Ann Powers is NPR Music's critic and correspondent. She writes for NPR's music news blog, The Record, and she can be heard on NPR's newsmagazines and music programs.
President Trump has issued pardons for 77 people, including his former attorney Rudy Giuliani and former chief of staff Mark Meadows, who backed his effort to subvert the 2020 election.
Senate lawmakers voted late Sunday on a measure that would reopen the government, with enough moderate Democrats joining Republicans to support the initial vote.