As the federal government shutdown enters a second week, there's no discernible endgame in sight. While no negotiations, at least publicly, are underway, quiet talks are emerging. This comes amid signs of political discomfort. Federal worker union leaders are pushing Congress to do its job. Military troops are preparing to go without paychecks. Flight delays are happening nationwide. The Republicans who have majority control in Congress believe they have the upper hand politically, as they fend off Democratic demands to quickly fund health insurance subsidies as part of any plan to end the shutdown. But Democrats are also dug in, convinced that Americans are on their side in the fight to prevent the looming health care price spikes.

Conservative lawmakers are heading to the White House to discuss President Donald Trump's tax breaks and spending cuts bill. Many are criticizing the legislation as straying from the party's fiscal goals. But Trump and House Republican leaders are determined to get it over the finish line and say the time for changes is over. House Republican leaders want a Wednesday vote on Trump's bill, just one day after it cleared the Senate. The bill would extend and make permanent various individual and business tax breaks Republicans passed in Trump's first term, plus temporarily add new tax breaks, such as no income taxes on tips and overtime.

Elon Musk is leaving his government role as a top adviser to President Donald Trump after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy. The billionaire entrepreneur posted Wednesday about his decision on X, his social media website. "As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending," he wrote. A White House official, who requested anonymity to talk about the change, confirmed that Musk was leaving. Musk's departure comes one day after he criticized the centerpiece of Trump's legislative agenda, saying he was "disappointed" by what the president calls his "big beautiful bill."

House Republicans have unveiled the cost-saving centerpiece of President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill." The legislation tallies hundreds of pages and involves at least $880 billion in cuts largely to Medicaid, the nation's health care program for more than 70 million Americans. The savings are needed to help cover the cost of $4.5 trillion in tax breaks. But it's setting off the biggest political fight over health care since Republicans tried but failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act during Trump's first term. Democrats warn millions of Americans will lose coverage. And one Republican, Sen. Josh Hawley, warned his colleagues in an op-ed Monday that cutting health care to pay for tax breaks would be "morally wrong and politically suicidal."