{"id":550,"date":"2026-06-18T11:38:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T11:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/modernhomejournals.com\/?p=550"},"modified":"2026-06-18T11:38:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T11:38:11","slug":"undead-on-arrival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/modernhomejournals.com\/?p=550","title":{"rendered":"Undead on Arrival"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Today\u2019s notice:<\/i><\/b> \u201cDay of the Living Dead\u201d legislation in the Senate. What people really think of renaming Palm Beach International after Trump. Progressive leaders in New York attempt to primary their cake and eat it, too. The senator \u201ckicking the tires\u201d on a 2028 bid. And: Giving plasma because you need the money. <\/i><\/p>\n

Read more D.C. Lost Out on the World Cup. These Local Bars Are Winning.<\/a><\/p>\n

THE LATEST<\/b><\/h2>\n

Senators\u2019 fears come true:<\/b> Earlier this week we told you about senators worrying<\/u><\/span> that the zombie SAVE America Act was lurking around, impossible to pass but kept alive by Donald Trump<\/b>. What havoc might it wreak? Yesterday, they got a hint when the zombie burst through the perimeter and stumbled around hunting for delicious brains, NOTUS\u2019 Al Weaver and Avani Kalra report<\/u><\/span>.<\/p>\n

The original plan had two goals: <\/b>A quick hearing by the Senate Intelligence Committee would have put director of national intelligence nominee Jay Clayton <\/b>on a glide path to confirmation and prevented Bill Pulte<\/b> from stepping into the acting role, which spooked national security traditionalists on both sides of the aisle. Moving forward with Clayton\u2019s nomination would have broken the unified Democratic opposition to a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act extension.<\/p>\n

None of that happened because Trump said Clayton could not be confirmed unless Congress passed the SAVE America Act, which does not have the votes.<\/p>\n

Trump shattered whatever chance he had at leveraging bipartisan fears over FISA <\/b>to get his DNI nominee through quickly. It is unclear what comes next. \u201cI\u2019m not sure I know the answer to that just yet, but we\u2019ll take it a day at a time,\u201d Senate Majority Leader John Thune<\/b> said.<\/p>\n

But wait, there are two zombies on the loose. <\/b>That other gurgling, lurching sound you hear is the return of the debate over taxpayer funding for the White House ballroom, which Trump also reanimated. NOTUS\u2019 Igor Bobic and Anna Kramer report<\/u><\/span> that the Office of Management and Budget has quietly apportioned $352 million from the \u201cone big, beautiful bill\u201d for \u201cWhite House security measures.\u201d<\/p>\n

No one knows what that means exactly, but OMB brought up the ballroom unprompted when NOTUS asked about the money. Senators who thought this other uncomfortable issue \u2014 taxpayer funds for the ballroom \u2014 was dead, buried and eulogized were not happy to see it stumbling around again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a big problem,\u201d Sen. Thom Tillis<\/b> (R-North Carolina) said.<\/p>\n

Open tabs:<\/b> Knicks Will Be First NBA Team to Visit Trump White House<\/u><\/span> (NOTUS); Trump plan would fence park near White House long used by tourists, protesters<\/u><\/span> (WaPo); RFK Jr. Orders American Exposed to Hantavirus to Stay Quarantined Against Medical Advice<\/u><\/span> (WSJ); Teamsters, DOJ move to end federal monitorship after 37 years<\/u><\/span> (Axios)<\/p>\n

From Florida<\/b><\/h2>\n

What fliers won\u2019t be seeing at the renamed Palm Beach International Airport<\/b> is this 8-foot-tall, 5,000-pound granite statue of Trump currently located in North Dakota and owned by Florida business consultant Jim Schiffler<\/b>, NOTUS\u2019 Dave Levinthal writes<\/u><\/span>. Schiffler offered the statue to airport authorities \u2014 one of the few kind offers sent by the general public to PBI officials that Dave obtained via FOIA ahead of the facility\u2019s July 1 renaming to the President Donald J. Trump International Airport. The airport commission politely declined the statue, Schiffler told Dave.<\/p>\n

Most of the public responses <\/b>sent through PBI\u2019s website were not as enamored with the name change as Schiffler was. \u201cTrump Airport\u2026FUCK YOU. Should be Palm Bitch,\u201d one commenter wrote, summarizing the majority of takes Dave found.<\/p>\n

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From the Hill<\/b><\/h2>\n

Good news for The Trump Organization: <\/b>The Senate Armed Services Committee closed its doors last week and voted along party lines, 14-13, to squasha Democratic-led amendment that would have banned the Pentagon from investing in companies tied to Trump, his Cabinet or their respective families, NOTUS\u2019 Joe Gould reports<\/u><\/span>. \u201cWe keep all the cheap shots out, and we think the president and most of the other members would have considered that a cheap shot,\u201d Sen. Mike Rounds<\/b> (R-South Dakota) said.<\/p>\n

From the campaign trail<\/b><\/h2>\n

New York\u2019s progressive stars divide and conquer?<\/b> New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani <\/b>is front and center in an effort to primary several of the city\u2019s Democratic U.S. House members from the left. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/b>, who gained notoriety winning just that kind of primary, is not publicly getting involved in those races. Instead, she\u2019s backing a slate of progressive state legislative candidates. Mamdani is not spending a lot of time on those.<\/p>\n

Read more Why Was D.C. Slow to Report Results on Election Night?<\/a><\/p>\n

Call it the maturing of the DSA. <\/b>NOTUS\u2019 Elena Schneider and Daniella Diaz write<\/u><\/span> that observers in New York see a pretty canny strategy behind the divided focus: the mayor risks alienating state Democrats he needs to run the city by getting too involved in state primaries, while AOC risks creating enemies within her congressional delegation ahead of a possible run for higher office.<\/p>\n

NOTUS METRO<\/b><\/h2>\n

Sign up for our new local newsletter.<\/b> NOTUS has added some of the best reporters covering D.C.-area news, sports and culture. Sign up for the NOTUS Metro Newsletter now!<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

Local news:<\/b> Why Was D.C. Slow to Report Results on Election Night?<\/u><\/span> By Martin Austermuhle and Michael Brice-Saddler<\/p>\n

Sports desk:<\/b> D.C. Lost Out on the World Cup. These Local Bars Are Winning.<\/u><\/span> By Zara Norman<\/p>\n

ON NOTUS PODCAST<\/b><\/h2>\n

From your favorite podcast app: <\/b>Sen. Chris Van Hollen<\/b> (D-Maryland) is \u201ckicking the tires\u201d on a presidential bid and calling for a reexamination of his party\u2019s stance on Israel. \u201cAny credible Democratic presidential candidate has to be willing to hold the government of Israel accountable when it is violating human rights and violating international law and violating U.S. interests,\u201d Van Hollen told NOTUS\u2019 Igor Bobic on the most recent episode of On NOTUS.<\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

NEW ON NOTUS<\/b><\/h2>\n

Give until it hurts: <\/b>There are numerous signs that more Americans are donating plasma (and pocketing the money) as affordability struggles continue to ratchet up, NOTUS\u2019 Emily Kennard reports<\/u><\/span>. American rules around donation are much, much looser than in other countries \u2014 donating up to 104 times per year (!) is currently allowed, despite the potential health risks.<\/p>\n

But more congressional oversight of the plasma-donation industry is not popular on the Hill, Emily found. \u201cUntil I see the detriment, why would I make more regulations?\u201d Rep. Rich McCormick<\/b> (R-Georgia), a physician, said.<\/p>\n

Rep. Maxine Dexter <\/b>(D-Oregon), who is also a physician, agreed: \u201cI think that we should not be in the business of telling medicine what they should or shouldn\u2019t do.\u201d<\/p>\n

More:<\/b> Trump Settles $100 Million Lawsuit Against His Niece<\/u><\/span>, by Jenna Monnin<\/p>\n

The U.S. Military\u2019s AI Policy Is Up for Debate<\/u><\/span>, by Samuel Larreal<\/p>\n

Trump Is Threatening State Unemployment Funds. Some States Didn\u2019t Get the Memo.<\/u><\/span> By Natalie Alms<\/p>\n

NOT US<\/b><\/h2>\n