Reuters US Domestic News Summary

RNC members meeting in Houston voted to appoint North Carolina Republican Party head Michael Whatley and Lara Trump as chair and co-chair of the organization, which will play a key role in marshaling voters and funds for the Nov. 5 general election. Donald Trump posts $91.6 million bond for E.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

US Senate passes spending bill, averts imminent shutdown

The U.S. Senate narrowly averted a partial government shutdown on Friday, as the chamber approved spending legislation for several government agencies just hours before current funding was due to expire. By a bipartisan vote of 75-22, the Senate approved a $467.5 billion spending package that will fund agriculture, transportation, housing, energy, veterans and other programs through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The package now heads to Democratic President Joe Biden to sign into law.

US judge rejects Republican challenge to Biden migrant sponsorship program

A federal judge in Texas on Friday rejected a challenge by Republican-led states to a Biden administration program that allows hundreds of thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to apply for emergency entry into the United States. U.S. District Court Judge Drew Tipton in Victoria, Texas, said the 21 states, led by Texas, lacked standing to pursue the 2023 lawsuit because they could not show that the "parole" program, which allows up to 30,000 people per month to enter the U.S., caused them any injury.

Biden says he would sign TikTok crackdown, Trump raises concerns

President Joe Biden said on Friday he would sign legislation that gives China's ByteDance about six months to divest the popular TikTok short video app as his rival Donald Trump raised concerns about a ban of the service used by 170 million Americans. The U.S. House of Representatives plans to vote on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week on the TikTok crackdown bill after a committee on Thursday unanimously approved the measure. The House will vote on the proposal under rules requiring two-thirds of members to vote "yes" to win approval.

Hungary's PM Orban supports Trump after Florida meeting

Hungary's right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban lent his support to his long-time ally Donald Trump's bid to return to White House after meeting the former U.S. president in Florida late on Friday. The two discussed "a wide range of issues affecting Hungary and the United States, including the paramount importance of strong and secure borders to protect the sovereignty of each nation," according to a statement from Trump's campaign.

'Prepping' for disaster diversifies as more Americans lose trust

Brook Morgan surveyed booths at the "Survival & Prepper Show" in Colorado that were stocked with boxes of ammunition, mounds of trauma medical kits, and every type of knife imaginable. A self-described "30-year-old lesbian from Indiana," Morgan is one of a new breed of Americans getting ready to survive political upheaval and natural catastrophes, a pursuit that until recently was largely associated with far-right movements such as white nationalists since the 1980s.

Biden, Trump launch fight for top election prize: Georgia

President Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will campaign in the critical battleground state of Georgia on Saturday in what essentially will be the first face-off of the 2024 general election. Both candidates have been accusing each other of being a threat to democracy for weeks, but Saturday will mark the first time this year both will be in the same battleground state at the same time.

After speech, Biden launches major tour plus $30 million ad buy

President Joe Biden visited Pennsylvania on Friday to kick off a tour of battleground states and his reelection team will spend $30 million on an ad buy as he moves quickly into the U.S. general election campaign after his feisty State of the Union speech. Campaign officials who briefed reporters said Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in March will rally Democrats in many of the states where the Nov. 5 election against Republican opponent Donald Trump is likely to be decided.

Biden does not rule out debate with Trump

President Joe Biden on Friday appeared open to debating Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump after Trump challenged the Democrat to debates "anytime, anywhere, anyplace." "It depends on his behavior," Biden said.

Trump tightens grip on US Republican Party as daughter-in-law takes key post

Donald Trump cemented his grip on the Republican National Committee on Friday after his daughter-in-law and another ally assumed top leadership posts amid a debate among members over whether the organization should help pay his legal bills. RNC members meeting in Houston voted to appoint North Carolina Republican Party head Michael Whatley and Lara Trump as chair and co-chair of the organization, which will play a key role in marshaling voters and funds for the Nov. 5 general election.

Donald Trump posts $91.6 million bond for E. Jean Carroll's defamation verdict

Donald Trump on Friday posted a $91.6 million bond to cover the defamation verdict in favor of writer E. Jean Carroll, and began his appeal of the case that arose from his branding her a liar after she accused him of raping her decades ago. The bond from Federal Insurance Co, part of the insurer Chubb, would cover Carroll's $83.3 million judgment if Trump were to lose his appeal of the Jan. 26 verdict and refuse to pay.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)