican considered Mueller subpoena to box in Democrats Kamala Harris says her Justice Dept would have ‘no choice’ but to prosecute Trump for obstruction Dem committees win new powers to investigate Trump MORE will give extended testimony when he appears before Congress on July 24, one week later than originally anticipated, the Democratic chairmen of the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees announced Friday.

Mueller has agreed to testify for three hours before the Judiciary panel, allowing all members the opportunity to question him. He was previously scheduled to testify July 17 under subpoena, but his appearance was to be limited to approximately two hours per committee, meaning some Judiciary members would not get a chance to ask questions.

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“We are pleased to announce that Special Counsel Mueller will provide additional public testimony when he appears before our committees. At his request, we have agreed to postpone the hearing for one week, until July 24, at which time Mr. Mueller will appear in public before the House Judiciary Committee followed by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence,” Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold NadlerJerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerHouse Democrats request briefing on Epstein, Acosta Nadler apologized after repeatedly calling Hope Hicks ‘Ms. Lewandowski’ at hearing Hope Hicks: Trump campaign felt ‘relief’ after WikiLeaks released damaging info about Hillary Clinton MORE (D-N.Y.) and Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffMueller to give extended testimony after appearance postponed Mueller testimony likely to be delayed for one week Democrats’ opposition research got exposed — this time, not by the Russians MORE (D-Calif.) said in a statement.

The Judiciary panel will convene at 8:30 a.m. on July 24 to hear Mueller’s testimony on his two-year investigation into Russian interference and potential obstruction of justice by President TrumpDonald John TrumpIn 1710 the Brits impeached an orange-haired populist — It did not go well Philadelphia mayor posts photo of Rapinoe atop City Hall: ‘Equal pay now!’ Social media summit highlights partisan approaches on tech MORE, the chairmen said. After a brief break, Mueller will testify at noon before the Intelligence panel.

“All members — Democrats and Republicans — of both committees will have a meaningful opportunity to question the Special Counsel in public, and the American people will finally have an opportunity to hear directly from Mr. Mueller about what his investigation uncovered,” Nadler and Schiff said.

The Hill reported earlier Friday that Democrats were negotiating a new agreement for Mueller’s testimony that would allow more time for members to question him in exchange for a delay in his appearance.

Earlier this week, lawmakers on the Judiciary panel were fretting over the limited questioning time. Under the initial agreement, only 22 lawmakers on each committee would have been able to question him on July 17, leaving several Democrats and Republicans on the 41-person Judiciary panel without a chance to speak.

Republicans used a markup on Thursday to criticize Nadler over the agreement and accuse him of ceding time to lawmakers on the Intelligence panel when Judiciary has jurisdiction over the Justice Department.

Some Democrats have also conceded there were frustrations over the format but did not take issue with Nadler directly.

The announcement of the new agreement and format came late Friday, hours after lawmakers left Washington for the weekend. They are slated to return to work on Capitol Hill on Monday.

Rep. Doug CollinsDouglas (Doug) Allen CollinsMueller to give extended testimony after appearance postponed House passes bill to reauthorize funding for 9/11 victims Mueller testimony likely to be delayed for one week MORE (Ga.), the Judiciary Committee’s top Republican, signaled in a statement late Friday that he was pleased with the new format.

“I appreciate news the chairman has taken seriously the concerns Judiciary Republicans raised this week. The new format will allow all Judiciary Republicans to question the special counsel on July 24,” Collins said.

The announcement also means that Mueller will testify publicly just days before lawmakers embark on a weeks-long summer recess.

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House Democrats have long sought Mueller’s public testimony about his Russia investigation and are eager to drill down on contacts between members of the Trump campaign and Russia that were detailed in Mueller’s 448-page report, along with several episodes of potential obstruction by Trump.

Mueller, who kept painstakingly quiet throughout the investigation, signaled in rare public remarks in May that he did not want to testify before Congress and would not go beyond the details laid out in his report in any public appearance.

After weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, Nadler and Schiff announced late last month that Mueller would testify publicly pursuant to a subpoena.

Mueller’s Capitol Hill appearance promises many fireworks, allowing Democrats an opportunity to highlight the more unsavory details about Trump’s conduct detailed in Mueller’s report and giving Republicans a chance to grill the man behind a probe that dogged Trump throughout his first two years in the White House.

Mueller’s investigation ensnared a handful of Trump associates on false statements and other charges but did not find sufficient evidence to establish a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

Mueller also did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump obstructed the investigation itself. Attorney General William BarrWilliam Pelham BarrMueller to give extended testimony after appearance postponed The facts on Trump’s order on counting citizens — and what to expect now Trump declares Gorka ‘wins big’ after clash with reporters in Rose Garden MORE has judged the evidence to be insufficient to accuse Trump of criminal wrongdoing — a move Democrats have ripped.

Trump, who consistently and publicly derided Mueller’s investigation as a “witch hunt,” has seized on the conclusions as vindicating him of allegations of “collusion” with Russia and obstruction of justice. 

A federal appeals court on Friday blocked Trump administration rules that would allow employers to deny workers insurance coverage for birth control due to religious or moral objections.

The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision to block the rules from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), siding with the Democratic attorneys general of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The agency is expected to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) hailed the ruling on Friday as a “legal win” for access to birth control across the country.

Louise Melling, the deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), applauded the court for its decision, calling the rules “discriminatory.”

“Yet another court has stopped this administration from sanctioning discrimination under the guise of religion or morality,” Melling wrote in a statement. “The Trump administration’s rules authorized employers and universities to strip women of birth control coverage — a benefit guaranteed to them by law, and meant to advance their health and equality. We applaud the order to enjoin the enforcement of these discriminatory rules.”

The Trump administration’s rules, which were issued last fall, aimed to exempt employers from an Obama-era mandate that required employers to offer contraceptive health care coverage to employees with no co-pay.

Various religious groups, charitable organizations and other opponents of abortion rights had taken issue with the ObamaCare mandate.

Department of Justice spokeswoman Kelly Laco decried the ruling Friday, telling Reuters that “religious organizations should not be forced to violate their mission and deeply-held beliefs.”

A new North Korean Constitution names Kim Jong UnKim Jong UnStephen King says Trump’s presidency is ‘scarier’ than his novels Trump boasts that Kim Jong Un ‘was so happy to see me’ New North Korea constitution names Kim head of state, possible step toward peace US peace treaty MORE the country’s head of state and military commander in chief, which some see as a possible step toward a peace treaty with the U.S. 

The new constitution, unveiled Thursday, named Kim the chairman of the State Affairs Commission and called him “the supreme representative of all the Korean people”, according to Reuters. 

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He was called “supreme leader” commanding North Korea’s “overall military force” in a past constitution.

“Kim had dreamed of becoming the president of North Korea and he effectively made it come true,” Kim Dong-yup, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Far East Institute in Seoul, South Korea, told Reuters. “He has long sought to shake off the abnormal military-first policy the country has stuck to for a long time.”

Hong Min, a senior researcher of the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, told the wire service that the change could be preparation for a peace treaty with the U.S. 

“The amendment may well be a chance to establish Kim’s status as the signer of a peace treaty when it comes, while projecting the image of the country as a normal state,” Hong said.

North Korea has previously called for a peace deal with the U.S. to normalize relations. The Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, so the countries have been in a technical state of war. 

Denuclearization talks between the two countries are expected to take place this month.

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reportedly approved a roughly $5 billion settlement with Facebook following its investigation into the company’s handling of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the largest the FTC has ever imposed for privacy violations.

The Wall Street Journal, citing a person familiar with the matter, reported Friday that the FTC voted along party lines this week to approve the settlement, closing the investigation into the Cambridge Analytica incident.

The vote was 3-2, with Republicans in the majority approving the deal, according to the Journal.

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The investigation was launched in March 2018 after reports that data from tens of millions of Facebook users was shared with the outside firm Cambridge Analytica. The agency had focused on whether Facebook violated a 2011 consent agreement with the FTC requiring greater privacy protections and transparency for users.

The New York Times reported that Facebook would have to submit to greater oversight under the settlement but there would not be any restrictions on its data collection practices.

The FTC and Facebook both declined to comment. According to the Journal, the settlement now heads to the Department of Justice for review.

Facebook told investors earlier this year that it expected to pay between $3 billion and $5 billion to settle the investigation.

That admission worried the company’s biggest critics, including members of Congress, who argued that any sum in that range would hardly make a dent in Facebook’s bottom line and that the agency needed to impose severe penalties in order to change its behavior.

After the Journal published its story, Rep. David CicillineDavid Nicola CicillineDemocrats struggle to quell infighting Democratic leaders seek balance amid liberal push to go big on immigration Hillicon Valley: Appeals court rules Trump can’t block people on Twitter | Tech giants to testify in House antitrust investigation | DHS set for grilling over facial recognition tech | Commerce to allow sales to Huawei MORE (D-R.I.), who’s leading an antitrust investigation into Facebook and other Silicon Valley giants, blasted the reported settlement.

“The FTC just gave Facebook a Christmas present five months early,” Cicilline said in a statement. “It’s very disappointing that such an enormously powerful company that engaged in such serious misconduct is getting a slap on the wrist. This fine is a fraction of Facebook’s annual revenue. It won’t make them think twice about their responsibility to protect user data.”

“If the FTC won’t protect consumers, Congress surely must,” he added.

Though the fine represents the largest handed down by the FTC for privacy violations, it amounts to a fraction of the $55 billion in revenue Facebook generated last year.

In May, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleyStephen King says Trump’s presidency is ‘scarier’ than his novels Hillicon Valley: Trump rails against ‘terrible bias’ at White House social media summit | Twitter hit by hour-long outage | Google admits workers listen to smart device recordings Trump rails against ‘terrible bias’ at social media summit MORE (R-Mo.) wrote to the FTC saying that the sum Facebook expected to pay would be a “bargain” for the nearly $600 billion company and that the agency should consider holding individual executives responsible.

“Even a fine in the billions is simply a write-down for the company, and large penalties have done little to deter large tech firms,” the bipartisan duo wrote. “If the FTC is seen as traffic police handing out speeding tickets companies profiting off breaking the law, then Facebook and other will continue to push the boundaries.”

The Journal reported that the settlement will include “government restrictions on how Facebook treats user privacy” but it’s unclear what that would entail.

Facebook was also fined £500,000 last year by the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office over the scandal, the largest penalty the office was authorized to levy.

And the company is facing a lawsuit from the D.C. attorney general and those from other states over the privacy debacle.

The partisan divide within the FTC will likely raise concerns among Facebook’s critics on Capitol Hill. The group Freedom From Facebook, a coalition of public interest groups, called the fine a slap on the wrist.

“The FTC continues to lay bare their inability to protect American consumers and markets and Congress needs to investigate the FTC’s wanton disregard of their duties,” Sarah Miller, the group’s co-chair, said in a statement.

“It’s also clear that we’re going to need Congress and the state attorneys general to take the mantle of any future antitrust investigation of Facebook because Trump’s FTC appointees are not up to the task.”

Updated at 5:37 p.m.

The House voted to limit cancer-linked “forever chemicals” Friday in a bill that directs the military and the Environmental Protection Agency to take stronger action against spreading contamination.

The measures, passed through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), target a class of chemicals abbreviated as PFAS that have shown up in 49 states and 712 sites, according to data from the Environmental Working Group.

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PFAS are used in a variety of nonstick products as well as firefighting foams frequently used by the military. The chemical is known for its slow breakdown process, denoting it as a “forever chemical,” making it particularly concerning as it leaches into the water supply.

The bill requires the military to phase out use of foam with PFAS by 2025 and would also designate PFAS as a toxic pollutant under the Clean Water Act. 

But in a big break from the Senate version that passed in June, the House version would allow Superfund money to be used to clean up PFAS contamination.

Sen. Tom CarperThomas (Tom) Richard CarperOvernight Energy: Democratic debate takes heat for watered-down climate questions | Senate votes to force military, EPA to deal with ‘forever chemicals’ | Renewable energy production surpasses coal in US Senate vote requires military, EPA to deal with harmful ‘forever chemicals’ Hillicon Valley: Investigation finds federal agencies failed to address cyber vulnerabilities | Officials crack down on illegal robocallers | Warren offers plan to secure elections | Senators grill Google exec on ‘persuasive technology’ MORE (D-Del.) who had pushed for such a measure in the Senate, called it “a move that would unleash federal powers to clean up contaminated drinking water supplies and hold polluters accountable, even when one of those polluters is the Department of Defense.”

The Department of Defense (DOD) faces a $2 billion cleanup tab for PFAS, and critics have accused the military of trying to limit regulations that would make them financially responsible for more cleanups. 

But there are others who are not thrilled to see the House so robustly taking on PFAS. 

President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump boasts that Kim Jong Un ‘was so happy to see me’ Romney defends Paul Ryan: ‘The fault for our 2012 loss is mine alone’ Trump declares emergency over Tropical Storm Barry MORE has threatened to veto the House version of the NDAA, citing two PFAS provisions among his concerns.

And legislators that were already working on a broad PFAS package were annoyed to see so many policy points included in the bill before they could be vetted.

“I’d prefer regular order but there’s a lot of work to be done on the PFAS issue, and we’re anxious to do it based on the hearings that we’ve had,” said Rep. Paul TonkoPaul David TonkoScientific integrity is crumbling under Trump Overnight Energy: Top EPA official stepping down amid ethics probe | Critics slam EPA for rolling back union protections | Trump officials open door to controversial Alaska mining project Top EPA official stepping down amid ethics probe MORE (D-N.Y.), chairman of the subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee dealing with PFAS.

Tonko’s Republican counterpart agreed.

“The House Energy and Commerce Committee takes our responsibility to keep our communities safe very seriously. We tackle complicated issues and we work to get it right — using deliberation and in this case, the scientific process,” Rep. Greg WaldenGregory (Greg) Paul WaldenOvernight Defense: Woman accusing general of sexual assault willing to testify | Joint Chiefs pick warns against early Afghan withdrawal | Tensions rise after Iran tries to block British tanker House approves amendment to reverse transgender military ban Top GOP lawmakers allege House Democrats are less effective MORE (R-Ore.) said in a statement. “We need to get it right. We hear it too often, but allowing regular order to continue so the committee can have good-faith discussions is important.”

Some in the Senate also believe the House bill goes too far. 

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Sen. John BarrassoJohn Anthony BarrassoGOP senator: US should ‘reevaluate’ long-term relationship with Saudis Meet the key Senate player in GOP fight over Saudi Arabia Trump raises 2020 stakes by elevating North Korea, China on agenda MORE (R-Wyo.) said some PFAS provisions would place too much of a burden on cities and businesses that have been using products with PFAS in good faith for years, believing them to be safe and effective.

“House Democrats are proposing to saddle local airports, farmers and ranchers, water utilities, and countless small businesses with billions of dollars in liability. This is what happens when the House rushes legislation and ignores the committee process,” he said in a statement. “Their proposal won’t become law. Our PFAS legislation can. It advanced unanimously from the Environment and Public Works Committee and passed as part of the defense authorization bill with overwhelming bipartisan support.” 

Other measures in the House bill require a Government Accountability Office review of the Department of Defense’s response to PFAS contamination and make DOD enter into cooperative agreements with states for contamination cleanups. A measure from Sen. Tom UdallThomas (Tom) Stewart UdallOvernight Energy: Trump threatens veto on defense bill that targets ‘forever chemicals’ | Republicans form conservation caucus | Pressure mounts against EPA’s new FOIA rule Trump threatens veto on defense bill that targets ‘forever chemicals’ Eight questions to ask before considering war with Iran MORE (D-N.M.) requires military assistance for farmers impacted by PFAS.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee is holding hearings Friday on alleged abuses committed against migrant minors in the aftermath of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy, which resulted in at least 2,800 family separations.

Four members of Congress will testify before the committee on conditions they’ve witnessed in visits to migrant shelters and detention centers on the southern border.

The scheduled witnesses include Reps. Veronica EscobarVeronica EscobarLive coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy Pelosi takes fire from progressives over border Pelosi cites ‘necessary’ new laws to tackle border crisis MORE (D-Texas), whose El Paso district has been ground zero for much of the humanitarian crisis at the border, Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezDemocrats rush to support Pelosi amid fight with Ocasio-Cortez Sanders praises Gen Z for being ‘profoundly anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobic’ Democratic lawmaker unloads on Ocasio-Cortez, chief of staff for ‘using the race card’ MORE (D-N.Y.), Ayanna PressleyAyanna PressleyTrump: Ocasio-Cortez being ‘very disrespectful’ to Pelosi Hannity invites Ocasio-Cortez to join primetime show for full hour Live coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy MORE (D-Mass.) and Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibTrump: Ocasio-Cortez being ‘very disrespectful’ to Pelosi Hannity invites Ocasio-Cortez to join primetime show for full hour Live coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy MORE (D-Mich.).

A second panel will include current administration officials Jennifer L. Costello, the acting inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Ann Maxwell, assistant inspector general for evaluation and inspections at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as well as Elora Mukherjee and Jennifer Nagda, lawyers who’ve visited the shelters.

The second panel will also feature Tom Homan, the former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a staunch Trump ally whom Trump earlier this month floated as a possible border czar.

Bookmark here to follow The Hill’s live coverage of the hearing.

Cummings brings hearing to a close

4:39 p.m.

In closing, Committee Chairman Elijah CummingsElijah Eugene CummingsLive coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy NYT: Don’t make Acosta a political martyr The Hill’s Morning Report — Trump retreats on census citizenship question MORE (D-Md.) said he tells his children, “when you walk into a storm, you have to respect the storm.”

“We have to go the extra mile to make sure we do the things immediately to make sure we bring comfort to these children,” said Cummings. 

Cummings spoke of his concern of long-term effects on the children in detention centers.

“These children will grow up when we’re dead. We’ll be dancing with the angels and what kind of message will we have sent?” 

“Part of this is about trying to change the trajectory of their destinies,” said Cummings. “and so help me god I’m going to do everything in our power and work with the entire committee to try to resolve these issues as best I can.”

“This moment is our watch, we are on watch right now” Cummings said. “We can put our handprints and our fingerprints on their futures and on their destinies.” 

— Rafael Bernal 

GOP Rep. Comer uses last question to allow Homan final words

4:30 p.m.

Rep. James ComerJames (Jamie) R. ComerThe 27 Republicans who voted with Democrats to block Trump from taking military action against Iran Live coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy Oversight Republicans: ‘Hundreds’ of migrants in caravans have criminal histories MORE (R-Ky.) took his last question to allow Homan final words to the committee.

“You’ve been cut off today. I’m very sorry a member on the other side questioned your integrity,” said Comer, in reference to Rep. Jesús Garcia (D-Ill.). 

“I served my country for 34 years,” said Homan. “My job as a law enforcement is to execute a mission.”

Homan repeated his appeal to tighten asylum restrictions but said Border Patrol jails are inadequate for family detention.

“My heart breaks for them. Border Patrol jails were not built for vulnerable populations like women and children,” he said.

But he also asked Congress to lay off immigration enforcement officers. 

“Stop the vilification of the men and women who are doing the best they can under very difficult circumstances,” said Homan.

— Rafael Bernal 

Lawyer says shelter conditions are unlike anything she has ever seen

4:24 p.m.

Mukherjee said she’s never seen conditions like the ones at the Clint, Texas, detention facility.

“For nearly a decade, as the committee knows, there were no reports of deaths in immigration custody,” she said.

“This is different than anything I’ve ever seen before.”

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— Rafael Bernal 

Homan, Nagda clarify detention costs per day

4:20 p.m.

Homan and Nagda agreed on a point of clarification made for Cummings. 

Cummings was questioning Costello on whether she would be surprised that migrant detentions cost $300 per day, per person.

Costello ultimately said she would be surprised, but Homan interceded to clarify that the $300 figure is applicable to ICE custody, including specialized child healthcare and mental healthcare, not necessarily to Border Patrol facilities.

Nagda asked to speak following Homan, just to say she believed Homan’s statement to be accurate.

“Wow,” said Cummings, “that’s a first.”

— Rafael Bernal 

Cummings intervenes after Homan, Rep. Garcia get into heated exchange

3:55 p.m.

Homan exploded upon questioning from Garcia.

García rattled off a series of apparently rhetorical questions, not waiting for Homan’s answer, eventually asking if Homan gave less value to immigrant children because of the color of their skin.

“First of all, your comments are disgusting,” yelled Homan.

“I served my country for 35 years and yes I held a 5-year-old boy in my arms,” he added, in reference to a case where Homan discovered a tractor trailer full of dead migrants in Texas.

Ranking member Rep. Jim JordanJames (Jim) Daniel JordanLive coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy Trump officials defend use of facial recognition amid backlash Heavy loss by female candidate in Republican NC runoff sparks shock MORE (R-Ohio) came to Homan’s defense, criticizing Garcia’s speech, saying, “the gentleman ripped off about seven different questions designed to go after the character of Mr. Homan.”

Cummings interjected himself into the heated exchange.

“It’s my time now!” Cummings said. “First of all, I’m going to have civility in my hearings,” Cummings said, but he was interrupted by Jordan, who was trying to advocate for Homan to be given time to respond.

“No! I have the floor!” Cummings said, trying to silence the interruptions. “I have been very courteous, and very kind,” he said, before allowing Homan to respond to Garcia’s allegations.

Once order was restored, Cummings gave Homan an opportunity to make his case.

“No one in this room has seen what I’ve seen in my career,” said Homan.

“If you want to legalize illegal immigration, good luck with that,” he added.

— Rafael Bernal and Nathaniel Weixel 

Ocasio-Cortez presses Homan on zero-tolerance memo

3:40 p.m.

Ocasio-Cortez pressed Homan on his role in the family separation policy, producing a memo where he recommended zero-tolerance to then-Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen NielsenKirstjen Michele NielsenDemocrats calling for decriminalization of illegal entry abandoning national sovereignty Maine parents stage ‘play date protests’ in Susan Collins’s offices to oppose migrant detention centers Schumer: Fire Customs and Border Protection leadership for ‘toxic culture’ MORE.

Ocasio-Cortez showed a memo dated April 23, 2018, signed by Homan, then-U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Francis Cissna, and then-CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan, recommending Nielsen “to pursue prosecution of all amenable adults who cross our boder illegally … including those presenting with a family units between ports of entry.” 

“Is this correct, did you sign this memo?” asked Ocasio-Cortez. 

“I don’t see it,” Homan said from the witness table. Once provided a copy of the memo, Homan said he’d signed the document, but had not authored it.

Ocasio-Cortez then asked if he stood by the recommendation on the memo.

“I gave Secretary Nielsen numerous recommendations on how to secure the border and save lives,” said Homan.

Homan added that he had recommended the zero-tolerance policy, which led to family separations.

But Homan said family separations under zero-tolerance were no different in his view than separations due to criminal arrests of adults in custody of a minor, regardless of citizenship.

— Rafael Bernal 

Cummings warns lawmakers to be careful in discussing colleagues’ motives

3:33 p.m.

Cummings admonished lawmakers in the room to “be careful” about how they talk about the motives of their colleagues.

“I believe that everyone is operating in good faith, and I just want us to be very careful with that,”  he said.

His comments come after Rep. Mark GreenMark GreenAOC in impassioned testimony: Children were separated from parents ‘in front of American flags’ Live coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy Reason for optimism in Trump’s ‘Prosper Africa’ policy MORE (R-Tenn.) accused Democrats of engaging in theatrics and said they would rather blame President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump boasts that Kim Jong Un ‘was so happy to see me’ Romney defends Paul Ryan: ‘The fault for our 2012 loss is mine alone’ Trump declares emergency over Tropical Storm Barry MORE than acknowledge that there is a crisis at the border.

— Nathaniel Weixel 

GOP Rep. Green compares attacks on immigration agents to soldiers returning from Vietnam

3:28 p.m.

Green, who earlier attended a Democratic aide who passed out in the room, compared the morale issues among immigration agents to the plight of returning Vietnam veterans in the 1960s.

“In the 1960s, liberals called our soldiers coming back from Vietnam baby killers, they spat in their face,” said Green.

Green said Congress needs to assign even more resources to the crisis and accused the Democrats of engaging in “theatrics.”

— Rafael Bernal

Tlaib says agents told her ‘stop sending money,’ separation policy isn’t working

3:20 p.m.

Tlaib tells the committee an agent told her, “Stop sending money, it’s not working.”

Another agent, said Tlaib, told her the separation policy isn’t working. 

“We talk about the dehumanization of the children, but there is also some stress. I can feel it from you, Mr. Homan, right now,” she said. 

“I’m not blaming the agents, I’m blaming the broken immigration system, just like you are,” added Tlaib.

— Rafael Bernal 

Democratic rep presses Homan on family separations

3:05 p.m.

Rep. Katie HillKatherine (Katie) Lauren HillLawmakers urge young women to run for office at DC conference Tensions with Iran reach new stage over uranium threat Ocasio-Cortez shares verse by the ‘Congressional Destiny’s Child’ in promotion of new birth control legislation MORE (D-Calif.) pressed Homan on his position on family separations, but Homan said lawyers advised him not to opine on the matter outside of a court setting. 

Hill then asked Homan whether he would return to work for the administration after President Trump recently tapped him to return as “border czar.”

“I have not accepted any position with the administration,” said Homan.

But Homan also refused to rule out the possibility of returning to public service. 

“I came back from retirement once,” he added.

— Rafael Bernal 

Homan says Congress needs to do its job to make the border safer

3 p.m.

A frustrated Homan said Congress isn’t doing its job to make the border safer, and nobody is listening to the experts on how best to do it. 

“I’m the only one in this room who’s worn the green uniform” of Border Patrol, he said.   

Homan decried what he said is the country’s open border and the consequences of letting smugglers and cartels run wild. 

“I’ve found enough dead bodies in my day. I’ve got a stack of dead bodies here!” he said, holding up a stack of papers. “We’ve seen a lot of pictures today, but nobody wants to see these pictures!”

Homan implored lawmakers to act.

“It’s like no one’s listening! We can fix this! If Congress, they don’t like what ICE and CBP is doing, then do your job! Fix it!” he said.

— Nathaniel Weixel

GOP rep upset with Tlaib for saying the term ‘illegal immigrant’ should be avoided

2:58 p.m. 

Comer took umbrage to a statement by Tlaib in her opening testimony during the first panel, in which she asked the committee to avoid the term “illegal immigrant.”

Comer said his constituents in Kentucky find it offensive to not use the term to describe undocumented immigrants.

“Someone who is in the country unlawfully is, in fact, an illegal,” said Comer.

— Rafael Bernal

DHS inspector general says there has not been enough time to appropriate emergency funds

2:50 p.m.

Rep. Raja KrishnamoorthiSubramanian (Raja) Raja KrishnamoorthiBattle lines drawn for Mueller testimony Overnight Health Care: Pelosi to change drug-pricing plan after complaints | 2020 Democrats to attend Planned Parenthood abortion forum | House holds first major ‘Medicare for All’ hearing House panel launches investigation into Juul MORE (D-Ill.) pressed Costello, from the DHS office of inspector general, on whether conditions have improved since emergency funds were approved.

Costello said there had not been enough time to execute the funds or finish research on what improvements are needed, which Krishnamoorthi found “unacceptable.”

— Rafael Bernal

Rep. Connolly yells at Homan: ‘You’re not at the border’

2:45 p.m.

Rep Gerry ConnollyGerald (Gerry) Edward ConnollyHouse Democrats unveil bill to lift refugee cap The Hill’s Morning Report – Is US weighing military action against Iran? Dems eye repeal of Justice rule barring presidential indictments MORE (D-Va.) blew up at Homan, who wanted to comment on an exchange between Connolly and the other witnesses on the professionalism of border agents.

“I’m not calling on you, sir!” said Connolly

“Of course not,” said Homan.

“This is my time! You’re not at the border!” yelled Connolly.

— Rafael Bernal

Homan slams Democrats for language added to funding bill

2:40 p.m.

Rep. Jamie RaskinJamin (Jamie) Ben RaskinNYT: Don’t make Acosta a political martyr Members to have little time to question Mueller Oversight Committee seeks for-profit immigration center contractor documents MORE (D-Md.) said the Department of Health and Human Services needs to rescind a policy that requires it to share the names of any potential family members of unaccompanied children with DHS, where the information is then used to deport those people, sometimes before they can take custody of the children. 

ICE used information from HHS to arrest about 170 prospective sponsors in the past year. 

But Homan said the agreement isn’t nearly strong enough.

“If you’re a parent and you hire a criminal organization to have your kid smuggled in trunk of a car or back of a tractor trailer, you should to come to ICE and get vetted,” Homan said. “If we’re really here to talk about protecting children, the [policy] needs to be more strict.”

Homan slammed language added by Democrats to the funding bill that reopened the government at the beginning of this year that prevents ICE from taking deportation actions against any sponsor of an unaccompanied child, potential sponsor or member of a household of a potential sponsor.

“You gotta hold them accountable,” Homan said. He claimed there are record numbers of unaccompanied children surging across the border “because now these people can act with impunity, no consequence, no deterrence.” 

— Nathaniel Weixel

Homan advocates for extended detention of families

2:35 p.m.

“The current crisis extends well beyond our southern border; it affects almost every major city in the United States. This isn’t just a border crisis, it’s a national crisis,” said Homan.

In his written testimony, Homan added that a July 2018 resolution by 9th Circuit Judge Dolly Gee to maintain migrant protections under what’s known as the Flores Settlement Agreement “did more harm to this country than any federal ruling that I am aware of in my three-decade career.”

Flores is a court settlement that mandates minimum standards for the detention of children and a maximum detention time of 20 days.

Homan panned the idea of limited detention for families in his testimony to the committee.

“If these families are in fact escaping fear and persecution from their government, there should be no reason not to detain them to plead their case to a judge,” he wrote.

“Being in a family residential center, safe from their country’s alleged oppression, should be acceptable,” he added. 

Homan had not orally repeated that portion of his written testimony, but during an exchange with Rep. Jim CooperJames (Jim) Hayes Shofner CooperHouse panel OKs space military branch Overnight Defense: Officials approved sending Saudis nuclear technology after Khashoggi killing | Space Command pick warns of challenges ahead | Lawmakers clash over bill blocking low-yield nukes House panel members butt heads over bill blocking low-yield nukes MORE (D-Tenn.) he doubled down on his proposal for families to wait out their immigration cases in detention.

Homan further testified that nearly 90 percent of migrants seeking asylum pass their first screening, known as a “credible fear” interview, in part because they are advised on how to answer agents’ questions by “the cartels.”

But, Homan said, nearly 90 percent of migrants are not ultimately granted asylum by an immigration judge.

— Rafael Bernal

Raskin asks panelists if any believe separating families is good deterrence policy

2:20 p.m.

Raskin asked panelists whether anyone on the panel believes the separation of families is a good policy to prevent further migration of Central Americans.

None of the panelists responded.

Homan oversaw the interior enforcement agency during the time that the Trump administration enforced its zero tolerance policy, resulting in the separation of at least 2,800 children from their families.

— Rafael Bernal

Protesters interrupt Homan testimony

2:10 p.m.

Four protesters displayed posters with quotes from migrants as Homan began his testimony, and they were promptly requested to stop by Raskin.

Capitol Police asked the protesters to leave the room, and as they left Raskin interrupted Homan again to let police know the protesters could stay if they promised not to interrupt again.

The protesters still chose to leave the room.

— Rafael Bernal

Hearing gavels back in after series of House votes

2:05 p.m.

Raskin took over the reins as the committee gaveled back following House votes.

Raskin invited the members on the front row, Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley and Tlaib, to join him at the top of the dais.

Jordan rejoined the committee, along with four other Republican colleagues.

— Rafael Bernal

Homan complains about not being heard until after recess

11:40 a.m.

After hearing the testimony of Trump administration officials and lawyers who visited the detention centers, Cummings called to recess so members could go vote.

This prompted a brief complaint from Homan, who was ready to deliver his testimony.

“I’m sorry, this is the way it goes,” said Cummings, adding that the committee will return to hear his testimony after the vote.

— Rafael Bernal

Pressley says she ‘cannot unsee’ or ‘unfeel’ what she saw at border facility

11:25 a.m.

Pressley said she “cannot unsee” or “unfeel” what she has seen and experienced while visiting the El Paso border facility, and does not want to, even though it robs of her of sleep and “peace of mind,” because it pales in comparison to what the migrants had experienced. 

She said that during her visit she asked repeated questions, but Border Patrol agents did not know basic answers about the care of people in their custody. 

“This agency was never built, never designed, never trained for the care keeping of families,” Pressley said.

She told the story of a woman with epilepsy who had her medication confiscated, and was worried that after lawmakers left the medicine would continue to be withheld as punishment.

Pressley said she feels a responsibility to speak for people who are not being heard, and that “we should be the ones begging for forgiveness” because of the way immigrants seeking a better life have been treated.

“While I am not fluent in Spanish, there was no barrier to understanding in that room. We speak the universal language of pain, of a mother’s love, of justice. These women are not voiceless, but they are cruelly and criminally unheard,” Pressley said. “Not today. Today Congress has an opportunity to listen and to act.” 

— Nathaniel Weixel 

Tlaib tells panel ‘nobody is illegal’

11:20 a.m.

Tlaib asked the panel not to use the word ‘illegal’ when talking about migrants because it’s dehumanizing and disrespectful.

“Nobody is illegal,” she said. 

Tlaib was on the verge of tears for most of her testimony, especially when she showed the committee a drawing from a 4-year-old she visited in a border camp in Clint, Texas.

“I ask you, beg you not to look away,” she implored her colleagues.

— Nathaniel Weixel

Ocasio-Cortez says she believes migrants who said they were told to drink from toilet

11:10 a.m.

Ocasio-Cortez delivered an impassioned plea for immigration policy change, defending claims that migrants at the southern border have been subject to abuse by federal authorities.

She recounted a Congressional Hispanic Caucus-led visit this month to an immigrant detention center near El Paso, Texas, saying agents at the center asked visiting members not to interact with detainees.

But she said members asked for access to one of the cells after a brief altercation with agents and found issues with the conditions, including a now-infamous claim of detainees drinking from a toilet in a cell where the sink didn’t work.

“When these women tell me they were put into a cell and their sink was not working and the we tested the sink ourselves and the sink was not working and they were told to drink out of the toilet bowl, I believe them. I believe those women,” said Ocasio-Cortez.

Ocasio-Cortez added that she took objection to American flags displayed at detention centers where alleged abuses have taken place.

“What’s worse, Mr. Chairman, was the fact that there were American flags hanging all over these facilities,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “That children being separated from their parents in front of the American flag, that women were being called these names under an American flag, we cannot allow for this,” said Ocasio-Cortez.

— Rafael Bernal

Democratic aide passes out during Ocasio-Cortez’s testimony

11:04 a.m.

A Democratic aide passed out on the right side of the room as Ocasio-Cortez delivered her testimony, interrupting the proceedings.

Other aides, Capitol Police and Green, a medical doctor, rushed to help.

“Representative Green, who is a medical doctor, just told me she’ll be OK. Thank you, Rep. Green. It’s good to have a doctor in the House,” said Cummings.

— Rafael Bernal

Ocasio-Cortez asks to be sworn in

10:58 a.m.

Ocasio-Cortez asked to be sworn in, to which Cummings replied, “that’s usually not necessary.”

Cummings swore Ocasio-Cortez in anyway, asking her to stand up and raise her right hand before taking an oath.

— Rafael Bernal

Rep. Roy says he has seen a different situation at the border than what has been reported

10:49 a.m.

Rep. Chip RoyCharles (Chip) Eugene RoyTlaib gives emotional testimony at hearing on migrant detention conditions Live coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy Conservatives ask Barr to lay out Trump’s rationale for census question MORE (R-Texas), in forceful testimony, gesticulating and almost yelling at times, said he has seen a vastly different situation at the border than what’s been described in recent media reports. 

“I’ve been to the border multiple times and it didn’t just come recently putting on a show in front of fences for the media,” Roy said.

He said Border Patrol agents are trying to do their job and take care of people to the best of their ability, making sure detention cells are clean, babies have diapers, and people have potable water. 

Meanwhile, Congress has failed to secure the border and has created the very “magnet” that draws migrants to the country and lets them get abused by cartels. “This body cowardly sits in the corner doing nothing about it.”

Both parties have failed, Roy said.

“The GOP all too often want to stand at the Rio Grande with a ‘no trespassing’ sign while winking at immigrants with a ‘help wanted’ sign in the other.”

Meanwhile Democrats “want to stand in front of chain link fences in an empty parking lot while making up hyperbole for clicks, Twitter followers and cynical politics,” he said. 

After Roy finished his remarks, Jordan knocked on the dais and said, “well done,” prompting a quick side-eye from Cummings.

— Nathaniel Weixel 

GOP Rep. Lesko wonders if she should be ‘jealous’ of Democrats press coverage

10:44 a.m.

Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.) opened wondering whether she “should be jealous” of the attention given by press photographers to Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley, Tlaib and Escobar.

Lesko said she feels like she’s living “in a parallel universe,” where Democrats ignored the border crisis until it became politically salient for them to address it.

“They seem to think that all of a sudden, out of the blue, thousands of a legal immigrants showed up at the border and are just oblivious to the yearlong calls by Republicans, and some Democrats,” said Lesko.

“What I believe is the crisis has been mounting for years, and people like me have sounded the alarm for years, over and over and over again and tried to pass legislation to fix it,” she added.

— Rafael Bernal 

GOP Rep. Cloud: Congress has allowed drug smuggling, human trafficking at the border

10:42 a.m.

Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) said Congress has failed in its duty to adequately fund border security, and has allowed cartels to engage in drug smuggling and human trafficking. He attacked Democrats for calling the situation a “manufactured crisis.”

“Many members of Congress would rather talk about a problem rather than fix it,” Cloud said.

Cloud said the current border facilities are not designed to handle the massive numbers of migrants trying to cross into the country, and border patrol and ICE agents are doing the best job they can.

He noted the district he represents is two hours from the border with Mexico.

“If fixing this crisis were left up to Texas we would have done it several years ago,” Cloud said.

— Nathaniel Weixel

GOP Rep. Biggs defends border agents

10:40 a.m.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), as the first witness to testify, called attention to his knowledge of the border and spoke out in defense of border agents.

Biggs said family separations happen before migrants reach the border, accusing migrant families of allowing their children to be taken by nonrelatives to claim asylum as family units.

“They’ve been separated from their families when their parents allow them taken by human trafficking cartels, to create a family in order to get more favorable treatment,” said Biggs.

Biggs also went after Democrats, saying Republicans warned of a crisis long before the House majority took up the case.

“We were urging immediate action because the circumstances were horrible. They were overcrowded, they were horrible. There was clean water, there still is clean water, there was food,” said Biggs.

— Rafael Bernal

Jordan hits Democrats for not holding hearing earlier

10:25 a.m.

The committee’s top Republican, Jordan, burst out of the gate on the offensive.

He called Democrats’ lack of attention to border security “astonishing.”

“For a year now Republicans had been warning about the crisis and working hard to find solutions,” said Jordan.

Jordan chastised Cummings for not holding a border hearing before July, criticizing the fact that the committee heard testimony from former Trump lawyer Michael CohenMichael Dean CohenLive coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy Trump associate Felix Sater grilled by House Intel Trump associate Felix Sater arrives for closed-door interview with House Intel MORE in February.

“Instead of giving a platform to a convicted felon we could’ve come here and addressed this,” said Jordan.

Jordan then took a shot at Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley and Tlaib, who opposed the supplemental border emergency funding passed last month.

“Despite the size and scope of the crisis even this funding bill was not supported by some Democrats including some testifying today,”  said Jordan.

— Rafael Bernal

Cummings hits administration for ignoring information requests in opening statement

10:18 a.m.

In his opening remarks, Cummings called out the Trump administration for not responding to congressional requests for information on family separations.

He thanked Rep. Mark MeadowsMark Randall MeadowsLive coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy Democrats’ opposition research got exposed — this time, not by the Russians Heavy loss by female candidate in Republican NC runoff sparks shock MORE (R-N.C.) for joining in a letter to the administration, which Cummings says was ignored.

“Not a single word, not a single syllable,” he said.

Cummings said Republicans may have been “fine” with being ignored by the administration, but now things are different.

“That was their watch. This is our watch,” Cummings said.

Cummings pointed to the statistics of at least 18 toddlers separated from their families as evidence of wrongdoing by the administration.

“Something’s wrong with that picture,” he said.

Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, Pressley and Roy joined the witness table as Cummings delivered his opening remarks.

— Rafael Bernal and Nathaniel Weixel

Cummings begins hearing with warning to attendees, protesters

10:12 a.m.

Cummings has started the hearing with a stern warning to attendants and protesters.

“We welcome you and respect your right to be here, we also ask in turn for your respect as we proceed with business of this committee today,” said Cummings.

“It is the intent of this committee to proceed with this hearing without any disruptions,” said Cummings, adding that disruptions would result in Capitol Police restoring order.

— Rafael Bernal

Four GOP lawmakers added to witness table

10:10 a.m.

The committee added four Republican lawmakers to the witness table at the last minute.

Biggs, Cloud, Lesko and Rep. Chip Roy (Texas) will join the Democrats in testifying.

Biggs, Cloud and Lesko have taken their places beside Escobar, the committee room is silent in waiting for the proceedings to start.

— Rafael Bernal

House report: Trump administration separated at least 18 immigrant infants and toddlers 

10:05 a.m.

Prior to the beginning of the hearing, the committee released a report saying at least 18 migrant infants and toddlers under the age of 2 were separated from their parents at the southern border.

Those infants and toddlers were kept apart for 20 days to up to six months, the report found.

The report is based on data obtained through subpoenas of the Trump administration officials, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Among the details uncovered in the report, at least 241 separated children were kept in Border Patrol facilities longer than the 72 hours permitted by law. 

The report also found children were moved to multiple facilities. More than 400 children were moved to multiple Customs and Border Protection facilities, more than 80 children were moved to multiple HHS facilities, and at least five children were moved to multiple Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. 

— Nathaniel Weixel

Spectators line the hall just ahead of hearing’s start

10 a.m.

More than 100 expectant spectators are lined up outside the committee room, which is almost full around the hearing’s scheduled start. 

Committee Republicans are gaggling among themselves behind the dais. 

Escobar is the first witness to walk in, she greeted reporters before taking her place at the witness table as Cummings calls the room to order.

— Rafael Bernal

Border patrol chief was previously a member of controversial Facebook group

9:51 a.m.

Hours before the hearing, investigative outlet The Intercept reported that Carla Provost, the chief of Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), was previously a member of a Facebook group containing sexist and racist posts from agents. She posted in the group three months after her appointment in August. 

Though Provost herself was not linked to any offensive material, the revelation emphasizes the ties between the highest ranks of CBP and the offending Facebook group, which has sparked condemnations and questions from top lawmakers. 

“This is why I have requested a full investigation into this matter,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie ThompsonBennie Gordon ThompsonLive coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy Hillicon Valley: Trump rails against ‘terrible bias’ at White House social media summit | Twitter hit by hour-long outage | Google admits workers listen to smart device recordings Trump officials defend use of facial recognition amid backlash MORE (D-Miss.) said in a statement to The Intercept. “We need to know who in CBP leadership knew about these deplorable groups, when did they find out, and what action they took, if anything.”

Shortly after news broke of the CBP Facebook group, Provost responded with a statement calling the posts “completely inappropriate.” 

“Any employees found to have violated our standards of conduct will be held accountable,” Provost said.

— Emily Birnbaum

The House in a 220-197 vote on Friday approved the annual defense policy bill, avoiding a potential major embarrassment for Democrats as they kept most of the caucus in line to pass the bill without Republican support.

Just eight Democrats voted against the bill on final passage. Friday’s passage comes after Democratic leaders’ ability to hold the line was called into question earlier in the week.

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The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was the first bill the House debated since the bitter fight over a $4.6 billion border aid bill. Progressives wanted more stringent rules on care for migrants included in the bill, but Democratic leaders decided to bring up a Senate-passed bill without those rules after moderates threw their support behind the bill.

Heading into the NDAA debate, progressives warned they thought the bill’s $733 billion price tag was too high.

An amendment to trim $16.8 billion from the bill failed, 115-307.

But progressives also said they could support the NDAA despite the funding concern if their other amendments passed. They were particularly concerned about amendments related to President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump boasts that Kim Jong Un ‘was so happy to see me’ Romney defends Paul Ryan: ‘The fault for our 2012 loss is mine alone’ Trump declares emergency over Tropical Storm Barry MORE’s war powers.

Earlier Friday, the House passed an amendment to prevent Trump from launching a military strike on Iran without prior congressional approval.

Democrats also approved amendments to block emergency arms sales to Saudi Arabia, end U.S. military support to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and repeal the 2002 authorization for the use of military force that authorized the Iraq War, among others.

“I held my nose and voted yes,” Progressive Caucus co-chair Rep. Pramila JayapalPramila JayapalDemocrats rush to support Pelosi amid fight with Ocasio-Cortez Progressive Democrat: Pelosi not used to other members having ‘bigger Twitter followings than her’ Judiciary issues blitz of subpoenas for Kushner, Sessions, Trump associates MORE (D-Wash.) said after the vote.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam SmithDavid (Adam) Adam SmithIt’s time for the left to advance a shared vision of national security: Start by passing the NDAA Carlson responds to Omar: It’s not about race Overnight Defense: Dems confident defense bill will pass despite party infighting | GOP chairman’s bill would review US, Saudi ties | Senators briefed on sexual assault allegation against top general MORE (D-Wash.) “worked very hard to incorporate some progressive priorities,” she added. “And then I’m working with Chairman Smith on establishing different ways that we can actually start to make the case for lowering military defense spending.”

Outside of war powers, amendments touched on a number of progressive priorities, including reversing Trump’s transgender military ban, giving federal employees 12 weeks of paid family leave, prohibiting military parades for political purposes and banning Pentagon funds from being used at Trump-owned properties.

But several progressive amendments on immigration failed, including one from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezDemocrats rush to support Pelosi amid fight with Ocasio-Cortez Sanders praises Gen Z for being ‘profoundly anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobic’ Democratic lawmaker unloads on Ocasio-Cortez, chief of staff for ‘using the race card’ MORE (D-N.Y.) to block the any deployment of troops to the border to enforce immigration laws and to bar the use of funds to detain undocumented immigrants in Defense Department facilities.

Ocasio-Cortez voted against the final bill, as did Democratic Reps. Earl BlumenauerEarl BlumenauerOvernight Energy: Critics worry Trump ignoring plight of honeybees | EPA employee protests union contract while receiving award from Wheeler | Green groups team up to host presidential climate summit Critics worry Trump turning blind eye to honeybee decline Overnight Energy: Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders push to declare climate emergency | Lawmakers seek probe into aging pipelines | 23 governors back California in fight over Trump emissions rollback MORE (Ore.), Adriano EspaillatAdriano de Jesus Espaillat CabralLawmakers congratulate US women’s soccer team on winning opening World Cup match WHIP LIST: The 83 House Democrats backing an impeachment inquiry Dems charge ahead on immigration MORE (N.Y.), Barbara LeeBarbara Jean LeeCongress must reclaim its war-making powers Harris hops past Biden in early race for Black Caucus support Congress needs to repeal the 2002 Iraq Authorization for Use of Military Force MORE (Calif.), Ilhan OmarIlhan OmarTrump: Ocasio-Cortez being ‘very disrespectful’ to Pelosi Hannity invites Ocasio-Cortez to join primetime show for full hour Democrats rush to support Pelosi amid fight with Ocasio-Cortez MORE (Minn.), Mark PocanMark William PocanDemocrats rush to support Pelosi amid fight with Ocasio-Cortez Pelosi says she’s done talking about fight with ‘Squad’ The Hill’s Morning Report – 2020 jitters hit both parties in the Senate MORE (Wis.), Ayanna PressleyAyanna PressleyTrump: Ocasio-Cortez being ‘very disrespectful’ to Pelosi Hannity invites Ocasio-Cortez to join primetime show for full hour Live coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy MORE (Mass.) and Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibTrump: Ocasio-Cortez being ‘very disrespectful’ to Pelosi Hannity invites Ocasio-Cortez to join primetime show for full hour Live coverage: House Oversight examines Trump family separation policy MORE (Mich.).

Democrats needed to win support from every faction of their party to pass the bill after Republicans threatened to withhold their support over what they saw as an NDAA that doesn’t invest enough in the military.

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No Republicans voted in support of the bill Friday. The White House threatened to veto the bill earlier this week.

Republicans argue the defense budget should be $750 billion, citing testimony from defense officials on the need for 3 to 5 percent year-over-year budget growth.

Republicans were also deeply opposed to several policy provisions, including ones related to the border, nuclear weapons and Guantanamo Bay.

“Unfortunately, this year in the House we spent a lot of time on messaging bills that are never going to be considered by the Senate, never will get to the president,” House Armed Services Committee ranking member Rep. Mac ThornberryWilliam (Mac) McClellan ThornberryOvernight Defense: Dems confident defense bill will pass despite party infighting | GOP chairman’s bill would review US, Saudi ties | Senators briefed on sexual assault allegation against top general Democrats voice confidence Pentagon bill will survive party squabbling Dem tensions snag defense bill MORE (R-Texas) said on the House floor. “I don’t want the NDAA to turn into a messaging bill where we can go home and brag about something we voted but those provisions have no chance of becoming law.” 

The House will now have to reconcile its version of the bill with the Senate’s. The Senate passed its version 86-8 last month without any of the progressive amendments that made it into the House version, potentially complicating negotiations on the final bill.

Updated 2:22 p.m.

Dozens of people were injured after a plane experienced unexpected turbulence over the Pacific Ocean Thursday. 

According to The Associated Press, 37 people were injured — including nine who were seriously injured — on the Air Canada flight headed to Australia.

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The plane made an emergency landing in Honolulu, where 30 passengers were taken to the hospital. 

The flight headed to Sydney hit “un-forecasted and sudden turbulence,” about two hours past Hawaii, Air Canada spokeswoman Angela Mah told the AP in a statement.

Honolulu Emergency Medical Services Chief Dean Nakano told the wire service that the injured included children and the elderly.  

The Boeing 777-200 plane carried 269 passengers and 15 crew members, Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick told the AP. 

The Hill has reached out to Air Canada for additional comment. 

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Tropical Storm Barry is expected to hit the Louisiana coast as early as Saturday, threatening to send floodwaters in New Orleans and other areas of the state.

While it doesn’t appear that Barry will bring tremendous wind power, there are legitimate fears about storm surges causing extensive damage and endangering those who do not evacuate from areas set to be hit by the weather event.

Here are five things to watch for.

New Orleans levees may be tested

New Orleans’s levee system was rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but experts have long worried another strong storm would wipe out the $14 billion in infrastructure designed to protect the city from flooding.

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The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast that the Mississippi River, which snakes through the city, will crest at 19 feet. Though a foot lower than previously predicted, that’s still uncomfortably close for many residents, as most levees would be topped by river heights between 20 to 22 feet, according to Nola.com. 

Even if the storm doesn’t reach hurricane strength winds, it’s expected to bring a lot of rain. NWS is predicting between 10 and 20 inches of rain through Saturday. 

The Associated Press described the city as facing a triple threat as water moves in from the sea, the river and the sky. 

But it’s not just New Orleans. Coastal Louisiana is quite literally sinking into the Gulf, putting greater pressure on an area highly impacted by flooding. 

Other towns hit by Michael are also in Barry’s path

Any storm traveling through the Gulf will mean heavy wind and rain for towns that are still recovering from Hurricane Michael in October.

Aerial footage of the Florida Panhandle shows trees on their sides and roofs ripped from homes.

Beach homes in Panama City and Mexico Beach were badly damaged, but small towns further away from the shoreline — rural, poor and far from the big tourist destinations — were hit hard. 

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Months after the hurricane, towns were still waiting to hear whether they would get federal disaster assistance. Small towns like Marianna, population 6,000 before the storm, has seen its residents scatter after the housing stock was badly damaged.

City manager Jim Dean told NPR in March he was worried the city couldn’t take on the debt needed to rebuild.

“You’re going to have to be very selective at what you do, or you’re going to put yourself so far in debt that you’re going to be paying off debt from this storm before you even begin to provide a baseball field for your kids to play baseball on,” Dean said. “Before you buy a new police car, before you buy a fire truck. Just because you’re picking up trees.”

Energy sources could be disrupted and there are pollution worries

Offshore oil rigs are shutting down in preparation for the storm. Nearly 40 percent of rigs in the Gulf have evacuated employees, according to the Bureau of Environmental Enforcement, which oversees offshore activity. That figure is up 10 points just from the day before. 

There’s always the chance that a pause in drilling could cause disruptions on the market, but Hurricane Harvey showed the potential storms and the resulting flooding have for exacerbating pollution from industrial sites.

When Harvey hit Houston in 2017, it flooded a city known for its refineries and other industrial sectors and chemical manufacturers. It also has more than a dozen Superfund sites full of hazardous waste. That lead to chemical spills, river contamination and other pollution problems.

Similarly, Hurricane Florence overwhelmed animal waste lagoons, leaching bacteria into the water.

The flooding in both states serves as a reminder of the breadth of contamination that is spread in floodwaters. 

Is this related to climate change?

The increasing frequency and intensity of major storms has been attributed to climate change.

“We’re seeing a record-breaking disaster at least once a year; in a decade there will be at least a half dozen every year; in three decades devastating disasters will be common all over the world,” the Natural Resources Defense Council said in a release.

If Tropical Storm Barry advanced to a hurricane, that would be an early storm for the season, which typically ramps up in the fall.

But it’s not uncommon to see storms of this size develop in the Gulf this time of year, as these maps from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show.

“This is the time of year you get storms in the Gulf,” said Steve Morrey, a professor at Florida A&M University who also works with the Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies. 

Trump could face a challenge

President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump boasts that Kim Jong Un ‘was so happy to see me’ Romney defends Paul Ryan: ‘The fault for our 2012 loss is mine alone’ Trump declares emergency over Tropical Storm Barry MORE has been heavily criticized for his response to Hurricane Maria, and this storm could present similar challenges.

People will be watching to see how he responds to a storm that could have severe impacts on New Orleans, a majority black town where 25 percent live below the poverty level.

Months after Maria, cities are still waiting on payments from the federal government in order to be able to continue to pay for recovery efforts.  

House Democrats have repeatedly pushed the administration to defend its lengthy response time to a hurricane that caused one of the largest power outages of all time.