This week’s guide to government and politics in under 10 minutes

Good Monday morning. Chinese President Xi Jinping offered to send President Donald Trump rose seeds for the White House Rose Garden after Trump called the flowers he saw in China “the most beautiful roses anyone’s ever seen.” Diplomatic relations: budding? 🌹

Georgia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Idaho, and Oregon are having primary elections tomorrow. Check your registration status and find your polling place with ASP’s Election Hub.

I SENATE WEIGHS E15 GAS BILL AIMED AT LOWERING FUEL PRICES

The Senate will decide whether to advance House-passed legislation allowing year-round sales of E15 gasoline, which contains 15% ethanol. Supporters argue the bill could lower gas prices and boost corn demand, while current EPA rules restrict E15 sales during the summer months due to concerns about fuel volatility.

>> Understand the E15 gas plan here.

I CONGRESS GRAPPLES WITH ICE, BALLROOM FUNDING

Republicans are pushing a major reconciliation package that includes funding for ICE, Border Patrol, and President Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom. The reconciliation process allows certain budget bills to pass the Senate with a simple majority instead of the usual 60-vote threshold. But last week, the Senate parliamentarian ruled several provisions violated the Byrd Rule, which limits reconciliation bills to budget-related measures, including the proposal to spend $1 billion on Trump’s planned ballroom. The parliamentarian found that the ballroom funds were not approved by the right committees. Congressional Republicans are now redrafting the legislation, aiming to provide more funding for presidential security, but it’s unclear if they will be able to include funding for the East Wing ballroom. 

>> Learn more about the White House ballroom proposal and its underground bunker here.   

 I CUBA RUNS OUT OF OIL AMID TENSION WITH U.S.

Negotiations between the U.S. and Cuba have stalled as Cuba reportedly runs out of oil amid the ongoing U.S. blockade. CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned last week that negotiations would not “stay open indefinitely,” while Cuban officials said the country would not compromise its independence. The Cuban government has reportedly begun military drills to prepare for a possible conflict. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is preparing criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro tied to the 1996 shootdown of civilian aircraft.

>> Get the latest on U.S.-Cuba Relations here.

I HOUSING BILL SEEKS TO ADDRESS HOME PRICES AND SUPPLY

The House is debating changes to a bipartisan Senate housing bill that would mark the largest federal housing package in decades. The biggest fight centers on restrictions targeting institutional investors buying single-family homes. House Republicans want to scale back those restrictions, raising concerns that the broader bipartisan deal could collapse. 

>> Find out which parts of the country are being hit hardest by the housing affordability crisis here..

I COLORADO RIVER FIGHT INTENSIFIES OVER WATER SHORTAGES

The Trump administration is preparing its own Colorado River reduction plan after western states failed to agree on how to manage worsening shortages. Negotiators for California, Arizona, and Nevada have offered to reduce their use by about 1.6 million acre-feet annually for the next two years, but have not reached an agreement with the upstream states of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico. The Trump administration’s plan could impose water cutbacks of up to 3 million acre-feet per year across the region, roughly equal to the annual water use of 19 million people in Southern California.

>> Dig deeper into how the government manages droughts and shrinking reservoirs here. 

Wildfires have already burned more than 1.8 million acres across the U.S., and it’s likely to get worse. Find out what areas face the biggest risk of wildfires this summer.

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