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Congress Reclaims Some Power Members of Congress are intensifying their inquiries with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding recent U.S. strikes on a suspected drug trafficking vessel, seeking clarification on the legal justification for the operation. Committees from both chambers, representing bipartisan interests, have requested classified briefings and are considering proposals to strengthen reporting requirements for…

Congressional Stock Trading? Congress is revisiting the issue of stock trading by lawmakers, with several bipartisan bills proposed to restrict or ban Members of Congress and their families from owning stocks and other financial assets. Rep. Luna (R-FL) has filed a petition requiring 218 signatures to force a vote on her bill, though House Speaker…

Congress and College Sports House Republicans are advancing the SCORE Act, a bill regulating college athlete compensation for name, image, and likeness (NIL). The legislation would prevent student-athletes from being classified as employees and grant antitrust exemptions to sports officials. Most House Democrats oppose the bill, citing insufficient student protections and excessive NCAA authority, and…

December Supreme Court Docket The Supreme Court is set to consider several important cases, including one about the Trump administration’s actions to reshape independent agencies and another regarding campaign finance rules. One case focuses on President Trump’s attempt to dismiss a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) member, challenging a 1935 ruling that requires the president to…

Special Election Signals Matt Van Epps (R) won Tennessee’s special election by nine points, down from Trump’s 22-point margin in 2024. Despite a Republican ad campaign, Democrats closed the gap by 13 points with high turnout. If this trend continues across similar districts, Democrats may have a chance to win the House next year. While…

This Week in Congress Congress returns this week for three weeks of legislative work before recessing for the holidays on December 18th. Members of Congress have packed agendas, mirroring their holiday tables, as they return to Washington. They are striving to prevent an affordability crisis with impending spikes in health insurance premiums for millions of…

Healthcare Update Millions of Americans could face significantly higher health insurance costs next year due to the scheduled expiration of the ACA enhanced premium tax credits. While many Republicans are concerned about the potential impact on their prospects in the mid-term elections, the majority remains undecided on any course of action. Initially, President Trump stated…

FY26 Appropriations Update Senate leadership is considering merging four or five FY 2026 appropriations bills into a minibus package, which would encompass Commerce-Justice-Science, Defense, Labor-Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS), Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (THUD), and possibly Interior. Majority Leader Thune (R-SD) plans to bring this package to the floor soon, potentially this week, but more…

National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Update Negotiations on the NDAA are ongoing. Given that this measure is one of the few that consistently passes at the end of each year with bipartisan support, and considering the lack of legislative movement since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the NDAA is seen as a valuable opportunity…

Successful Use of Discharge Petitions Notable for what it might signify regarding the strength of the House Speaker, Republican rank-and-file members of Congress are increasingly bypassing leadership to force House votes on their legislative priorities. The discharge petition process is available for bills that have sat in committee for at least 30 legislative days. Once…