John McCain's 'thumbs down' on repealing the Affordable Care Act stunned the Senate floor

Senator John McCain on fighting

"In the end, it matters less that you can fight. What you fight for is the real test."

Congress didn't renew temporary enhanced Affordable Care Act federal subsidies that expired at the end of 2025, a move that substantially raised ACA health insurance premiums.

The Senate's filibuster—a procedure that allows for unlimited debate—is not in the Constitution

In the United States Senate, the filibuster enables senators to delay or block legislation. Ending debate became possible in 1917 with a cloture rule requiring a two-thirds vote. In 1975, that was changed to 60 votes in most cases.

Which Senate seats are up for election, and how they are leaning

There are 14 Democratic and 21 Republican Senate seats up for grabs. See the Cook Political Report's continuously updated estimates on how they're leaning.

Madison initially opposed a bill of rights but embraced it for pragmatic reasons

James Madison initially argued that bills of rights were ineffective. However, a competitive House race against James Monroe and the need to win the support of anti-Federalists in ratifying the Constitution led him to support amendments in the First Congress.

The Government Accountability Office in 2005 concluded concierge medicine didn't threaten Medicare

This congressionally mandated analysis concluded that the number of concierge physicians nationwide was too small for concierge practices to undermine Medicare patients' access to affordable health care and it was "unlikely that the approach has contributed to widespread access problems." Medicare is the federal health insurance program for the aged and some disabled individuals.

Senate confirmations for presidential nominees have become increasingly partisan and delayed

The Senate now takes longer than ever to confirm presidential nominees, with partisan gridlock stalling even routine appointments. The average confirmation time has nearly tripled since the 1980s, leaving key government roles vacant for months.

Thousands of constitutional amendments have failed

Of nearly 12,000 proposed constitutional amendments, only 27 were ratified. This article highlights radical failed proposals that would have renamed the country, abolished the presidency, capped personal wealth, or fundamentally rewritten how American democracy works.

Trump's 2025 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' expanded access to health savings accounts

After the "One Big Beautiful Bill" took effect, Medicare users with bronze or catastrophic level health plans, as well as certain medical care membership models and telehealth users, became eligible for HSAs. Supporters of HSAs say expanding access to this savings program is more effective in alleviating high consumer costs than subsidizing healthcare plans or direct treatments.

How a skin cancerous growth shifted an initially skeptical President Reagan on the ozone crisis

While a 1985 Nature study revealing the Antarctic ozone hole jolted public concern, Reagan's administration was more focused on the Cold War than on environmental policy. His health scare and the market potential for developing alternatives to chlorofluorocarbons helped turn the tide, leading to the Montreal Protocol's unanimous ratification by a bipartisan Senate in 1988.

Donald Trump was impeached in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress

The House charged President Trump with pressuring Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden while withholding military aid. The Senate acquitted him in February 2020, with only one Republican voting to convict.

Presidents can veto laws—and Congress can override them

A president may veto legislation passed by Congress, but a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate can override it. For most presidents, only a small share of their vetoes have been successfully overturned.

A vast majority of Americans support term limits for Congress

In a 2023 poll, 87% of respondents said they supported imposing term limits on members of Congress. The overwhelming bipartisan backing makes term limits one of the most consistently popular political reforms in the United States.

A poll from May 2025 found that a majority of Americans oppose ending birthright citizenship

As legal challenges progressed, a May 2025 NPR/Ipsos poll showed fewer than one-third of Americans supported eliminating birthright citizenship, despite broader public backing for other immigration restrictions.

Thousands of state voting changes have been federally blocked since the Voting Rights Act

Since 1965, federal oversight has blocked thousands of state-level voting changes—including redistricting plans—by requiring approval for measures that could affect minority representation, a process scaled back by the Supreme Court in 2013.

Congress has unsuccessfully voted on war powers resolutions over Trump's military operations in Venezuela and Iran

After Trump ordered unilateral military operations in both Venezuela and Iran without congressional authorization, lawmakers from both parties introduced war powers resolutions to block further action. Each effort failed, with Republican majorities largely supporting the president.

A single 1803 Supreme Court case, Marbury v. Madison, gave courts the power to strike down acts of Congress.

President Andrew Johnson was mainly impeached for obstructing Reconstruction

In 1868, the House impeached Andrew Johnson for violating the Tenure of Office Act and obstructing congressional Reconstruction policies. Johnson was the first president ever to be impeached, surviving conviction and removal in the Senate by a single vote.

Term limits for Congress face a steep constitutional hurdle

Although polls show overwhelming support for congressional term limits, this would require a constitutional amendment. Since 1995, the Supreme Court has barred states from imposing their own limits, leaving only the difficult Article V amendment process as a path forward.

The Dodd-Frank Act increased banks' capital requirements and established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Marshall used deft political maneuvering to increase the court's power in Marbury v. Madison

This podcast explores how Chief Justice John Marshall avoided a direct clash with President Jefferson by denying William Marbury his commission—while simultaneously declaring that courts can strike down unconstitutional laws—cementing judicial review, and expanding the Supreme Court's authority.

The Senate must approve top presidential appointments

Under Article II of the Constitution, the United States Senate provides "advice and consent" on presidential nominees. This resource displays the outcome of every Cabinet nomination since Jimmy Carter's presidency and every Supreme Court nomination in US history.

Madison once lost an election because he refused to give voters free alcohol

After serving in Virginia's 1776 convention, James Madison lost a 1777 house of delegates race after refusing to bribe voters with liquor, which he believed violated republican principles.

Congress descended into fistfights, duels, and violence before the Civil War

In the decades before the Civil War, members of the United States Congress carried weapons, assaulted colleagues, and, in one case, a congressman killed another in a duel. The violence was driven largely by sectional conflict over slavery and foreshadowed the nation's descent into war.

Most Americans support age limits for justices, elected officials

As members of Congress and Supreme Court justices continue to serve at an average age far older than in the past, polls show a majority of Americans favor setting an age limit for these roles. Roughly 79% support caps for federal elected officials, and 74% favor such limits for Supreme Court justices. A constitutional amendment would be required.

Thomas Jefferson and John Marshall clashed over national power and states' rights

Distant cousins Jefferson and Marshall advanced opposing constitutional visions—Jefferson favoring states' rights and local majorities, while Marshall defended broad federal authority and judicial review. Through decisions such as McCulloch v. Maryland, Marshall advanced national supremacy over state resistance.

John Marshall inherited a marginal and largely inactive Supreme Court

By 1801, the court had little institutional authority or public standing. Its first three chief justices served only 11 years combined, and in its first decade, the court decided only 63 cases—none of which struck down a federal or state law.

Mexico admired Lincoln for opposing the war and supporting Mexican sovereignty

As a congressman, Abraham Lincoln condemned the Mexican-American War as unjust. Years later, as president, he backed Mexico’s fight against French occupation. His principled stance earned enduring respect and monuments across Mexico.

Watch a breakdown of tax breaks most Americans don't know about

Programs like healthcare savings accounts or flexible spending accounts are tax-free accounts that are designed to help lower healthcare costs. However, many Americans don't use them and don't understand how they work.

Why Congress doesn't have term limits

Eighty-seven percent of Americans want term limits for Congress. So why don't they exist? The Founders debated this in 1787 and chose not to include them, believing elections would be enough. In the 1990s, 23 states tried to make it happen—until the Supreme Court struck them all down in a 5-4 decision.

Understanding why Republicans have challenged funding for the NSF

Lack of Congressional support in funding the National Science Foundation has often been justified by the party's interest in cutting federal deficits and reducing waste for seemingly frivolous research projects. However, an analysis of NSF grant data from 1992 to 2018 shows that awards were given to Democratic constituencies at disproportionately higher rates than to Republican ones, despite a lack of evidence of partisanship in proposal reviews. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Congress is passing fewer laws than in previous decades

A Reuters analysis shows that legislative output in the US Congress has declined as polarization deepens, bipartisan cooperation erodes, and lawmakers rely more on sprawling, must-pass spending bills rather than regular lawmaking.

Breaking down the House races

All 435 voting seats in the US House are up for election, but less than 10% of them are competitive. See a breakdown of the races and which way they are leaning here.

In recent decades, Supreme Court nominations have grown increasingly contentious and partisan

This video examines the historical shift from bipartisan, civil confirmation hearings to the deeply divisive process seen today. It focuses on the 1987 nomination of Robert Bork, the most recent nominee to be rejected, as an important moment in this transformation.

A 1787 convention clash led to the creation of Congress’s two chambers

This article recounts debates on September 4, 1787, when delegates at the Constitutional Convention clashed over the balance of power between large and small states, driving the compromise that created the House and Senate.

The framers of the Constitution designed the amendment process to be difficult

Amending the Constitution requires substantial and widespread public support. Since 1879, more than 10,000 amendments have been proposed—many repeatedly—ranging from banning flag burning to repealing the income tax. This resource highlights some of the most notable failures.

A 2013 Supreme Court case weakened federal oversight of redistricting

In Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court struck down the Voting Rights Act's preclearance formula, reducing federal oversight of voting laws—including redistricting—and allowing changes to take effect without prior approval.

A 1960s effort came close to abolishing the Electoral College

This podcast episode examines the closest attempts in US history to eliminate the Electoral College, focusing on a major 1960s reform push—and why, despite broad support, it ultimately failed.

Republicans launched a mid-decade redistricting push in 2025

Beginning in Texas, Republican-controlled legislatures in Missouri, Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina moved to redraw maps before 2030—an uncommon mid-decade effort aimed at securing additional congressional seats.

A section condemning slavery was cut from the Declaration

Thomas Jefferson included a passage in his original draft denouncing slavery. This explainer from the Henry Ford Museum explores why Congress removed it to preserve colonial unity and how that decision shaped the nation's earliest political compromises.

James Madison wrote the first draft of the Bill of Rights

Madison drafted the initial set of constitutional amendments in 1789. The House approved 17 amendments; the Senate reduced them to 12; and 10 were ratified as the Bill of Rights. One rejected amendment was later ratified in 1992 as the 27th Amendment.

Congress often uses stopgap bills to keep the government running

When lawmakers fail to pass a full budget, they rely on continuing resolutions to fund the government temporarily. This guide explains how CRs are enacted, how they function, and why they disrupt normal operations.

A history of every US government shutdown

There have been 21 shutdowns of the federal government in US history, a result of Congress's failure to pass appropriations bills in time. While the cause of most of the shutdowns stems from issues around the national debt and budget, a few originated in fights over unrelated policies. Dive into the history of each one with this comprehensive list.

Congress's Wade-Davis Bill demanded harsher terms for Southern reentry

Passed in 1864, the Wade-Davis Bill required 50% of white male voters to swear loyalty and guarantee emancipation before readmission. Lincoln pocket-vetoed it, rejecting Congress's stricter approach.

JP Morgan Jr. once angered the nation with his zero-dollar tax bill

In the aftermath of the Great Depression, Congress learned that Morgan and his banking partners had avoided paying any federal income tax in 1931 and 1932. By claiming their losses in the stock market, they seemingly erased what they owed.

Donald Trump was impeached a second time for incitement of insurrection after Jan. 6

Following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, the House impeached Trump for inciting violence against the US government. The Senate acquitted him on Feb. 13, 2021. He is the only president who has been impeached twice.

Environmental regulation had bipartisan support in the 1970s

During the 1970s, Democrats and Republicans alike backed landmark environmental laws. Congress passed the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts with overwhelming bipartisan majorities—reflecting broad public agreement on protecting the environment.

3 states did not officially ratify the Bill of Rights until 1939

Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Georgia originally rejected or tabled the amendments in 1791. With Virginia's ratification already clearing the three-fourths threshold of adoption, there was no legal pressure to revisit it—until all three states acted symbolically on the 150th anniversary of Congressional approval of the amendments.

See who appointed the Supreme Court's 116 throughout its history.

Mississippi didn't officially ratify the Thirteenth Amendment banning slavery until 2013, nearly 150 years after it passed.