Casey Wooten

Washington, D.C.

House Reporter at National Journal

House Reporter for National Journal -- [email protected] @caseywooten on the B-Sky app

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Articles

'Rudderless': NASA braces for massive cuts without its chief pilot at the helm

3 weeks ago | nationaljournal.com | Casey Wooten |Ledyard King |Philip Athey

America’s space program is in a bit of a freefall. NASA is facing the sweeping budget cuts that have recently been imposed on similar science-heavy federal agencies. Its ambitious missions to land astronauts on the moon or Mars keep getting delayed or linger in limbo. And the agency's chief promoter—Elon Musk—just left the administration.
‘Trojan horse’: Public-lands debate emerges amidst budget reconciliation

1 month ago | nationaljournal.com | Savannah Behrmann |Erika Filter |Casey Wooten |Bella Timmerding

As etched into the landscape and history of the rugged Southwest as its characteristic red rock terrain is a centuries-old struggle between local and federal government over ownership of thousands of miles of the desert region.
Congress wants to allocate billions of dollars to an ambitious missile defense project that would scrap decades of nuclear deterrence policy

1 month ago | nationaljournal.com | Casey Wooten |Cristina Maza |Philip Athey

Republicans want to allocate billions of dollars to a controversial missile defense project that could upend decades of U.S. nuclear deterrence. As Congress begins work on a massive budget reconciliation package designed to cut trillions in federal spending, House Republicans released a proposal to allocate nearly $25 billion as a down payment for a program known as the Golden Dome.
Trump views El Salvador as the perfect country to send deported immigrants. Here's why.

2 months ago | nationaljournal.com | Casey Wooten |Cristina Maza |Lauren Green |Erika Filter

Democratic lawmakers have been visiting El Salvador to demand information about the Trump administration’s agreement with the country to hold men deported from the United States, seemingly indefinitely and without due process. But experts note that El Salvador was chosen as a prime destination for the deportees because there’s so little oversight in the country. Four House Democrats—Reps.
Immigration lawyers scramble as Trump pursues legally questionable deportations

2 months ago | nationaljournal.com | Casey Wooten |Erin Durkin |Savannah Behrmann |Philip Athey

The Trump administration wrongfully deported a Maryland resident to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador and has now asked the Supreme Court to block attempts to return him to the U.S. The dramatic case is raising alarm among lawyers representing migrants in the U.S. as they grapple with an administration that is removing their clients with little due process and refusing to address deportation errors.
Walkouts, call-outs, and crash-outs: Democrats let their voices be heard at Trump's address

Mar 5, 2025 | nationaljournal.com | Jeff Dufour |Savannah Behrmann |Casey Wooten |Lauren Green

Five years after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up President Trump’s last speech to Congress, Democrats found a new way to voice their displeasure at the first joint address to Congress of his second term: placards, walkouts, and interruptions. There was bad blood from the moment Trump entered the chamber. As the president walked toward the dais, Republican Rep. Lance Gooden ripped a sign from Democratic Rep.
OUTLOOK: Budget chess match: After the Senate’s move, it’s the House’s turn

Feb 24, 2025 | nationaljournal.com | Erin Durkin |Cristina Maza |James Downs |Casey Wooten

Republicans’ grand plan to use the budget-reconciliation process to fund President Trump’s agenda faces its own fork in the road this week: the House’s path forward vs. the Senate’s. In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson is struggling to get enough votes to adopt a resolution which would unlock the Republicans multitrillion-dollar legislative strategy later this year.
Q+A with Rep. Sarah McBride

Feb 12, 2025 | nationaljournal.com | Casey Wooten |Lauren Green |Cristina Maza |Erin Durkin

Rep. Sarah McBride is the first transgender member to serve in Congress. The 34-year-old is also one of the youngest members of Congress. McBride, Delaware’s sole representative in the House, has long had a close relationship with former President Biden. She spoke with Lauren Green about her legislative priorities, how her colleagues have treated her in private versus in public, and how Democrats can improve their strategy. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
A parade of pomp, ceremony, and executive orders

Jan 20, 2025 | nationaljournal.com | Zac Weisz |Savannah Behrmann |Casey Wooten |Lauren Green

A triumphant audience hailed President Trump at his inauguration parade at the Washington Wizards’ home court, celebrating a victory that in their minds had been four years in the waiting. “Did you like my speech?” Trump rhetorically asked the rowdy and bleary-eyed crowd, stopping by the arena in Washington's Chinatown neighborhood to cap off his inauguration. He was flanked by families of the Israeli hostages who have been held in Gaza for over 15 months.
Is asylum dead?

Jan 16, 2025 | nationaljournal.com | Cristina Maza |Erin Durkin |Casey Wooten |Erika Filter

In a world increasingly plagued by conflict, climate change, and poverty, a record number of people around the globe are displaced and seeking safety. But with Republicans poised to control both the White House and Congress and anti-immigration sentiment spreading across Europe, the ability to obtain asylum in middle- and high-income countries is quickly vanishing. Donald Trump won reelection in November on a staunchly anti-immigrant platform.