Hakeem Jeffries

As you talk to your appropriations team, what do they say about how that's likely to change as a result?

Yes, of what's led to the shutdown, but also what we've seen this administration do when it comes to budgeting over the last few months.

Well, our appropriators on the Democratic side, Rosa DeLauro, and on the Senate side of the Democratic caucus, of course, Patty Murray, they are superb appropriators, and they're committed to a process of finding a bipartisan path forward.

Are they worried?

Well, I think Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins

have expressed concern about how this administration has conducted itself in violating congressional intent.

The framers were very clear.

Congress has the power of the purse.

That's for good reason.

We're the institutions that are closest to the American people, particularly on the House side.

And so, yes, the American people should be worried.

But we need a Congress to actually reassert itself in the best interest of the American people so that the administration is not allowed just to make these decisions unilaterally on their own without the people's representatives in the House or the Senate actually being able to have our will exerted through our representation of everyday Americans.

It was opening night at the Garden last night.

Knicks versus Cavs.

Knicks won 119-111.

Also the final mayoral debate in New York City.

Did you watch it?

Have you kept up with what happened on stage last night?

I wasn't able to catch the debate live.

I did catch the final few moments of the Knicks game, I do admit.