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18 stories from Planck Standard. Latest: September 29, 2026.
The nonpartisan watchdog told Vice President Vance and congressional leaders the cancellation broke the Impoundment Control Act. Budget director Russ Vought accused the agency of partisan bias.
The White House is clawing back money for refugee services, international education and housing days before the fiscal year ends, and Republican Sen. Susan Collins called it an 'unlawful cancellation.'
Sen. Susan Collins says the plan to let Russ Vought and other appointees block research awards is 'looking dead' after a bipartisan backlash, though insiders say it may come back after the midterms.
The stopgap holds agencies at current spending levels through Dec. 11 and heads to President Trump's desk. Nineteen Republicans and 29 Democrats voted against it.
Senators cleared a bipartisan stopgap through Dec. 11 before leaving for a five-week recess, but the House passed its own partisan version — and one grant-rule provision could cost Republican votes.
Trump's former personal lawyer won over Republican holdouts John Cornyn and Thom Tillis only after formally killing a $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' payout fund. With Collins opposed and Mitch McConnell absent, the math on the Senate floor is now razor-thin.
S. 5046 cleared the Senate HELP Committee 13-9 over the objection of its own chairman. It would void the interagency agreements moving special education, civil rights and student aid work to four other departments.
WatchSusan Collins and Patty Murray released the text of a stopgap Sunday that funds most federal agencies at current levels through the second week of December. It strips out $1 billion for 'Trump-class' battleships and blocks money from being shifted to Border Patrol.
The former state Senate president swept the weekend caucuses, winning 456 of 500 elected delegates as Shenna Bellows and Nirav Shah exited, ending the scramble triggered by Graham Platner's collapse.
With their primary winner out after sexual assault allegations, Maine Democrats will convene delegates in Bangor on July 25 to pick a new nominee to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.
After a 2021 sexual-assault allegation collapsed his support and Chuck Schumer pulled national money, Platner filed withdrawal papers days before the deadline. Maine Democrats now have until July 27 to pick a replacement.
The Democratic nominee suspended his campaign after a woman accused him of a 2021 assault, an accusation he flatly denies. Maine Democrats now have until July 27 to pick a replacement to challenge Susan Collins.
National Democrats gave Platner an ultimatum over a sexual assault allegation, and party figures are already eyeing his spot in the marquee race against Susan Collins.
The oyster farmer and Marine veteran survived a bruising campaign to claim the nomination, teeing up one of the most closely watched Senate races of the 2026 midterms.
Genevieve McDonald, who briefly ran Platner's campaign, published damaging allegations in The Washington Post hours before Democrats in Maine, Nevada and South Carolina head to the polls.
Any signs of weak support will be seen as warning signals about the Democrat's chances against the popular Republican incumbent.
The Maine Republican becomes the first senator in history to reach the milestone without missing a single vote, even as she faces a challenging campaign for another term.
Amy Gertner told Platner's campaign in 2025 he had sent sexually explicit messages to other women early in their marriage, the latest controversy in a pivotal race against Susan Collins.