Category: Federal
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U.S. House passes two bills opposing ESG
The House of Representatives passed two bills opposing ESG on Sept. 18 and Sept. 19. HR 5339 would require fiduciaries to make investment decisions based on financial factors. HR 4790 proposed limiting the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) climate risk disclosure requirements. Ballotpedia tracks support for and opposition to the environmental, social, and corporate governance…
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Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001
There were 44 vacancies out of 890 authorized federal judicial posts as of September 18, 2024. All 44 of those were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. From August 1 to September 18, 2024: By September 18, 2024—1,338 days in office—President Joe…
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Air Force cites Loper Bright in refusal of EPA order
What’s the story? The U.S. Air Force announced in July it would not comply with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) order to clean polluted drinking water in Tucson, Arizona. The Air Force argued federal regulators did not have the authority to issue the order, citing Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo—the June 2024 SCOTUS case overturning…
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For a fourth straight month, the number of members of Congress who have announced retirement so far this year is 53
Fifty-three members of Congress—eight senators and 45 representatives—have announced they will not seek re-election this year. That’s the same number that was reported in our August 21 update on congressional incumbents not seeking re-election. Since then, there have been no new retirement announcements. The last incumbent to announce their retirement was Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.)…
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Continuing unemployment insurance claims up 35% from a 54-year low in June 2022; FED focuses on job market ahead of Sept. 18 interest rate decision
New applications for U.S. unemployment insurance benefits rose 2,000 for the week ending Sept. 7 to a seasonally adjusted 230,000. The four-week moving average as of Sept. 7 increased by 500 from the previous week’s revised average to 230,750. The number of continuing unemployment insurance claims, which refers to the number of unemployed workers who…
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Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for September 1, 2024
In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies from August 2, 2024, to September 1, 2024. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS New vacancies There were 48 vacancies out of 870 active Article III judicial positions, a total vacancy percentage of 5.5,…
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Biden has appointed 205 federal judges through September 1 of his fourth year
President Joe Biden (D) has appointed and the U.S. Senate has confirmed 205 Article III federal judges through September 1, 2024, his fourth year in office. This is the most Article III judicial appointments through this point in all presidencies since President Ronald Reagan (R). The Senate had confirmed 203 of President Donald Trump’s (R)…
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President Joe Biden issued no executive orders in August
President Joe Biden (D) issued no executive orders in August, keeping his total at 141. This was the fifth month of his presidency where he issued no executive orders. The other four instances took place in November 2022, January 2023, January 2024, and May 2024. Biden issued 25 executive orders in January 2021, more than…
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State treasurers argue corporations should focus on shareholder value
A group of Republican state treasurers sent a letter on Aug. 28 asking the Business Roundtable to change its 2019 statement defining the purpose of corporations. The treasurers argued the definition deprioritized shareholder interests in profit and risk management and promoted ESG investing. Ballotpedia tracks support for and opposition to the environmental, social, and corporate…
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Joe Biden (D) ends August with 41% job approval
At the end of August, approval polling averages showed President Joe Biden (D) at 41% approval. Fifty-five percent of voters disapproved of his performance. This was the same approval rating Biden received last month. Throughout August, Biden’s approval rating was 41%. The lowest approval rating he’s received during his presidency is 38%, last seen on…