National News at a Glance

Senate Leaders Reach Deal to Raise Spending Over Two Years

Senate leaders struck a far-reaching bipartisan agreement Wednesday that would add hundreds of billions of dollars to military and domestic programs over the next two years while raising the federal debt limit, moving to end the cycle of fiscal showdowns that have roiled the Capitol. The accord between Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, and Chuck Schumer of New York, his Democratic counterpart, would raise strict caps on military and domestic spending imposed in 2011. The deal would raise the spending caps by about $300 billion over two years.

Pelosi Holds House Floor in Advocacy of ‘Dreamers’ for More Than 8 Hours

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, took the House floor at 10:04 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, intent on speaking about the young unauthorized immigrants known as Dreamers. Eight hours and seven minutes later, she quit talking. Her monologue — highly unusual for the House, which has no equivalent to the Senate filibuster — appears to have set the record for the longest continuous speech in the chamber, dating to at least 1909, according to the House historian. It tied up the House into the evening, delaying debate on a bill intended to spur competition in the mortgage market.

White House Aide Resigns After Accusations of Abuse

Rob Porter, the White House staff secretary, announced his resignation on Wednesday, a day after his two ex-wives accused him in interviews of physical abuse when they were married to him. Porter’s decision to step down came after West Wing officials had urged him to remain in his job and offered a vigorous defense of him in the face of the accusations by his ex-wives, including photos of injuries. Porter added that he was grateful for the opportunity to serve in the Trump administration. He gave no date for his departure.

Trump Wants a Military Parade. But Not Everyone Is in Step.

The Pentagon is in the planning stages for an event that was last held in Washington in the summer of 1991, after the end of the 41-day Gulf War was celebrated with a $12 million victory parade. But on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis avoided the word “parade” when tersely responding to reporters at the White House who asked about the possible show of force. President Donald Trump has floated the idea of a military parade before, most recently after he watched — and by all accounts, thoroughly enjoyed — a Bastille Day celebration in Paris.

In Fight Over Science Education in Idaho, Lawmakers Move to Minimize Climate

When Idaho lawmakers scrubbed all mentions of human-caused climate change from the state’s education standards last year, they faced a swift backlash from teachers, parents and students. On Wednesday, the Idaho House Education Committee approved a revised set of standards that included some discussion of climate change. But the committee cut a section on the environmental impact of nonrenewable sources of energy and removed supporting content for standards that contained multiple references to human-driven warming. Science education advocates had hoped the House committee would accept the revised standards in full. They said they were disappointed but not surprised.

FBI Finds No Evidence of Attack in Death of Border Agent

An FBI investigation into the mysterious death of a Border Patrol agent found unconscious off a remote West Texas highway in November has been unable to determine how he was injured, though it found no evidence suggesting he had been attacked. The bureau said it could not find anyone who had witnessed the episode in which the agent, Rogelio Martinez, was killed besides his partner, Stephen Garland, who survived but has no recollection of what happened. The report came one day after the El Paso medical examiner’s office found that Martinez, 36, had died of blunt injuries to the head.

Black Lives Matter Activist Is Shot and Killed in New Orleans

A prominent Black Lives Matter activist was shot and killed while riding a bike in New Orleans early Tuesday morning. The activist, Muhiyidin Moye, 32, is known for leaping across yellow police tape to snatch a Confederate battle flag from a demonstrator in Charleston, South Carolina. The police found Moye bleeding near a mountain bike on Bienville Street in New Orleans shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday. It remains unclear whether Moye was intentionally targeted, and the police did not answer questions about whether any suspect had been identified.