ADDED PRESSURE: The attack on Iran is putting new pressure on lawmakers over the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Some Republicans have argued Democrats should change course and agree to fund the department given the U.S.-Israeli strikes and concerns about retaliatory threats against the homeland.
"As we face a heightened threat landscape, it is more important now than ever that we fully fund the Department of Homeland Security," Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) said in a post on X. "We cannot afford delays. We must ensure DHS is operating at maximum readiness to prevent and respond to threats against our homeland."
Most DHS employees received their first reduced paychecks Friday, a key point that has previously added pressure to resolve past shutdowns. Officers for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are set to miss their first round of paychecks later this week.
The New York Times reported that TSA officers are growing frustrated with not being paid, risking further straining the airport security system.
With most DHS staffers deemed essential workers, The Hill's Al Weaver reports both sides are worried there is little impetus to move along the stalled negotiations.
But Republican and Democratic senators are considering ways to limit the impacts of a prolonged shutdown on air travel. With most TSA employees required to continue working without pay during shutdowns, the number of absences usually rises, leading to greater backlogs at airports.
The Hill's Alexander Bolton reports Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and other Republicans are considering the possibility of shifting some funding Congress provided to border security through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year to airport security.
Some Democrats said they would be open to it, expressing concern about the impact the shutdown will have on air travel. But neither side is optimistic about reaching a broader deal anytime soon.
▪ Politico: Republicans use Iran strikes to pressure Dems on DHS.
TEXAS POLL: A new poll released Sunday showed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and state Rep. James Talarico (D) leading for their respective parties' nominations for Senate.
The Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media survey showed Paxton leading incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R), 40 percent to 36 percent, with Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) in third with 17 percent. The results add to other polls showing Paxton leading but with less than 50 percent of the vote, making a runoff likely.
Talarico leads Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) with 52 percent to her 47 percent, within the margin of error. Polling has been split in this race, with each candidate leading in different surveys.
GENERATIONAL BATTLES: The Democratic Party's ongoing push for generational change will be on display Tuesday in two of the first primary contests of the midterm elections.
Texas and North Carolina voters will head to the polls, choosing nominees for critical Senate races. But two House races will be a test of where Democrats stand as some call for the party to turn the page to younger leaders, The Hill's Caroline Vakil reports.
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), a 78-year-old congressman who has served in the House for 20 years, is facing newly elected Rep. Christian Menefee (D-Texas), who is 37. They were drawn into the same district amid Republicans' mid-decade redistricting push last year.
In North Carolina, Rep. Valerie Foushee (D), who is 69, is facing a challenge from 32-year-old Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam. The race is a rematch of the 2022 contest.
The primaries come as some of the party's top longtime leaders, including Reps. Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Steny Hoyer (Md.), plan to retire at the end of their terms.
▪ The Hill: Five things to watch in Tuesday's Texas primaries.
▪ The Hill: Iran becomes latest flash point in Senate races.
SHOOTING PROBE: Authorities are investigating "indicators" of a possible link to terrorism after a shooting near a popular bar in Austin, Texas.
Multiple outlets have identified the suspected shooter as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, who was killed by law enforcement. He is originally from Senegal and came to the U.S. in 2006, eventually becoming a naturalized citizen.
At least two people were killed and 14 others were injured when the gunman opened fire early Sunday morning, the local Austin-based outlet KXAN reported.
After officers responded to reports of the shooting at the bar, the suspect allegedly drove a short distance away, left his vehicle and started shooting at people walking by. Officers encountered him at an intersection and shot and killed him.
Alex Doran, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI's San Antonio field office, told reporters that officials found possible indications of the attack being an act of terrorism. Sources told The Associated Press that the shooter was wearing a sweatshirt saying, "Property of Allah," and another shirt with an Iranian flag design.
But Doran emphasized it's "still too early to make a determination on that."
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