Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday faced pointed criticism from lawmakers on Capitol Hill over his failure to notify the White House and Congress about his hospitalization last month.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he wants to "turn the page" on the current spending fight and shift focus to next year's appropriations cycle ahead of a vote Thursday to keep the government open.
Saying, "hope springs eternal," President Joe Biden told reporters he remains "hopeful" about the prospects for a pause in the fighting between Israel and Hamas, though he admitted, "probably not by Monday," as the president suggested earlier this week.
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the migrant surge at the southern border is not an "invasion" under the Constitution and ordered Texas state officials not to enforce a new law creating state penalties for being in the country illegally.
Virginia lawmakers passed legislation Wednesday that if approved by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin would allow recreational retail sales of marijuana to begin next year.
Virginia lawmakers on Wednesday defeated for another year campaign finance reform legislation that would have prohibited elected officials from spending political donations on personal expenses such as mortgages, vacations or gym memberships.
Mazi Pilip, the Republican Nassau County legislator who lost the New York special election to replace former Rep. George Santos, said it was a "mistake" that she didn't seek former President Donald Trump's endorsement.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she's still a firm supporter of sanctuary policies, and criticized New York Mayor Eric Adams' new proposal to water down his city's rules preventing cooperation with Homeland Security on deportation detainer requests.