Schedule

• U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, stated in an interview that the military campaign against Iran is 'ahead or on plan' amid ongoing strikes. • Israeli forces launched a wide-scale wave of strikes on Iranian terror regime infrastructure early Monday, with Iranian media reporting new airstrikes in Tehran. • Death toll exceeds 1,500 in Iran, 1,000 in Lebanon, 15 in Israel, and 13 U.S. military members, displacing millions in both countries.

• House Committee on Appropriations convenes multiple subcommittees on March 26, 2026, covering agriculture, homeland security, financial services, labor, health, and commerce. • Hearings include Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration at 10:00 AM in Rayburn HOB 2362-A. • Sessions address critical budget areas amid ongoing fiscal deliberations for federal agencies.

• 2026 NCAA Men's March Madness First Four games occurred on March 17-18 following team selections on March 15, with first round set for March 19-20. • Regionals include Oklahoma City, Portland, Tampa, and Philadelphia for early rounds; East Regional in Washington, D.C., Final Four April 4-6 in Indianapolis. • Tournament progresses to championship on April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium, drawing massive national attention.

• The House scheduled multiple environmental and natural resource bills for floor consideration under suspension of the rules during the week of March 16, 2026, including forest restoration and park management legislation. • Bills on the schedule include the Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act of 2025, Save Our Sequoias, the Chiricahua National Park Act, and the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Amendment Act. • The legislation also includes the DIGITAL Applications Act, the Small Cemetery Conveyance Act, and the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act, reflecting bipartisan work on diverse policy issues.

• A federal judge in Massachusetts ruled on Monday to block Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s recent changes to the nation's childhood vaccine schedule, following a lawsuit by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups. • The plaintiffs argued that Kennedy's alterations to vaccine recommendations and the influential vaccine advisory committee violated federal law, marking a significant setback to his health policy agenda. • This ruling highlights ongoing tensions between the Department of Health and Human Services and medical organizations over public health guidelines and federal compliance.

• The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear arguments over the Trump administration's effort to terminate temporary protected status (TPS) for migrants from Haiti, Syria, and other nations fleeing war and disasters. • Lower courts had blocked the end of protections allowing TPS holders to live and work legally in the U.S., prompting a Justice Department appeal. • The justices declined to immediately lift the protections, delaying action until hearings in coming weeks, following their prior ruling exposing 600,000 Venezuelans to deportation.

• Senate Republicans are preparing to vote on the SAVE America Act, President Trump's key priority for overhauling voting procedures, as Congress returns from recess. • The legislation aims to implement stricter voter ID requirements and other election integrity measures pushed by Trump. • The vote comes amid broader congressional challenges including the ongoing DHS shutdown and Middle East tensions, heightening political stakes.