Congress just got its secret weapon back
CNN
Buried within the 2,700-page omnibus spending bill unveiled early Wednesday that would fund the federal government through September is something called "member-directed spending." It might well be the single most important thing in the bill if you care about Congress actually passing legislation.
See, "member-directed spending" is just a fancy name for earmarks -- a system by which federal spending in a certain district or state can be appended to legislation as a sweetener for the members of Congress representing those areas.
Need an example? Drive through West Virginia and you'll see all sorts of highways and byways named after Robert C. Byrd, the long-serving senator from the Mountain State.
It’s looking like the Department of Homeland Security shutdown could soon be over. The two sides seem to have made serious progress, and President Donald Trump hasn’t rejected anything, even if he’s a little sour. But it’s likely the resolution will disappoint many Democrats.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that he regretted using the word “apartheid” to describe the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinians, though he warned “that’s a word you may hear others use” if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushes for territorial gains.
Haiti is about to get a new set of foreign boots on the ground. The goal sounds simple: fight the gangs that have brought life to a standstill.
Oklahoma’s governor picks energy executive Alan Armstrong to fill US Senate seat through end of year
Oklahoma’s governor on Tuesday appointed energy executive Alan Armstrong to serve in the US Senate through the end of the year and finish the term of Republican Markwayne Mullin, the new homeland security secretary.
Newly confirmed Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told senators during his confirmation hearing that he wanted to keep the department out of the headlines. That won’t be easy.
A trader made nearly $1 million since 2024 from dozens of well-timed Polymarket bets that correctly predicted US and Israeli military actions against Iran, according to an analysis shared with CNN.
Travelers have been dealing with worsening airport wait times as ICE agents deploy to more than a dozen airports. Follow for live news updates.
President Donald Trump voted in Tuesday’s state House special election by mail even as he suggested on Monday that “mail-in voting means mail-in cheating.”
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The Supreme Court on Tuesday will consider the legality of a policy championed by President Donald Trump during his first term that prevented scores of migrants arriving at the southern border from starting the process of applying for asylum.
A young, well-liked facilities manager at the Kennedy Center has gone from being described as “in charge of HVAC and toilets” to head of the renowned arts institution.
Democrats in Florida are hoping to capitalize on the party’s recent special election overperformances and come out on top Tuesday in a special state House election for a Palm Beach district that includes President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
The Supreme Court on Monday appeared ready to limit mail-in ballots, a move that would reinforce the justices’ pattern of shrinking voter protections and that has, at bottom, favored Republican interests and the Trump administration.