lawmakers

Demands are mounting for the US government to release the full files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019. Commenters across social media are pressing lawmakers and officials to disclose the documents, arguing the public deserves transparency about Epstein's associates and the scope of his trafficking network.

The United States has signed a nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that could permit the kingdom to enrich its own uranium, dropping the stricter 'gold standard' safeguards Washington demanded from the UAE in 2009. Lawmakers from both parties are voicing concern that the weaker terms could fuel proliferation risks and destabilise an already volatile region.

The White House says President Donald Trump is pressing Congress to cut short its recess and return to Washington to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security as the government shutdown continues. With no deal in sight, Trump is placing responsibility on lawmakers to reopen affected agencies, keeping the standoff at the centre of US political debate.

Donald Trump reacted with frustration after the Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, saying 'too bad' about the ruling, and is now pushing legislation in Congress to end the practice. The comments renew a long-running fight over the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of citizenship to those born on US soil, a policy Trump has repeatedly sought to curtail through executive action and now through lawmakers.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the War Powers Resolution deadline for notifying Congress does not apply to recent strikes on Iran, arguing that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran has changed the legal situation. The claim is drawing scrutiny from lawmakers who argue the administration still owes Congress an explanation of the military action.

President Trump confronted Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana during a meeting with Republican senators, criticising his vote on a war powers resolution. The exchange exposed tensions within the party over Congress's authority to authorise military action, with lawmakers increasingly willing to break ranks on the issue despite pressure from the White House.

Congress has passed a war powers resolution in a rare bipartisan rebuke of President Trump, moving to limit his authority to take military action without congressional approval. The measure signals growing tension between lawmakers and the White House over the president's handling of military policy and raises questions about the balance of war powers going forward.

A Democratic lawmaker has launched an effort to impeach Linda McMahon, calling the conduct at issue 'completely out of bounds'. The move sets up a fight over the Education Secretary, whose department has been a flashpoint in disputes over the administration's education policy. Details of the specific allegations behind the impeachment push have not yet been laid out in the report.

US authorities have opened an investigation after components for the F-35 fighter jet were diverted to Hong Kong, according to a Politico report on congressional concerns. Lawmakers are examining whether sensitive American defense technology reached China, raising questions about export controls and supply-chain security for the stealth aircraft program.

US lawmakers are reportedly struggling to craft policies that keep up with the rapid spread of artificial intelligence, with one account describing the challenge as something that 'dumbfounds us all'. The story, circulated by several US outlets, highlights Congress's difficulty in regulating technology that is reshaping industries faster than legislation can be written. No specific bill or lawmaker is named in the available coverage.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has fielded Dhanraj Parmal Nathwani as a Rajya Sabha candidate from Uttar Pradesh, filing nominations alongside Ram Gopal. Dhanraj is the son of Parmal Nathwani, a Jharkhand MP who crossed over from the opposition. Reports also suggest Akhilesh is weighing a bid for a third Upper House seat with support from defected BJP lawmakers.

The US Senate has moved forward with legislation to overhaul the college sports system, according to ABC News. The bill's advancement marks an early but significant step in a long-running debate over how college athletics should be governed, particularly around athlete pay, name-image-likeness rights, and the broader structure of the NCAA. Details of the proposed reforms and their chances of passing remain limited so far.

The U.S. Senate has passed sweeping legislation to overhaul the rules governing college sports, a move its backers describe as 'bringing order to chaos'. The measure follows years of upheaval in collegiate athletics over player compensation and conference realignment. Reaction so far has focused on whether the bill can bring stability to a system many consider broken.

Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas has announced he is stepping down from Congress, according to ABC News. The announcement marks an early exit for the moderate lawmaker, who has served in the House since 2021 and represented a border district. Details on his reasons and the timing of his departure have not been made clear.

US lawmakers are reviewing a series of proposals aimed at securing artificial intelligence systems and protecting them from misuse. The measures under consideration in Congress would address AI-related security risks, reflecting growing legislative attention to how rapidly evolving AI technology could affect national security and critical infrastructure. Details of the individual proposals and their prospects remain limited so far.

Efforts to pass major cryptocurrency legislation in Washington have stalled, with the market regulation bill stuck in Congress. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission is not waiting for lawmakers and is continuing to advance its own crypto agenda through regulatory action. The development leaves the industry facing uncertainty over which rules will ultimately govern digital assets in the United States.

US Congressman Ro Khanna is preparing to introduce an AI safety bill that would ban the development of 'recursive' artificial intelligence — systems that improve themselves — until adequate safeguards exist. The proposal adds to a growing debate in Washington over how to regulate advanced AI, with lawmakers weighing innovation against risks from systems that could evolve beyond human oversight.

President Trump has cancelled roughly $100 million in education funding that Congress had already approved, according to Education Week. The move bypasses lawmakers for the second time in this area, drawing criticism that the administration is overriding congressional spending decisions. The cancelled programs and the legal grounds for the rescission were not specified in the report, but the decision is likely to intensify disputes between the White House and Congress over control of federal spending.

Russian regional media are carrying a mix of stories this week. Forecaster Tishkovets promised Moscow residents a weekend warm-up to plus 14 degrees. Lawmakers submitted a bill giving tax breaks to owners of expropriated housing, with time spent owning seized property to count toward the new flat sale. Other items cover mobile medical clinics in the Moscow region, road repairs in Kalitino, and a failed attempt by a driver to bribe traffic police.

The Federal Aviation Administration has asked Congress for $30 billion to complete the modernization of the US air traffic control system. The request covers replacing aging radar, communications and technology infrastructure with newer systems. The funding appeal comes amid ongoing scrutiny of US aviation infrastructure, and lawmakers will now weigh the multibillion-dollar request as part of federal budget deliberations.

With Election Day approaching, members of Congress face growing tension between passing legislation and returning to their home districts to campaign. As the election calendar narrows, legislative work slows, scheduling becomes harder, and lawmakers weigh the political cost of staying in Washington against the need to secure re-election.

Congress appropriated $1.3 billion that the Trump administration has not spent, according to NPR reporting. The funds were allocated by lawmakers but remain untouched by the executive branch, raising questions about the administration's handling of approved spending and its refusal to release money Congress directed it to use.

The US Secret Service is facing questions about whether its agency funds were used for White House renovation work. Lawmakers and oversight officials are seeking clarity on how the money was spent and whether the agency diverted resources from its protective mission. No details on the amounts involved or any formal investigation have been confirmed yet.

A new proposal would send $500 payments to people covered under the Affordable Care Act, as enhanced ACA subsidies remain a flashpoint in Washington. Lawmakers are weighing the idea amid an expiring subsidy deadline, with Democrats pushing to extend financial help and Republicans divided over the cost. If adopted, the checks would offer direct relief to millions of enrollees facing sharply higher premiums.

A Connecticut mother, following the resolution of a legal settlement, is pressing Congress to take up legislation on online safety for children. She is calling on federal lawmakers to strengthen protections for young users on social media and other online platforms. The push adds to growing pressure in Washington over kids' internet safety, where proposed safeguards have stalled despite bipartisan interest.

Senator Chris Van Hollen is featured in a discussion examining why Congress has not done more to check President Trump's power. The conversation, published on Lever News, focuses on the reluctance of lawmakers—particularly in his own party—to confront the administration, and what it would take for Congress to assert its constitutional role as a co-equal branch of government.

Spain's government has moved to prohibit vulture funds from purchasing housing at less than 70% of its value, a measure aimed at curbing speculative bulk buying of homes. The announcement, reported by El País and tied to debate in Congress, is drawing attention amid Spain's ongoing housing affordability crisis and pressure on lawmakers to act.

Members of Congress are pressing Oracle for answers about a sharp cost increase in the Department of Veterans Affairs' electronic health records modernization, now valued at roughly $17 billion. Lawmakers want details on why the price has grown so substantially and how the troubled program is being managed. The program has faced repeated delays, cost overruns and patient safety concerns since its rollout, drawing ongoing scrutiny from oversight committees.

Efforts to pass the Clarity Act, a bill to establish clear regulatory rules for the cryptocurrency industry, have stalled amid political tensions tied to the Trump family's crypto business ventures. Lawmakers' concerns over potential conflicts of interest surrounding those ventures have complicated negotiations, leaving the industry without the regulatory framework the legislation was meant to provide.