This episode of Congress in Context explores a Capitol deeply divided as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown reaches a critical 40-day milestone, leaving roughly 260,000 Federal workers without pay. We analyze the intense partisan standoff where Republicans insist on full funding for all DHS agencies, including immigration enforcement, while Democrats attempt to isolate pay for the TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard from controversial ICE and CBP operations. The program also dives into the fierce floor debate over the SAVE America Act, examining whether its proposed proof-of-citizenship requirements are essential safeguards for election integrity or a bureaucratic hurdle intended to suppress the vote. Finally, we examine the escalating war in Iran, con ...