Federal Policy

U.S. Representative Lloyd Smucker in an official congressional photograph

October 3, 2026

Congress Passes Social Security Terminology Bill—What ‘Standard Benefit Age’ Means for Your Retirement

Congress has passed bipartisan legislation that would change Social Security terminology used to describe claiming ages — and if you're approaching 62, understanding how the new language works could affect one of

Health care policy meeting used for Affordable Care Act refund coverage

Health·Policy·USA

$500 ACA Refund Checks Now Going Out—Here’s Who Qualifies and When to Cash Them

More than 950,000 Americans enrolled in Affordable Care Act marketplace plans are receiving $500 payments from the U.S. Treasury. Payments began going out on September 30 and are being delivered as paper checks or direct deposits, along with a letter

October 3, 2026

Clocks Fall Back November 1 and No Federal Bill Has Changed That — Why Every State DST Push Has Stalled

Policy·USA

US clocks fall back one hour on November 1, 2026, at 2 a.m. local time — which becomes 1 a.m. Daylight saving time has

White House seeks $810 million funding cuts as September 30 deadline puts rescission rules under pressure

News·Policy·USA

The White House submitted a package on September 25 seeking to rescind $810 million in already-approved federal funding — and the timing is the

The White House presidential residence and workplace of the US President

Business·Policy·USA

White House ‘Fully Supports’ the American Franchise Act — What H.R. 5267 Would Change About Franchise Worker Rights

The Trump administration has signalled support for the American Franchise Act, a bill that would write a specific joint-employer definition for franchise businesses into federal law. The signal came at the International

Govind Tekale

September 25, 2026

Student studying at a desk with textbooks and papers while preparing for college financial aid

News·Policy·USA

2027-28 FAFSA Opens Earliest in History — Real-Time Aid Estimates Live and One New Feature Still Coming

HookThe 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid is available as of September 23, 2026 — the earliest launch in the program’s history, according to the US Department of Education, and the

Sunita Somvanshi

September 24, 2026

Hospital room representing U.S. health insurance and Affordable Care Act coverage

Health·Policy·USA

CMS Cancels 315,000 ACA Policies Covering 760,000 People and Recovers $2.2B in Subsidies

If you get health insurance through HealthCare.gov and signed up with help from an agent or broker, today’s federal announcement concerns you. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) says it

Tejal Somvanshi

September 23, 2026

Close-up of an analog clock face showing the hour and minute hands.

Lifestyle·Policy·USA

Florida Clocks Fall Back November 1 — Not November 2 — Despite Years of Push for Permanent Daylight Time

Florida residents asking whether their clocks will change this fall have a straightforward answer: yes, on November 1, 2026. Florida daylight saving time follows federal law. The state observes daylight time (EDT,

Sunita Somvanshi

September 22, 2026

Row houses and residential neighborhood buildings in Seattle, Washington.

Business·Latest·USA

Seattle Housing Market 2026: Fed Rate Hike Raises Borrowing Costs as Home Listings Reach a 15-Year High

If you’ve been watching the Federal Reserve for direction on where mortgage rates are heading, last week’s decision gave a clear answer — though not the one many buyers hoped for. The

Sunita Somvanshi

September 21, 2026

Hunters walking through grassland at a National Wildlife Refuge, representing the public lands access at the center of the Trump hunting executive order controversy.

News·Policy·USA

Trump hunting executive order targets public lands access with changes still subject to federal rules

# Trump Signs Federal Hunting Executive Order: What It Means for Public Lands Access If you’re planning a hunting or fishing trip on federal land this fall, a new executive order affects

Sunita Somvanshi

September 19, 2026

Eagle sculpture and carved pediment at the Federal Reserve Building entrance in Washington D.C.

Business·USA

Fed raises interest rates to 3.75%–4% in unanimous 12-0 vote—what the FOMC statement says about inflation and borrowers

The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point on September 16, 2026, moving the federal funds target range to 3.75–4%. The vote among Federal Open

Sunita Somvanshi

September 18, 2026

Aerial photograph of the Kennedy Center complex beside the Potomac River in Washington D.C.

Policy·USA

Court orders 30-day notice before Kennedy Center changes—what Trump said and what the building said back

A federal judge has ordered the Kennedy Center to provide 30 days’ notice before making any major physical changes to the building. The order comes as President Trump has raised the possibility

Sunita Somvanshi

September 18, 2026

US Federal Building in Washington DC, the workplace behind the $9.5 billion administrative leave GAO report.

Policy·USA

Federal Workers Cost $9.5 Billion in Paid Leave as GAO Report Reveals Deferred Resignation Impact

The federal government paid $9.5 billion in salary costs for workers on administrative leave in 2025. That is six times the 2023 level, according to a Government Accountability Office report released September

Sunita Somvanshi

September 18, 2026

FBI Director Kash Patel in his official portrait, defending hiring changes before the Senate.

News·Policy·USA

Kash Patel defends FBI hiring changes as senators question revised applicant standards

If you follow federal law enforcement policy, the September 15 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing gave the clearest public account yet of what exactly changed in FBI applicant standards — and why the

Govind Tekale

September 16, 2026

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