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WASHINGTON — The Senate voted 74-24 early Saturday morning to pass a sweeping $1.2 trillion government funding bill after heated last-minute negotiations caused senators to breach the midnight deadline to avert a shutdown. The legislation, which passed the House on Friday morning by a vote of 268-134, now goes to President Joe Biden, who has said he'll sign it into law. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said it was "typical" and "juvenile" for the Senate to wait until the 11th hour to act on the bill. And at nearly six months into the fiscal year, it's unusually late in the game to be haggling over the funding measures. The latest bill was released Thursday and passed by the House on Friday morning, leaving little time for the Senate to act.

Persons: WASHINGTON —, Joe Biden, Biden, Sen, Chris Murphy, Conn, Murphy, John Kennedy, Chuck Schumer, It's, Schumer, it's Organizations: U.S . Capitol, WASHINGTON, White, NBC News, State , Defense, Labor, Health, Human Services, Homeland Security, Senate Locations: Washington , DC, Congress

☆ Lawmakers release text of $1.2 trillion spending bill as shutdown deadline nears
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Sahil Kapur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers early Thursday morning released the text of a $1.2 trillion government funding bill negotiated by the White House and leaders of both parties to avoid a partial government shutdown this weekend. Those federal agencies are scheduled to shut down on Saturday if the funding package is not passed by Friday night. President Joe Biden has said he'll sign the bill, but it's unclear whether Congress has enough time to pass it before the deadline. It is the last remaining funding package that Congress has to pass this fiscal year, which ends after September. After the House passes the bill, the Senate will require unanimous consent to vote quickly.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, Biden, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Mitch McConnell, — Frank Thorp Organizations: WASHINGTON — Lawmakers, White, Homeland Security, Defense, State, Labor, Health, Human Services, DHS, Internal Revenue Service, Republicans, House Republicans, House, Department of Homeland Security Locations: Washington, Washington , DC, D, Ky

In a striking turn of events, Senate Republicans threatened Monday to block a major, bipartisan border security and asylum restrictions package, just one day after their chief negotiator signed off on it. "I would anticipate Wednesday the cloture vote does not pass," Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., the lead GOP negotiator in the border talks, told reporters after the meeting. Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters that Republicans worry there "hasn't been adequate time" to process the bill yet. The 370-page bill, finalized and released on Sunday, was crafted with the input of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who advocated for it on the Senate floor Monday, warning of crises at the southern border and internationally. McConnell told Republicans that if they have reasons to vote against the bill, they could, given that talks on amendments and how to proceed are ongoing, said a source familiar with the meeting.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Sen, James Lankford, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, John Thune, It's, McConnell —, —, McConnell, I've, Brian Schatz Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Republicans, GOP, Republican, Radical Left Democrats, Democratic Locations: Washington , U.S, Ky, Ukraine, Israel, Hawaii

WASHINGTON — Congress passed a bill on Thursday that would prevent a partial government shutdown this weekend and keep federal funds flowing through March 1 and March 8. It is the third stopgap bill since last September as the divided Congress struggles to agree on full-year government funding bills. The first stopgap bill led to the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as speaker. Around the same time, the House announced that it would cancel votes on Friday in anticipation of a winter storm and complete votes on the stopgap bill on Thursday. The funding bill is unrelated to negotiations surrounding an immigration and national security supplemental bill that would provide aid to Ukraine and Israel.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Mike Johnson, Joe Biden's, Kevin McCarthy, Johnson, Schumer inveighed, rousers, Schumer, It's, we're Organizations: U.S, Capitol, WASHINGTON —, Democratic, Republican, House Republicans Locations: Washington , DC, Ukraine, Israel

WASHINGTON — House and Senate leaders have reached an agreement on a short-term spending deal that would avert a government shutdown in the next few weeks, three sources familiar with the matter told NBC News. The deal would keep the government funded until March, buying legislators more time to craft longer-term, agency-specific spending bills, following the agreement last weekend to set the overall spending level for fiscal year 2024 at $1.59 trillion. Speaker Mike Johnson is set to hold a call with fellow House Republicans at 8 p.m. Sunday to discuss spending negotiations. Several hard-right Republicans have objected to the top-line spending deal he previously cut with Senate Democrats and have urged Johnson to go back on it, though he said Friday that the agreement remains intact. Meanwhile, congressional Democrats praised the top-line spending agreement after it was announced last weekend, even as they acknowledged that a short-term bill would be needed to buy more time to negotiate.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, pushback, Kevin McCarthy, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries Organizations: U.S . Capitol, U.S, Congress, WASHINGTON —, NBC News, Republicans, Democrats, New York Democrats Locations: Washington , U.S, Jan, Louisiana

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., arrives for President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy's meeting with U.S. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)WASHINGTON — Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., announced Tuesday that he is dropping the bulk of his monthslong hold on hundreds of military nominations. Tuberville told reporters that he has lifted his hold on all military promotions three-star and below, amounting to over 400 promotions. Tuberville told reporters. Tuberville had signaled last week that he might drop some of his holds on military promotions "very soon."

Persons: Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy's, Bill Clark, WASHINGTON — Sen, Tuberville, Nikki Haley, Lloyd Austin, Chuck Schumer, John Thune Organizations: U.S, Senators, Inc, Getty Images, Alabama Republican, Defense, Pentagon, GOP, Tuberville's, Republicans Locations: Ukraine, Israel

☆ Senate Judiciary authorizes subpoenas of Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo in Supreme Court ethics probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Frank Thorp V | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Harlan Crow, chairman and chief executive officer of Crow Holdings LLC, sits for a photograph at the Old Parkland estate offices in Dallas, Texas, U.S., on Friday, Oct. 2, 2015. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted to approve subpoenas for conservative activist Leonard Leo and GOP megadonor Harlan Crow in its Supreme Court ethics probe. Ahead of the meeting, Durbin told reporters that Republicans had filed 177 amendments, which would have taken hours to go through. Before the vote on the subpoenas, the meeting devolved into partisan bickering after Democrats tried to block Republicans from debating a nominee the panel was considering. "Congratulations on destroying the United States Senate Judiciary Committee," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said to Durbin after Republicans then refused to vote on the subpoenas.

Persons: Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, Dick Durbin, Durbin, Sen, Lindsey Graham, John Cornyn Organizations: Crow Holdings LLC, GOP, Democratic, Republican, NBC News, United States, Committee Locations: Parkland, Dallas , Texas, U.S, Texas

☆ Senate sends funding bill to Biden's desk, averting a government shutdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Scott Wong | Kate Santaliz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Senate on Wednesday night passed a stopgap funding bill, punting the GOP's spending fight and the threat of a government shutdown until after the holidays. The funding bill next heads to President Joe Biden's desk for his expected signature. The CR is designed to buy more time for House Republicans to pass appropriations bills and for House and Senate negotiators to reach a deal on funding. The House has passed seven of the twelve annual appropriations bills that fund the government for a full fiscal year, while the Senate has passed three. Johnson and his leadership team sent House lawmakers home for the Thanksgiving holiday early on Wednesday after two appropriations bills ran into trouble.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Jack Reed, Joe Biden's, Schumer, Mike Johnson's, Johnson, Scott Perry, we're, I've, we've, Hakeem Jeffries, Jeffries, — Frank Thorp V, Garrett Haake Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Republicans, New, Agriculture, Transportation, Housing, Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, Defense Department, House Republicans, House, Caucus, Democrats, Congressional Black Caucus Locations: Washington, Israel, Ukraine, D

U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) speaks at the National Action Network’s (NAN) three-day annual national convention on April 07, 2022 in New York City. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., indicated Wednesday that he will plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge for pulling a fire alarm in a congressional building on Capitol Hill last month. Bowman has agreed to pay the maximum fine of $1,000 for one misdemeanor count of falsely pulling a fire alarm — a charge that carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail. After the vote, Bowman said, he also met with the sergeant at arms and Capitol Police at their request and explained what happened. "I want to be very clear, this was not me, in any way, trying to delay any vote," Bowman said.

Persons: Jamaal Bowman, NAN, Bowman, Bryan Steil, Lisa McClain, — Kyle Stewart Organizations: Rep, Sheraton, midtown Manhattan ., Capitol, Capitol Police, Washington, D.C, Cannon, House Republican Conference Locations: New York City, midtown Manhattan, Washington

☆ Newly appointed California Sen. Laphonza Butler says she won’t run to keep the seat in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Frank Thorp V | Dareh Gregorian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Emily’s List President Laphonza Butler speaks during a political event with reproductive rights groups at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, June 23, 2023. Laphonza Butler, a Democrat who was appointed this month to fill Dianne Feinstein's seat, said Thursday that she won't seek a full Senate term next year. Butler, the first openly LGBTQ person to represent California in the chamber, was appointed by Democratic Gov. "Knowing you can win a campaign doesn't always mean you should run a campaign," Butler said in a statement. After considering those questions I've decided not to run for Senate in the upcoming election."

Persons: Laphonza Butler, Dianne Feinstein's, Butler, Gavin Newsom, I've, who's, she'll Organizations: Mayflower, Democrat, Democratic Gov, Senate, The New York Times Locations: Washington, California

☆ Senate introduces a bipartisan bill to keep the government open through Nov. 17
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Sahil Kapur | Frank Thorp V | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Senate leaders released a short-term funding bill Tuesday — with four days left to avert a government shutdown at the end of this month — to keep money flowing until Nov. 17 to give Congress more time to ink a larger agreement. The bipartisan bill, negotiated between leaders of the Democratic majority and Republican minority, includes $4.5 billion in aid to Ukraine and $6 billion in emergency FEMA funding for disaster relief. "It's always a hypothetical that the Senate is going to do something," McCarthy told reporters. "I'm not going to take up hypotheticals of someday dreaming the Senate is going to do something. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged senators to pass it.

Persons: Patty Murray, Murray, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, I'm, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Mitch McConnell, McConnell Organizations: Democratic, Republican, GOP Locations: Ukraine, Ky

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., conducts a news conference after the senate luncheons in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has quietly made changes to the Senate's informal dress code to allow senators to wear whatever they want on the floor, one person with direct knowledge told NBC News. The change would let Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who is often seen wearing a hoodie and baseball shorts, wear his casual attire on the Senate floor whenever he wants. Fetterman, who was elected during last year's midterm elections, was seen wearing a suit and tie during his swearing-in in January. However, the senator has worn his casual clothes after he returned to the Senate following treatment for clinical depression earlier this year.

Persons: Charles Schumer, Chuck Schumer, Sen, John Fetterman, Fetterman Organizations: U.S, Capitol, NBC News

☆ Senate Republicans try to blame Chuck Schumer for Tommy Tuberville’s military blockade
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Frank Thorp V | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is seen in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, September 6, 2023. WASHINGTON — As Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., keeps hundreds of military promotions in limbo for a sixth straight month, his Republican colleagues are trying to deflect criticism by pointing the finger at a familiar GOP foe: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. "Sen. Tuberville has created a problem that pervades our entire military, and trying to glue one hole closed does not fix that problem." "Sen. Tuberville has created a problem that pervades our entire military, and trying to glue one hole closed does not fix that problem." As he digs in on his tactic, the number of promotions that have not been approved by the Senate only grows.

Persons: Sen, Tommy Tuberville, WASHINGTON —, Chuck Schumer, Roger Wicker of, John Cornyn, Cornyn, Schumer, CQ Brown, Tuberville, Brown, Mark Milley, McConnell, Thune, It's, Mitch McConnell, John Thune, Elizabeth Warren, Jack Reed, Kate Santaliz Organizations: U.S, Capitol, WASHINGTON, Joint Chiefs, Republican, Armed Services Committee, Air Force, Republicans, Republican Party, Defense Department, Senate, Services Locations: Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Texas, Sen, Ky

☆ Sen. John Fetterman says Biden impeachment is a 'big circlejerk on the fringe right' and that Republicans have a 'fetish for Hunter Biden'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. John Fetterman says he's not worried about a potential impeachment of President Joe Biden. Additionally, he argued that Republicans have a "fetish" for Hunter Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Watch: Hunter Biden faces criminal charges"Go ahead and do it, I dare you," he said. "It would just be like a big circlejerk on the fringe right," Fetterman later said of a potential impeachment. "They have a fetish for Hunter Biden," Fetterman responded.

Persons: Sen, John Fetterman, he's, Joe Biden, it's, Hunter Biden, Fetterman, oooh, Donald Trump, Trump, Fetterman's, Pennsylvania Democrat demurred, Biden, they've, Hunter, Bob Casey, David Weiss, Frank Thorp Organizations: Republicans, Service, Pennsylvania Democrat, Senate, House Republicans, Pennsylvania Democratic, NBC Locations: Wall, Silicon, Pennsylvania, China, Ukraine

In securing some of the biggest names in tech, Schumer plans to make a giant splash for the first of what he's dubbed "AI Insight Forums." But when it comes to AI, we cannot be ostriches sticking our heads in the sand." But some have scratched their heads at Schumer's new approach in the Senate, which typically develops major policy legislation through committees of jurisdiction. Schumer has said the committees will work in tandem with the insight forums to develop legislation. And to me, that's a process that you ought to let work," Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., a senior member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said this summer.

Persons: Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Chuck Schumer, Zuckerberg, Satya Nadella, Alphabet's Sundar Pichai, OpenAI's Sam Altman, NVIDIA's Jensen Huang, Eric Schmidt, Musk, ChatGPT, Schumer, You've, John Thune Organizations: Capitol, SpaceX, Tesla, Meta, Facebook, Commerce, Science, Transportation Locations: OpenAI, York

☆ Mitch McConnell freezes at Senate press conference, is briefly unable to speak
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) reaches out to help Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) after McConnell froze and stopped talking at the microphones during a news conference after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans U.S. Capitol 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell abruptly froze and was briefly unable to speak at a Senate press conference Wednesday, prompting his colleagues to rush in and help him walk a few feet away from the cameras. The chilling moments came during the Senate GOP leadership's weekly press conference in the Capitol, where McConnell, 81, was standing at a lectern when he fell silent all of a sudden. After a few minutes, McConnell returned to the lectern and finished the press conference. This potential leadership vacuum was on stark display Wednesday when a reporter asked McConnell whether he had "anybody in mind to replace you when you're no longer conference leader?"

Persons: Sen, John Barrasso, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, John Thune, Barrasso, Iowa Republican Joni Ernst, Frank Thorp Organizations: Republicans U.S, Capitol, WASHINGTON, GOP, Kentucky Republican, Iowa Republican, NBC, Republican, Senate, White Locations: Washington , DC, WASHINGTON —, Washington

☆ Dianne Feinstein set to return to Senate after nearly 3-month absence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Garrett Haake | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA), who announced she will not be seeking re-election, leaves the Senate floor after a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 14, 2023. WASHINGTON — California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is returning to the Senate after a nearly three-month absence due to health problems, according to a spokesperson for the senator. With Democrats holding just a single-seat advantage in the Senate, Feinstein's absence complicated her party's efforts to confirm some of President Joe Biden's nominees. Feinstein later disputed that her absence had in any way limited the number of nominees advanced by the committee. "I'm confident that when I return to the Senate, we will be able to move the remaining qualified nominees out of committee quickly and to the Senate floor for a vote."

☆ Ethics panel admonishes Graham for soliciting campaign donations during interview in Senate building
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Ryan Nobles | Zoë Richards | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Senate Ethics Committee said Thursday that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., violated Senate rules during a Fox News appearance last year when he requested donations for Hershel Walker's Senate campaign in Georgia. It is against Senate rules to seek campaign donations in a federal building. In its letter, the ethics panel issued an "admonishment" but opted not to sanction Graham. The panel also said Graham was a repeat offender, noting that he had asked for donations in an impromptu media interview in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in October 2020. "In response to a reporter's question regarding your reelection campaign fundraising, you directly solicited campaign contributions for your campaign committee," Coons and Lankford wrote.

☆ Senate confirms Eric Garcetti as U.S. ambassador to India
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Sahil Kapur | Frank Thorp V | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Senate voted 52-42 on Wednesday to confirm former Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti to be the next U.S. ambassador to India. The long-delayed Garcetti nomination grew unusually contentious and sparked some last-minute drama. Several Democrats voted against advancing his nomination, but enough Republicans backed Garcetti to give the U.S. its first permanent ambassador to India under President Joe Biden, more than two years into his term. "The United States-India relationship is extremely important, and it's a very good thing we now have an ambassador," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. But a group of Republicans voted yes and helped secure the necessary support, including Sens.

☆ Senate panel advances Eric Garcetti's nomination for ambassador to India
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Sahil Kapur | Frank Thorp V | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti speaks during a news conference with fellow mayors and members of Congress outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted Wednesday to advance the nomination of Eric Garcetti to be U.S. ambassador to India, sending it to the full chamber for approval. It is not clear when the full Senate will vote on his nomination; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Tuesday he hoped to bring it up "soon." The Foreign Relations Committee approved Garcetti's nomination in January 2022, but he never got a full Senate vote due to opposition from several senators, including some Democrats. Biden re-nominated Garcetti to the position earlier this year after it lapsed at the close of the last Congress.

☆ Sen. Dianne Feinstein hospitalized with shingles in San Francisco
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Zoë Richards | Frank Thorp V | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Thursday she was hospitalized in San Francisco with shingles after she missed Senate votes this week. In a statement, Feinstein, 89, said she got the shingles diagnosis while the Senate was in recess late last month. "I have been hospitalized and am receiving treatment in San Francisco and expect to make a full recovery," Feinstein said. Feinstein, the oldest sitting senator and the longest-serving senator from California, was first elected to the Senate in 1992. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., recently returned to Washington after having undergone surgery last month for prostate cancer.

☆ C-SPAN captured a tense back-and-forth between George Santos and Mitt Romney at the State of the Union
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

George Santos and Mitt Romney had what appeared to be a tense exchange at the State of the Union. Following the speech, Santos tweeted that Romney "will NEVER be PRESIDENT!" C-SPAN cameras captured the tense interaction between Santos — the scandal-plagued Long Island congressman — and Romney, the party's 2012 presidential nominee. And according to CNN, Romney simply told Santos: "You don't belong here." Following the speech, Santos tweeted that Romney "will NEVER be PRESIDENT!"

☆ Sen. Kennedy stumps Biden judicial nominee with basic questions about Constitution
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A judicial nominee of President Joe Biden was apparently stumped by Sen. John Kennedy's basic questions about the Constitution during her Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday. “Tell me what Article V of the Constitution does,” Kennedy asked as he began his round of questioning. "I can assure you of that.”It is unclear whether Bjelkengren’s inability to answer Kennedy’s questions will affect her chances of confirmation now that Democrats have a full majority on the floor and in committees. Kennedy’s harsh questioning of judicial nominees has stopped a nominee from being confirmed before. Petersen, who had never tried a case, could not answer Kennedy’s basic law questions either.

☆ 77 Democrats send a letter to Biden criticizing his border and immigration policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julia-Ainsley-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Julia Ainsley | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A group of 77 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Wednesday criticizing his administration’s policies restricting asylum access for migrants crossing the southern border. At a press conference Thursday, Menendez said, “We recognize that the United States is experiencing a difficult migration challenge at the southern border. The Biden administration has said that its proposal is different because Miller did not allow for migrants to apply from their home countries to come to the U.S. legally. Biden has faced intense criticism over his border policies from both parties, with Republicans saying they are unwilling to negotiate on immigration legislation or more funding for border initiatives until the administration does more to secure the border. Customs and Border Protection encountered undocumented migrants more than 250,000 times in December, a record monthly high to end a record high year of border encounters.

Haines also refused to discuss the sensitive material, citing ongoing special counsel investigations, according to members of the Senate Intelligence Committee who attending the classified briefing. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was so furious after the briefing that he threatened to block presidential nominees or funding for some federal agencies until the Biden administration shows key lawmakers the classified documents. “Whether it’s blocking nominees or withholding budgetary funds, Congress will impose pain on the administration until they provide these documents. The bipartisan leaders of the Senate Intelligence panel emerged together from the secure briefing room and rejected the administration’s argument. “I’m not saying anything bad about the three [Biden, Trump and Pence], but classified information in the wrong hands can create problems for our country, put people at risk.

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