Congress

Interest payments on the national debt surged 10.6 percent through July 2026, outpacing defense and Medicaid and forcing Washington to confront a fiscal trajectory that threatens other priorities.

New data shows annual security costs jumped 33 percent to $1.015 billion, prompting Jewish leaders to demand Congress pass legislation fully funding nonprofit security grants.

Republican and Democratic leaders are pushing the Ratepayer Protection Act to a floor vote next week, aiming to shield voters from rising electricity bills ahead of the midterms.

In an interview, President Trump distanced himself from potential Republican losses in 2026, claiming voter anger is directed at the party, not him—a claim contradicted by recent polling.

At a Dallas Republican convention, President Trump offered direct payments to Americans and promised Affordable Care Act refunds while suggesting he would negotiate with Democrats if they gain congressional power.

A section of the grand foyer ceiling fell Friday, and the center's Trump-aligned board is using it to push for a $250 million, two-year closure despite a federal judge's order blocking the plan.

The legislation would halt advanced AI development until a new federal agency establishes safety standards and reviews frontier systems.

Trump declined to confirm U.S. assistance to Iranian dissidents, citing government violence that has killed tens of thousands, while centrist Democrats broke with leadership to back his 30-day military clock.

Prediction market data gives Republicans a narrow advantage in defending their Senate majority, with the chamber remaining highly competitive heading into the fall campaign.

Kalshi's prediction exchange prices Democrats at 85% to win control after trading 22.3 million contracts on House control

The South Carolina Democrat endorsed adding four seats on Meet the Press, calling it a 'baker's dozen' and saying his support for Thomas was a mistake.

A Kalshi contract on House impeachment has drawn $2.76 million in trading and more than doubled since November 2025, as Democratic odds of retaking the House improve.

The Defense Department is developing a doctrine emphasizing shorter-range nuclear weapons for potential conflicts with China or Russia, drawing fire from arms control advocates and Congress.

The House Republican campaign arm is opening 10 new field offices in competitive districts, with Trump-backed candidates reshaping the GOP roster for 2026.

President Trump ordered U.S. flags lowered for a week as lawmakers from both parties honored the Tennessee singer, philanthropist and Imagination Library founder.

A collapsed ceasefire, blocked Strait of Hormuz, and rising inflation are damaging GOP prospects in the midterm elections six months into the conflict.

Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta are issuing bonds at yields so close to Treasury rates that investors are shifting capital away from government debt, forcing Washington to pay more to borrow.

William Lawrence, a Sunrise Movement co-founder who won the Democratic primary, faces Republican incumbent Tom Barrett in a swing-seat race that could determine House control.

The three-term Republican was the first woman to chair a major Senate committee and the first elected from Kansas without a senatorial husband.

The Postal Service published a final rule late Friday tightening mail-in voting requirements, defying a federal court injunction as it moves to implement President Trump's order before November elections.

The Georgia senator insists he has no interest in the presidency, but viral clips of his attacks on Trump are fueling comparisons to Barack Obama's rise.

The final August payment round arrives Wednesday; trustees warn the retirement fund will deplete by 2032 without congressional action.

A CNN poll finds Democrats ahead on the generic ballot and gaining ground as the party of change, though voters express deep frustration with both parties.

The California Democrat faces allegations of inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer; his accuser's attorneys say she told investigators he sexually assaulted her.

A GOP-linked super PAC has spent more than $1 million in at least three Democratic congressional primaries, part of a wider pattern of manipulation this election cycle.

Attorney General Todd Blanche argued Sunday that Congress already authorized the $900 million project, but a federal appeals court has ordered all work to stop by Aug. 21.

Attorney General Todd Blanche argued Sunday that Congress already authorized the $900 million White House construction project, even as an appeals court ordered work stopped by Aug. 21.

About 50 former Pelosi aides now hold top House jobs, running leadership offices, committees and chiefs-of-staff posts after her 39-year tenure ends

Several Democratic candidates in competitive races are openly discussing how religion shapes their politics, testing a strategy the party largely abandoned after the 1980s.

A D.C. appeals court gave the administration until Aug. 21 to halt above-ground construction, citing the absence of congressional authorization for the $400 million project.

The Louisiana physician-senator said splitting the MMR vaccine into six separate shots will cost families more money and more doctor visits while fixing nothing.

The Louisiana physician-senator says splitting the MMR vaccine into six shots will drive up costs and inconvenience families — with no scientific basis.

The House Minority Leader broke from his prior Medicare for All co-sponsorship on Meet the Press, distancing himself from the Democratic Socialists of America as primaries reshape the caucus.

The Ohio Republican defended the Republican economic record on air but acknowledged middle-class and working-class families are still feeling price pressure.

A bipartisan group of state legislators says CBP's access roads, vehicle barriers and detection gear threaten a park that accounts for under 1 percent of border crossings.

The Arizona Democrat and Marine veteran says more congressional money for the Iran war repeats the mistake of Iraq and calls the conflict illegal.

Abdul El-Sayed's Michigan Senate primary victory and House Democratic scrutiny of sailor conditions aboard a Navy carrier are driving the weekend's political debate.

Seven current and former U.S. officials say the service is weighing whether to move the Ford-class island superstructure forward—a shift experts warn will cost billions.

Testimony that AI tools convert ordinary photos into child sexual abuse material is pressing platforms and Congress to act faster than the technology moves.

The New York congresswoman, who has not ruled out a 2028 presidential run, shared her decision on social media and called public criticism designed to create fear.

Two of Congress's most powerful committees face new ranking members in 2027, as Democrats promise sharper opposition to Trump's foreign policy and law enforcement agenda.

Republicans are leaning on socialism attacks against progressive Democrats, but a GOP strategist says the party is 'gaslighting' Americans about its own economic record.

The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act, but a geographic split inside the GOP—not a partisan divide—has the bill stalled in the Senate.

Senators Josh Hawley and Dick Durbin are demanding answers from Roblox over explicit content and alleged ties to child sexual abuse on a platform used by children as young as five.

A 20-3 supermajority approved an exterior inscription crediting Trump with the renovation; a separate resolution would rename the plaza once a $100 million fund is reached.

Democratic lawmakers cite food shortages, contaminated water and mental health problems aboard the carrier deployed since November 2025.

Sen. Mark Kelly, a Navy combat veteran and aeronautical engineer, tore into Trump's directive ordering the Navy back to steam catapults—a move that will cost billions.

A Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act has triggered a national map-drawing scramble, and algorithms analyzing millions of district configurations are driving the legal battles.

Voters in Alaska and Florida head to the polls Aug. 18 to pick nominees for key congressional and gubernatorial races.

The Congressional Budget Office raised its fiscal year 2026 deficit forecast by $200 billion, citing surging debt costs and a Supreme Court ruling that cut tariff revenue.