Actor Javier Muñoz and drag performer Peppermint are urging Congress not to reduce HIV-related federal funding, warning lawmakers that proposed budget cuts could result in a return to the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s. The two activists visited Capitol Hill this week ahead of the House Appropriations Committee’s upcoming vote on the fiscal year 2026 funding bill.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage delivered a stark warning to the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, urging lawmakers to confront growing censorship laws in Britain that he claims threaten free expression across the Western world. Speaking before the House Judiciary Committee, Farage compared the United Kingdom to “North Korea” and called on the United States to pressure its ally to uphold shared values of liberty and free speech.
When Congress returns from its Labor Day recess, it will immediately face high-stakes decisions on Washington, D.C.’s future. At the center is President Donald Trump’s declaration of a state of emergency in the district on August 11—dubbed “Liberation Day”—which launched a sweeping law enforcement surge that has produced dramatic reductions in violent crime.
During an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) accused President Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) of trying to manipulate the upcoming 2026 midterm elections through mid-decade redistricting in Texas.
The House of Representatives is preparing to pass a rescissions bill that would eliminate approximately $9 billion in spending, including $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which supports NPR and PBS.
