Politics and views in the United States.

California voters narrowly approve a proposition to address homelessness and mental health, Congress debates budget bills under threat of a partial shutdown and GOP-led states file legislation mirroring a controversial Texas immigration law.

TRANSCRIPT

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

If it were you or if it were your family member who was on the streets ill, suffering from mental illness or addiction, you would want a solution to this epidemic.

James Espinoza with the Veteran Mentor Project thanks the California voters who narrowly approved Proposition 1, a multi-billion dollar effort to update mental health funding and tackle chronic homelessness.

Prop 1 will build housing and expand behavioral health and drug treatment.

Governor Gavin Newsom calls it a huge victory for an approach that's radically different.

A trillion dollar spending package to avoid a partial government shutdown should be up for a vote in the U.S.

House today.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise favors it because more than two-thirds goes to defense, including a 5 percent pay bump for troops.

But hard-right Texas Congressman Chip Roy says the massive spending shows a lack of Republican leadership.

I don't even have words for any Republican that votes for this bill.

I promise you I will not be going out and supporting any Republican who votes for this bill for any position ever again.

Roy and his allies have not ruled out taking action against Speaker Mike Johnson for working with Democrats on it.

The U.S. Justice Department and 16 states have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, charging it with monopolizing smartphone sales.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco says Apple uses its market power to dominate development of apps and devices and has smothered an entire industry.

Locking its customers in to the iPhone while locking its competitors out of the market.

Monaco says the lawsuit seeks to stop Apple from undermining software that competes with its own apps in streaming, messaging and digital payments.

A controversial Texas law allowing state and local officials to arrest and deport people suspected of illegally crossing the border remains tied up in courts.

But at least seven GOP-led states are looking at similar measures.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says the Biden administration has failed to enforce immigration laws, forcing states to step in.

Every state is a border state, and Iowa is no exception.

The effects that Texas has been experiencing for three years are now a reality here at home.

Reynolds says she'll sign a bill allowing police to arrest undocumented immigrants and better protect the public.

But Marshalltown, Iowa, police chief Michael Tupper says forcing migrants and minorities into the shadows will only make his job harder.

If we don't have people that are willing to help us, call us, cooperate with us, if they're now hiding from us, it's going to make it very difficult to do our job.

Meanwhile, several Democratic senators are sponsoring federal legislation to let immigration and customs officials get arrest warrants for undocumented immigrants who've been charged with violent crimes.

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

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