In the wake of last week’s school shooting in Nashville, federal and state lawmakers are calling for a range of responses. Tennessee Lookout reports that Gov. Bill Lee today called for increased funding for school security measures and mental health support. Read more on that proposal. According to WPLN, Tennessee Senate Speaker Randy McNally has expressed support for “red flag laws,” which would allow guns to be removed from those who pose a threat to themselves or the public. Former governors Bill Haslam and Phil Bredesen offer their proposed solutions in an editorial written for the Tennessean. On the federal level, Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Columbia has asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to charge the shooting suspect with hate crimes, The Hill reports, while Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty unveiled legislation last week to create a $900 million federal grant program for school safety measures. Chattanoogan.com has more on that initiative.

The U.S. Justice Department is seeking to go on a “hiring spree” for immigration judges next year, Knoxville Times reports. In its budget proposal for fiscal year 2024, which starts Oct. 1, the department is seeking $1.46 billion for the office tasked with adjudicating immigration claims. The request represents an increase of nearly 70% in funding and would enable the agency to hire 965 new judicial staff, including 150 new immigration judges. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in written testimony before a Senate appropriations subcommittee that the effort is designed to address the backlog of cases. There are currently about 600 immigration judges in the country (more than double from just a few years ago) handling more than two million cases.

The Hill reports that Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are considering an attempt to force votes on stricter gun laws following yesterday’s shooting in Nashville. The group is considering using a discharge petition, which would force proposed gun law reforms, now pending before various committees, to come straight to the House floor. A simple majority vote is needed to bring the bills up for consideration. Some House Republicans have shown little interest in strengthening gun laws, even though both sides of the aisle have condemned the violence. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, told reporters that there is no way to “fix” gun violence. “It’s a horrible, horrible situation,” Burchett said. “And we’re not gonna fix it. Criminals are gonna be criminals.” Burchett also said he doesn’t see “any real role” for Congress to play in reducing gun violence, other than to “mess things up.”

The White House has endorsed a bipartisan bill that could give the president authority to ban or force a sale of TikTok, Bloomberg Law reports. The bill, introduced yesterday, would give the president the ability to force the sale of foreign-owned technologies, applications, software or e-commerce platforms if they present a national security threat to U.S. users. Critics of the video app say it allows the Chinese government to access the data and viewing trends of some 100 million Americans. Former President Donald Trump had ordered a ban on the app in 2020 but a federal judge blocked the effort, arguing it violated free speech rights. The new legislation would strengthen the administration’s hand in future court battles, advocates say.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is joining a coalition of 15 state attorneys general in calling on Congress to end the Biden administration’s continued use of pandemic emergency powers. In a letter sent to congressional leaders, the group argues that despite President Biden himself declaring that “the pandemic is over,” two federal agencies — the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration — continue to rely on emergency use authorizations to justify novel vaccines for young people. The letter also calls on Congress to reform the PREP Act, which provides “exceptionally broad liability protections” related to vaccines and other countermeasures under emergency declarations by the Department of Health and Human Services. Read the full release. Late today, the The Biden administration announced it would end COVID and public health emergency authority on May 11. The Hill has that story.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said this weekend that he would not rule out a federal investigation into the Memphis Police Department, which has come under scrutiny following the death of Tyre Nichols. Kevin Ritz, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced earlier this month there would be a federal civil rights investigation into the incident, but not the entire department. Durbin encouraged fellow senators to redouble efforts on crafting bipartisan police reform legislation but also said more screening and training are needed to change a culture of police violence. The Hill has more on his comments.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday will hold its first hearing on the recent Ticketmaster debacle that resulted in thousands of Taylor Swift fans being shut out of purchasing tickets to her latest tour. Congress Minute by Politico reports that the hearing will begin at 10 a.m. EST. “At next week’s hearing, we will examine how consolidation in the live entertainment and ticketing industries harms customers and artists alike,” said Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who chairs the Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer Rights. Watch live feed of the hearing on the committee’s website.

After refusing to support California Republican Kevin McCarthy for speaker of the U.S. House of Representative through three days of voting and 11 ballots, Tennessee Rep.-elect Andy Ogles, R- Culleoka, changed his vote and supported McCarthy today on the 12th ballot. While recording his vote, Ogles thanked his colleagues who have been “negotiating in good faith” with McCarthy on rules changes designed to make the legislative process more transparent and open to rank and file members. After a 13th ballot today, which saw McCarthy fall just a few votes short, the House adjourned until 10 p.m. EST tonight. The Tennessean has more on the vote.

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper sat down recently with Tennessee Lookout to reflect on his 32 years in Congress. Cooper decided not to run for reelection in 2022 after his Nashville district was divided into multiple districts. Known as “the conscience of the House,” Cooper now warns that today’s politics have “strayed so far from that that we’re in danger of ending up in the ditch.” He also spoke about his concerns that a lack of tolerance from Tennessee’s elected leaders could set the state back economically. He urged his party to regain a winning edge in the state by showing respect for all voters and all viewpoints. For his part, though, Cooper says his political days are done. He is ready to teach again and finish a book. Read the full piece about his career.

On the second anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, the Tennessean looks at the 26 Tennesseans who have been charged in connection with the event. Most face trespassing charges, but some have been accused of serious assaults, including on law enforcement officers. Others have already been adjudicated and received punishment in the form of fines, jail time and probation. See the full list. At a White House ceremony marking the day, President Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal to 12 individuals who "demonstrated courage and selflessness" in the events surrounding the attack, Reuters reports.