House Oversight subpoenas Miami doctor for birth-tourism hearing
House Oversight subpoenaed Miami doctor Wladimir Lorentz for a Sept. 1 birth-tourism hearing after his attorney cited a federal investigation and Fifth Amendment concerns.
Congress
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Senate Blocks Voter-ID Bill as SAVE America Act Push Moves to September
The Senate rejected cloture on a federal photo-ID bill August 8. Republicans may revisit broader election provisions after senators return September 14.
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Big 12 joins SEC and Big Ten in barring former pros
The Big 12’s new all-sports rule creates another eligibility barrier as NCAA rules face court challenges and Congress weighs a federal framework.
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NSA watchdog finds gaps in whistleblower language in agency NDAs
An NSA inspector-general review found four of five agency-developed nondisclosure agreements omitted required whistleblower language. NSA agreed to fix the gaps.
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Smithsonian Budget Request Would Fall 11% as Congress Weighs Funding
The Smithsonian is seeking $961.3 million for fiscal 2027 as Congress debates funding, museum construction and the institution’s independence.
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White House Reconciliation Push Has House Blueprint but No Senate Deal
The House approved a budget framework, but the Senate left for recess without acting on the package, making September the next political test.
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Senate examines the consumer cost of AI-driven surveillance pricing
A Senate hearing examined personalized pricing, electronic shelf labels and consumer-data use while stressing that no nationwide grocery-pricing rule has changed.
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Senate funding vote moves deadline to Dec. 11, but bill is not law
The Senate voted 90-6 on a stopgap funding bill, but the House and president must still act before the proposed December 11 deadline takes effect.
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Pentagon gives defense companies 21 days to propose faster weapons output
The Pentagon is seeking faster delivery and higher production plans as it works to replenish munitions stocks under pressure after the Iran war.
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CFPB’s future remains unsettled after court pauses layoff case
A July 10 court pause leaves the CFPB’s proposed layoffs and legal status unresolved while Senate action and consumer complaint access remain in focus.
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GAO says federal agencies still lack reliable ways to measure whether programs work
A new GAO assessment says agencies often track spending and participation without enough goals, outcome data or evaluations to show whether programs work.
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GAO finds process failures in federal watchdog oversight panel
A GAO audit found missed deadlines, incomplete records and weak oversight in the federal panel that reviews allegations against inspectors general.
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Postal watchdog outlines 15 options for USPS financial gap
A July 22 white paper lays out 15 possible revenue and cost changes for the U.S. Postal Service, including workforce, benefits and service options.
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NTSB urges Congress to resolve aviation bill during recess
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy urged Congress on July 27, 2026, to work through unresolved aviation-safety legislation during the August recess after lawmakers left without passing a final bill.
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GAO Warns Federal Debt Has Surpassed the Size of the U.S. Economy
The Government Accountability Office says publicly held federal debt temporarily exceeded the size of the U.S. economy and could reach 120% of the economy by 2036 without policy changes.
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D.C. Circuit says Trump cannot build White House ballroom without Congress
A divided federal appeals panel upheld an injunction blocking above-ground construction of the planned White House ballroom unless Congress approves the project.
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GAO says agencies need stronger oversight of federal workforce changes
A Government Accountability Office review released July 20 says implementation and oversight of recent workforce changes at the Office of Personnel Management require attention from Congress and federal agencies.
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Senate leaders unveil stopgap funding deal aimed at keeping federal agencies open past midterm elections
Senate leaders unveiled a short-term spending bill on August 2 that would keep federal agencies funded past the November midterm elections and into early December, but the proposal is not yet law.
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Senate leaders unveil short-term funding plan aimed at pushing shutdown risk past midterms
Senate leaders introduced a proposal on Aug. 2 to fund federal agencies into early December, but the measure still requires congressional approval and presidential enactment.
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GAO says many federal programs still lack clear goals and useful performance data
A Government Accountability Office report says agencies often lack the goals and data needed to judge whether taxpayer-funded programs are achieving their intended results.
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GAO says DHS border-security metrics still conflict with statutory definitions
A Government Accountability Office review found that 19 of the 40 border-security metrics reported by DHS in its 2023 submission differed in scope or calculation from definitions set by federal law.
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GAO Says Many Federal Programs Lack Clear Goals and Data to Show Whether They Work
A new Government Accountability Office review of 15 programs at five federal agencies found that many lack clearly defined goals or useful data for measuring results.