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government policy

Judge blocks Trump's use of obscure budget clause to cut grants

Illustration accompanying article: Judge blocks Trump's use of obscure budget clause to cut grants
  • A federal judge in Boston on Friday granted a summary judgment barring the Trump administration from using an obscure clause in federal regulations to justify billions of dollars in grant funding cuts.
  • U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled that the administration's interpretation of the termination clause was not clearly supported by the regulation's text, contradicted the regulatory scheme, and would violate the Spending Clause.
  • Twenty-three states filed the lawsuit last year, accusing the administration of using the clause to cut funding for programs covering crime prevention, food security, and scientific research.
  • Talwani also denied the government's motion to dismiss the case, making the summary judgment a final ruling on the matter.
 2026-07-17 · 3 MIN READ

Democrats competing to replace Platner face delicate task in Maine

Illustration accompanying article: Democrats competing to replace Platner face delicate task in Maine
  • Democratic candidates seeking to replace former nominee Graham Platner on Maine's U.S. Senate ballot are working to win over his progressive supporters while turning the campaign's focus toward Republican incumbent Susan Collins.
  • Candidates face a compressed timeline of less than three weeks, with the party using a process it has never employed before to select a nominee.
  • At their first debate Thursday night, candidates were asked: What was Graham Platner's best idea?
  • The race to replace Platner could determine control of the Senate.
 2026-07-17 · 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: NPR quiz returns with question on Pentagon screening for 'war fighters'