Matt Gagnon discussed the progress of the “big, beautiful bill” through the Senate, aiming for a July 4 deadline. The Senate bill would add $3.3 trillion to the national debt from 2025 to 2034, compared to $2.4 trillion for the House bill, and could result in 11.8 million more uninsured Americans by 2034. Republicans are divided over cost-saving proposals, particularly on Medicaid and food aid. Gagnon criticized the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) scoring methods, arguing that extending tax cuts does not necessarily increase the deficit. He also noted the political implications of Thom Tillis’ decision not to run for reelection in 2026.
They gathered at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday — former presidents, vice presidents, sworn political foes and newfound friends — in a show of respect and remembrance for Dick Cheney, the consequential and polarizing vice president who became an acidic scold of President Donald Trump.
Melania Trump and Usha Vance took their first trip together, spending time in North Carolina on Wednesday with service members and their families to show appreciation for their service and sacrifice as the holidays approach.
Members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma must pay billions of dollars to settle a flood of lawsuits over the harms of opioids, in a new deal formally approved by a federal bankruptcy judge on Tuesday.
The House voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bill Tuesday to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a remarkable display of approval for an effort that had struggled for months to overcome opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership.
