House Republicans — fresh off a chaotic speaker's race that fractured the conference — have signaled that a decision is imminent on another question with massive political consequences: the impeachment of President Biden.
Why it matters: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), a constitutional lawyer who served on the defense team for former President Trump's two impeachments, has inherited a Biden inquiry that so far has failed to provide direct evidence the president committed any wrongdoing.
The House on Thursday voted to pass legislation providing $14.3 billion in military assistance to Israel while cutting funding to the IRS.
Why it matters: The bill puts the House deeply at odds with the Senate, which is poised to ignore the GOP measure altogether in favor of bipartisan legislation funding Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.
Rogue tactics by Republican lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are prompting a flurry of intra-party attacks on social media and the Senate floor.
Why it matters: The public infighting threatens to cut short new House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) honeymoon as Congress is consumed by crises at home and abroad.
The Senate bypassed Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville's (R) blockade of senior military promotions on Thursday to confirm Adm. Lisa Franchetti to be the highest-ranking officer of the U.S. Navy.
Why it matters: Franchetti becomes the first woman to serve as the chief of naval operations and the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Why it matters: Desmond Mills Jr. is the first of the five ex-officers charged in the case to reverse his original plea and agree to cooperate with investigators.
In a major speech on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen insisted the Biden administration does not want to harm China's economy or force its neighbors to "take sides" between Washington and Beijing.
Why it matters: The administration is deploying Yellen to frame President Biden's overall approach to the Ind-Pacific region ahead of his highly-anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month on the sidelines of the APEC summit in San Francisco.
The big picture: Scott held off on any endorsement during the 2016 Republican primary until Florida held its contest. He endorsed Trump after he won a decisive victory in the state.
Why it matters: The Democrats expressed concerns about the precedent of expelling a colleague who has not been criminally convicted or subject to a complete Ethics Committee process – even one as hated as Santos.
A month into the resumption of student loan payments, some borrowers say they have encountered issues with their billing statements and difficulties contacting their servicers.
Why it matters: The errors plaguing the repayment rollout have affected broad swaths of the more than 40 million Americans with federal student loan debt.
The Biden administration is using a Thursday speech by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to set the stage for President Biden's APEC summit and his highly-anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month.
Why it matters: Team Biden wants China's neighbors — and China — to know that "economic ties" will underpin its approach to the Indo-Pacific region, as it looks to diversify U.S. supply chains with partners and allies.
A lawsuit filed in D.C. on Wednesday alleges that some of the city's biggest property managers are colluding to artificially raise rents — and it's not just a D.C. phenomenon.
Why it matters: The lawsuit could illuminate one factor behind the surge in rental prices across the U.S. The lawsuit alleges that rather than competing on price, big landlords are effectively outsourcing pricing decisions to an algorithm that uses data from them and their top competitors. The result is higher rents across the board.
Democratic governors and senators are quietly moving to boost their national profiles and position themselves to run for president in 2028 — or in 2024, if President Biden unexpectedly drops out.
Why it matters: The ambitious, next-generation Democrats all support Biden's re-election — but they're drawing battle lines for the next race for the White House.
The share of Americans who say the U.S. is doing "too much" to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia aggression jumped to 41% last month — driven by growing concern among Republicans, according to a new survey by Gallup.
Why it matters: The findings come as newly-established Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) plans to bring a vote this week on aid for Israel — decoupling it from Ukraine aid and border funds.
A group of Senate Republicans on Wednesday mounted a long-shot effort to ram through hundreds of military promotions over the objections of Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).
Why it matters: The effort reflects growing frustration among the Senate GOP's defense hawks toward Tuberville's months-long blockade in protest of a Pentagon policy reimbursing service members for abortion-related expenses.
Top White House officials are anxiously watching a potential third-party challenge from No Labels, while studiously avoiding any public attacks that could give the group oxygen for its bipartisan presidential ticket.
Why it matters: The historically unpopular prospect of a Trump vs. Biden rematch has breathed life into a cadre of potential spoilers and alternatives, among which No Labels is the most well-funded.
