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HR 1 Backers Haven’t Given Up on Senate Action

Proponents of HR 1, the sweeping Democratic overhaul of elections and ethics law, are not quite ready to give in to the insurmountable opposition that is Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

As the House debated and passed the bill along party lines last week, McConnell reiterated his plan to bury the bill in the Senate and declared doing so would be a campaign season winner for his side.

Democratic Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico nonetheless plans to introduce a very similar measure in the Senate on Wednesday and will seek to create a solid roster of Democratic co-sponsors. So much as a single GOP cosponsor is a decided long shot since business and conservative lobbying forces have put up a significant oppositional wall of their own.


"The thing that we've seen from the Republican leadership and the lobbyists and K Street is that they are completely against it from day one," Udall told Roll Call. "It's a real full-court press to stomp this out early."

Also hoping to slow McConnell's momentum is the editorial board of The New York Times, which excoriated the majority leader for an intransigence that "leaves Republicans in the peculiar position of arguing that weeding out corruption, reducing the influence of special interests and protecting voting rights are inherently Democratic values."

The House bill "is arguably a grand values statement more than a practical legislative blueprint. Not even its most fervent supporters expect it to go anywhere without considerable adjustment," the Times said. "The public is increasingly hungry for reform, thanks in part to the continuing outrages of President Trump. Mr. McConnell may turn out to be right that the issue will cause lawmakers pain in the coming elections — just not in the way he expects."

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Similarity Hub Shows >700 Instances of Cross-Partisan Common Ground

Two coloured pencils one red and one blue drawing a reef knot on a white paper background.

Getty Images, David Malan

Similarity Hub Shows >700 Instances of Cross-Partisan Common Ground

It is a common refrain to say that Americans need to find common ground across the political spectrum.

Over the past year, AllSides and More Like US found >700 instances of common ground on political topics, revealed in Similarity Hub. It highlights public opinion data from Gallup, Pew Research, YouGov, and many other reputable polling firms.

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U.S. Refines Military Strategy in Africa As Development Programs Face Cuts

Royal Moroccan Armed Forces service members and U.S. Army Soldiers hold an African Lion banner during a Moroccan F-16 flyover at the closing day of African Lion 2025 (AL25) at Tantan, Morocco, May 23, 2025.

By Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Mallett/U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

U.S. Refines Military Strategy in Africa As Development Programs Face Cuts

WASHINGTON – Both the Trump administration and its critics agree the U.S. risks losing influence in Africa to rivals like China and Russia. But while the administration argues its commercially driven foreign policy will reverse the trend, critics warn that retreating from development and diplomacy could deepen the problem.

Under the Trump administration, the U.S. plans to consolidate embassies, scale back USAID operations, and pivot towards a security and commercial driven approach on the continent. While U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) defense officials insist their core missions within Africa will remain intact, civilian experts and lawmakers argue that abandoning diplomatic and development tools opens the door for strategic competitors to fill the void and fails to take into account what would best benefit African countries.

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