The Latest Breaking News from Senate Appropriations Committee

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Republican Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham went into the last month of California’s legislative session somewhat hopeful about prospects for his biggest bill.

On July 25, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson’s rulings in four lawsuits brought against public-sector unions in Minnesota. The lawsuits were consolidated into two cases. In each case, the plaintiffs sought damages for fees deducted…

WASHINGTON — The Senate Appropriations Committee’s new defense spending bill would add $4 billion to the Navy budget — money the Navy did not seek and much of which the Armed Services and House Appropriations panels did not approve — for warships built largely by the constituents of senior appropriators.

The Senate 2023 defense spending bill would boost the Navy budget for ships built largely by the constituents of senior appropriators.

A California bill related to the state’s 2022-2023 budget includes a proposed tax credit for union dues. Once implemented, the tax credit would be the first of its kind in the U.S. Union dues are currently tax-deductible in California and some other states. (A tax deduction lowers a person’s taxable…

WASHINGTON — Threats against the nation’s highest court are being taken seriously at the uppermost levels of government in the aftermath of this month’s leak of a draft Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

Renewed focus on threats to justices comes as calls to beef up lower court security funding have gone largely unheeded.

On May 12, the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a rule allowing states to make Medicaid payments to third parties, such as for union dues or benefits, on behalf of individual home care providers.

WASHINGTON — To many observers on Capitol Hill and in foreign aid circles, Sen. Rand Paul’s lonely opposition to swift passage of a $40 billion package of military, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine is nothing new. The Kentucky Republican has a well-known penchant for spending hawkishness mixed with dovishness…

The drama surrounding Sen. Rand Paul’s blocking of the Ukraine aid bill masks a divide over who will be the government spending watchdog.

On April 28, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued decisions in three cases we’re tracking related to public-sector union policy. In each case, the judges upheld the decision of the district court.