Balance of Power Weekly Washington Policy Pulse: Partial Government Shutdown, Trump Fed Pick (Feb. 2, 2026)
Feb 2, 2026
Nathan Dean, Senior Policy Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, gives a quick Washington policy briefing. He covers the likely end of the partial government shutdown this week. He explains Senate and House maneuvering around Kevin Warsh’s Fed nomination and procedural roadblocks. He previews Treasury hearings on bank regulation and the White House discussion on crypto yields.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Shutdown Likely Ends But House Chaos Looms
- A Senate-passed deal funding five of six appropriations likely ends the partial shutdown this week.
- Speaker Mike Johnson must hold a narrow Republican caucus together or rely on Democratic votes to pass it.
House Rules Committee Will Be The Battleground
- House Republicans face internal pressure to amend the Senate-White House deal, complicating quick passage.
- With a one-person operational majority, Speaker Johnson will struggle to keep the party unified on the rules package.
DHS Fight Has Real Operational Stakes
- DHS funding disputes center on ICE but also affect FEMA, Coast Guard and TSA operations.
- Election-year politics will amplify pressure to avoid visible service disruptions like airport delays.