• In late March 2026, the South Carolina Senate passed heavily amended H. 3924, regulating rather than banning hemp-derived THC products like drinks and gummies.
• The bill restricts sales to those 21 and older, tightening safety standards to close 2018 Farm Bill loopholes on high-potency THC.
• Legislation now returns to the House for concurrence before the May 7, 2026, deadline.
• The U.S. Senate approved a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA operations, but excluding ICE and parts of Customs and Border Protection.
• The measure addresses impacts from the partial government shutdown, where over 480 TSA officers quit and absences hit 40% at some airports.
• President Trump announced plans to sign an executive order for immediate TSA agent payments, separate from the Senate bill.
• Senate passed a funding package by voice vote on March 27, 2026, covering most DHS operations except ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations, paving way to end partial shutdown before two-week recess.
• Package includes $20 million for body cameras on immigration agents, drawing from January negotiations, while Republicans eyed reconciliation for more immigration funding.
• Deal averts further disruptions amid Trump's unilateral TSA worker payments, with House potentially voting Friday; impacts $140 billion prior windfall for ICE and CBP.
The deal would mean TSA staff, who screen airport passengers, baggage and cargo, would start being paid for the first time since mid-FebruarySign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The Senate has ended a budget standoff that has forced thousands of airport security staff to work without pay and caused long delays at airports.Democrats held firm in our opposition that Donald Trump’s rogue and deadly militia should not get more funding without serious reforms.US markets saw their biggest slump since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran on Thursday as Donald Trump said the conflict’s impact on oil prices had not been as bad as he expected. The Dow closed 450 points down, while the S&P 500 dipped 1.7%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 2.3%, plunging into correction territory, which happens when an index falls at least 10% below its most recent peak. More here.The department of treasury announced that US paper currency will soon feature President Donald Trump’s signature to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary. The move marks the first time a sitting US president’s signature will appear on legal tender. To accommodate this change, the treasurer’s signature will be removed for the first time since 1861. More here.The Senate failed to achieve 60 votes needed to pass an amendment to the Save America act that would require voters to present photo ID to cast a ballot. The chamber voted 52-47, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed for it to pass. No Democrats voted for it. Earlier today, Trump urged Republicans to terminate the Senate filibuster.During a cabinet meeting today, Donald Trump said that Iran was letting 10 oil tankers through the strait of Hormuz as an apparent goodwill gesture in the supposed negotiations. He also repeated his earlier remarks that Iran is “begging to make a deal”.Donald Trump wants to renovate the White House’s treaty room, traditionally a meeting space for diplomats and statesman, into a guest bedroom with an en suite bathroom, according to the New York Times. Continue reading...
• The House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved five bipartisan bills on March 25, 2026, providing tax relief to natural disaster victims, sexual assault survivors, and pre-school teachers while enhancing IRS customer service and whistleblower protections.
• Key measures include the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act (H.R. 5366, passed 41-0) and the Supporting Early-childhood Educators’ Deductions Act (SEED Act, H.R. 5334, passed 43-0), allowing up to $350 annual deductions for classroom expenses for standard deduction filers.
• The IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959) strengthens protections for tax fraud informants; all bills received strong bipartisan support amid ongoing tax proposal discussions.
Higher blend has been prohibited in warm weather because of concerns it could worsen smogThe US Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday that it would temporarily allow widespread sales of a higher ethanol gas blend in a move that they hope will tamp down consumer prices that have soared since the Iran war began.The higher blend has been prohibited in warm weather because of concerns it could worsen smog. Continue reading...
• The FDA granted accelerated approval to a novel immunotherapy combination for metastatic pancreatic cancer on March 21, 2026, based on Phase 2 trial data showing a 35% response rate.
• The drug combination demonstrated a median overall survival of 14.2 months compared to 11.8 months with standard chemotherapy in the clinical trial of 280 patients.
• Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers with a five-year survival rate below 12%, making this approval potentially significant for the estimated 64,000 Americans diagnosed annually.
• The FDA approved the first RSV vaccine for infants via maternal immunization on March 18, 2026, allowing pregnant women to receive vaccination in the third trimester to confer passive immunity to newborns.
• The approval is based on a Phase 3 trial showing 82% efficacy in preventing severe RSV disease in infants under six months, with passive immunity lasting approximately three months post-birth.
• RSV causes approximately 100,000 hospitalizations and 300-400 deaths annually among US infants, making this vaccine potentially transformative for preventing severe respiratory illness in the most vulnerable population.
• UK Cabinet ministers confirmed agreement allowing US use of British bases for defensive operations to degrade Iranian missile sites attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
• The decision supports collective self-defense amid ongoing US-Israeli strikes against Iranian threats to regional shipping lanes critical for global oil supply.
• This bolsters US efforts in the fourth-week war, where Trump claims near-victory but deploys more forces, impacting oil prices and international alliances.
• The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery (HEAR) Act of 2025 on March 16, with the bill now awaiting President Trump's signature to become law.
• The legislation eliminates procedural legal defenses in Nazi-era art recovery claims, including acquisitive prescription, the act of state doctrine, and international comity, allowing foreign states to be subject to U.S. court jurisdiction for Nazi-looted art claims.
• Representative Laurel Lee stated the new version ensures claims "are evaluated on their merits—not dismissed because of technical legal barriers," expanding upon the 2016 predecessor legislation.
