Illinois’ pension crisis continues to deepen, with the state's unfunded pension liability reaching $143.7 billion, according to the latest report from the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA). This figure is $1.5 billion higher than last year and marks the second-highest total since 2020, when the liability hit $144.2 billion.
The Department of Education under President Joe Biden has directed more than $1 billion toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives since 2021, according to a report by watchdog group Parents Defending Education (PDE).
In a decisive move, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday endorsed the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a $884 billion package that significantly boosts military personnel pay while taking a stand against funding gender transition procedures for certain transgender children of military personnel.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is poised to challenge Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo over her reported rush to allocate the remaining CHIPS and Science Act funds before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. In a letter expected to be delivered Wednesday, Ernst calls Raimondo’s expedited spending plan “extremely concerning” and urges her to stop any “binge buying” of taxpayer dollars.
The United States announced on Tuesday that it has allocated $20 billion in funding for Ukraine, utilizing proceeds earned from frozen Russian assets. The funds are part of a larger $50 billion support package coordinated by the Group of Seven (G7) nations. This financial boost comes just 40 days before President Joe Biden is set to leave office, raising questions about the future of U.S. support for Ukraine under President-elect Donald Trump.
The Biden-Harris administration has awarded semiconductor giant Micron Technology up to $6.165 billion in direct funding through the CHIPS Incentives Program, aiming to significantly expand U.S. semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.
President-elect Donald Trump announced that prominent D.C. attorney Mark Paoletta will return to the White House as General Counsel of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under Director Russ Vought. Paoletta, known for his strategic legal prowess, will be instrumental in reversing the course of federal regulations, reducing spending, and implementing reforms recommended by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
A wildfire driven by fierce Santa Ana winds continues to burn in Malibu, just north of Pepperdine University, as 700 firefighters work to bring the flames under control.
