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Congress is the first branch listed in the U.S. Constitution.
But for years executive power has risen pronouncedly. And that was before the second term of President Donald Trump.
In some ways, Trump is a continuation of the trend. But in many cases, he is trying to expand presidential powers in unprecedented ways, including by deploying the National Guard widely across the country, dismantling independent agencies and unilaterally deploying billions of private and public dollars in ways we are still understanding.
In the last week however, we have seen some important pushback from some Republicans in Congress. Their numbers are not large, but the GOP lawmakers who are breaking with the president are doing so, unmistakably, in two key areas.
Venezuela war powers
Watch the segment in the player above.
The House has been full of surprises recently. But not the Senate. Until last week.
That is when five Republican senators voted with Democrats to advance a measure to end all military action in or against Venezuela immediately. Any future action would have to be congressionally approved.
On Tuesday, the Senate expects to vote on that measure. It is likely to pass.
The measure is having ripple effects across the Senate calendar, taking up precious space as the chamber is under pressure on a host of issues, including funding the government.
READ MORE: 5 things on Congress’ agenda right now
The president has thrown pointed punches at those five Republicans. And Tuesday, Senate Republicans had a group discussion, including those senators. Our initial reporting out of that meeting is that none of them have changed their views.
Now this bill is almost certainly not going to become law. It will get blocked in the House or by the president himself.
But it is a change in temperature in the Trump climate at the Capitol. And it is not the only one.
Jerome powers
Watch the segment in the player above.
In a Sunday news flash, we learned that the Trump Justice Department was investigating Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
In a likewise unprecedented step, Powell responded with a video statement stressing the rule of law and saying that, “This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions — or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.”
WATCH: Trump’s intimidation of Fed’s leadership threatens economic stability, Yellen says
The news and the response lit some quick and pointed pushback in Congress.
North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said the investigation called into question the credibility of the DOJ itself. Soon after, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joined in the blunt pushback, writing,”it’s clear the administration’s investigation is nothing more than an attempt at coercion.” She has also called for an investigation into the DOJ.
The pushback continued from there. And then this morning, Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington D.C., seemed to be aiming for a softer tone. She wrote that the DOJ investigation was prompted by a lack of response from Powell. She did not say that the underlying probe is over.
Tillis has said he will not consider any Trump nominees for the Federal Reserve until this is resolved, a threat that has teeth given his place on the Senate Banking Committee, which handles those nominees.
What happens next?
Wednesday is another big day.
Senators plan to debate and vote on Venezuela. And all in Washington will watch how the branches handle the pressure from the White House on Powell.
And I’ll be watching if more members of Congress say publicly what they believe privately.
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