During the week ending March 27, 2026 we have received listings of 24 Government and Administrative Law Summaries, 34 Constitutional Law summaries, 55 Criminal Law Summaries, 4 Intellectual Property Summaries, 2 White Collar Summaries, 2 Internet Law Summaries, 4 Medical Malpractice Summaries and 3 U.S. Supreme Court Summaries. We plan…
CBO Director Phillip Swagel testifies before the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, March 18, 2026. SUMMARY: Chairman Valadao, Ranking Member Espaillat, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the Congressional Budget Office’s budget request. CBO requests appropriations of $76.3 million for fiscal…
The House Subcommittee on Government Operations has now concluded its March 17, 2026 hearing on “Oversight of the United States Postal Service: The Financial Future Under Postmaster General David Steiner,” and the message emerging from Capitol Hill is unmistakable: the United States Postal Service (USPS) faces mounting financial pressure, and…
A Report from the Congressional Budget Office, January 30, 2026. The House Committee on the Budget convened a hearing at which Phillip L. Swagel, CBO’s Director, testified about the agency’s work. This document provides CBO’s answers to questions submitted for the record after the hearing. SUMMARY: On November 18, 2025,…
Introduction: In his December 10, 2025 column for Justia VERDICT, legal commentator Akshai Vikram argues that growing public concern over what many view as executive overreach under Donald J. Trump’s second administration is fueling calls for a stronger, more assertive Congress. Verdict Widespread Disquiet Among Voters Poll after poll in…
OVERVIEW: In their opinion feature “‘The wrong hill to die on’: 3 writers discuss the government shutdown”, Benjy Sarlin (Assignment Editor), Robert Gebelhoff (Editorial Board), and James Hohmann (Deputy Opinion Editor) dissect the unfolding government shutdown standoff. The authors explore the tug of war between Democrats’ demand to extend health…
From the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), July 18, 2025. CBO was asked to assess the effects of a permanent 10 percent reduction in NIH funding and a nine-month increase in FDA review times of new drug applications. SUMMARY STATEMENT: “CBO provides information about how changes to funding for the National…
On July 4, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed into law H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” enacted as Pub. L. No. 119–21, 139 Stat. ___ (2025). Passed through the budget reconciliation process under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this comprehensive legislation represents a central pillar of…
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Cost Estimate July 9, 2025. In the context of the US Congress, SOPRA refers to the Separation of Powers Restoration Act. It’s a legislative proposal aimed at amending the Administrative Procedure Act to change how courts review agency actions. Specifically, SOPRA seeks to eliminate the practice of “Chevron deference,” where courts…
The legislative branch of the United States government (embodied in Congress, which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate) is the cornerstone of the federal lawmaking process and a central pillar of the constitutional system of checks and balances. Through its exclusive powers to enact laws, oversee the…