Category: Federal
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Trump issues 74 pardons, 70 commutations on last day of term
On January 20, 2021, President Donald Trump (R) issued 74 pardons and 70 commutations. Among those pardoned included former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon, former U.S. Reps. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) and Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.), and the rappers Lil’ Wayne and Kodak Black. These final pardons and commutations bring the total for Trump’s term to 143…
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How many times has the U.S. Senate been split evenly between Democrats and Republicans?
After the winners of the Georgia U.S. Senate runoffs were sworn in on Jan. 20, the Democratic and Republican caucuses in the U.S. Senate were split 50-50. Vice President Kamala Harris (D) has the tie-breaking vote in the chamber. This is the fourth time in U.S. history the Senate has been split evenly. As a…
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SCOTUS hears final arguments in its January sitting
On Tuesday, January 19, 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments in three cases to round out the January sitting of the court’s 2020-2021 term. The court heard oral arguments via teleconference and provided live audio of the arguments. SCOTUS began hearing arguments remotely during its October sitting of the current term,…
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Average margin of victory in U.S. House races reaches decade-long low
The average margin of victory in the 2020 elections for U.S. House was lower than at any point since at least 2012. A margin of victory refers to the difference between the share of the vote received by the winning candidate and the share of the vote received by the runner-up. For example, suppose Candidate…
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Biden to be inaugurated as 46th president
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Jan. 20. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) will also be sworn in as the 49th vice president of the United States, becoming the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to serve in the office.…
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SCOTUS vacates appellate court ruling, remands case to bankruptcy court in City of Chicago, Illinois v. Fulton
On January 14, 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a unanimous ruling in the case City of Chicago, Illinois v. Fulton. The case originated from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit and concerned retained property under the federal Bankruptcy Code. The case was argued during the court’s October term…
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Federal Register weekly update: Trump administration’s highest weekly final rule total
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. From January 11 through January 15, the Federal Register grew by 3,138 pages for a year-to-date total of 4,874 pages. Over the same…
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Trump administration’s 2-for-1 regulatory policy in review
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) issued a 2020 update on the Trump administration’s 2-for-1 regulatory policy as part of the Fall 2020 edition of the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. The 2-for-1 policy applies to economically significant rules—those with an anticipated economic impact of $100 million or more. The…
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Differing deference views in FDA abortion pill case
On January 12, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily restored restrictions implemented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) governing the dispensation of an abortion-inducing pill. A district court had ordered the FDA to loosen restrictions on the drug because, in its view, the COVID-19 pandemic made it more difficult for women to access the…
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Election still undecided in New York’s 22nd Congressional District
Results in the Nov. 3 U.S. House election in New York’s 22nd Congressional District have not yet been certified. The latest vote count, completed on Dec. 30, showed former Rep. Claudia Tenney (R) with a 29-vote lead over incumbent Anthony Brindisi (D). This race was one of 56 U.S. House rematches from 2018, when Brindisi defeated…