CONTROL

This week Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller are joined by GOP Representative Kevin Kiley (CA-03) to hear his perspective on the ongoing shutdown. The Congressman discusses why he continues showing up to Capitol Hill, his problems with Speaker Johnson’s decision to keep the House away, and why he still believes in public service.

Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller

Guest...

How Does the Shutdown End? Feat. Mychael Schnell

With the government shutdown dragging on into another week, Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller discuss how Congress got to this point and what may break the stalemate. Then, MSNBC congressional reporter Mychael Schnell joins the show to share what she is hearing on Capitol Hill and what pain points still exist to force a deal.

Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller

Guest: Mychael ...

With government funding negotiations at a standstill, Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller explore what may break the deadlock and how long this standoff could last. Then, Brendan and Annalyse welcome Phil Mattingly, CNN's Chief Domestic Correspondent, to the show for a discussion about OMB director Russ Vought’s influence, how the Trump administration is handling the shutdown, and if Congress will reassert its spending authority.

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With funding set to lapse in just hours, Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller discuss if a deal can be reached to avoid a government shutdown – and if not, how leaders will get out of one. Then they are joined by Seven Letter partner Mike Ricci, a top adviser to two GOP speakers, for a trip down memory lane as they revisit the 2013 government shutdown. What was the strategy going into and during the fight? When did things start going o...

Republicans and Democrats are gearing up for a shutdown and neither side appears ready to blink. Hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller are joined by HuffPost senior reporter Igor Bobic to break down the stalemate. They discuss the strange timeline, compare this debate to past shutdown fights, and question Senator Schumer’s endgame. Plus, will the GOP come to regret changing Senate rules? And will Congress conduct oversight of the ...

After many close calls, is this the time Congress actually shuts down the government? With just two weeks left until funding runs out, Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller discuss the state-of-play. Can Speaker Johnson wrangle enough votes again? Will soaring tensions in the Senate scuttle any deal? They also talk about the murder of Charlie Kirk and its impact on the security needs for Members of Congress. Then, Joel Payne – the Chief...

After an extended summer break, Congress is back in session with one major item on the to-do list: fund the government. Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller debate the odds of a shutdown and the challenging dynamics facing Senate Minority Leader Schumer. They also discuss the latest with the Epstein case and the impending changes to confirming nominees in the Senate. Then, MSNBC’s Ali Vitali – host of “Way Too Ear...

Six months into the Trump administration and with Congress headed out for a long summer recess, Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller are joined by POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin to take stock of where we are and where we might be headed. They cover President Trump’s interest – or lack thereof – in Congressional policy debates, the outlook for appropriations and what will be the defining issue of the midterm elections.

Hosts: Brendan Buck...

With reconciliation in the rear-view mirror, the countdown is on to the next government funding deadline. But first Congress must deal with a rescissions package that is making the appropriations process even more contentious than usual. To break it all down, Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller are joined by POLITICO’s Katherine Tully-McManus, a congressional reporter focused on budget and appropriations. Can the Freedom Caucus reasse...

The One Big Beautiful Bill is now law, with the Freedom Caucus again at the center of the drama. Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller are joined by Matt Fuller, Congressional Bureau Chief at NOTUS and long-time chronicler of the Freedom Caucus, to discuss the group’s history, recent actions and future moves. Plus, reconciliation “Winners and Losers” and a look ahead to appropriations, rescissions, and a potential Reconciliation 2.0. 

As House and Senate leaders continue to move the One Big Beautiful Bill forward, Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller break down the latest developments in Congress. They offer their reactions to Senator Tillis’ retirement announcement, forecast how both the Freedom Caucus and moderates may react to the changes put in the bill by the Senate, and wonder what the point of a vote-a-rama is. At the end, Semafor’s Elea...

As the self-imposed Fourth of July deadline nears, the Senate is set for a pivotal week in their efforts to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill. Hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller discuss changes to the bill from the “Byrd Bath” and what hurdles remain. Plus, they consider the Congressional reaction to strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Then, Punchbowl News Co-Founder John Bresnahan joins to share wh...

It is the feud that has consumed Washington, but what does President Trump and Elon Musk’s falling out mean for Congress’ agenda? Dasha Burns – POLITICO Playbook's Chief Correspondent, White House Bureau Chief and Host of "The Conversation” – joins Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller to discuss Musk’s rise and fall in Trumpworld and what it portends for the One Big Beautiful Bill. Plus, Dasha shares what i...

On a new episode of CONTROL, hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller reflect on Speaker Johnson’s latest magic act in passing the One Big Beautiful Bill before pivoting to the action in the Senate with the help of Semafor’s Congressional Bureau Chief Burgess Everett. They discuss the dynamics and personalities involved as Senators look to put their stamp on the OBBB. Can Majority Leader Thune deliver? Or...

It’s the biggest week of Mike Johnson’s speakership, which means a trio of hosts are needed to break down all the intrigue around the One Big Beautiful Bill. Brendan Buck, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss the drama over SALT and Medicaid before previewing the upcoming, late-night rules committee hearing. Plus, is now the time for President Trump to wield his influence? And can Congress still get this done by the Fourth of Jul...

Three House Committees are teed up to consider their pieces of the "Big, Beautiful Bill," but big questions remain. Hosts Annalyse Keller and Brendan Buck discuss how moderates largely triumphed in the debate on Medicaid, what fiscal hawks have to say about that, and how the SALT issue still threatens the entire reconciliation package. After weighing on what the Senate is up to and making predictions about when all this might get w...

With key markups delayed and internal GOP debates spilling into public view, hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller discuss the state of the “one, big, beautiful bill” – and if it will get passed at all. Then, Jonathan Burks, Executive Vice President of Economic and Health Policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center and former Chief of Staff to Speaker Ryan, joins the show to help Brendan and Annalyse get sm...

After a two-week recess, Members of Congress are returning to a packed schedule of reconciliation markups – but with deadlines already slipping, what kind of progress can the GOP make? Hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller discuss the path ahead, including timing, potential pitfalls and if moderates will stand firm in defense of Medicaid. Plus, a debate about Donald Trump’s poll numbers 100 days into h...

All are eyes are on the House of Representatives (again). Hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller discuss the fallout from the Senate passing the budget resolution and gauge its chances in the House. Can Speaker Johnson quell the rising complaints among the Republican Conference and keep the reconciliation process moving forward? Plus, after days of tariff-induced market turmoil, is now the time Congress...