Reading Winning an election does not make someone a member of Congress, and losing one does not end a member’s job. Between Election Day and the start of the new Congress, two groups move in opposite directions. Winners become members-elect, with paperwork, training and an office to find. Departing members keep voting as lame ducks … Read more
President Donald Trump’s decision to ease economic pressure on Russia is drawing resistance from members of his own party as well as Democrats, creating a dispute over how Washington should pursue an end to the war in Ukraine. Reuters reported on October 22 that the backlash could complicate the administration’s dealings with Congress after the … Read more
In brief: Two recent national polls, a year apart and from different pollsters, both find term limits for Congress backed by more than three-quarters of Democrats and more than four-fifths of Republicans. A constitutional amendment to do it has been introduced in the current Congress. It has not moved, for the same reason every version … Read more
The Senate voted 90-6 on Aug. 8 to pass a bipartisan bill funding the federal government at current levels through Dec. 11, averting a shutdown when the fiscal year ends Sept. 30 and pushing the next funding deadline past the November midterms. The deal was negotiated by Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Vice … Read more
The House approved limits on congressional stock transactions together with federal voter-ID rules. Here is what the bill would ban, permit and leave unresolved.
Anthony Fauci declined to answer Senate questions about COVID-19 origins and research funding, leading to plans for a committee contempt vote.
The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement that now faces congressional review over enrichment and inspection safeguards.
More than 60 senators support a bill targeting Russian officials, banks, energy projects, sanctions evasion, and major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan will appear before Congress to discuss the Supreme Court’s fiscal year 2027 budget and security needs.
This is a new format for PoliTalking: a comparison of how outlets across the political spectrum covered a single story. Category placements follow our curated guide to news sources across the spectrum. The goal is not to declare a winner, but to make framing differences visible so you can read any single outlet with better … Read more
Reading The United States Constitution divides authority over the military between two branches of government. Article I gives Congress the power to declare war and to control military funding through appropriations. Article II makes the president the commander in chief of the armed forces, responsible for directing operations once forces are committed. This split is … Read more
At the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7 to 8, 2026, President Trump said he would “certainly consider” selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, a NATO member that has been barred from the program since 2019. Speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump also announced that the United States would lift sanctions imposed … Read more
