CD329: Citizens Detained
Congressional Dish
In this episode, hear testimony that Republican leadership refused to make part of the official Congressional Record—stories from U.S. citizens who were violently arrested and jailed by agents of the Department of Homeland Security, often while clearly identifying themselves as Americans. This is not rhetoric, speculation, or partisan spin; it is sworn testimony, backed by a Senate investigation, and it raises a terrifying question: if this can happen to them, what stops it from happening to any of us? Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via ...
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CD328: November Laws & Vaccine Chaos
Congressional Dish
In this two-topic episode, we break down what became law in November—including the shutdown deal that reopened the government and the dingleberries that were quietly slipped into it. Then we revisit the hearing on the firing of the CDC Director, focusing on a politicized vaccine advisory committee that has changed its recommendation for the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments...
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CD327: 23AndMe and the Sale of Your DNA
Congressional Dish
Millions of people have trusted 23andMe with their most intimate data—but what happens when a company holding 15 million DNA profiles goes bankrupt? In this episode, you’ll hear highlights from bipartisan House and Senate hearings exposing how genetic data can be hacked, shared, retained, and even sold under current U.S. law. Using testimony from lawmakers, legal experts, and 23andMe leaders, this episode uncovers the alarming gaps in federal privacy protections and explains why your genetic information—and even your relatives’—may be far less secure than you think. Please Support...
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CD326: October 2025 — Slippery Barnacles
Congressional Dish
In this episode, you’ll hear what actually happened in Congress during October 2025, a month dominated by a record-breaking shutdown. While the House was on vacation, the Senate enacted mass confirmations of over 100 Trump-aligned nominees—many with extreme views, conflicts of interest, or industry ties—as well as the surprising bipartisan pushback against Trump’s global tariff abuses. We also examine the Senate’s failed attempt to stop Trump’s unauthorized overseas boat strikes. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via ...
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CD325: Politics Trump Science at the CDC
Congressional Dish
After months of chaos under Trump’s second term, a shocking Senate hearing exposes how HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has politicized the CDC—firing scientists, silencing evidence, and demanding blind approval of vaccine changes. This episode dives into testimony from former CDC leaders and the rare moment of bipartisan oversight that could mark a turning point for accountability in Congress. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to:...
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CD324: Sept 2025: Destruction of Norms
Congressional Dish
A summary of September 2025. From new laws on veterans’ health, privacy, and export controls to a wave of Trump-era nominees confirmed in bulk — including several with jaw-dropping conflicts of interest — this month was a mess. In addition to new laws and confirmations, there were failed censure stunts, a delayed swearing-in that’s blocking a vote on the Epstein files, and yet another avoidable government shutdown. Both parties are playing games while regular people pay the price. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support...
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CD323: Shutdown Bad
Congressional Dish
Congress is once again playing with fire, and this time it’s the Democrats holding the match. In today’s episode, I’m sounding the alarm about a looming government shutdown that could hit at midnight on September 30th. History tells us shutdowns backfire on the party that demands partisan add-ons to must-pass funding bills, yet Democrats are betting they can use that same failed strategy and escape the blame. I’ll walk you through the shutdown showdowns of the past decade, explain what’s different—and more dangerous—about this moment, and lay out the real costs to workers,...
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CD322: Last Quarter in Congress — Indefinite Detention, Regulation Murders & Empowered Trump Minions
Congressional Dish
Since the beginning of this Congress, there have been 24 new laws signed and dozens of confirmations shaping our government in President Trump’s second term. From the Laken Riley Act’s attack on immigrant rights, to the One Big Beautiful Bill’s devastating effects on healthcare and the environment, to quiet but powerful confirmations of billionaires, bankers, and loyalists into positions that control our economy and foreign policy, this is a moment when Congress is rewriting the rules of our democracy. If you want to understand how decisions made in Washington are enriching corporations,...
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CD321: One Big Beautiful Bill — the Money
Congressional Dish
Part 2 of the “Big Beautiful Bill”. In this episode, we examine tax cuts and tax increases for the wealthy, the corporations, and for the rest of us. We examine the winners and losers chosen by the Republicans and what it all means for you. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank’s online bill pay...
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CD320: One Big Beautiful Bill — a Dangerous Law
Congressional Dish
The One Big Beautiful Bill is now officially law, ushering in a sweeping wave of reforms that promise to reshape the nation. In this episode, we unpack the concerning changes it brings to immigration policy, environmental protections, and health care coverage—three pillars that will directly impact millions of lives. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to:...
info_outlineIt’s been four months since President Biden requested over $100 billion in war money for Israel and Ukraine and the Senate has now passed a bill that would provide most of the money. In this episode, we examine the events that lead up to and have occurred since President Biden’s address to the nation, and analyze the Senate bill along with its possible paths to becoming law.
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View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd287-war-money
Background Sources
Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes
CD286: Prolonging the War in Ukraine
CD248: Understanding the Enemy
CD167: Combating Russia (NDAA 2018) LIVE
CD067: What Do We Want In Ukraine?
October 7 Attack
“The West Bank Occupation Outweighed Israel's Defense of the Gaza Border on the Eve of October 7.” Aluf Benn. February 21, 2024. Haaretz.
“Families of Israelis Killed in Be'eri Home Hit by IDF Tank on October 7 Demand Probe.” Liza Rozovsky. January 6, 2024. Haaretz.
“Chilling Warnings Picked Up by Israeli Intelligence Months Before October 7 Massacre.” Amos Harel. November 27, 2023. Haaretz.
“הערכה במערכת הביטחון: בחמאס לא ידעו מראש על פסטיבל נובה, וזיהו אותו מהאוויר" November 18, 2023. Josh Breiner. Haaretz.
“One Palestinian Killed After Settlers Enter West Bank Town of Hawara to Set Up Sukkah.” Hagar Shezaf and Jack Khoury. October 6, 2023. Haaretz.
Aftermath of the October 7 Attack
“Police Detain 21 Anti-gov't Protesters in Tel Aviv, Use Water Cannon to Disperse Protest.” Ran Shimoni et al. February 24, 2024. Haaretz.
“Remarks by President Biden on the United States’ Response to Hamas’s Terrorist Attacks Against Israel and Russia’s Ongoing Brutal War Against Ukraine.” October 20, 2023. White House Briefing Room.
“Biden Lays Out Stakes for America as He Seeks Aid for Israel and Ukraine.” Michael D. Shear. October 19, 2023. The New York Times.
“Gaza Death Toll Nears 3,800 as Israel’s Siege and Bombardment Enters 13th Day.” October 19, 2023. Democracy Now!
History of Palestine and Israel
“Israel’s War Within: On the ruinous history of Religious Zionism.” Bernard Avishai. February 2024. Harper’s Magazine.
“A timeline of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” October 20, 2023. The World.
Israelism. Directed by Erin Axelman and Sam Eilertsen, produced by Daniel J. Chalfen, Nadia Saah, and Erin Axelman. 2023.
“The Gaza Strip: The humanitarian impact of 15 years of blockade.” OCHA. June 2022. UNICEF.
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017. Rashid Khalidi. Macmillan Audio: 2020.
“Gaza Fights For Freedom.” Directed by Abby Martin. 2019. Empire Files.
Enemies and Neighbors Arabs and Jews in Palestine and Israel, 1917-2017. Ian Black. Tantor Audio: 2018.
“Fear & Loathing in the new jerusalem.” Darryl Cooper. 2015-2016. Martyrmade Podcast.
“Operation Protective Edge: A war waged on Gaza's children.” April 16, 2015. Defense for Children International - Palestine.
“Israel’s System of Segregated Roads in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” March 2012. Visualizing Palestine.
Balfour Declaration
“More than a century on: The Balfour Declaration explained.” Zena Al Tahhan. November 2, 2018. Al Jazeera.
“Balfour Declaration: Text of the Declaration.” Lord Arthur James Balfour. November 2, 1917. Jewish Virtual Library.
Vanishing Palestine
“First Zionist Congress.” Retrieved on February 27, 2024. Wikipedia: the free Encyclopedia.
“Israel's borders explained in maps.” October 11, 2023. BBC.
“Highways to Annexation: Across the West Bank, Israel Is Bulldozing a Bright Future for Jewish Settlers.” Hagar Shezaf. December 11, 2020. Haaretz.
“Israel: Discriminatory Land Policies Hem in Palestinians.” May 12, 2020. Human Rights Watch.
“Understanding Israel’s Nation State Law.” Mitchell Bard. Jewish Virtual Library.
“Palestine Remix: Animated map of Israel taking over historic Palestine.” Al Jazeera.
“Excerpts from the Jewish National Fund’s Response to H.C. 9205/04 and H.C. 9010/04.” Alex Hartman et al. December 9, 2004. Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel.
"Light Committee Report." 2003.
Creation of Israel
UN Resolution 181. 1947.
“United Nations partition plan of 1947 – Map,” [Map no. 3067 Rev 1.] April 1983. United Nations.
Lebanon
“The Simmering Lebanese Front in Israel’s War.” Rania Abouzeid. October 21, 2023. The New Yorker.
“At war for decades, Lebanon and Israel agree a rare compromise.” Tom Perry et al. October 18, 2022. Reuters.
Dahiya Doctrine
“The Dahiya Doctrine and Israel’s Use of Disproportionate Force.” December 7, 2012. Institute for Middle East Understanding.
“Disproportionate Force: Israel's Concept of Response in Light of the Second Lebanon War.” Gabi Siboni. October 2, 2008. INSS Insight.
“Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Lebanon pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution S-2/1” [A/HRC/3/2]. November 23, 2006. UN General Assembly Human Rights Council.
Gaza Death Toll
“Israel-Gaza war in maps and charts: Live tracker.” AJLabs. Retrieved on February 27, 2024. Al Jazeera.
“Father of Palestinian American teen killed in West Bank discusses son’s death.” Amna Nawaz and Sonia Kopelev. February 9, 2024. PBS NewsHour.
“20,000 Dead and Counting: The Battle Over Verifying Gaza's Death Toll.” Linda Dayan. December 26, 2023. Haaretz.
“Key figures on the 2014 hostilities.” June 23, 2015. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
“Humanitarian Factsheet: From ‘Cast Lead’ to ‘Pillar of Defence.’” Caabu.
“UN presses for prosecutions in damning report of Hamas and Israel conduct.” Rory McCarthy. September 15, 2009. The Guardian.
Post-October 7 Land Grab
“Netanyahu's post-war plan sees Israel keeping security control over Palestinian areas.” Henriette Chacar. February 23, 2024. Reuters.
“Israel plans to build 3,300 new settlement homes. It says it’s a response to a Palestinian attack.” Julia Frankel. February 23, 2024. AP News.
“Israeli Government to Reward New Immigrants Who Settle in Country's North, South and West Bank.” Liza Rozovsky. February 15, 2024. Haaretz.
“Netanyahu Ministers Join Thousands of Israelis in 'Resettle Gaza' Conference Calling for Palestinians' Transfer.’” Nir Hasson and Rachel Fink. January 28, 2024. Haaretz.
“Israeli ministers reject US criticism of their calls to expel Palestinians from Gaza.” Abdelraouf Arnaout. January 3, 2024. Anadolu Agency.
“Israeli Far-right Lawmaker Calls for Settlements Across All Northern Gaza.” Itai Weiss. December 27, 2023. Haaretz.
“Israel Must Clarify: No Expulsion of Gazans. No Israeli Settlements in Gaza.” Yitzhak Benbaji et al. November 30, 2023. Haaretz.
“The Extreme Ambitions of West Bank Settlers.” Isaac Chotiner. November 11, 2023. The New Yorker.
“Israeli Intelligence Ministry Policy Paper On Gaza's Civilian Population, October 2023.” Uploaded by LocalCall. October 13, 2023. Scribd.
Gas Rights
“The war on Gaza is also an Israeli drive to seize Palestinian gas reserves.” Walid Abuhelal. February 20, 2024. Middle East Eye.
Israeli Nukes
“Israel - Israel’s Nuclear History.” Center for Arms Control and Non-proliferation.
Ceasefire
“8 Israeli hostages freed from Gaza at end of seventh day of truce.” Amy Spiro et al. November 30, 2023. The Times of Israel.
“Why Does Israel Have So Many Palestinians in Detention and Available to Swap?” Omar Shakir. November 29, 2023. Human Rights Watch.
The Destruction of Gaza
“Israel raids main Gaza hospital as Rafah concerns grow.” James Mackenzie and Nidal Al-Mughrabi. February 15, 2024. Reuters.
“In Gaza’s collapsing health system, deaths are slow, painful and often preventable.” Mithil Aggarwal and Yasmine Salam. January 18, 2024. NBC News.
“I Am Gaza City’s Mayor. Our Lives and Culture Are in Rubble.” Yahya R. Sarraj. December 24, 2023. The New York Times.
“Northern Gaza no longer has a functional hospital, WHO says.” Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber. December 21, 2023. Reuters.
U.S. Aid to Israel
H.R.815 - National Security Act, 2024
“The Biden administration once again bypasses Congress on an emergency weapons sale to Israel.” Matthew Lee. December 29, 2023. PBS NewsHour.
“Biden Requests $105 Billion Aid Package for Israel, Ukraine and Other Crises.” Michael D. Shear and Karoun Demirjian. October 20, 2023. The New York Times.
Limiting Aid to Gaza
“Israeli forces fired on food convoy in Gaza, UN documents and satellite analysis reveals.” Katie Polglase and Muhammad Darwish. February 21, 2024. CNN.
“'Unproven Allegations': U.K.'s Channel 4 Slams Israel's Charge Against UNRWA.” Rachel Fink. February 7, 2024. Haaretz.
“Israel’s evidence of UNRWA Hamas allegations examined.” Lindsey Hilsum. February 5, 2024. Channel 4 News.
“As donors suspend critical funding to UNRWA, allegations against staff remain murky.” Jessica Le Masurier. February 5, 2024. France 24.
Netanyahu Rejects Two State Solution
“Netanyahu rejects US calls for two-state solution.” January 19, 2024. DW.
Why Does the U.S. Government Support Israel?
“American Israel Public Affairs Cmte: Recipients.” OpenSecrets.
Real American History
A People's History of the United States. Howard Zinn. Harper Audio: 2009.
Ukraine
“Ukraine Can’t Win the War.” Anatol Lieven. February 24, 2024. Time.
Border Crisis
“Top lawmakers to be briefed on Russian threat.” Jamie Dupree. February 15, 2024. Regular Order.
“Alejandro Mayorkas Articles of Impeachment.”
“House impeaches Alejandro Mayorkas in historic vote, punishing DHS chief over handling of U.S.-Mexico border.” Caitlin Yilek. February 14, 2024. CBS News.
“Trump throws cold water on border bill — again.” Kelly Garrity. February 5, 2024. Politico.
Bills
H.R. 815 (Engrossed Amendment Senate) - National Security Act, 2024
Audio Sources
“Does Congress really want to provide military aid to Netanyahu so that he can annihilate more innocent people?”
February 11, 2024
Bernie Sanders on X
Presidential Address on Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine Wars
October 19, 2023 C-SPAN
Executive Producer Recommended Sources
Music
Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito