President Trump put his signature on a bill that will fund the government through the end of January. The bill brought an end to a 43-day shutdown of the federal government. A group of eight Democratic senators negotiated with Senate Majority leader John Thune to get concessions for furloughed and laid off government workers, and the funding of several federal agencies. The deal did not include the extensions for healthcare subsidies that had become a key messaging point for Democrats throughout the shutdown. Will working out a deal without a big win hurt the political leverage the party seemed to be building? What will it mean for the position of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer?

Next, Congress turns back to the Epstein files, with new emails emerging that appeared damning for President Trump.

The president signed off on several pardons this week. Among those receiving the pardons were Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows and other members of the president’s inner circle who faced scrutiny for their roles in undermining the 2020 election. None of the 70 individuals pardoned were facing federal charges. So what was the point? Does the pardon process need a facelift?

The Supreme Court rejected the appeal of a Kentucky county clerk who wanted them to reconsider the landmark same-sex marriage case Obergefell v. Hodges. Concerns on the left about the case’s standing were high after the court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. KCRW discusses why Obergefell may not be overturned anytime soon, and answers a question from a listener looking for insight from last week’s election margins.

Democrats are celebrating a collection of election wins across the country this week. Messaging around affordability and the cost of living scored big wins for the party in the Virginia and New Jersey governor’s races, as well as mayoral races in several major cities. Will a successful off year help the party smooth over its internal disagreements heading into next year’s midterms?

California passed Proposition 50, a proverbial counter punch to redistricting efforts in Texas and other red states. The state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, says the legislation is a temporary fix to the campaign by President Donald Trump to create more congressional seats for conservatives. Democrats promise to be the “adults in the room,” but can they deliver?

Can voters really exert their power if the two major parties control the candidates they have to choose from? KCRW discusses one potential solution to the political Coke vs. Pepsi problem.

The federal shutdown is set to extend past the one month mark. The longer the shutdown goes, the more Americans could feel its impact. The Department of Agriculture announced that it would not use emergency funding to keep supplying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - also known as food stamps - after November 1st. Halting SNAP payments would affect more than 40 million Americans. Many federal workers, including air traffic controllers, are working without pay while the shutdown battle continues. With the holiday season approaching, airline travel could take a major hit. Will these economic pressure points jolt Congress into action?

Construction on a new grand ballroom at the White House has begun. Renovations at the ‘People’s House’ are nothing new. So why has the demolition and remodel of the East Wing drawn so much attention? One factor could be the stream of private donations funding the project. KCRW discusses how those payments and the access that comes with them puts one of Washington's biggest problems on display.

New York City’s mayoral race hits the ballot next week, along with a number of elections across the country. We’ll discuss what to watch for as a precursor to next year’s midterms, and answer one listener’s question about the future of the Voting Rights Act.