Welcome to The Daily Politic Briefing! Good morning and welcome to The Daily Politic Briefing, where we bring you the most significant political developments shaping our world today. I'm your host, and on this July 11th, 2025, we have several major stories to cover that reflect the ongoing tensions in Washington and the critical policy decisions being made behind closed doors. Today's Headlines In today's briefing, we'll examine the controversial Russia sanctions bill that's giving President Trump unprecedented discretion, the growing GOP leadership struggles over funding priorities, plans for a second budget reconciliation package, and the formation of a new budget review task force. We'll also touch on some interesting developments regarding gambling tax changes and speculation about Senator Joni Ernst's political future. Trump's Russia Sanctions Bill Raises Oversight Concerns Let's begin with the Russia sanctions bill that's generating significant debate in Congress. President Trump has expressed satisfaction that the bipartisan bill will allow him to "do whatever he wants" regarding sanctions implementation. The legislation, spearheaded by Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, has gathered impressive support with 85 backers, including 42 Democrats. However, this broad support may be wavering. Democrats, including Senator Tim Kaine, are increasingly concerned about the bill's lack of congressional oversight. According to Senator Graham, for the first 180 days, sanctions implementation would be "completely up to the president with no congressional oversight," a provision that's making many lawmakers uneasy. Senate Majority Leader John Thune hopes to advance the bill by July 21st, but the question remains: will Democrats continue to support legislation that potentially gives the president unchecked authority? GOP Leadership Battles Over Spending Cuts Turning to another pressing issue, Senate Republican leaders are facing significant challenges in their efforts to cut spending and pass critical funding bills before a potential government shutdown this fall. Congress has just one week left to approve President Trump's request to reclaim $9.4 billion in foreign aid and public media funding. The president has taken a hard line, warning that any Republican opposing the plan "will not have my support or Endorsement." This threat hasn't deterred key Republican senators like Susan Collins, Mike Rounds, and Lisa Murkowski, who remain critical of the rescissions bill. In fact, Senator Murkowski recently disrupted a Senate Appropriations markup by supporting an amendment that would restrict the administration's plan to relocate FBI headquarters. Republicans Explore Second Budget Reconciliation Package Meanwhile, Senate Finance Republicans are exploring tax and health policies for a potential second budget reconciliation package this fall. Senator James Lankford is particularly focused on reforming pharmacy benefit manager practices after bipartisan efforts failed earlier this year. Senator Steve Daines has endorsed a proposal from Senator Ron Johnson to identify at least $2 trillion in spending cuts as part of this potential party-line policy package. This ambitious target signals Republicans' determination to significantly reduce government spending during Trump's term. New Budget Review Task Force Formation Speaking of spending cuts, Senator Ron Johnson has announced the formation of a budget review task force after meeting with Office of Management and Budget officials. This task force aims to identify substantial cuts and return federal spending to pre-pandemic levels. Johnson, along with Senator Rick Scott and Budget Chair Graham, will represent the Senate in this effort, working closely with House Republicans and administration officials. Johnson described the approach as "very detailed behind the scenes" work in cooperation with department heads and secretaries. Gambling Tax Changes and Politica