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House Committee Subpoenas Oracle Executives Over Escalating Veterans' Health Records Project Costs

House Committee Subpoenas Oracle Executives Over Escalating Veterans' Health Records Project Costs

The House Veterans' Affairs Committee has issued subpoenas to Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and CEO Mike Sicilia. This action follows a contentious hearing regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' electronic health records overhaul, which has seen its estimated cost nearly triple and its timeline extended. Originally projected to cost around $10 billion and be completed by 2028, the project is now expected to cost $27 billion and take an additional three years. Committee Chair Mike Bost (R-Ill.) stated that efforts to secure voluntary testimony from Oracle officials were unsuccessful, leading to the bipartisan vote for subpoenas. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed significant frustration over the project's ballooning expenses and delays, with Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisc.) calling it the "biggest boondoggle" in government. Oracle's software is central to this modernization effort, which began during President Trump's first term. Despite the VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence's assurance tha...
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House VA Committee Subpoenas Oracle Executives Over $27 Billion EHRM Contract Increase

House VA Committee Subpoenas Oracle Executives Over $27 Billion EHRM Contract Increase

The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs has unanimously voted to subpoena Oracle Chairman and Chief Technology Officer Larry Ellison and Oracle Health CEO Mike Sicilia. This action follows sharp bipartisan criticism regarding a nearly $17 billion increase to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) contract ceiling, raising it from approximately $10 billion to nearly $27 billion. Lawmakers expressed frustration over learning about this significant increase through news reports rather than directly from the VA or Oracle. Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., described the contract as the 'biggest boondoggle' he has ever seen. The subpoena was issued after Oracle declined to testify at a hearing providing an update on the EHRM program. Concerns were also raised about Oracle's 2022 commitment to deliver the EHR system without exceeding contracted costs and to fix performance issues at their own expense, a commitment VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence could not full...
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Education Department Risks $180 Million in Research Funds Expiring Under Trump Administration

Education Department Risks $180 Million in Research Funds Expiring Under Trump Administration

The U.S. Department of Education's research arm, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), is at risk of letting nearly $180 million of its annual budget expire by the end of September. This amount represents almost a quarter of the $768 million Congress approved for IES in 2025. As of August 26, IES had spent $587 million, leaving a significant sum to be spent in a short timeframe. This situation emerged from a court filing related to an ongoing lawsuit alleging that the department, along with the White House Office of Management and Budget, has illegally suppressed education research funding under President Trump, OMB Director Russell Vought, and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. IES Acting Director Matthew Soldner stated the agency intends to spend all appropriated funds in a timely manner, but spending such a large amount in 35 days is challenging, especially after IES lost over 160 of its 190 staffers in recent government-wide cutbacks.
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President Trump's Second Term Sees U.S. National Debt Exceed $40 Trillion Amid Fiscal Pressure

President Trump's Second Term Sees U.S. National Debt Exceed $40 Trillion Amid Fiscal Pressure

During the first 19 months of President Trump's second term, the U.S. national debt has surpassed $40 trillion. This increase occurred despite his initial promises to reduce the federal government's size and contain the budget deficit. Federal spending did not decline but instead increased, partly due to a six-month war with Iran that evolved into a costly war of attrition. Additionally, debt-servicing costs rose as yields on U.S. bonds reached nearly two-decade highs for some securities. Fiscal policy experts are warning that the United States is approaching a fiscal crisis, necessitating difficult decisions regarding tax increases or cuts to social programs like Social Security benefits. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget indicates that tax cuts enacted during President Trump's first term added $8.4 trillion to the debt, with an additional $4.7 trillion projected from tax and immigration laws passed in his second term, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
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Congress Delays Federal Hemp Ban, President Trump Urged to Sign Bill

Congress Delays Federal Hemp Ban, President Trump Urged to Sign Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill to delay the federal hemp ban until December 11. This legislation, which was included in a Continuing Resolution, now awaits President Trump’s signature. The ban, which would affect most hemp-derived THC products, was originally scheduled to take effect on November 12. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) announced that the House passed the Senate’s bipartisan bill, which incorporates her provision to delay the ban. This provision is based on the bipartisan Hemp Planting Predictability Act, which Senator Klobuchar introduced with Senator Rand Paul (R-KY). The Senate had previously rejected an attempt to remove the hemp ban delay from the bill.
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Argentina's Milei steps up Falklands sovereignty claims with oil sanctions

Argentina's Milei steps up Falklands sovereignty claims with oil sanctions

By Nicolás Misculin and Sarah Young BUENOS AIRES/LONDON, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Argentine President Javier Milei said he would sanction oil companies drilling in the Falkland Islands, stepping up the country's claims to sovereignty over the British overseas territory.
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Senator Welch and Representative Schneider Introduce BAD DEAL Act to Repeal Tariffs on Canadian Goods

Senator Welch and Representative Schneider Introduce BAD DEAL Act to Repeal Tariffs on Canadian Goods

U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), a member of the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, have partnered to introduce the Banning Antiquated Duties and Delivering Equitable American Levies (BAD DEAL) Act. This bicameral bill aims to repeal Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and refund all duties paid under this authority. The legislation directly targets the 50% tariffs that President Trump has implemented on Canada under Section 338. Senator Welch recently convened an event near the U.S.-Canada border in Jay, Vermont, bringing together small businesses, agricultural producers, and community leaders to voice their opposition to President Trump’s trade policies, which they argue are harming the economies of Vermont and other northern border states. Senator Welch emphasized that "Nobody wins a trade war" and that President Trump's policies are destructive to both American and Canadian interests. The event included various industry leaders, such as manufacturers...
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Trump Administration Condemned for Over 200 Extrajudicial Killings at Sea by Human Rights Groups

Trump Administration Condemned for Over 200 Extrajudicial Killings at Sea by Human Rights Groups

The Trump administration is facing renewed condemnation from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International USA and Human Rights Watch, for a year-long campaign of bombings at sea that has resulted in over 200 alleged extrajudicial killings. These strikes, primarily targeting boats suspected of drug smuggling in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, are deemed illegal under both international and U.S. law by Amanda Klasing, Amnesty International USA's national director for government relations. Despite mounting outrage and calls for accountability, the Republican-controlled Congress has not passed any war powers resolutions to halt the campaign. The ACLU and the Center for Constitutional Rights are suing the administration for its refusal to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request regarding a legal opinion from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) that purportedly justifies these strikes. Critics argue that the administration has failed to provide plausible le...
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Gloria Steinem lived to see a powerful backlash against her vision of feminism

Gloria Steinem lived to see a powerful backlash against her vision of feminism

It was the fight for abortion rights that launched Gloria Steinem into feminism
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Representative Maxwell Frost Introduces Bill to Prohibit Federal Funding for Homeless Detention Centers

Representative Maxwell Frost Introduces Bill to Prohibit Federal Funding for Homeless Detention Centers

U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost has introduced the "No Homeless Detention Centers Act," a bill designed to prevent the use of federal funding for facilities that detain homeless individuals or compel them into labor. This legislative effort comes in response to a growing trend of criminalizing homelessness, which Frost and his Democratic colleagues argue treats homelessness as a crime rather than a housing crisis. Frost highlighted laws like Florida's ban on public sleeping, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2024, as examples of policies that worsen the situation for those without housing. He noted that such policies have led to increased arrests in his district and other areas. The bill also addresses concerns raised by Eric Tars, legal director of the National Homelessness Law Center, who stated that some city-level ordinances, influenced by conservative think tanks, could lead to the creation of forced homeless camps, which he likens to detention centers.
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Mark Ruffalo Defended by Hannah Einbinder, Joel Coen and More Than 170 Jewish Figures After Paramount Accuses Him of Using ‘Antisemitic Tropes’ — R...

Mark Ruffalo Defended by Hannah Einbinder, Joel Coen and More Than 170 Jewish Figures After Paramount Accuses Him of Using ‘Antisemitic Tropes’ — R...

More than 170 Jewish figures from the entertainment industry and beyond have signed a letter in support of Mark Ruffalo over what it asserts is a “smear campaign” against the actor. Among those supporting the letter — which claims that Ruffalo has been the subject of “spurious charges of antisemitism” — are Joel Coen, Todd Hayes, […]
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House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to Vote on Subcommittee Assignments for Rep. Maggie Goodlander

House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to Vote on Subcommittee Assignments for Rep. Maggie Goodlander

The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, chaired by Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), is scheduled to vote on a resolution on September 2 to formally assign Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH) to specific subcommittees. Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) serves as the ranking member of the committee. As of August 31, no witnesses have been identified for the hearing, and no legislation is currently attached to the vote. Rep. Goodlander, who represents New Hampshire's 2nd District, began her service in the U.S. House in January 2025. Her background includes service as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and prior experience as a foreign policy advisor to the late Sen. John McCain. Additionally, she served as a law clerk for Chief Judge Merrick Garland and Justice Stephen Breyer after completing law school.