Washington Policy Pulse

• Rep. Russell Fry introduced the EASE Act to let the president suspend the federal gas tax for up to 120 days during fuel supply crises or sharp...

Humanlike AI chatbots draw federal attention because they can simulate emotional bonds with minors, risking manipulation and severe harm including...

The Supreme Court granted review in three cases that could clarify due process limits, religious liberty protections, and federal authority over...

The Senate passed the End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act to shield U.S. citizens from tax penalties incurred while held abroad.

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Senate Democrats led by Patty Murray introduced legislation to slash the Office of Management and Budget's funding by $20 million for each violation...

Public distrust of the Supreme Court often traces to structural weaknesses in its design, not just ideological fights. The framers never anticipated...

The Senate passed the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act by unanimous consent, targeting IRS operations and taxpayer services.

Key changes...

The Supreme Court’s emergency docket already tackled high-stakes disputes over mail-in voting, citizenship databases, congressional maps, and migrant...

The U.S. Senate has passed Sen. Jon Ossoff's bipartisan bill to strengthen emergency alerts during natural disasters, advancing efforts to improve public-warning systems before and during crises.

The Stop Insider Trading Act failed on a 53-47 procedural vote, falling short of 60 needed.

• Ethics case: Supporters argued lawmakers should not...

The Trump administration used an emergency measure this summer to change the language of the federal voter-registration form used by U.S. service members abroad.

The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act was signed into law, extending federal programs to fight tick-borne diseases as Lyme cases hit record levels in...

The Senate's 51-47 vote rejected a resolution requiring a State Department report on human-rights abuses and U.S. citizen deaths in the West Bank.

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Justice Alito's last-minute, unexplained recusal from the Suncor v. Boulder climate-liability case leaves the Supreme Court short-handed for oral...

• Trump asked the Supreme Court to allow cuts to transgender care in federal prisons
• ICE spent $1.3 million on robot dogs for enforcement...

The Supreme Court has overturned constitutional precedent just 145 times since 1789, or 0.05% of its decisions. Reasons to follow precedent include...

• Affordability focus: End Trump tariffs, halt Iran conflict impacts, reverse Medicaid cuts, and restore ACA credits to lower costs for families.
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Nearly two-thirds of 2026 legislative referrals (63%) reflect partisan divides, with 41 classified Republican and 17 Democratic versus just 40...

Jack Smith's Senate hearing laid bare the partisan fight over accountability, with the former special counsel defending his evidence of Trump's crimes while Republicans accused him of bias and he admitted regretting his limited public responses.

Trump pardoned Adam Kidan in July after his casino-boat fraud conviction. Federal filings show his contributions reached eight Republican Senate...