Political developments with market and economic implications.
Coverage of political events, elections, legislation, and regulatory changes that influence markets and economic policy. Focuses on political risk, fiscal decisions, and policy uncertainty relevant to investors.
625 total articles
The U.S. Senate voted 50-49 not to advance a Democratic-led war powers resolution that would require President Trump to obtain congressional authorization for the conflict with Iran. The measure, sponsored by Senator Jeff Merkley, drew support from nearly all Democrats and three Republicans, but was blocked by Senate Republicans for the seventh tim…
A discharge petition in the U.S. House of Representatives reached the 218-signature mark on May 13, enabling a forced floor vote on a bill to provide security assistance to Ukraine and impose additional sanctions on Russia. The move came after Representative Kevin Kiley, who switched his affiliation to independent in March, added his signature. The…
The Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel has issued a May 12 opinion supporting the federal government's push to obtain unredacted state voter rolls. The guidance, which is not binding on states, says DOJ may compel production under a civil rights statute and could share the data with the Department of Homeland Security to check for nonc…
BCA Research's geopolitical team says the Iran-related oil shock is reshaping the midterm outlook. While a proprietary Senate model currently favors a narrow 51-49 Republican edge, the firm and its chief geopolitical strategist view that projection as fragile. Rising energy prices, worsening state economic data and weak presidential approval are er…
The Democratic primary to succeed departing Republican Representative Don Bacon in Nebraska's 2nd congressional district remained unresolved with roughly 89% of votes counted. Activist Denise Powell led state senator John Cavanaugh by a narrow margin, setting up a general election against Omaha city councilman Brinker Harding. The outcome in the Om…
Republican-led redistricting this cycle has produced a tangible structural advantage that could flip a number of Democratic-held U.S. House seats. Yet analysts warn that the advantage may be offset by national political dynamics - including low presidential approval and a Democratic lead on the generic ballot - leaving control of the House in play …
The Republican speaker of the Tennessee House has removed all committee and subcommittee assignments from House Democrats after they took part in loud protests during a special session that approved a congressional map dismantling a majority-Black district centered on Memphis. The action follows a contentious floor vote accompanied by activists in …
President Donald Trump told reporters that Americans' financial hardships do not factor into his calculus on negotiations to end the Iran war, saying preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is his sole priority. His remarks come amid rising energy-driven inflation and GOP concerns that war-related economic pain could hurt Republican prosp…
FBI Director Kash Patel faced sharp questioning from Democratic senators about a published report alleging episodes of conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences that, according to critics, could have impaired his ability to lead. Patel denied the report, said it was false, and used his first congressional appearance since a widely noticed be…
A proposal to redraw South Carolina’s congressional districts and erase the state’s lone Democratic U.S. House seat failed in the state Senate after several Republicans broke with President Donald Trump and voted against extending the legislative session to enact new lines. The vote outcome means Representative Jim Clyburn is likely to keep his sea…
Sen. Ted Cruz said at a Washington event that he will support the Kids Online Safety Act and intends to shepherd it through the Senate Commerce Committee and the full Senate. The bill would require social media companies to "exercise reasonable care" in designing features that contribute to harms to minors, including eating disorders, depression an…
President Donald Trump announced nominations for two U.S. district judges to fill the final appellate vacancies available to him across the nation's 13 federal circuit courts. Daniel Traynor of North Dakota is nominated to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Daniel Domenico of Colorado to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Both picks are…
Voters in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District vote in a high-profile Democratic primary to replace outgoing Republican Rep. Don Bacon. The contest between moderate Denise Powell and progressive state Senator John Cavanaugh, with an uncontested Republican nominee in Brinker Harding, takes on added significance as control of the U.S. House remains …
The FBI has begun questioning current and former CIA employees at agency headquarters as part of a Department of Justice probe into former CIA director John Brennan. Prosecutors are examining whether Brennan lied to Congress in 2023 about a 2017 assessment that concluded Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to aid Donald Trump. …
Republican Representative Jen Kiggans drew sharp criticism from Democrats after she agreed with a conservative radio host who told House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to "get your cotton-picking hands off of Virginia." Kiggans later said she did not condone the language and meant only that Jeffries should not involve himself in Virginia politics.…
A sequence of state actions, backed by recent court decisions, has allowed Republican-controlled legislatures to redraw multiple congressional districts in ways that could improve their chances of holding or expanding their narrow U.S. House majority. From the South to the Midwest and West, new maps and legal rulings have altered the maps in ways t…
In a boisterous public hearing, New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board adopted provisional ranges that keep a rent freeze on the table for about one million rent-stabilized apartments. The board set preliminary limits of 0-2% for one-year renewals and 0-4% for two-year renewals, advancing Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s well-known promise while leaving the f…
Virginia Democrats asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate a congressional map that state voters approved to increase Democratic chances in the November midterms. The request follows a 4-3 decision by the Virginia Supreme Court that invalidated the ballot measure on procedural grounds, and it deepens a rare mid-decade redistricting conflict with …
A White House official said President Trump will sign two executive orders aimed at easing U.S. beef prices by allowing more beef imports and promoting renewal of the national cattle herd. The official offered no details. Reports have indicated possible temporary suspension of tariff-rate quotas and measures to boost lending to ranchers and alter p…
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told colleagues in a letter that Democrats are positioned to capture the three seats needed to retake the House this November and pledged a large-scale redistricting response aimed at blunting Republican map advantages ahead of the 2028 presidential contest. Jeffries framed the effort as a response to recent …
U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations are at an impasse, with President Trump rejecting Iran's recent proposal as "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE." Wolfe Research strategist Tobin Marcus says the dispute centers on custody of Iran's enriched uranium and that a deal could become possible only if the U.S. softens its central demands — a move that might be prompted by…
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday he will take responsibility for delivering the changes his government promised, pledged to rebuild relations with Europe, and announced legislation to bring British Steel into full national ownership. He acknowledged public frustration and warned the country faces a 'very dark path' if his administration f…
The Senate Banking Committee will meet next week to consider the Clarity Act, legislation intended to define regulatory jurisdiction over cryptocurrencies and settle disputes between digital asset firms and banks, particularly around interest on dollar-pegged stablecoins. The executive session is scheduled for May 14 and the bill's fate in the full…
Republican state lawmakers in Louisiana are advancing proposals to redraw congressional boundaries that would eliminate at least one majority-Black U.S. House district, prompting emotional testimony from civil rights figures, community leaders and elected officials. The move follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that weakened a key provision…
The Senate Banking Committee will convene an executive session on May 14 to consider the Clarity Act, legislation intended to draw clearer regulatory lines for crypto tokens and resolve a contested provision on rewards tied to dollar-backed stablecoins. The bill aims to specify when tokens are securities, commodities or otherwise and includes a com…
