The briefing for Wednesday, May 20.

The Senate voted 50-47 on Tuesday to advance legislation forcing President Trump to either gain congressional approval for the Iran war or withdraw troops, with Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy providing a crucial vote after losing his primary election last week. The vote demonstrates growing Republican unease with the conflict, though enough GOP senators were absent to potentially defeat the measure on final passage. Trump had backed off planned Tuesday strikes to allow negotiations to continue.

Republican Sens. Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski joined Cassidy in supporting the war powers resolution, while most Republicans maintained their opposition. Cassidy, who previously voted against similar measures, said after his primary loss that he was proud of his work to uphold the Constitution and would carefully consider votes on Trump administration priorities. Trump endorsed Cassidy's primary opponent, contributing to his defeat.

The vote reflects Republican concerns about rising gas prices and the fragile ceasefire in a war that began when Trump ordered attacks on Iran in late February. According to AP reporting, the timing of a final vote remains unclear, but the advancing legislation signals that Trump's Iran policy is hitting significant resistance even within his own party as the conflict grips the Strait of Hormuz.

The World Health Organization cautioned Tuesday that the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo may be worse than current data suggests, with 600 suspected cases and 139 deaths now reported. The BBC reports that modeling by the London-based MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis indicates "substantial" under-detection, and researchers cannot rule out that there have already been more than 1,000 cases. Fifty-one cases have been confirmed in Congo and two in neighboring Uganda.

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which hasn't been seen for over a decade and for which no approved vaccine exists. WHO official Dr. Anne Ancia told the BBC that the more investigators examine the outbreak, the clearer it becomes that cases have spread to other provinces and across borders. The situation is complicated by the region's long-standing conflict, damaged healthcare infrastructure, and large population movements around gold mining areas.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared an international emergency on Saturday, before the organization's emergency committee met to recommend medical interventions. Locals told the BBC they are "really scared" and waiting for protective supplies like face masks. The Red Cross warned that Ebola can escalate quickly when cases aren't identified early, communities lack information, and health systems are overwhelmed—conditions present in the current outbreak.

The Justice Department quietly expanded its settlement of Trump's $10 billion IRS lawsuit to include language permanently barring the government from examining or prosecuting the Trump family, Trump Organization, and their affiliates for current tax matters, according to documents posted Tuesday. The one-page addendum, signed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, goes beyond the original Monday announcement and was added to the Justice Department website without fanfare. The AP reports this represents an extraordinary use of executive power that could shield the president from financial scrutiny.

The settlement stems from Trump's lawsuit over leaked tax returns and includes creation of a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" allowing people who believe they were politically targeted for prosecution to apply for compensation. Acting Attorney General Blanche told lawmakers Tuesday he would not rule out Jan. 6 rioters receiving payouts from the fund. The Justice Department said the tax settlement applies only to existing audits, not future examinations, though ethics experts questioned the arrangement.

Former IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel said he was unaware of any precedent where the agency agreed in advance to permanently forgo examination of previously filed tax returns for specific individuals or businesses. "Whether you are the president or Joe the Plumber, people expect the same tax rules and enforcement framework to apply to everybody," Werfel told the AP. Democratic lawmakers and watchdogs have condemned both the fund and tax settlement as corrupt and unconstitutional.

South Carolina's Republican-controlled House approved congressional redistricting legislation just after midnight Tuesday following a 14-hour session, advancing President Trump's push to reshape the state's only Democratic district ahead of November's midterm elections. The plan, which would give Republicans a shot at winning an additional seat, now moves to the state Senate where some Republicans have expressed concerns it could backfire by making districts competitive enough for Democrats to gain ground instead.

Four Republicans voted against the bill after the marathon session that included reading the legislation and Census data aloud for over three hours. Democratic Rep. JA Moore told colleagues "what you all are doing is wrong," while Republicans rejected numerous Democratic amendments aimed at preserving Rep. Jim Clyburn's district. Clyburn, who is seeking an 18th term, has said he will continue running regardless of the new map.

The legislation would remove U.S. House races from June primaries and instead hold a special primary in August, requiring South Carolina to spend at least $3 million on another statewide election. Some absentee and military ballots already cast would be discarded. Similar redistricting efforts are underway across the South following a Supreme Court decision that weakened Voting Rights Act protections, with Republicans projecting they could gain up to 15 additional House seats from revised districts in seven states.

Affordable Care Act enrollment could drop from 22.3 million Americans in 2025 to around 17.5 million this year—a decline of more than 20%—according to a new analysis from healthcare research nonprofit KFF released Tuesday. The projected plunge, significantly steeper than initial federal data suggested, stems from the January 1 expiration of COVID-era subsidies that had helped most enrollees afford coverage. Many Americans were auto-renewed in now-unaffordable plans and are losing coverage mid-year when unable to pay.

For those who remain enrolled, costs have risen sharply. The average enrollee's deductible increased by more than $1,000, while average monthly premium payments jumped $65, or 58% overall. KFF found that middle-income Americans, who earn too much to qualify for remaining low-income subsidies but not enough to comfortably afford coverage without the enhanced subsidies, dropped coverage at higher rates than other groups. Many enrollees downgraded to lower-premium, higher-deductible plans to maintain some coverage.

The enrollment crisis poses significant political stakes for November's midterm elections, where economic concerns including healthcare costs are top voter issues. The Trump administration maintains that fraud prevention efforts account for most enrollment declines, though final CMS data isn't yet public. KFF vice president Cynthia Cox expressed hope that insurers have already adjusted for market changes, suggesting "this could be a one-time market correction" without such sharp premium spikes in future years.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in Beijing on Wednesday to reaffirm their strategic partnership just days after President Trump's visit to China, in a sequence experts say cements Beijing's image as an influential superpower balancing relationships with both powers. The leaders oversaw signing of more than 40 cooperation agreements in areas including trade, technology, and media, and agreed to extend a friendship treaty first signed in 2001. Xi declared the relationship has reached "the highest level in history."

Putin emphasized that Russia remains "a reliable supplier" of energy resources while China is "a responsible consumer," with Russian oil exports to China growing 35% in the first quarter of 2026 according to a presidential aide. The leaders stressed their alignment on international affairs, with Xi calling for "complete cessation of hostilities" in the Middle East and warning that the Iran conflict disrupts energy supplies and trade. Putin described their foreign policy cooperation as "one of the key stabilizing factors on the international stage."

China became Russia's top trading partner after Moscow's 2022 Ukraine invasion, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $228 billion in 2025 according to state media. Beijing maintains it is neutral in the Ukraine conflict while continuing trade with Russia despite Western sanctions. Xi referenced criticisms of "unilateralism and hegemonism" in apparent reference to U.S. actions, saying "the world faces the danger of reverting to the law of the jungle." Putin invited Xi to visit Russia in 2027.