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Politics: 2024Talks - March 20, 2024

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Politics and views in the United States.

Audio file

Congressional negotiators agree on spending to avoid a shutdown, the Supreme Court says for the moment Texas police can arrest and deport migrants and an Arizona lawmaker shares her need for an abortion on the floor of the state Senate.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2024 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

We haven't had a government shutdown since 2019.

There's no good reason for us to have one this week, now that we're getting very close to finishing the job.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says congressional leaders have reached agreement on spending to avoid a government shutdown.

Lawmakers are now racing to draft the legislation so the bills can be voted on before a Friday night deadline.

A split Supreme Court says a Texas immigration law can go into effect while a lower court challenge goes forward.

So for now, state and local officials can arrest and deport people they suspect illegally crossed the border.

The White House calls that an unprecedented intrusion into federal immigration enforcement, but Texas Governor Greg Abbott says the Constitution allows him to defend his state from what he calls an invasion.

The authors of the United States Constitution foresaw a situation when the federal government would be inattentive to states that faced challenges at their borders.

Former President Donald Trump says he may have to sell properties at fire sale prices to pay the nearly half-billion-dollar civil fraud bond due next week.

At least 30 companies declined to underwrite his bond.

New York Attorney General Letitia James says she hasn't ruled out seizing one of his marquee properties.

We are prepared to make sure that the judgment is paid to New Yorkers.

And yes, I look at 40 Wall Street each and every day.

An Arizona lawmaker spoke on the floor of the state Senate, announcing her plans to have an abortion after learning her pregnancy is not viable.

Current law bans the procedure after 15 weeks, but state Senator Ava Birch says people should not have to justify their medical decisions.

I'm choosing to talk about why I made this decision because I want us to be able to have meaningful conversations about the reality of how the work that we do in this body impacts people in the real world.

Birch says state law has required her to undergo an invasive ultrasound not ordered by her doctor.

A signature drive now underway would put a state constitutional right to abortion on the ballot in Arizona this fall.

A federal judge has sentenced a Mississippi Sheriff's deputy to 20 years for his part in the racially motivated torture of two black men.

Five other deputies in the group that referred to itself as the Goon Squad will be sentenced this week.

Attorney Trent Walker represents the victims and says the deputies should face the harshest of consequences.

Almost every police car in America has the words to protect and serve, but you can't protect one segment of the community and then persecute another segment of the community.

Five states held presidential primaries Tuesday, even as President Joe Biden and Trump have already locked up their nominations.

Florida Democrats canceled their primary, opting to award the state's delegates to Biden.

I'm Catherine Carley for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.