Politics and views in the United States.

The Senate Indian Affairs chair says a long-imprisoned activist deserves clemency, Speaker Mike Johnson says they may end funding for PBS and Planned Parenthood, and Senate Republicans privately say Hegseth's nomination is doomed. 

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2024 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

This is what mercy is for.

He poses little threat to society.

If there was ever a case that merited compassionate release, Leonard Peltier's is it.

Democratic Hawaii Senator Brian Schott says it's time to let Leonard Peltier go home.

The Native American activist was convicted of murdering two FBI agents in a widely criticized trial.

Peltier is in failing health after more than 50 years in prison.

Schott, the chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, says clemency from outgoing President Joe Biden could right a historic wrong.

As Republicans assemble plans to slash the federal budget next year, Speaker Mike Johnson says he hopes to cut funding for PBS and Planned Parenthood.

There'll be lots of ideas that come out.

We don't want to put too many of it out right now, OK?

But this is part of that preparing the playbook to unleash and unroll in January.

When met with billionaire Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy on Capitol Hill, the co-leaders of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency say they want to cut up to $2 trillion in spending.

Florida Congressman Jared Moskowitz says he and other Democrats are willing to work with them.

Where we disagree, if it's on Social Security or Medicare, I'm going to push back.

But if there's agreements because, hey, we can find hundreds of billions of dollars to save the American people, we should make that a bipartisan issue.

In the last undecided race, Democrat Adam Gray flipped a Central California House district, beating Republican incumbent John Duarte by fewer than 200 votes.

Gray says he's now looking forward after his narrow victory.

I've been through this process before.

You know, my focus throughout the last few weeks has simply been to make sure every vote gets counted.

And in Maine, Republican Austin Terrio has conceded to Democratic Congressman Jared Golden after early recount results showed little change in the state's ranked choice voting tally.

The extremely slim Republican House majority adds importance to representatives from swing districts.

President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon looks unlikely to be confirmed.

Fox News host Pete Hegseth is facing allegations of excessive drinking and mistreatment of women.

Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut says at least 10 of his Senate Republican peers privately oppose him.

If the retribution might be, I think it's pretty daunting.

And so I think Republicans are reluctant to step forward and be the first one.

Female veterans in the Senate, including Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth and Iowa Republican Joni Ernst, also disagree with Hegseth that women should not be allowed to serve in combat.

Current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the military needs all the qualified troops it can get.

Any military that turns away tough, talented patriots, women or men, is just making itself weaker and smaller.

So enough already.

I'm Catherine Carley for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.