Poli Alert Politics & Civics

The national average gas price climbed to a new wartime high Friday, underscoring the growing economic toll of the U.S. conflict with Iran as energy markets react to prolonged instability in the Middle East. Prices jumped to $4.39 per gallon, marking the largest single-day increase since a ceasefire was announced …

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Friday he will not redraw the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, breaking with a growing Republican push across the South following a sweeping Supreme Court decision on voting rights. The outgoing Republican made clear he would not delay Georgia’s May 19 …

The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bipartisan resolution banning lawmakers and their staff from participating in prediction markets, a move aimed at preventing officials with access to sensitive information from profiting on real-world events. The rule change, adopted by voice vote, takes effect immediately and reflects growing alarm on …

Congress on Thursday approved a short-term extension of a key U.S. surveillance authority, narrowly avoiding its expiration while punting a broader fight over reforms to warrantless intelligence collection. The measure, which extends the program through June 12, now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk after clearing both chambers with bipartisan …

The U.S. military campaign against Iran may have already cost roughly $50 billion, according to U.S. officials familiar with internal assessments, a figure that significantly exceeds the Pentagon’s public estimate and underscores the growing financial burden of the conflict. The higher estimate — about double the $25 billion cited by …

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a new nominee for U.S. surgeon general, selecting Dr. Nicole Saphier after months of uncertainty surrounding the fate of his previous pick, Dr. Casey Means. The move resets the confirmation process for one of the nation’s top public health roles, which had been left …

Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign for U.S. Senate on Thursday, essentially handing political newcomer Graham Platner the Democratic nomination. The two-term governor and former state attorney general had been lagging in a series of recent polls, but Mills said in her statement ending her candidacy that her decision was …

The House on Thursday approved a Senate-passed funding bill to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, ending a record 75-day shutdown just hours before emergency funds were set to run dry and thousands of federal workers risked missing paychecks. The measure passed by voice vote, allowing lawmakers to avoid recording …

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry plans to delay the state’s May 16 congressional primary to give lawmakers time to redraw district lines after the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the current map, according to two people familiar with the decision. Landry, a Republican, informed GOP members of Congress …

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a Senate-backed budget framework, clearing the first hurdle in a Republican strategy to fund key immigration enforcement agencies without Democratic support — even as a broader funding impasse continues to shutter much of the Department of Homeland Security. The measure passed narrowly, …

The Florida Legislature has approved a new congressional map sent to them just two days earlier by Gov. Ron DeSantis that could give Florida Republicans up to four new congressional seats in the November midterm elections. The Florida Senate voted, 21-17, Wednesday afternoon to approve the map. Four Republicans – …

The U.S. military campaign against Iran has cost approximately $25 billion so far, a senior Defense Department official told lawmakers Wednesday, marking the first official price tag for a conflict that has stretched nearly two months with no clear endpoint. The estimate, disclosed during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, …

The Supreme Court of the United States on Wednesday issued a sweeping decision that critics say guts core protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, ruling that Louisiana’s congressional map was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander — even though it was drawn to comply with the landmark civil rights law. …

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson wants to make changes to a Senate-passed bill that would end the shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security, a move that will further delay funding and prolong the stalemate that began in mid-February. The holdup could again interrupt paychecks for workers at the Transportation …

King Charles III on Tuesday urged the United States and United Kingdom to preserve their historic alliance, delivering a speech to a joint session of Congress that acknowledged rising transatlantic tensions without directly naming President Donald Trump. “America’s words carry weight and meaning,” Charles told lawmakers, reflecting on the influence …