Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed a joint session of Congress on July 19, reaffirming the U.S.-Israel alliance, warning about the Iranian threat, and reiterating Israel’s independent judiciary amid controversy surrounding it. Before a packed crowd in the House chamber, where he got multiple standing ovations throughout, Mr. Herzog expressed gratitude for the United States’ support…

Commentary The U.S. Congress is waking up to the realization that the wishes and hopes of the China engagement crowd over the last several decades—that communist China would moderate its aggressive behavior over time as a natural result of massive foreign investment and trade incentives—have been a complete failure. That realization was jump-started by the…

Congressional leaders in the United States have invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address a joint meeting when he visits Washington on June 22 as the U.S. works to strengthen ties with India. In a letter on Friday, the Congressional leaders said the address would provide an opportunity for Modi to share his vision…

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is no longer the underrated quarterback of the House of Representatives. Despite being drafted in the 15th round and persistently ignored by President Joe Biden, the dogged Californian succeeded in compelling the president to negotiate, standing firm on red-line issues, and moving a debt ceiling bill through Congress despite holding…

Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) called for action to back up hawkish rhetoric on China from members of Congress, saying that the institution can’t just be “cranky” about the geopolitical threat. During an April 17 event at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based liberal think tank, Spanberger gave an example of how China presents a challenge to…

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) believes the sweeping energy bill passed by the House has a chance of becoming law despite the statement that it will be “dead on arrival” in the Senate by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and indications from the White House that President Joe Biden would veto the measure. The Lower…

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) broke with the Democrat party line by calling for future spending cuts along with an increase to the nation’s debt ceiling. “The American people have had enough of the accounting gimmicks and budgetary games that we play in Congress, and it’s got to stop,” Manchin said, decrying the $31.4 trillion national debt…

Members of Congress asked leaders in the U.S. Department of Defense to define the endgame for American involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war and expressed wariness of open-ended involvement, despite their strong support for the Ukrainian cause. The exchange took place at a meeting of the House Appropriations subcommittee on Defense on Feb. 28. Celeste Wallander,…

Defunct oil/gas wells and abandoned mines have long been lore-of-the-ore backstories in literally and figuratively shaping much of the landscape across the United States but, until recently, there was no comprehensive plan to plug these often hazardous sites. In fact, listing oil/gas wells and mines without liable owners was arduous because many pre-date environmental regulations,…

Defunct oil/gas wells and abandoned mines have long been lore-of-the-ore backstories in literally and figuratively shaping much of the United States’ landscape because, until recently, there was no comprehensive plan to plug these often hazardous sites. In fact, listing oil/gas wells and mines without liable owners was arduous, because many pre-date environmental regulations have no records…