The Latest Breaking News from Roll Call

Future shutdowns mean a pay freeze for senators

If and when the next government shutdown rolls around, the laundry list of consequences will now include a pay freeze for U.S. senators. On a voice vote, the Senate passed a resolution from Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., that requires the Senate secretary to withhold compensation for the duration of a…

Roll Call · May 14

Appeals court questions Trump executive orders targeting law firms

A federal appeals court appeared skeptical Thursday of a push from President Donald Trump to punish four major law firms, in a case that could outline the bounds of presidential power and have broader ramifications for the legal industry. The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the…

Roll Call · May 14

GOP data privacy bill tries again to set national standard

Privacy advocates of all political stripes say a federal data privacy standard is becoming more necessary as states pass their own laws and as artificial intelligence complicates the technology landscape. To that end, a House Republican data privacy bill released last month would create consumer rights to delete personal data and…

Roll Call · May 14

‘Screw this, I’m out’: Why members of Congress are retiring 

As more lawmakers than usual leave Congress, it begs the question — is this a one-off spike or a larger sign of things to come? Retirement announcements are a feature of any election year, but this goes beyond normal turnover, experts say. Bitterly partisan redistricting pushes around the country have…

Roll Call · May 13

What can we learn from House Republican polling?

ANALYSIS — Republicans are riding high after a series of redistricting victories that could help the GOP become the first party since 1978 to retain control of both chambers of Congress in a midterm election while holding the White House.  But two batches of Republican surveys show how such an…

Roll Call · May 13

Warsh confirmed to lead Federal Reserve

The Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh on Wednesday to become chairman of the Federal Reserve for a four-year term.  The 54-45 vote concludes the process two days before Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s term ends. The Senate confirmed Warsh on Tuesday to a 14-year term on the board, effective as of Feb. 1, 2026.…

Roll Call · May 13

Congress has an approval problem. Does it matter?

The last time Americans overwhelmingly approved of Congress, the U.S. had recently gone to war and was still reeling from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Gas prices were $1.31 a gallon and “Fallin’” by Alicia Keys was the top song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  The year was 2001,…

Roll Call · May 13

Nuclear Regulatory Commission updates processes to meet new demands

Federal efforts to accelerate nuclear energy development are starting to pay off, government and industry experts say, as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission works through mandated updates to licensing processes and its mission.  The commission is responding to two actions: a 2024 law directing the NRC to develop processes that expedite…

Roll Call · May 13

Lummis reflects on future of nuclear power in Wyoming

As she prepares to return home after four terms in the House and one in the Senate, Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis is optimistic her home state of Wyoming is in a strong position to take advantage of growing interest in nuclear energy. Lummis represented the state with the nation’s largest…

Roll Call · May 13

Kildee on life after Congress: ‘I don’t really think I’ve ever changed jobs in my life’

More than a year after he left Congress, former Rep. Dan Kildee’s life — from the outside, at least — looks remarkably similar to how it looked before he served. His office building at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, in Michigan, is just a few buildings away from the…

Roll Call · May 13