Congress

Top Democratic appropriators are calling on the Government Accountability Office to probe the Trump administration’s release of nearly $400 million of taxpayer funds for a White House East Wing modernization project that includes a ballroom. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, who is the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Christopher S. Murphy of […]

With Bill Pulte just days into his job acting director of national intelligence, senators on both sides of the aisle are already expressing concern about his performance. Pulte began Friday, after weeks of criticism over his appointment. On Monday, he reportedly began firing intelligence officials and staff at the DNI en masse, causing issues with some lawmakers […]

A sweeping housing bill sailed through the Senate on Monday and is expected to move quickly in the House early this week, potentially giving both parties a win on the issue of lowering home costs. The Senate passed the bill with overwhelming bipartisan support, 85-5. An aide to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the House […]

A manager’s amendment filed ahead of this week’s scheduled floor consideration of a sweeping package of veterans legislation would tweak some key language in the bill, but leave untouched the most controversial part of the measure. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., filed an amendment last week with the House Rules Committee for […]

The solstice this weekend marked the start of astronomical summer — and in Washington, D.C., that means the legislative clock is ticking. Lawmakers are eager to head home and campaign on a housing bill that’s nearing passage, but progress on several other issues has stalled, and it’s unclear whether a visit from President Donald Trump […]

Senators moved ahead with a bipartisan housing bill this week, paving the way for a final vote once they return from the Juneteenth long weekend. But on another topic, they seemed to go not forward, but back. President Donald Trump sent negotiations to renew a lapsed spy power authority back to square one Wednesday, souring […]

Newly released text offers details on legislation from progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., for the federal government to take a 50 percent share in leading artificial intelligence companies. The text of the as-yet unnumbered bill, released Thursday, would put a one-time tax on AI companies with more than $200 million in annual sales, to be paid in […]

Unauthorized deepfake images generated by artificial intelligence would need to be removed from online platforms if they weren’t licensed by the person portrayed, under a bill the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced on Thursday. The bill, which was approved by voice vote, would give individuals an intellectual property right to their voice and visual likeness, despite […]

An empty Senate Intelligence Committee room summed up the mood Wednesday afternoon during what was supposed to be an easy step in Majority Leader John Thune’s plan to revive a lapsed surveillance authority. Instead, the key spy powers tool, the committee room and senators themselves were left in the dark after President Donald Trump directed […]

President Donald Trump on Wednesday complicated Senate Republican plans to quickly revive a key surveillance authority, delaying a scheduled confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton and pressing for the inclusion of a controversial voter ID measure. Trump, in an early morning social media post, said he was “cancelling” the hearing for Clayton to become Director of […]