Category: Federal
-
New EO on federal contracting
Executive Order Changes Federal Contracting Policy On April 30, 2026, President Donald Trump (R) issued an executive order which modified how the federal government structures government contracts. The order directed agencies to preferentially use fixed-price performance-based contracts rather than cost-reimbursement contracts. In a fixed-price contract, a contractor delivers goods or services to the government at…
-
Labor Department submits revised ESG rule to White House
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), part of the Department of Labor, submitted a proposed rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) on June 30, 2026. The proposed rule would restrict plan fiduciaries from prioritizing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) factors when selecting investments and exercising…
-
Federal district judges issue conflicting rulings on states' use of expanded SAVE system for voting purposes
Federal district judges in two jurisdictions have issued conflicting rulings in recent weeks on whether the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may give states access to an expanded version of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system — which provides information about individuals' immigration and citizenship status — for voter registration and list maintenance…
-
Lindsey Graham's death will set off a special primary election for a Senate seat that's open for the second time since 1956
A special Republican Party primary is scheduled for August 11, 2026, in South Carolina to determine which Republican candidate will run in the state's general election on November 3, 2026. The special primary became necessary after incumbent Lindsey Graham (R), the Republican nominee selected at the June 9 primary, died on July 11, 2026. Graham…
-
Lindsay Graham is the fifth U.S. Senator to die during a re-election campaign since 1918
On July 11, 2026, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) died at the age of 71. He is the first U.S. Senator from South Carolina to die in office since Olin D. Johnston (D-S.C.) died on April 18, 1965. He is also the fourth member of the U.S. Senate since 2013 to die in office and the…
-
Trump White House has 411 employees, according to annual report
The White House released its annual report to Congress on personnel, which details White House staff members and their salaries, on July 1, 2026. The Trump White House includes 411 staff members, according to the report. Forty-six are detailees — staff temporarily assigned to the White House from another agency or department — including three…
-
President Trump removes three remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission
On July 9, President Donald Trump (R) removed the three remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), leaving the four-seat commission without any members. The EAC is a federal commission responsible for developing election administration guidance and helping states comply with federal voting law. The commission comprises four members, with two from each of…
-
USDA releases SNAP error rate data that could determine states' share of benefit costs
On June 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released fiscal year 2025 (FY25) payment error rate data for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This was the first update of payment error data since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) established a cost-share system based on this data, and the first year of…
-
Lindsey Graham becomes the fourth member of the U.S. Senate since 2013 to die while in office
On July 11, 2026, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) died, leaving a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. The vacancy now brings the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate to 52 to 45, with one vacancy. Additionally, Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are independents who caucus with Democrats. Graham is the fourth member of…
-
Trump ends June with 40% approval rating, same as Biden's at this point in his term
At the end of June, polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) with a 40% approval rating, the same as President Joe Biden (D) had at this point in his term. Fifty-seven percent of voters disapproved of Trump's performance. The highest average approval rating Trump has received in his second term was 54%, last seen…