Congress

Polls have opened across South Florida for a primary election, allowing voters to cast ballots on critical decisions and contentious races. Key contests include congressional seats in District 20 and District 24, the U.S. Senate seat (Ashley Moody vs Alexander Vindman), and determining a replacement for Gov. Ron DeSantis. Furthermore, Miami voters will vote on whether or not the city should enter into an agreement to restore the historic Miami Marine Stadium.

Contests in Florida and Alaska are noted as contributing to the midterms scheduled for this fall to determine control of Congress. Donald Trump weighed into the Alaska primary, posting on Truth Social to urge voters to support “the real Dan Sullivan.” He posted that opponents have put up an imposter and directed voters to back the “INCUMBENT SENATOR.”

Primaries on Tuesday will draw attention to Florida, Wyoming, California, and Alaska, highlighting Republican-led redistricting efforts that have scrambled congressional maps. The article details specific races, noting Byron Donalds running to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida, while Debbie Wasserman Schultz competes against other candidates in a South Florida district. These contests are expected to help shape the fiercely contested midterms this fall.

Primaries in Florida, Wyoming, California, and Alaska on Tuesday will highlight efforts that have scrambled congressional maps and present new battles between the Democratic establishment and progressive left. Notable races include Byron Donalds running to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida, while Keisha Lance Bottoms runs for governor of Georgia. The article also details contentious matchups arising from redistricting in Florida House races.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention manages several funded units, described as 'zombie programs,' that are financially appropriated by Congress but are functionally inactive due to staff cuts. Layoffs affecting experts occurred following an effort by a previous administration to reorganize federal health agencies. The new CDC director, Dr. Erica Schwartz, now faces congressional pressure during her confirmation hearing to restart these dormant activities and comply with the law.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is being pressured regarding its 'zombie programs.' Additionally, the CDC operates several programs that are funded by Congress but currently lack staff to operate them.

A political farewell involving Hiltzik highlights someone who was a friend to Social Security in Congress. Rep. John Larson previously fought hard in Congress to protect Social Security, raising questions about whether his much younger successor will fulfill this same role.

Florida is holding primaries for governor and Congress, an event testing Trump’s grip on the state. Voters cast ballots Tuesday for nominees running for positions including governor, U.S. Senate, and several congressional races.

Florida is holding primaries for governor and Congress, featuring a crowded field of candidates across both major parties. David Jolly leads Democrats in the race for governor, while U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds seeks the Republican nomination. These primary battles are seen as tests of Trump’s political influence and an effort by Democrats to regain Florida's status as a national political battleground.

Primaries scheduled for Tuesday in states including Florida, Wyoming, California, and Alaska will highlight Republican-led redistricting efforts and battles between the Democratic establishment and progressive left. Notable races include Byron Donalds running to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida, while David Crowley won a primary against a democratic socialist in Wisconsin.

The article asserts that a weak Congress is in its dying days. It advises readers not to mourn the passing of this institution.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is running for reelection to Congress in a new district after Republicans scrambled Florida’s congressional map. She faces opposition from candidates who argue her move constitutes an 'erasure of our history' and threatens Black representation. Wasserman Schultz, the best-funded Democratic candidate among five, argues she can advocate broadly because she has represented diverse communities across three decades.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling has effectively allowed the Trump administration to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from any nationality. This development places over 100,000 TPS recipients in Texas at risk of expulsion. These recipients are hoping that a potential change of power within Congress may provide them with relief from deportation.

Nancy Pelosi may be leaving Congress, but about 50 of her longtime staffers remain on Capitol Hill in leadership positions. These aides are said to possess a strategic ethos that could allow Pelosi's influence to continue within the House Democratic Caucus. Their presence suggests that institutional knowledge remains powerful, even as elected officials change.

Luke Bronin is advocating for generational change within the Democratic party while preparing for a general election in Connecticut against Amy Chai. He argued that the party would be stronger with more renewal and pointed to examples where younger members successfully replaced long-term leaders on powerful House committees, such as Robert Garcia’s ascension.

California Democrats sliced Rep. Kevin Kiley’s district, which a conservative resident stated made it impossible for her to vote for him; this was characterized as payback for Republican redistricting in Texas and elsewhere. The effort began with Republicans after a U.S. Supreme Court decision cleared the way for redrawing seats across the South. In retaliation, California Democrats successfully rewrote the state’s congressional map, forming new Democratic-leaning seats.

Congress passed a law designed to help federal agencies investigate outbreaks of foodborne illness, a regulation experts stated could have prevented the US’s largest cyclosporiasis outbreak sooner. However, this rule has been severely delayed for 15 years. The delay continues amid lobbying efforts in 2025.

Two Democrats are competing in a runoff to replace Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress in April. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is actively spending money against a progressive candidate.

Key primary races in Minnesota and Wisconsin are setting the stage for tight battles in November as both parties aim to expand their hold in Congress. Separately, Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed defeated moderate Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary. Additionally, Democrats have raised concerns regarding USS Lincoln conditions.

Donald Trump has a tendency to avoid accepting blame for various issues, such as economic concerns or problems like vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, often pointing fingers at predecessors. This perceived strategy involves shifting responsibility onto others rather than owning failures. The critique of this behavior is heightened amid efforts by Republicans to retain control of Congress before November's midterms.

The article analyzes Donald Trump’s tendency to shift blame for various problems, such as economic concerns and vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, onto others, including predecessors and Congress. This behavior is described as a political strategy of being in charge of everything but responsible for nothing when things go badly. This pattern is noted as gaining focus ahead of the midterm elections.

Using Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" as an analogy, the article argues that modern political systems suffer from a problem resembling taxation without representation. The text highlights national debt exceeding $40 trillion and claims politicians use money belonging to people who have not yet been born to buy votes. Ultimately, it suggests that current governmental issues are driven by incentives rather than sound statecraft.

Judge Richard Leon denied the Tohono O’odham Nation's request to block the Trump administration from constructing a 62-mile border wall on part of its reservation in Arizona. Leon ruled that the tribe failed to show that changing the reservation boundaries requires congressional authority, stating that government interests in securing the border outweigh alleged irreparable harms. The Tohono O’odham Nation strongly disagreed with the decision, citing potential impacts on sacred sites and land.

Oliver Larkin, a democratic socialist candidate, is running for Congress in a newly drawn district in Florida. He will be competing against a 'DeSantis Democrat' in Tuesday's election. Despite it being five weeks before the primary, Larkin canvassed single-family homes on palm tree-lined streets, finding that many residents wanted to talk with him.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez revealed that she is freezing her eggs during Congress’ August recess. She publicly administered the hormonal injections herself and explained the process to viewers. Because her insurance does not cover the procedure, she must pay 100% out of pocket, asserting that this choice gives her a greater sense of control.

Special tax carve-outs are highly discussed in Congress as lawmakers seek to address voters' affordability concerns ahead of midterms. Proposals covering areas like utility bills, health care, tips, and car loans are modeled after provisions from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The trend has generated frustration among some conservatives regarding code clutter, while progressives worry about lost funding dollars; meanwhile, fiscal hawks raise concerns over shrinking the tax base.

The State Dept is axing a Biden-era DEI scheme and appears to be pushing global woke politics. Other major developments include Congress finding 140 papers linking Harvard with CCP military universities, an illegal immigrant being charged with slaying after release in California, and the WNBA addressing 'bad-faith' fans.

Jeff Dean, a former chief scientist at Google, shared his rigorous weekly workout routine, which includes soccer games, gym sessions, yoga classes, and long runs or bike commutes. He noted that protecting his joints requires using squishy shoes and arch support inserts due to past ankle sprains. This sharing of the routine coincides with Dean's departure from Google after 27 years to cofound Discovery Loop, an AI startup.

House Republicans hope that efforts to crack down on alleged abuse in safety-net programs will revive talks of tackling fraud before year's end. However, skepticism remains about whether any such bill will reach the president’s desk due to impending midterms and lack of immediate success. The article notes that achieving legislative goals requires intervention from Vice President Vance or President Trump.

Three men are scheduled for lethal injection in Tennessee, Alabama, and Oklahoma. The charges include killing a motel maid, the murder of a 5-year-old girl, and another homicide case. The article also discusses previous attempts at execution in Tennessee that were halted due to problems with IV lines.

According to new data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, homicides in Washington, D.C., dropped by 43.9% in the first half of 2026 compared to 2025. Tamara Jachym stated that the presence of the National Guard and extra eyes on the ground are improving public safety. White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis cited President Trump, noting that his Safe and Beautiful Task Force made over 16,000 arrests in the nation's capital.

The Trump administration has brought vaccine policy into the headlines just three months before the midterm elections, potentially complicating matters for Republicans hoping to control Congress. President Trump utilized an executive order in an attempt to overhaul the childhood vaccine schedule.

The United States civil service has historically been vital to American democracy, but warning signs and operational cracks have caused public trust to wane. Past major statutory overhauls, such as the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883 and the Civil Service Reform Act (1978), left the framework outdated compared to modern demands. Therefore, true reform requires creating a permanent blueprint for change rather than merely restoring previous systems.

Despite multiple allegations of domestic violence and calls for him to resign from various political figures and constituents, U.S. Rep. Max Miller is still running for reelection in November. Fellow congressional Republicans and Democrats have called for consequences or an ethics investigation, while the Speaker of the House stated he would not ask Miller to step down.

House Democrats are pushing for OpenAI and Anthropic CEOs to testify before Congress following an AI hacking spree. A letter led by Rep. Greg Casar calls on House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring these AI executives before Congress under oath.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stated she is freezing her eggs while deciding on her next political moves ahead of the 2028 presidential election campaign. She noted that conversations about women's reproductive and professional lives are important, especially given the current environment regarding abortion rights. The congresswoman explained that this decision allows her to normalize discussions about what women face in their personal and professional spheres.

A pro-China media outlet subpoenaed in a Congressional probe of Neville Roy Singham's funding network defended itself on Democracy Now! It argued that the investigation, conducted by the House Ways and Means Committee, was an attack on journalism rather than a probe into foreign influence. The committee is examining how nonprofit laws protect against foreign influence, specifically investigating $39 million allegedly flowing to BreakThrough News and other groups.

A group of House Democrats has called for leaders from prominent AI companies, including Anthropic and OpenAI, to appear before Congress. The testimony is requested regarding recent hacking incidents that have raised concerns about a clear risk to safety.

Upper Darby School District lacked technology before the pandemic, but Congress allocated $13.2 billion through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) to help districts mitigate COVID-19 impacts. This funding allowed Upper Darby to provide every student with a laptop or Chromebook, aiding in educational continuity.

Unexpected primary results have complicated the paths of both parties toward control. These developments involve struggles for Congress, which are highlighted by scandals and surprises.