Axios

The Democrats' main Senate super PAC is pouring an additional $10 million into the Michigan Senate race to boost progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The Democratic establishment is coalescing around El-Sayed after a primary that was nasty, bruising — and late in the season.

The House passed the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act on Wednesday, marking Congress' most significant step yet to shield consumers from the soaring infrastructure costs of the AI boom.

Why it matters: Washington is facing growing pressure to put guardrails around AI's rapid expansion, from the technology itself to the data centers powering it.

The House passed a sweeping Russia sanctions bill Thursday, sending the long-awaited legislation to President Trump's desk.

Why it matters: The measure would significantly expand economic pressure on Russia while handing Trump fresh authority to impose secondary tariffs of up to 100% on buyers of Russian oil and gas.

About 25% of Americans don't think measles vaccines for children are safe, according to new polling.

Why it matters: The U.S. is experiencing its highest number of measles cases in decades as childhood vaccination rates decline and Trump administration officials continue to cast doubt on vaccine safety.

President Trump responded to the Federal Reserve raising interest rates for the first time in three years by saying they should be lowered — "AND FAST!"

Why it matters: The rate hike immediately puts Trump at odds with the central bank under new Fed chair Kevin Warsh, whom he picked to lead it.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles announced Wednesday she is cancer free.

The big picture: Wiles, President Trump's most trusted adviser, announced in March that she had early stage breast cancer, but planned to stay on the job as she sought treatment.

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates a quarter point Wednesday, the first policy adjustment of Kevin Warsh's chairmanship, and hinted that another rate hike is on the way this year, as it seeks to bring inflation down more quickly.

The big picture: The action could bolster Warsh's credibility as an inflation-fighter, but risks putting him in the crosshairs of President Trump, who has long demanded lower interest rates and pilloried Warsh's predecessor for failing to deliver them.

The amount of diesel that Americans buy in a single day costs roughly $321 million more than it did a year ago — driving a new round of chatter about an export ban to preserve domestic supplies.

Why it matters: Investors and economists warn that it could backfire spectacularly, driving up prices globally and potentially putting further upward pressure on domestic interest rates.

The U.S. is open to discussing shared risks with China in upcoming AI talks this weekend, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Axios.

Why it matters: The Trump administration has flatly rejected calls from industry to pace or slow down the development of AI, citing a fierce race against China.

More than half of Americans are extremely or very concerned about the environmental impacts of AI, up more than ten percentage points from last year, per polling results out Wednesday.

The big picture: It's just one area where Americans' AI concerns are building across the spectrum — highlighting one of the few issues lawmakers are crossing the aisle to confront amid ballooning panic set off by rogue models, industry warnings and public backlash.