[STARLIT]

Pres Trump today signed another leftover bill from the last Congress, appropriating five years of funding at $25-million a year - up from $21-million/yr - for Children's Advocacy Centers that provide assistance to victims of child abuse.

At @Andrews_JBA, @SecPompeo and wife Susan arrive to depart on Mideast swing through eight nations, starting in Jordan. His other stops include Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.

Courtroom artist William J Hennessy on today's SCOTUS session spotlighting empty seat usually occupied by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, missing arguments for the first time in over 25 years as she recuperates from cancer surgery last month.

Mark Knoller.

[STARLIT]

Mark Knoller ‏

VP Pence says Pres Trump will use Address to the Nation to make the case that there's "a humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border." That could help Pres Trump justify the declaration of a National Emergency to build a border wall without action by Congress.