State of play as deadline looms

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks to members of the media alongside fellow Republicans during a press conference following Republicans weekly policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 3, 2025. Nathan Howard | Reuters As congressional Democrats push to tie extending Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies to the government funding…

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Trump cartoon firing Powell Fed

U.S. President Donald Trump passes a document to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to fact-check the numbers during a tour of the Federal Reserve Board building, which is currently undergoing renovations, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 24, 2025. Kent Nishimura | Reuters President Donald Trump posted on Saturday a cartoon image depicting him firing Federal…

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Social Security’s retirement age language may change

Brothers91 | E+ | Getty Images Deciding when to claim Social Security retirement benefits is a big decision — and Congress is looking at changing the program’s wording to help people better understand their options. Understanding the trade-offs for claiming at different ages can be confusing, and some experts say the terms the agency currently…

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Federal government shutdown: What will happen

The U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. Win Mcnamee | Getty Images News | Getty Images A looming government shutdown could leave hundreds of thousands of federal employees without a paycheck and put key economic data — including the closely watched Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report — on ice. Congress has just four days left…

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