Article snippet: Lelling was sworn in on Thursday as the state’s chief federal law enforcement officer. The Republican-led Congress narrowly passed a temporary spending bill Thursday to avert a government shutdown. Congress has again failed to approve long-term funds for a popular program that provides health insurance for nearly 9 million low-income children, leaving each party blaming the other for Christmas-season gridlock and states scrambling to decide how to parcel out dwindling money. House Republicans have unveiled a new, stripped-down spending bill to prevent a shutdown this weekend and allow lawmakers to head home for the holidays. Language put into the tax bill late in the process clearly benefits President Trump’s vast real estate empire, and gives him a large tax break. Congress narrowly passed a temporary spending bill to avert a government shutdown, doing the bare minimum in a sprint toward the holidays. A federal judge said he would decide before Christmas whether to stop a Trump administration ban after hearing that the ban is separating families and putting some refugees in danger. A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit Thursday alleging that President Trump violated the Constitution’s emoluments. Vice President Mike Pence made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to meet with Afghan leaders and visit US troops. A panel certified the district as tied Wednesday, a day after a recount appeared to give the Democrat a victory over the Republican. Pr... Link to the full article to read more