The Latest Breaking News from Josh Hawley

Tillis adds a new condition to his vote for Blanche

Sen. Thom Tillis on Thursday set a new condition for his vote to confirm Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to attorney general: He wants Blanche to meet with Epstein victims first. During the second day of hearings for Blanche’s nomination as attorney general, Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who will…

Roll Call · Jul 16

Blanche pushes back on ‘weaponization’ fund worries during hearing

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended his involvement in a $1.8 billion “weaponization” compensation fund at his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing Wednesday in his bid for the top Justice Department job. Over the course of the hearing, Blanche sparred with Democrats and pushed back on concerns from some Republicans…

Roll Call · Jul 15

Artificial intelligence becomes ripe target for taxes

Some progressives are floating various plans to spread the wealth of the AI boom in the run-up to the midterm elections this fall, with proposals ranging from taxes on AI tokens to an excise tax on the energy used by data centers. But other stakeholders are urging a more cautious approach, and…

Roll Call · Jun 29

Trump’s FEMA nominee promises ‘objective’ approach to disaster aid

His pledge comes as he seeks to take the helm of an agency that has faced threats of dismantling from the administration

The Independent UK · Jun 17

Trump's unusual stock frenzy: Portfolio shows 3,600 trades in 90 days

Trump's investment accounts saw thousands of trades totaling hundreds of millions of dollars between January and March. This feverish activity, dominated by tech stocks, has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and ethics experts over potential conflicts of interest, though the Trump Organization denies the president's direct involvement.

The Economic Times · Jun 16

With Gas Tax Holiday, Are Texas Dems Pushing ‘Irresponsible’ Policy for Political Gain?

For candidates like James Talarico, calling to suspend fuel taxes may be an easy way to sell “affordability” to swing voters. But it would come with its own long-term policy consequences.

Texas Observer · Jun 12

A data center caused an uproar in Utah. Congress is watching (and waiting)

ST. GEORGE, Utah — Residents from a state starving for water have become the face of local struggles against Big Tech, locked in protests against a proposed data center that at one point was set to sprawl thousands of acres larger than its infamous Bryce Canyon.  Some are looking for…

Roll Call · Jun 11

Rush to regulate AI divides Democrats in Congress

Recent proposals to regulate artificial intelligence show Democratic paths diverging between cooperation and compromise on the one hand and sweeping regulations on the other. Growing public angst about the new technology and its impact on jobs, communities and the environment has fueled both ends of the spectrum and, even in…

Roll Call · Jun 10

Executive order sets voluntary cyber reviews for advanced AI

Developers of frontier artificial intelligence models will have the option to voluntarily submit new technologies for review by federal cybersecurity agencies under a new executive order that comes after President Donald Trump backed away from an expected order last month. Trump issued the executive order on Tuesday morning in a…

Roll Call · Jun 2

Funds to combat child exploitation added to reconciliation bill

The Homeland Security Department would get a new influx of funding to investigate child exploitation cases, including to identify victims of sexual abuse material online, under the GOP budget reconciliation bill.  The $108.5 million added in a substitute amendment Tuesday would support hiring additional investigators and forensic analysts within the department.…

Roll Call · May 19