Social Security expands online disability-claim tools and notices
Social Security added online case tracking, three disability forms, digital notices and optional alerts for people navigating hearings and appeals.
United States
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EPA cleanup schedule advances at Southwest Superfund sites
EPA’s 2026 Superfund schedule puts residential soil removal, groundwater treatment and uranium-waste cleanup on the construction calendar.
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Federal SNAP Data Lawsuits Put State Benefit Privacy in Court
The Justice Department sued four states over five years of SNAP records, escalating a dispute over federal oversight, privacy and data security.
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Labor Department Awards Nearly $162 Million for AI-Linked Apprenticeships
Federal awards will expand apprenticeships tied to AI infrastructure, semiconductors, nuclear energy and IT, but worker outcomes remain unproven.
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25 States Challenge New Tariffs as Businesses and Consumers Face Another Trade Fight
Twenty-five states are challenging new tariffs on imports from 60 economies, but the duties remain in effect as the case moves through court.
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Copyright Office Fee Proposal Could Raise Filing Costs This Fall
A revised Copyright Office fee schedule is under congressional review. Current fees remain in effect while creators and businesses await a possible fall change.
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USDA sets conditional Aug. 24 reopening for Mexican cattle trade
USDA plans to reopen Douglas, Arizona, on August 24 after a long screwworm-related suspension, but inspections and Mexico’s compliance will control what follows.
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EPA Vehicle-Emissions Rollback: What’s Final and What’s Next
EPA’s greenhouse-gas vehicle rollback is final, but a separate heavy-truck proposal remains unresolved amid court challenges and a California emissions fight.
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USGS Finds More Than 355 Billion Tons of Coal Resources Beneath Federal Lands
A new USGS inventory identifies vast coal resources beneath federal lands, but the totals do not mean the fuel is permitted, economic or ready to mine.
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FERC gives NERC until December to write grid rules for AI loads
FERC ordered NERC to propose reliability standards for AI and other computational loads by December 31, but no nationwide data-center mandate starts yet.
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Pentagon AI rollout races ahead of oversight deadlines
The Pentagon is expanding AI use across classified systems while key oversight documents required by a June memorandum remain publicly unverified.
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Texas Bible Reading List Faces Church-State Questions Before 2030
Texas approved a required English-literature list with Bible passages, but implementation is set for 2030-31 and the related rules remain procedurally proposed.
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AP: At least 51 military family members detained under Trump
An AP review found at least 51 spouses and parents of active-duty service members detained since January 2025, with deportations and custody continuing.
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New 2026 Charitable Deduction Rules Change Nonprofit Fundraising
New 2026 tax rules may broaden the donor base while pressuring larger gifts, requiring nonprofits to update appeals, receipts and cash-flow plans.
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CMS Plans Stricter Medicaid Waiver Spending Tests for 2027
CMS plans tougher financial reviews for Medicaid Section 1115 demonstrations beginning January 1, 2027, potentially limiting states’ waiver flexibility.
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FHA Mortgage Changes: What Buyers Can Use Now and What Must Wait
FHA’s new private-well waiver is active for some existing homes, while rehabilitation and servicing rules changed. New credit scores must still wait.
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More Than 1.5 Million Children May Have Lost SNAP Access
Updated state data suggest more than 1.5 million children may have lost SNAP access, as new federal rules add paperwork and future costs for states.
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Fed proposes higher thresholds for bank insider loans
The Federal Reserve would update Regulation O and raise several insider-loan thresholds, but the proposal is not final. Comments are due October 5, 2026.
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Proposed FTC-Hopper deal puts hotel-booking fees under scrutiny
A proposed $35 million FTC settlement with Hopper highlights federal rules requiring clearer hotel-booking prices, optional fees and final checkout totals.
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Federal court challenge tests whether FBI employees can be punished for work on Trump investigations
Five new friend-of-the-court briefs are putting fresh focus on a lawsuit over whether former FBI employees were fired for politically sensitive investigative work.
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2026 U.S. tourism forecast faces a mixed summer test
A federal forecast projects more international visitors in 2026, but domestic travel is shifting closer to home while hotels and parks report mixed demand.
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Senate Hearing Examines How AI Could Change Jobs and Workplace Rules
A July 29 Senate hearing examined how AI may alter jobs, hiring and career pathways as federal projections show growth in some fields and declines in others.