Senate Banking Committee Unveils Bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

• Governor Gavin Newsom announced California is suing the Trump administration for unlawfully repealing the EPA's Endangerment Finding on climate change, prioritizing polluter profits over public health. • Attorney General Rob Bonta stated the rescission breaks the law, with California joining prior coalitions of 24 states representing 55% of U.S. population to oppose the move. • California Air Resources Board Chair Lorne Piexot criticized the repeal as anti-science abandonment of protections, vowing vigorous court defense to safeguard communities and resources.

• President Donald Trump lashed out at the Supreme Court and District Judge Boasberg in a social media post full of falsehoods, claiming courts treat him unfairly. • Chief Justice John Roberts defended the Supreme Court, stating 'It’s got to stop' regarding personal invective against judges. • The attacks coincide with increased violent threats against federal judges ruling against the administration, as reported by multiple outlets.

• Lawmakers reviewed 27 bills on March 18, 2026, in the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee to update VA health care, accountability, education, and workforce programs, many unchanged for 30 years. • Proposals include 12 Republican-led and 15 Democrat-led bills expanding dental coverage, VA mental health for incarcerated veterans with PTSD, and aligning drug formularies with industry standards. • Chairman Bost stressed reauthorization as a tool to fix underperforming programs; bills also update leasing, contracts, and protect 30% veteran VA staff from layoffs via Rep. Tim Kennedy's act.

• The American Library Association condemned H.R. 7661's passage by the House Education and Workforce Committee on March 17, 2026, calling it a 'dangerous' censorship bill. • The vague language risks defunding schools for materials deemed 'sexually oriented,' including art, history, and Virginia's state flag, treating 17-year-olds like kindergartners. • ALA urges opposition, highlighting threats to LGBTQIA+ stories and civil rights, and supports the Right to Read Act for library funding.

• The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform advanced nine bills on March 19, 2026, to safeguard American taxpayers and ensure efficient use of federal funds. • Key measures include H.R. 7934 requiring agencies to publish settlement agreements online, doubling whistleblower cash awards to $20,000, and mandating Treasury reports on fiscal risks from crises amid $38 trillion debt. • Legislation reforms FFATA for accurate USAspending.gov data and recognizes special districts for federal aid, addressing unreported funds including national security spending.

• Rep. Van Taylor's bill mandating deportation of illegal immigrants convicted of fraud passed the House of Representatives on March 19, 2026. • The legislation targets non-citizens involved in fraudulent activities, aiming to strengthen immigration enforcement. • Passage reflects ongoing Republican priorities on border security and public safety amid rising immigration debates.

• Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) criticized the Republican SAVE Act on March 18, 2026, as 'one of the most extreme voter suppression bills in recent history.' • The bill mandates in-person proof of citizenship like passports, which 140 million Americans lack, banning online, mail, and automatic registration. • It would disenfranchise rural voters, veterans, and women changing names, despite existing laws prohibiting noncitizen voting under penalty of perjury.

• Congress introduced a bipartisan bill on March 19, 2026, to establish guidelines scrutinizing AI use in U.S. federal courts amid growing Capitol Hill concerns. • Clear federal AI standards for judiciary remain absent; the measure addresses broader technology risks in government operations. • Related updates include Senate panel vote on DHS Secretary nominee Markwayne Mullin and Sen. Bernie Sanders forcing votes on $658 million Israel arms sales.

• Political operatives tied to Trump, including those from Safe America Media and People Who Think, secured DHS contracts for a $220 million public awareness ad campaign launched amid urgent needs. • The March 3 DHS memo justified limited competition with 10-12% commissions below the 15% industry norm, marking it as the most expensive U.S. government marketing effort in the past decade outside military and COVID campaigns. • The campaign featured Gov. Kristi Noem in a cowboy hat at Mount Rushmore, sparking White House friction and perceptions of her positioning for a future political run without Trump's direct approval.

• President Trump confronts a pivotal Iran war decision on deploying U.S. troops to seize Tehran's enriched uranium, deemed essential by nuclear experts but politically risky amid vows against prolonged Middle East conflicts. • Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) warned that securing uranium requires a physical U.S. presence, criticizing Trump's 'confused and chaotic objectives,' while Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) noted no briefing exists on alternatives to boots on the ground. • Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) cited multiple plans on the table without details, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized available options without specifics; Trump claimed strikes neutralized the nuclear threat.

• The US national debt exceeded $39 trillion on Wednesday, a record milestone reached just weeks into the US-Israeli war in Iran, driven by competing priorities including tax cuts, defense spending, and immigration enforcement. • White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett estimated the Iran war has cost more than $12 billion so far, with the federal debt having grown from $37 trillion two months ago to $38 trillion five months ago, now reaching $39 trillion. • The Government Accountability Office warns rising debt increases borrowing costs for mortgages and cars, reduces business investment and wages, and makes goods and services more expensive for Americans.

• The Varieties of Democracy Institute at Sweden's Gothenburg University found that Trump's second term is characterized by swift concentration of executive power, suppression of dissent, and targeting of civil rights at a rate comparable to some coups d'état. • The Trump administration is flouting Congress and the judiciary, attacking courts while the Department of Homeland Security openly violates dozens of judicial orders, and has unilaterally reallocated federal funding including a $10 billion gift to the "Board of Peace" without congressional approval. • Republican-controlled Congress has "abdicated its constitutional role" by ceding legislative, fiscal, and oversight powers to the executive branch during 2025, while the administration undoes civil rights achievements and suppresses left-wing dissent.