How Trump Has Tuned Out a Key Justice Dept. Legal Office
The Office of Legal Counsel issues opinions that are supposed to bind the executive branch. The Trump administration has taken steps and made claims in tension with several of them.
Law and Legislation
Trump’s Pick to Argue at Supreme Court Made His Career in Culture Wars
President Trump’s choice for solicitor general, D. John Sauer, has long pushed for restrictions on abortion and access to contraception.
Republicans Plan to Skirt Senate Rules to Push Through More Tax Cuts
Senate G.O.P. leaders are planning to use what is known as the “nuclear option” to steer around the Senate’s in-house referee and allow the use of a gimmick that makes trillions of dollars in tax cuts appear to be free.
Johnson, Battling Proxy Voting for Parents, Exposes Weak Hold on House Republicans
The Republican speaker, who has mostly wielded power by relying on the threat of retribution from President Trump, has chosen an institutional fight it’s not clear he can win.
Republicans Invoke Newsom in a Hearing on Transgender Sports
California Democrats rejected two Republican bills that would have banned transgender athletes from female sports. In a rare turn, Republicans tried to use the Democratic governor’s own words to challenge Democrats.
Johnson Fails to Kill Bipartisan Measure to Allow Proxy Voting for New Parents
The speaker tried to use an unprecedented parliamentary maneuver to deny a bipartisan majority the chance to hold a vote on their proposal to allow new parents to vote remotely in the House.
As Trump Squeezes the Immigrant Work Force, Employers Seek Relief
Businesses that rely on immigrants are pushing for legislation to ensure an adequate, legal flow of laborers from abroad as deportations ramp up.
Will Religion’s Remarkable Winning Streak at the Supreme Court Continue?
The court, which has been receptive to claims from religious groups, particularly Christian ones, will hear three major cases in the coming weeks.
They Want More Babies. Now They Have Friends in the Trump White House.
Advocates of higher birthrates have support in the Trump administration. But it’s unclear whether their priorities will win out.
Utah Bans Most Flags, Including Pride, at Schools and Government Buildings
The new law is among the most restrictive governing displays of flags, and is part of a polarizing debate focused on the Pride flag and other expressions of L.G.B.T.Q. support.