The upper chamber of the U.S. Congress, shaping law and foreign policy.
Ukraine has reported that Starlink and its military sister service Starshield have been limited to roughly 160 km/h inside Ukraine, disrupting drone guidance and logistics during recent Russian strikes. Kyiv has accused SpaceX or Washington of imposing the throttle; Elon Musk has said Starshield is controlled by the US government and that usage limits are set by the US military and president.
Governor Andy Beshear has pressed for a direct public update on Mitch McConnell’s health, urging him to prove his capacity to serve or resign. The push follows McConnell’s hospitalization after a June 14 fall and limited public updates from his office. Several lawmakers stress transparency amid ongoing questions about the senator’s ability to return to the Senate.
House Republicans have advanced a 47-page reconciliation budget resolution that would steer roughly $60 billion toward the Iran war, add funds for intelligence, agriculture and election changes, and package parts of the SAVE America Act. Democrats have opposed the plan and more than 100 House Democrats have recorded votes to withhold military aid to Israel, exposing deep party divisions ahead of the midterms.
The Sunshine Protection Act has passed the House to make daylight saving time permanent in most of the United States. Senate consideration is uncertain and health experts warn permanent DST could disrupt sleep, while some communities push for permanent standard time. The decision hinges on balancing public health, regional impacts, and the logistics of time-zone alignment.
Republicans are consolidating fundraising power ahead of key Senate battles, with MAGA Inc. and committee coffers outpacing Democrats. The surge follows a Supreme Court ruling easing coordination rules, intensifying pressure on Democratic opponents.
Brent crude has risen above $100 a barrel after attacks on shipping and renewed US–Iran strikes disrupted tanker routes. Traders are pricing tighter supply as US reserves fall to multi-decade lows and refiners report record crack spreads. Forecasters now see scenarios ranging from modest rises to spikes above $150 a barrel, with higher pump and inflationary pressure expected.
A bipartisan Senate bill would bar the sale of connected vehicles by automakers that are more than 15% owned by Chinese entities, potentially affecting Mercedes-Benz, which has substantial Chinese ownership. The proposal has emerged in an ongoing policy debate about national security and supply-chain resilience.
Progressive Abdul El‑Sayed has won the Democratic nomination for the open US Senate seat in Michigan, defeating establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens in a close contest. The result has handed a high-profile victory to the party’s left flank and will set up a November general election against Republican Mike Rogers for a seat critical to control of the Senate.
The Senate and House are pressing ahead with scheduling amid talks on government funding, crypto regulation, and voting integrity. Republicans push for votes on the SAVE Act and the CLARITY Act, while Democrats warn that bipartisan support is required to avert a lapse in funding and to address other urgent policy items.
Mitch McConnell remains not cleared to resume Senate duties after a June fall, with ongoing rehabilitation and a new photo released as he continues daily physical therapy. He will miss the Fancy Farm picnic in western Kentucky and intends to return to the Senate and state soon.
Funeral services for Senator Lindsey Graham have taken place in Washington and South Carolina after his sudden death on July 11. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have attended memorials that have highlighted Graham’s influence on U.S. foreign policy and set off a scramble for his Senate seat in South Carolina.
The Massachusetts Senate has adopted a measure that would remove the existing list of conditions for late-term abortion, allowing it based on physicians’ professional judgment. Gov. Healey now faces signing the bill into law as debates continue over safety and access amid a shifting national landscape.
Rep. Max Miller has refused to withdraw from Ohio's 7th congressional race after his ex-wife accused him of domestic abuse and the House Ethics Committee opened an inquiry. Party leaders missed the deadline to replace him on the general-election ballot, and Democratic groups have moved to boost challenger Brian Poindexter with millions in ad spending.
Lawmakers have advanced a stopgap funding package to keep the government running through Dec. 11, while negotiations over full-year funding and policy riders continue. The measure blocks funding transfers to border enforcement, delays a hemp ban by one month, and avoids a government shutdown ahead of midterm elections.
Miller has refused to withdraw from his Ohio congressional race despite domestic abuse accusations from his ex-wife. Trump has expressed doubts about the candidacy, while Miller argues the claims are baseless. A pending deadline to replace him on the ballot creates a volatile path to November in Ohio’s 7th district.
RWE has relinquished its offshore wind leases in the US after a settlement with the Trump administration. The company will reinvest about $1.2 billion into a Louisiana LNG terminal and 15 natural gas peaker plants, while winding down projects on New York, California and Louisiana coasts. The move follows a pattern of government buybacks of offshore wind leases.
The Senate has passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by 86–11, granting the president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on top buyers of Russian oil and expanding sanctions on Russia and Iran. The bill now heads to the House, which will consider it after its August recess.
The US Senate confirmed Brett Matsumoto as commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reinstating a crucial leadership role after President Donald Trump abruptly fired his predecessor last year.
A wave of new open-weight AI models from Meta and Nvidia complements Meta’s Muse Glimmer and Spark 1.2 releases, while CNBC and Axios report on the broader open-source push. The industry is increasingly mixing open access with major proprietary platforms, signaling a shift toward more distributed AI development and consumer-ready on-device tools.
In Wisconsin, Francesca Hong has lost the governor's primary to David Crowley by less than 1 point, a dramatic turn after polls showed she led by double digits. The result mirrors a broader pattern of polling misses and rising momentum for progressive candidates in state races. Prediction markets also underestimated Crowley’s chances.
Karoline Leavitt has announced she will leave her role as White House press secretary at the end of August to spend more time with her two young children. President Donald Trump has said she will remain a top outside adviser; the White House has not named a successor and senior officials are expected to brief reporters temporarily.
Chief Justice John Roberts has issued a temporary order allowing construction on the White House ballroom to continue while the Supreme Court considers an emergency appeal. Lower courts had ordered a halt, finding the project requires congressional approval. The administration argues the work is vital to national security; preservationists say Trump acted without legal authority.
The NYT reports a recent meeting between Jared Kushner and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in New York discusses housing, immigration and affordability as Democrats eye potential gains in November. Jeffries says the affordability crisis is not a hoax and Democrats will deliver transformational change, while Republicans push back and warn against overreaching. If Democrats win, they plan a robust oversight agenda.
The Justice Department and FBI have seized web domains for two hacking platforms, QScan and QTRouter, that investigators say a China-linked group, QTFY, used since 2018 to hide the origin of intrusions into US government agencies and private firms including DOE labs, NIH, NASA, the Federal Reserve and the US Senate.
Republicans have planned a first‑ever midterm convention in Dallas for September 9–10 to rally support and raise money, but dozens of House candidates have told Politico they will skip it. Organisers have set high ticket and donor prices, including roundtables priced up to $250,000 and a photo with the president for $88,600, prompting criticism inside the party and from donors.
MAGA Inc. has opened a $10 million television and digital ad campaign to boost Ken Paxton’s U.S. Senate bid against Democrat James Talarico in a race that has become unexpectedly competitive in Texas. The buy is the first major general-election spend from Trump’s super PAC this cycle and will run positive spots for Paxton and attack ads against Talarico.
A federal judge has ruled that North Carolina can hear a case accusing Senator Kyrsten Sinema of alienating a spouse. Nine text messages sent by Sinema to a security officer in the state establish jurisdiction, prompting comment from the involved parties and detailing the timeline of the relationship and subsequent actions.
In New Hampshire, Democrats have channeled support behind Rep. Chris Pappas, while Republicans rally behind former Sen. John Sununu. The contest for the state’s Senate seat is part of a broader national battle for control of Congress, with both parties aiming to influence the Senate in November. Primary results and endorsements have shaped the field, as Sununu and Pappas gain or lose ground amid ongoing scrutiny of national politics.
Trump has pledged a $5,000 dividend for every American if Republicans retain control of Congress; the plan faces legal, fiscal and political hurdles and is criticized by experts and opponents as economically risky.
President Donald Trump has promised a $5,000 payment to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans retain control of both chambers in the November midterms. The White House has released only a short fact sheet; Republicans, legal experts and budget analysts have questioned the plan’s legality, its roughly $1.2–1.4 trillion cost and how the payments would be funded or authorised without Congress.
The inspector general has found that the Alligator Alcatraz detention facility violated multiple detention standards, including space, hygiene and recreation. Detainees were held in cramped 18-square-foot cages and faced poor food, water and medical care. The facility, opened last year and closed this summer, is under ongoing legal scrutiny.
A procedural vote on the Clarity Act has failed to reach the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, leaving the crypto-regulation bill in limbo as lawmakers head into the midterms. The measure, which would establish a federal framework for digital assets, faces divided support and ongoing opposition over ethics provisions and broader regulatory concerns.
Sen. Mitch McConnell has returned to the Capitol after a three-month absence following a June fall and pneumonia. He describes his recovery as long and often frustrating, with lingering effects from childhood polio. He is vowing to be present for tough votes as the Senate reconvenes ahead of the midterms.
Bitcoin has lingered near two-year lows around $60,000 after a lengthy decline from its 2025 peak. A recent rebound faded amid doubts over a Federal Reserve rate hike and a crypto bill in the U.S. Clarity Act. CoinEx is winding down operations with withdrawals open until December as regulators push stricter rules. Trading volumes have slumped, suggesting waning market participation, while industry watchers warn that higher regulatory costs and competition from AI could sustain pressure.
The Senate war powers debate has progressed with Republicans leaning toward endorsing a resolution to end the Iran war as fuel prices remain high and voters demand relief. Lawmakers have increasingly tied costs of living to military actions while Democrats press for accountability ahead of the midterms.
Democrats are moving to block funding for Trump's planned memorial projects in memorial circles, using the appropriations process and new legislation to protect presidential memorials from demolition. Merkley and Murkowski will push bills next week, signaling a procedural fight that could constrain funding this year.
As the midterms approach, polling shows Trump’s approval at a record low while Democrats gain momentum in key Senate and House battlegrounds. Voters cite economic concerns and foreign policy in shaping their choices ahead of the election.
Trump has asserted productive discussions with Iran and says the US will not attack Iran before the US midterm elections. Oil prices fluctuate as Gulf tensions persist. Iran signals it will respond in coming days to a new US proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump is rallying in Highland Heights to boost GOP candidates, insisting a series of bold claims and pledges. He frames his governance as powerful, promises future benefits if Republicans win, and nudges into policy with centralized pledges, while opponents flag potential liabilities.