Trump administration to create a strategic reserve for rare earth elements
The minerals kept in the reserve would help to shield the manufacturers of autos, electronics and other goods from any supply chain disruptions.
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House speaker ‘confident’ partial government shutdown will end by Tuesday
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said Sunday that he is “confident” he will have enough support from Republicans in the House conference to end the partial government shutdown.
Senate passes Trump-backed government funding deal, sending to House
The Senate voted Friday to fund most of the government through the end of September while giving Congress two weeks to debate new restrictions on federal immigration raids across the country.
UPDATE: Senate leaders scramble to save bipartisan deal and avert partial government shutdown at midnight
Democrats had struck a rare deal with President Donald Trump on Thursday to separate funding for the Homeland Security Department from a broad government spending bill.
Democrats block government funding package in Senate as negotiations continue to avert shutdown
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats won’t provide needed votes until U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is “reined in and overhauled.”
EPA plan would begin rolling back rule on downwind pollution from smokestacks
The Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that the EPA could not enforce the rule, which is intended to block coal-fired power plants and other industrial sites from adding significantly to air pollution across state lines.
Federal Reserve keeps interest rates unchanged even as Trump continues to press for lower rates
The central bank said there are signs the job market has stabilized while it also said growth was “solid,” an upgrade from last month’s characterization as “modest.”
Businesses face pressure to respond to immigration enforcement while also becoming a target
More than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies including Target, Best Buy and UnitedHealth signed an open letter calling for “an immediate deescalation of tensions.
Braun opts into new federal school choice program
Families can access scholarships through eligible scholarship-granting organizations to support qualified educational expenses, including costs incurred for children at public and private schools.
Indiana’s latest attempt to rein in THC heads to Senate floor, but business owners worry it will ban the market
Business owners say Indiana’s Senate Bill 250 would effectively ban the growing delta-8 market—which was estimated to have generated more than $1 billion in economic impact in 2023—and urge caution amid changing federal rules.
Workplace rights agency scraps anti-harassment guidance, citing Trump’s order
EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas emphasized that the commission’s decision to rescind the guidance “will not leave a void where employers are free to harass wherever they see fit, leaving a trail of victims in their wake.”
Trump backs down on Greenland, cancels tariff threat after NATO agrees to future Arctic deal
President Donald Trump on Wednesday scrapped the tariffs that he threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control over Greenland.
Congress moves toward funding government, dodging shutdown
The longest shutdown in U.S. history ended in November when lawmakers funded the government through the end of January, and members in both parties seemed wary of another one now.
Senate committee approves 1-year state tax cut for overtime, tips
Lawmakers will decide during budget negotiations in 2027 whether to make it permanent.
Europe warns of ‘dangerous downward spiral’ after Trump threatens tariffs over Greenland
The eight European countries targeted by U.S. President Donald Trump for a 10% tariff for opposing American control of Greenland blasted the move.
Indiana hemp drug ban clears first hurdle
The legislation matches a federal measure some advocates predict will “decimate” the industry—then sets out regulations for what’s left.
Senators launch a cross-party effort to end stock trading by lawmakers
Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Republican Sen. Ashley Moody of Florida on Thursday plan to introduce legislation that would bar lawmakers and their immediate family members from trading or owning individual stocks.
Democratic legislator seeks to challenge GOP Rep. Spartz
J.D. Ford’s departure from State Senate District 29 leaves an open seat up for grabs, and a prominent local minister has already announced his plans to run for it.
UPDATE: Marion County sheriff asks state, ICE to pick up inmates from overcrowded jail
Sheriff Forestal is asking the feds and the state to transfer people held in Indianapolis elsewhere in a timely manner, or the Marion County Sheriff’s Office may need an additional $3 million to continue operating safely, he warned.
Indiana set to opt out of some of Trump’s federal tax cuts
Republican fiscal leaders, however, haven’t said which of the dozens of other new federal tax cuts—including the temporary deductions for workers who receive tips and overtime wages—will be extended to state taxes.