September 2026
Trump slams Democrat Cooper as ‘weak’ on crime as he campaigns in North Carolina
Amid powerful economic headwinds, President Donald Trump rallied loyalists Wednesday in North Carolina, aiming to drive up the Republican vote in a key Senate race in which his chosen candidate has been trailing in the polls. Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chair, has so far failed to gain traction against Democratic former Gov. […]
Bill aimed at voter anger over data centers passes House
The House passed legislation Wednesday that would direct states to consider adopting federal standards for large-scale industrial power users, an attempt to address growing voter anger over the speed and scale of data center development. The bill passed 417-3 under suspension of the rules, a procedure that requires support from two-thirds of members present and […]
Surgeon general nominee won’t renounce RFK Jr. vaccine decisions
Surgeon general nominee Nicole Saphier, seeking to be confirmed as the nation’s top health educator and spokesperson, on Wednesday declined to fully distance herself from the Trump administration’s changes to the childhood vaccine schedule when pressed by a prominent Republican. During a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, outgoing Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., […]
Gas tax holiday bill on ice despite House rule fracas
A House Freedom Caucus push for a vote on legislation to suspend federal motor fuel taxes amid war-driven pain at the pump was thwarted Tuesday after a group of rebels briefly held up floor action on other matters to press their demands. Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., and other holdouts on the rule for […]
Push to restrict ‘jawboning’ advanced by Senate Commerce panel
The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday approved, 18-10, legislation by Chairman Ted Cruz that would limit government coercion of broadcasters and online platforms, despite concerns about its impact on conversations with artificial intelligence platforms. Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., voted with the committee’s Republicans to advance the bill. […]
Environmental groups launch new canvassing effort to boost Democrats
A pair of environmental groups are launching new field programs in seven competitive House districts, seeking to reach out to voters while coordinating with key Democratic campaigns. The paid canvassing efforts by the League of Conservation Voters and NRDC Action Fund, shared first with CQ Roll Call, take advantage of a 2024 advisory from the […]
Trump on the ballot: Will it help Republicans?
At last week’s GOP convention, President Donald Trump told the enthusiastic crowd he had a problem. He told them that when he’s not on the ballot, they say his people don’t show up in big numbers to vote for other Republicans, putting their majorities in the House and Senate in jeopardy. He followed that up […]
Veterans benefit bill gets 218 signatures on discharge petition
House Democrats will be able to force a vote to bring a long-stalled veterans benefits bill to the floor after securing 218 signatures on a discharge petition. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., signed the petition Tuesday night, giving it the magic number needed to be successful. “Thank you @RepNancyMace for joining the right side of this […]
College NIL bill moves forward on Senate floor
A potentially landmark Senate college sports bill easily cleared a procedural hurdle on Tuesday, moving the bipartisan legislation one step closer to advancing out of the chamber. The Senate voted 74-24 on the procedural step, which opens a path to an eventual vote on passage. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., one of the legislation’s authors, spoke […]
AI threats confront a Congress far from erecting guardrails
In the wake of recent dire warnings from industry about the national security risks of frontier artificial intelligence models, lawmakers have been quick to express concern and call for industry or legislative guardrails. But action before the midterm elections looks unlikely as neither party has coalesced around a legislative plan on AI, or even, in […]