06/03/2026
Important news you missed while you were watching main stream media.
Last week in the U.S. federal government and around the country: A federal judge blocked President Trump from taking over the Kennedy Center, former President Joe Biden sued the DOJ, and Iran exchanged a peace proposal with the United States.
HOUSE
• In a generational contest between sitting congressmen, freshman Rep. Christian Menefee defeated veteran Rep. Al Green in a Democratic primary runoff for a Houston-area district.
• Democratic members of Congress said they observed dire conditions within a federal immigration detention center in New Jersey, where protesters have been demonstrating for days and asserting that detainees are on a hunger strike.
• U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) recently secured the successful release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he demanded in June 2024, marking a key step toward ensuring Tribal Head Start programs receive adequate federal attention and resources.
SENATE
• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, easily defeating four-term Sen. John Cornyn in the latest contest where President Trump sought to oust an incumbent he saw as insufficiently loyal.
COURTS
• A federal judge said New Hampshire must make voter registration easier by allowing applicants to attest to their U.S. citizenship if they do not have documents to prove it.
• A federal judge declined to halt President Trump’s executive order creating a federal voter list and limiting mail voting, clearing the way for potential changes in how elections are administered ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
• A federal judge ruled that ex*****on by nitrogen gas does not violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment, rejecting an Alabama inmate’s claim that it causes excessive suffering.
• A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from proceeding with a new $1.776 billion settlement fund for individuals who believe they were victims of a weaponized government, halting its formation and any potential payouts for at least two weeks.
• The Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration in a lawsuit over speech restrictions for immigration judges that touched on the rights of federal workers.
• The Supreme Court rejected a push to avoid a lawsuit alleging that Facebook and Instagram harmed young users, as social media companies face increasing legal scrutiny.
• Alabama asked the Supreme Court to allow it to use a congressional map favoring Republicans in this year’s elections, despite a lower court ruling that the plan intentionally discriminated against Black voters.
• The Supreme Court approved a settlement package designed to rein in groundwater pumping along the Rio Grande and ensure enough water reaches Texas from New Mexico, ending a long-running dispute.
• The Supreme Court rejected Florida’s attempt to sue California and Washington over the issuance of commercial driver licenses to truckers who do not speak English and are not authorized to be in the United States.
• President Trump’s push to reshape congressional districts ahead of the November elections suffered setbacks as South Carolina senators declined to redraw districts and a federal court blocked a Republican-backed map in Alabama.
PRESIDENT TRUMP, THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH & THE WHITE HOUSE
• The Trump administration moved to give political appointees more authority over billions of dollars in federal grant funding, including research grants.
• A federal judge ruled that President Trump’s name was illegally added to the Kennedy Center and blocked the administration from closing the cultural venue for major renovations.
• The Securities and Exchange Commission proposed repealing a Biden-era rule requiring some public companies to report greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related risks.
• President Trump endorsed a Department of Health and Human Services study that calls for reducing the number of vaccines recommended for children.
• President Trump’s physician said the president is in “excellent health” and “fully fit” to serve as commander in chief following a medical examination at Walter Reed.
• The Trump administration is suing four states over their refusal to issue undercover license plates to federal agents.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Treasury Department has prepared a design for a proposed $250 bill featuring President Trump, pending congressional approval.
• Local ABC-owned television stations criticized the Federal Communications Commission for launching an early review of their broadcast licenses.
• Former Attorney General Pam Bondi declined to answer questions regarding President Trump’s involvement in the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files during congressional testimony.
• An Associated Press investigation found that at least 10 detainees have died by su***de since January 2025.
• Fair housing organizations filed a lawsuit challenging a federal rule change they argue weakens protections against housing discrimination.
AROUND THE COUNTRY
• New Jersey State Police established designated protest zones and vehicle checkpoints outside an immigration detention center in Newark.
• Louisiana enacted a new congressional map designed to help Republicans gain a seat while eliminating one of the state’s two majority-Black districts.
• Former President Joe Biden sued the Justice Department in an effort to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts related to a classified documents investigation.
• New York enacted a law making it a crime to block access to houses of worship or engage in conduct that causes worshippers to fear for their safety.
• A former senior CIA official is accused of stealing hundreds of gold bars worth more than $40 million from the federal government.
• Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) signed legislation intended to shield California elections from potential federal interference.
• A woman fired by an Indiana university over a Facebook post criticizing conservative activist Charlie Kirk will receive $225,000 to settle a free speech lawsuit.
AROUND THE WORLD
• The European Union’s foreign policy chief said protecting freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz after the Iran conflict will require additional naval resources.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States continues to pursue an agreement that would ensure Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he continues to press the United States for additional Patriot missile defense systems.
• Ukraine denied Russian claims that a Ukrainian drone struck the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant while continuing attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
