Author | Lightnews

Emine Yücel

Emine Yücel

@emineirmakyucel.bsky.social

28K followers 60 following 41 posts

national political reporter @TPM.bsky.social • formerly Washington Week, NewsHour Weekend & NPR investigations signal: eyucel.06

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Reposted by Emine Yücel

Allegra Kirkland @allegrak.bsky.social · Sep 30

@kateriga.bsky.social + @emineirmakyucel.bsky.social are tracking shutdown hell for you 🫠

After top Dems + GOPers met w/Trump,
"Trump posted an AI deepfake video of Schumer saying Democrats are 'woke pieces of shit' w Jeffries nodding along in a sombrero"
talkingpointsmemo.com/live-blog/sh...

Hours Away, Government Shutdown Seems Inevitable

The government will shut down at midnight. The Senate is in session,...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Aug 6

TPM has previously reported on the Trump White House’s repeated threats to challenge the ICA in court and try out so-called “pocket rescissions,” to rescind congressionally approved funds without permission from Congress.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/congres...

Congressional Watchdog Publishes Aptly Timed Reminder That WH Budget-Slashing Scheme is Illegal

A congressional watchdog agency, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), published a post...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · Aug 6

Outstanding article on the upcoming government funding fight from @emineirmakyucel.bsky.social, who is quickly becoming my go-to on approps and budget reporting.

Quotes from me, Devin O’Connor at @centeronbudget.bsky.social, and Chuck Kieffer (former long time Senate Approps Dem staff director).

A Big, Upcoming Fight Could See Dems Demand Congress Take Back Its Power

When Congress returns from its lengthy August recess, lawmakers on Capitol Hill...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Emine Yücel @emineirmakyucel.bsky.social · Aug 6

Thank you!!

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Aug 5

Dems could decide they want to stand up to the ongoing impoundment by the Trump admin and refuse to vote for legislation unless the White House guarantees that funds will be distributed as appropriated.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/a-big-u...

A Big, Upcoming Fight Could See Dems Demand Congress Take Back Its Power

When Congress returns from its lengthy August recess, lawmakers on Capitol Hill...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Jul 25

Looming over the whole rescissions process is the White House’s repeated threat to challenge the Impoundment Control Act in court and to try out a maneuver officials have repeatedly previewed: so-called “pocket rescissions.”
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/the-tru...

The Trump Admin Gets Ready to Seize Congress’ Power of the Purse

The Trump White House is planning to send a second rescissions request...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

Josh Kovensky @joshkovensky.bsky.social · Jul 17

We @talkingpointsmemo.com are raising money for our journalism fund! We're almost halfway to our goal of $500k.

Contribute at the link below, and I'll lay out a few reasons in this thread for why I think you should

accounts.talkingpointsmemo.com/contribute

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Jul 16

Collins, McConnell & Murkowski broke with the Senate GOP caucus and opposed procedural votes, citing concerns about the bill and lack of clarity on where exactly the cuts will come from.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/wh-is-i...

WH Is Ignoring Senate GOP’s Requests for Details on DOGE Cuts It Wants Congress to Swallow

Senate Republicans barely advanced President Donald Trump’s $9 billion rescissions package into...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Jun 20

Experts tell TPM the proposed Medicaid cuts included in Senate Finance Committee's text targets many key components of Obamacare.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/senate-...

Senate Republicans Take The Attack On Obamacare To A New Level

House Republicans included massive cuts to federal social safety net programs, like...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Jun 17

On Medicaid, at least, it appears that the Senate finance panel is recommending changes that go further than what key Senate Republicans have said publicly they’re comfortable with.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/senate-...

Senate Republicans Propose Gutting Medicaid Further To Make Trump Tax Cuts Permanent

The Senate Finance Committee, which oversees changes made to taxes and social...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Jun 12

Trump’s rescission package narrowly passed in the House in a largely party line 214-212 vote, with all Democrats and four Republicans voting to reject the measure.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/jeffrie...

Jeffries Calls Out Republicans For Ceding Their Authority To Trump In Rubber-Stamping DOGE Cuts

House Republicans narrowly passed the rescission package President Donald Trump sent over...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Jun 11

Neither party is eager to talk about the impact of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” in this way — Democrats prefer to focus on the effect the bill will have on Americans, while Republicans have downplayed the ways in which the legislation will upend the status quo.

Passing Big Beautiful Bill Would Mean ‘Effectively Dismantling’ Obamacare, Gutting Inflation Reduction Act

The massive budget bill that Republicans are currently negotiating in the Senate...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Jun 6

One thing is clear: GOP leaders have their work cut out for them. And in a few key cases, senators might soon find themselves caught between what Trump demands of them, and what’s good for their reelection prospects.

Senate GOP Sorts Out Which Poison Pills It Can Swallow To Pass House’s ‘Big Beautiful’ Bill

Senate Republicans began the work this week of deciphering what exactly House...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · May 22

The massive reconciliation package got a makeover on Wednesday largely to appease the far-right members who were threatening to sink the bill. Notably, leadership made substantial changes to the Medicaid portion of the bill overnight.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/house-p...

House Passes Trump’s Reconciliation Bill After Shoving In Larger Medicaid Cuts At Last Minute

After weeks of intraparty fighting, House Republicans passed the reconciliation package that...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · May 14

While little of the proposed Medicaid slashing had been discussed 10 hours into the meeting, tensions were high and bipartisan outrage over House Republicans’ efforts to gut the social safety net program was on full display.

Ten Hours In: Raucous Protests, Forced Removals And No Serious Discussion Of Republicans’ Proposed Cuts To Medicaid

The House Energy and Commerce Committee met Tuesday afternoon to begin discussing...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · May 9

As long foreshadowed, how and how much Republicans will cut Medicaid without too many Americans figuring out what they’re doing has the conference twisted in knots.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/the-whe...

The Wheels Come Off Trump’s Attempt To Pass A ‘Big, Beautiful’ Bill

The true extent of the confusion between the Trump White House and...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

Nicole LaFond @nicolelafond.bsky.social · May 6

“There's no way they're going to be able to do the things they want to do without cutting Medicaid. Just point, blank, period,” @aoc.bsky.social tells TPM's @emineirmakyucel.bsky.social. More here ⤵️

Republicans Dodge Even Basic Questions On Medicaid Cut Plans: ‘Decisions Haven’t Been Made’

House Republicans’ work of making sweeping cuts to Medicaid — the social...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Emine Yücel @emineirmakyucel.bsky.social · May 1

"These requirements are not about jobs but are a cruel way for Republicans to take health care away from millions of people to give tax breaks to billionaires and corporations.” E&C Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone said.

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · May 1

Republicans are looking for ways to make sweeping cuts to Medicaid, while publicly insisting they’re not actually doing that. Enacting work requirements has emerged as one clear favorite option for the bamboozlement.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/republi...

Republicans Coalesce Around Medicaid Work Requirements, Pretending It Won’t Impact Millions Of Enrollees

House Energy & Commerce Committee Republicans have begun their work of finding...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Apr 28

The way that Trump has gone about using rescission turns on its head the constitutional process for allocating funds and further undermines Congress’ authority to direct spending, stand up federal agencies and serve as a check on the executive branch.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-a...

Trump Allies Prep Plan To Make DOGE Seem Like A Good, Normal, Law-Abiding Operation

The White House is planning to send a rescission package to Capitol...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Apr 10

Only two House Republicans — Reps. Massie and Spartz — broke with their conference and voted against the blueprint, which they say does not go far enough in enacting the sweeping cuts they have been calling for and will actually increase the deficit.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/house-g...

House GOP Hardliners Cave, Unlocking Process To Make Sweeping Medicaid Cuts

After two days of back and forth that involved House Republican leadership...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Emine Yücel @emineirmakyucel.bsky.social · Apr 3

“They’re engaged in trickery. If you’re busy trying to hide what you’re doing, deep down, you must know that you’re doing the wrong thing. Because if you really believe in it, you ought to own it,” Warnock told me.

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Apr 3

The newly released budget resolution indicates that the Republican leadership is plowing ahead with their plan to utilize an unprecedented “budget gimmick” to make portions of the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent.

‘They’re Engaged In Trickery’: What Sen Republicans Are Actually Trying To Do With Their Tax Cut Magic Math

Senate Republican leadership released the legislative text for their second attempt at...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Mar 27

Several Senate Republicans indicated this week they won’t get behind a budget resolution that would require deep cuts to Medicaid.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/house-g...

House GOP’s Proposed Medicaid Cuts Are A Major Point Of Tension With Senate GOP

Congressional Republican leaders are in the midst of a Trump-imposed three-week stretch...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Reposted by Emine Yücel

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Mar 25

When asked about the consequences of such an action — if it were to happen — Lieu, matter of factly, said: “We would instantly become an authoritarian country.”
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/house-d...

House Dems Tear Into Johnson’s ‘Outrageous’ Suggestion That Congress Could ‘Eliminate’ Some Fed Courts

House Democrats who spoke to TPM on Tuesday were stunned and floored...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Emine Yücel @emineirmakyucel.bsky.social · Mar 14

@kateriga.bsky.social and I gotchu with the latest

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · Mar 14

Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and even Democratic House leadership, are criticizing the Senate’s caving.
talkingpointsmemo.com/live-blog/se...

Senate Democrats Expected To Help Pass House Republican CR

Following Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) announcement that he would help...

talkingpointsmemo.com