Mary McCue Bell

Governors form AI coalition, citing federal inaction

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore touted a bipartisan, governor-led coalition on artificial intelligence, saying at Thursday's Maryland Innovation Summit that the group is filling a policy void left by federal inaction.

October 2, 2026

Starbucks expansion into Xinjiang sparks backlash

Starbucks opened its first stores in China's Xinjiang region, infamous for concerns of human rights violations of Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups, prompting Rep. John Moolenaar to diss the company as serving "Venti-sized genocide."

October 2, 2026

Border travel safety bill honors fallen veteran

Rep. Eli Crane is pushing a bill aimed at informing travelers of dangerous areas or routes along the U.S.-Mexico border -- a legislative measure aimed at honoring one veteran's life after he was gunned down at an unauthorized cartel-controlled highway checkpoint in Mexico.

October 2, 2026

Federal law raises costs on taxpayers for State Department travel, GAO estimates

A federal requirement that all air travel funded by the U.S. government must use an airline owned by an American company increases the State Department's travel costs by an estimated $700,000 to $1.5 million annually, according to a new report.

October 1, 2026

Judge permanently dismisses Reflecting Pool vandalism case with prejudice, dubbing it ‘fanciful’

A federal judge permanently dismissed vandalism charges against a former Olympian accused of damaging the renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, ending a case on Thursday that divided the Trump administration.

October 1, 2026

HHS, USDA have not assessed biosecurity risks of selling lab equipment: Report

Federal agencies can donate or sell unneeded laboratory equipment, but some of it could pose public health and national security risks if bad actors use it to develop biological weapons, according to a new report.

October 1, 2026

Hegseth creates Office of Religious Affairs with direct line to chaplains

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's fiery speech to troops at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia included the creation of the Office of Religious Affairs, providing a direct channel between chaplains and top officials at the Department of Defense.

October 1, 2026

Protesters demand Trump withdraw 250-foot Memorial Circle arch, call it illegal

Demonstrators protested Thursday morning in a traffic circle near Arlington National Cemetery against President Trump's proposed Triumphal Arch at the site.

October 1, 2026

Concerns over AI’s societal harms, existential risks spark FTC probe

The Federal Trade Commission is probing artificial intelligence giants Anthropic, OpenAI and other frontier labs over the potential dangers their technology poses to consumers.

September 30, 2026

Sen. Tim Scott wants 20% federal film tax credit passed by this Congress

Sen. Tim Scott said he's aiming to pass his federal film tax incentive this Congress -- a tall order for a lame-duck session with a growing priority list.

September 30, 2026

Former House majority leader named CEO of major pharma lobbying group

Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has been tapped for a consequential lobbying job: CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, also known as PhRMA.

September 29, 2026

House not likely to take up Senate-approved rules for college sports compensation before election

Reeling in House members during recess for a vote on a student-athlete compensation bill has a slim chance of coming to fruition.

September 29, 2026

Democrats question government spending on Trump ads

A Democratic duo is pressing the Department of Homeland Security for answers about spending to create and air taxpayer-funded political ads celebrating President Trump.

September 29, 2026

Mamdani unveils antisemitism strategy amid community tensions

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released an antisemitism security and education blueprint on Tuesday amid a rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes and friction between his administration and Jewish community leaders.

September 29, 2026

Noem divorces husband months after ‘bimbofication’ fetish revealed

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem filed for divorce from her husband, Bryon Noem, months after reports of his cross-dressing and bimbo fetish came to light.

September 29, 2026

Senate passes benchmark legislation on college sports NIL rights

The Senate passed landmark legislation Monday night intended to regulate the Wild West of college sports compensation and transfers, teeing up a vote in the House after the November midterm elections.

September 28, 2026

Duffy, Schmitt propose bill seeking over $30 billion for air traffic control overhaul

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and GOP Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri are spearheading new funding legislation to advance air traffic control modernization with a $30 billion price tag.

September 28, 2026

Florida attorney general seeks temporary injunction against OpenAI over AI safety risks

Florida's Attorney General James Uthmeier went to court Monday seeking an injunction to pause OpenAI's artificial intelligence developments, asserting that its harm is immediate and irreparable unless judicial involvement puts a stop to it.

September 28, 2026

Democratic Sen. Fetterman mistakenly dubs himself a ‘lifelong Republican’

Sen. John Fetterman reignited rumors of a party switch after a Freudian slip led him to mistakenly describe himself as a "lifelong Republican."

September 28, 2026

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Caldwell resigns after ethics inquiry

New Jersey Democratic Lt. Gov. Dale G. Caldwell has resigned following a bombshell ethics and sexual harassment inquiry.

September 25, 2026