Recent articles
May 24, 2026
A Deciding Factor in Congress Right Now: Who Shows Up to Vote
Vacant seats, and consistently poor attendance on both sides of the aisle, have exacerbated the challenges of already razor-thin margins in the House and Senate.
www.nytimes.com
May 21, 2026
GOP Pulls Measure on Trump’s War Powers in Iran, Lacking Votes to Defeat It
House Republican leaders abruptly scrapped a planned vote on a measure to direct President Trump to end the conflict or win authorization for it, amid party defections and absences.
www.nytimes.com
May 14, 2026
House Again Blocks War Powers Vote to Halt Iran Conflict
But two vulnerable Republicans joined Democrats in the effort to force President Trump to win authorization from Congress, in the latest sign of G.O.P. jitters over the war.
www.nytimes.com
May 13, 2026
House Backers Reach Threshold to Force Vote on $1.3 Billion in Ukraine Aid
Representative Kevin Kiley, independent of California, became the 218th signature on a petition to force action on an aid bill to Ukraine. The vote could come as soon as the end of May.
www.nytimes.com
May 11, 2026
Lawmakers Urge Trump to Move Ahead on Delayed Arms Sale to Taiwan
The Trump administration has held up the sale for months ahead of President Trump’s meeting this week with President Xi Jinping of China.
www.nytimes.com
May 7, 2026
House Republican Proposes Bill to Wind Down the Iran War
Representative Tom Barrett, a Michigan Republican facing a tough re-election race, introduced a bill to impose limits on the use of military force in Iran and end the fighting this summer.
www.nytimes.com
April 29, 2026
Pentagon Puts Iran War Cost at $25 Billion as Hegseth Berates Skeptics
During his first public appearance on Capitol Hill since the war began, the defense secretary lashed out at lawmakers in both parties who have questioned the conflict.
www.nytimes.com
April 22, 2026
King Charles Will Not Meet Epstein Victims During U.S. State Visit
Representative Ro Khanna had asked Buckingham Palace for a private meeting between the victims and King Charles during his planned visit to the U.S. next week.
www.nytimes.com
April 22, 2026
A 60-Day Deadline Could Pressure Trump on Ending the Iran War
A decades-old law allows the president to wage war without congressional approval for 60 days, then limits his options for continuing. President Trump may seek to get around it.
www.nytimes.com
April 22, 2026
Rep. David Scott, Longtime Georgia Lawmaker, Dies at 80
The former Georgia state lawmaker was an advocate for issues that affected Black communities. He drew attention for his refusal to exit politics amid health problems.
www.nytimes.com
April 15, 2026
Senate Republicans Again Block Bid to Limit Trump’s Iran War Powers
For the fourth time since the war began, G.O.P. senators successfully fended off an effort to constrain the president. But there were signs of growing unease among Republicans.
www.nytimes.com
April 14, 2026
At a House Republican’s New York Event, Flashes of an Iran Backlash
Representative Mike Lawler, who is seeking re-election in a swing district in the Hudson Valley, faced tough questions from constituents about his stance on the war in Iran.
www.nytimes.com
April 4, 2026
Some Voters Say Congress Is Too Old. These Black Democrats Aren’t Leaving.
As older members of Congress head for the exits amid growing pressure for fresh faces in the Democratic Party, some of the most seasoned Black lawmakers are resisting retirement.
www.nytimes.com
March 28, 2026
House Vote Sets Up Clash With the Senate on D.H.S. Funding, Prolonging Shutdown
Republicans revolted over a Senate measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security and passed a rival bill, dimming the chances of a quick end to the crisis crippling airports.
www.nytimes.com
March 27, 2026
Rep. Sam Graves, a Senior House Republican, Will Retire as Midterm Exodus Grows
Representative Sam Graves, the chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said he would leave Congress after nearly three decades, the latest sign that the G.O.P. is bracing for b...
www.nytimes.com
March 26, 2026
G.O.P. Senator Weighs Forcing Congress to Vote to Authorize the Iran War
Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is drafting a formal authorization for the use of military force in Iran, seeking to put some parameters around the operation as the Trump administration has boxed ...
www.nytimes.com
March 26, 2026
Republicans in Congress Fret Over Trump Administration’s Handling of Iran War
G.O.P. lawmakers who have given the Trump administration wide latitude to wage war with no congressional input are growing frustrated as officials offer little detail about ground troops, cost or t...
www.nytimes.com
March 25, 2026
Trump Draws Bipartisan Backlash for Easing Oil Sanctions on Russia and Iran
Republicans and Democrats alike have criticized the Trump administration’s moves, taken to stabilize oil markets rocked by the war with Iran, warning that it is benefiting two U.S. adversaries.
www.nytimes.com
March 19, 2026
Senate G.O.P. Again Blocks Bid to Stop Iran War Until Trump Wins Authorization
For the second time since the war began, Senate Democrats tried and failed to win passage of a resolution that would have halted the offensive until President Trump went to Congress for approval.
www.nytimes.com
March 18, 2026
U.S. Intelligence Saw No Change in Iran’s Missile Capabilities Before War
On Wednesday, the director of national intelligence and C.I.A. director contradicted one of the justifications the Trump administration had given for its attacks on Iran.
www.nytimes.com
March 14, 2026
Tim Kaine Is Forcing the Iran War Debate From the Minority
Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, has found a way to repeatedly occupy floor time and force all senators to take votes challenging President Trump’s use of military force.
www.nytimes.com
March 5, 2026
House Turns Back Bid to Restrict Trump’s War Powers in Iran
A handful of Democrats joined Republicans to defeat an effort to force President Trump to go to Congress for approval to continue using force against Iran, while two G.O.P. lawmakers backed it.
www.nytimes.com
March 4, 2026
Senate Thwarts Bid to Curb Trump’s War Powers on Iran
Nearly every Republican voted to block a measure that would require that President Trump win authorization from Congress to continue the offensive in the Middle East.
www.nytimes.com
February 28, 2026
Congress Faces War Powers Votes in Wake of Iran Strikes
Following the attack, Democrats and a few Republicans escalated their calls for swift votes on whether to curb the president’s power to continue using force against Iran without explicit authorizat...
www.nytimes.com
February 28, 2026
Taiwan Arms Sale Approved by Congress Is Delayed as Trump Plans Visit to Beijing
The package worth billions of dollars and endorsed by lawmakers is stalled at the State Department as the U.S. and China plan an April summit.
www.nytimes.com