U.S. Employers Lost 23,000 Jobs in July as Unemployment Edged Lower
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a decline of 23,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in July, while the unemployment rate fell and other labor-market measures offered a mixed picture.
National
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Appeals court keeps Trump administration from implementing mail-voting order before 2026 elections
A federal appeals court left existing state mail-voting procedures in place while litigation continues over the administration’s authority to change election rules.
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DOJ trade-fraud task force reports more than $1 billion in recoveries, penalties and charged losses
The Justice Department says a federal trade-fraud task force created with DHS surpassed $1 billion in combined recoveries, penalties, forfeitures and publicly charged losses in less than a year.
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FAA’s final 2025 airport traffic totals remain scheduled for late August
The FAA has not released final 2025 passenger and cargo totals, which will help determine fiscal-year 2027 airport categories and related federal funding calculations.
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FTC says Elite Events bypassed ticket limits and agrees to $300,000 penalty
The Federal Trade Commission says ticket broker Elite Events and its operators illegally bypassed purchase limits for high-demand events and agreed to pay $300,000 in civil penalties.
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NCAA Division I adopts age-based eligibility model effective Aug. 1
The NCAA’s new Division I framework replaces sport-specific seasons-of-competition rules with an age-based model that allows up to five years of eligibility for certain incoming athletes.
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White House orders tighter domestic sourcing and supply-chain mapping for defense materials
Executive Order 14415 directs the Pentagon and defense contractors to favor domestic or allied sources, map critical supply chains and limit certain waivers beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
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NASA Teams Prepare Eclipse Experiments for August 12, 2026
NASA-funded researchers plan to use a WB-57 aircraft and six scientific balloons to study the Sun’s corona and changes in Earth’s atmosphere during the August 12, 2026, total solar eclipse.
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DHS investigates breach of information-sharing network used by government partners
The Department of Homeland Security said it is investigating a cyber breach involving the Homeland Security Information Network, a platform used by government and law-enforcement partners to share sensitive but unclassified information.
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Labor Department watchdog launches investigation into H-1B fraud and worker exploitation
The Labor Department’s inspector general is investigating alleged fraud, wage kickbacks and human-trafficking schemes involving H-1B and PERM programs.
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Federal student-loan borrowers can receive a 1% interest-rate reduction through autopay beginning July 1
Federal student-loan borrowers who enroll in autopay by Sept. 30, 2026, or were already enrolled, can receive a 1% interest-rate reduction through June 30, 2028.
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BLS schedules July employment report for Aug. 7 as June remains latest displayed data
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has scheduled its July 2026 Employment Situation report for Aug. 7, while its latest displayed results remain from June.
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FDA reopens public comment period on BHT in food, sets Aug. 31 deadline
The FDA reopened a 30-day public comment period on butylated hydroxytoluene, or BHT, after stakeholders requested more time to submit data and scientific information.
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Senate passes Russia sanctions bill, sending pressure to House before August recess
The Senate approved a sweeping Russia sanctions bill on Aug. 7, 2026, including a presidential waiver mechanism negotiated in part by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. The House has not completed action.
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NEA Names 71 Communities for 2026-27 Big Read Programs Tied to U.S. 250th Anniversary
The National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest awarded $1.09 million in grants to 71 nonprofit organizations in 47 states and Puerto Rico for literary and creative programs during the nation’s 250th-anniversary year.
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Federal Reserve Says U.S. Inflation Rose to 4.1% Over the Year Through May
The Federal Reserve’s July 2026 Monetary Policy Report said headline PCE inflation accelerated to 4.1% through May, while core inflation reached 3.4% and energy prices rose 24%.
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Social Security says national call waits have fallen to eight minutes as disability backlog drops 30%
The Social Security Administration says average waits on its national 800 number fell from 34 minutes in 2024 to eight minutes, while the initial disability-claims backlog declined to 853,000.
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States sue to block federal access to personal data from low-income benefit recipients
A coalition of states and the District of Columbia is seeking to stop broader federal sharing of sensitive information tied to TANF applicants and recipients.
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DOE selects 29 innovators from 27 startups for national lab entrepreneurship program
The 2026 Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program will place 29 innovators at four national laboratories for technical support, training and research access.
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FDA Investigates Nine-State Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Recalled Iceberg Lettuce
The FDA says Taylor Farms de Mexico was the common supplier of shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations where people later became ill. The investigation remains ongoing, and no positive product sample had been confirmed as of July 19.
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DOE Opens Review of Draft National Transmission Study as Power Demand Grows
The Energy Department has released a draft national assessment of electric-transmission needs, citing demand from data centers, manufacturing and large industrial loads.
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Medicare drug-plan subsidy ending ahead of 2027 coverage year, raising prospect of higher premiums
The Trump administration is ending a temporary Medicare Part D subsidy that offset an average of $16 per person in 2026. Beneficiaries could face higher monthly costs in 2027 as plans finalize offerings.