#Senate leaders had sought to quickly confirm Clayton, hoping to clear the way for a bipartisan agreement to renew a #surveillance #law that expired last week. The bill to extend it collapsed amid the furor over #BillPulte, who has ZERO #NationalSecurity experience & drew withering criticism from both #Republicans & #Democrats. Some Democrats had indicated they might be willing to fast-track Clayton’s confirmation, eager to block Pulte from the post.

#VotingRights #elections #TrumpCoup #Trump

From Eden Shamy: Longtime critics of the gas tax holiday measure say that the idea amounts to scrounging for quarters in a junk drawer rather than focusing on the root cause of inflationary policies.

That hasn't stopped some #Democrats from embracing it. https://www.texasobserver.org/talarico-dems-gas-tax-holiday/

#energy #economy #politics #midterms #Talarico #Texas #news #USpol

New today: Populist “affordability” politics are in vogue for the out-of-power left as many average Americans face dire financial circumstances. Climate policy, which was all the rage for #Democrats just five or six years ago, has now been sidelined as a toxic turnoff. https://www.texasobserver.org/talarico-dems-gas-tax-holiday/

#energy #ClimateChange #environment #Talarico #Texas #politics #USpol #midterms

#House votes against extending controversial #wiretapping #law set to lapse Friday despite #Trump’s call to extend the #surveillance program

The House Thursday rejected a last-minute attempt to extend a controversial #warrantless-surveillance law, as #Democrats continue to protest Trump’s decision to temporarily place #BillPulte, a mortgage agency director & #MAGA loyalist, atop the #US #intelligence community.

#FISA #privacy #law
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/06/11/house-vote-fails-extend-controversial-wiretapping-law/

The vote failed 218-198, with 19 #Republicans joining nearly all #Democrats in opposing the bill. It would have required a ⅔ majority to advance under the parliamentary tool House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) used to quickly bring the legislation to the floor.
The result all but ensures that § 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act [ #FISA], a post-9/11 spy tool that both parties have argued is critical to US #NationalSecurity, will lapse for the first time.

#law #Trump #BillPulte

#House votes against extending controversial #wiretapping #law set to lapse Friday despite #Trump’s call to extend the #surveillance program

The House Thursday rejected a last-minute attempt to extend a controversial #warrantless-surveillance law, as #Democrats continue to protest Trump’s decision to temporarily place #BillPulte, a mortgage agency director & #MAGA loyalist, atop the #US #intelligence community.

#FISA #privacy #law
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/06/11/house-vote-fails-extend-controversial-wiretapping-law/