Category: Federal

  • Checking in on the candidates for Congress in 2022

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    Next year's Congressional midterm elections on Nov. 8, 2022, are less than one year away. Already, 1,444 candidates have filed to run for Congress. Of those candidates, 742 are Republicans, 573 are Democrats, and 20 are Libertarians. The remaining are Green Party, independents, or other parties.  The states with the highest number of declared congressional…

  • The Federal Tap: Biden signs Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law

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    Our weekly summary of federal news highlights the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act becoming law and a judicial ruling against the American Rescue Plan Act’s tax provision. Read all about it in this week’s edition of the Federal Tap. We won’t publish the Tap next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Our next edition will…

  • Checks and Balances:

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    The Checks and Balances Letter delivers news and information from Ballotpedia’s Administrative State Project, including pivotal actions at the federal and state levels related to the separation of powers, due process and the rule of law. This edition:  In this month’s edition of Checks and Balances, we review three administrative law cases before the U.S.…

  • SCOTUS releases January argument calendar

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    The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) on Nov. 17 released the January argument calendar for the 2021-2022 term, scheduling eight cases for argument. The court will hear eight hours of oral argument between Jan. 10 and 19.  Click the links below to learn more about the cases: Jan. 10 Gallardo v. Marstiller concerns…

  • Biden announces two new federal judicial nominees

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    President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate two individuals to lifetime Article III judgeships on Nov. 17. With the addition of these two, Biden has nominated a total of 62 individuals to Article III judgeships since the start of his term. To date, 28 of Biden’s nominees have been confirmed by the U.S.…

  • Idaho enacts new congressional and state legislative maps

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    On Nov. 12, 2021, the Idaho Independent Redistricting Commission formally submitted its final congressional and state legislative maps to the secretary of state, enacting new maps for the state’s two U.S. House districts and 35 legislative districts. The commission voted in favor of the final versions of both the congressional and state legislative maps on…

  • Nevada enacts new congressional, legislative maps

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    Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) signed new congressional and legislative maps into law on Nov. 16, 2021. These maps take effect for Nevada’s 2022 congressional and legislative elections. Nevada is the 14th state to enact congressional maps this redistricting cycle, and the 20th state to enact legislative maps. During the 2010 redistricting cycle, Nevada enacted…

  • Biden issues no pardons or commutations through Sept. 30

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    From his inauguration through Sept. 30, President Joe Biden (D) issued no pardons or commutations. Since 1902, the other presidents not to issue a pardon or commutation in that same window of time were Barack Obama (D), George W. Bush (R), Bill Clinton (D), and Richard Nixon (R). Bush and Clinton did not issue a…

  • SCOTUS grants review in arbitration case

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    The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) accepted on Nov. 15 one case to its merits docket, Morgan v. Sundance, Inc. The case concerns arbitration clauses and the court’s ruling in AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion (2011). Morgan originated from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. In AT&T Mobility LLC v.…

  • Federal Register weekly update: 1,228 new pages added

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    The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions. From November 8 through November 12, the Federal Register grew by 1,228 pages for a year-to-date…