Policy

ANALYSIS — When it comes to congressional earmarks, the big dogs usually eat first. So it’s no surprise that House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., leads the pack on “community project funding” included in his panel’s fiscal 2027 spending bills, with $188.4 million. The No. 2 House Republican, Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, comes […]

As advanced safety technologies reach new stages of development across the transportation sector, Congress has been grappling with how to legislate such innovations, trying to balance industry needs against calls to prevent tragic accidents. A subcommittee hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee took up the issue of transportation safety technology Tuesday as […]

Legislation aimed at reducing delays when Medicare Advantage plans require preapproval for care could hit the House floor under fast-track rules for bills that have broad support. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., targets use of prior authorization in Medicare Advantage — in which insurers approve or deny services before they can be delivered. […]

Challengers to the Trump administration’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” asked a judge on Tuesday to let them seek evidence the Justice Department truly is abandoning the program. The filing came in response to arguments the Trump administration made in filings last week that the lawsuit is unnecessary because the fund “is now not going forward.” […]

The financial health of Social Security and Medicare has worsened over the past year, with the programs’ trust funds expected to run dry three months sooner than anticipated, according to reports issued Tuesday by the programs’ trustees. Without any changes, the main Social Security trust fund would be depleted in the fourth quarter of 2032, […]

President Donald Trump on Monday sent to the Senate the nomination of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to fill the role permanently, teeing up what could be a bruising confirmation process for a Trump ally who has drawn bipartisan criticism for recent Justice Department moves. The president’s former defense attorney has pursued an aggressive agenda […]

A federal judge in Massachusetts on Monday blocked President Donald Trump’s attempt to charge a $100,000 fee for companies seeking to employ foreign workers with an H-1B visa, ruling in part that it oversteps Congress’ taxing power. In the ruling, Judge Leo T. Sorokin of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts found […]

The Trump administration told a federal judge Friday there is no need to block implementation of a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” arguing the administration has already scrapped the idea. The filing, in response to an order from Judge Leonie M. Brinkema of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in one of […]

The Justice Department has outlined plans to start the consolidation of three key grant components in September, as part of a reorganization effort that has raised concern from advocates and drawn the attention of at least one senator. The department held a stakeholder briefing Thursday morning where they outlined a rough timeline for consolidating the […]

Another artificial intelligence regulation framework has joined the growing ranks on Capitol Hill, this time focused primarily on model safety and workforce impacts. Reps. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., and Lori Trahan, D-Mass., unveiled their long-expected framework as a discussion draft bill on Thursday. Notably, it includes a three-year preemption of state laws related to AI development […]