Politics
Suing the Federal Government: How Courts Shape Policy Mid-Case
Federal courts are able to block or reshape government policy long before a case reaches final judgment when the policy is contested in a civil suit. A new...
Del Rio, Texas Adds Lone Star for Transportation Lobbying
The City of Del Rio, Texas has registered Lone Star Consulting LLC as a new outside lobbying firm, filing under the Transportation (TRA) issue code. The...
China Remains Key Source of Fentanyl Precursors Despite Controls
Since China's 2019 domestic controls curtailed almost all direct fentanyl shipments to the United States, China has become the primary source of the...
Unresolved PFAS Liabilities Surface With Pace Of Military Cleanup
Congress faces a core tradeoff on PFAS remediation: whether to shield water utilities, farms, and other entities that never manufactured or used these...
Congress Weighs El Salvador Immigration Policy Amid Human Rights Concerns
The status of more than 170,000 Salvadorans living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) remains unresolved as Congress weighs...
Congress Weighs Reauthorization of Terrorism Insurance Backstop
The federal terrorism insurance backstop is set to expire at the end of 2027, and Congress has yet to resolve whether, and on what terms, to extend it...
Mainstream Colorado Fund Spent Over $500K on CO-08 Race
Mainstream Colorado Fund reports more than $500,000 in total outside spending in the 2026 cycle, and its filings to date show over $200,00 in independent...
Pentagon Submitted $53.7B in Unfunded Priorities for FY2026
The Department of Defense submitted $53.7 billion in priorities left out of the president's annual budget request, renewing a congressional debate over...
Anthropic Dispute Highlights Gaps in Pentagon AI Oversight
Congress has not enacted legislation specifically governing the Department of Defense's (DOD) use of frontier artificial intelligence models or their...
Family Friendly Economy PAC Spends $5.3 Million Backing Democrats
CFFE PAC, the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy's political action committee, reported $5.32 million in outside spending, primarily supporting...
Iran Conflict Exposes Gulf Security and Energy Vulnerabilities
The Iran conflict has exposed vulnerabilities in Gulf security and energy infrastructure while leaving the United States' military presence and partnerships...
Defense Industrial Base Falls Short of Allied Integration Goals
The United States and four allies have a shared framework for defense research and production, but analysts say it has not achieved the integration Congress...
National Flood Insurance Program Faces Dec. 11 Funding Deadline
Congress faces a Dec. 11 deadline to keep the National Flood Insurance Program operating, with nearly 4.5 million policies and more than $1.3 trillion in...
Marijuana Rescheduling Leaves Most Penalties and Consequences Intact
Federal rescheduling of medical marijuana changed tax and other rules for qualifying businesses and products, but most marijuana-specific criminal penalties...
Congress Faces Enforcement Questions When Federal Laws Stay Silent
When Congress creates a federal legal obligation without specifying how to enforce it, the law may be effectively unenforceable if no other enforcement...
Federal Regulation of Kratom Compound 7-OH Remains Unsettled
A kratom-related compound sold in products online and at convenience stores remains outside federal controlled-substance schedules as the Drug Enforcement...
Senate Panel Grills Four Judicial Nominees Before Midterms
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on pending nominations Sept. 30, with four nominees appearing: one for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the...
U.S. Reports 81 Aircraft Lost or Damaged in Iran Operations
A new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report identifies 81 U.S. fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, including drones, reportedly lost or damaged in...