July 3

Vance visits Mount Rushmore with South Dakota Gov. Rhoden ahead of the 2026 semiquincentennial

Vice President JD Vance stopped at Mount Rushmore on July 3, 2025, meeting with South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden to discuss planning for the United States Semiquincentennial—the nation's 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. The Semiquincentennial Commission, established by Congress in 2016, is coordinating events across the country; Mount Rushmore, administered by the National Park Service, is among the proposed sites for major federal celebrations.

CBO finds Big Beautiful Bill strips health coverage from 10 million Americans

The Congressional Budget Office released its official score of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, estimating it would cause 10.3 million Americans to lose health insurance coverage over the next decade. The CBO found the Medicaid cuts and ACA subsidy rollbacks drove the coverage losses, while the bill added approximately $3.3 trillion to the national debt. Senate Democrats used the score to mount procedural challenges under reconciliation rules.

A three-judge federal appeals panel upholds the block on Texas SB 4, ruling states cannot enforce their own immigration crimes

A divided three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a July 3, 2025, opinion affirming Judge Ezra preliminary injunction and holding that Texas SB4 is preempted by federal immigration law. The 2-1 majority cited Arizona v. United States and the federal government comprehensive INA enforcement scheme, noting that from May to November 2023, DHS removed or returned over 400,000 people at the southwest border -- evidence that the federal government was already actively exercising its exclusive enforcement authority. The dissenting judge argued the majority applied preemption too broadly. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton immediately announced he would seek en banc review before the full Fifth Circuit.

Federal judge blocks Trump asylum ban affecting 450,000 migrants

A federal judge issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Trump administration's asylum ban, which would have barred approximately 450,000 migrants from seeking asylum protections. The ruling found the ban exceeded executive authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The administration immediately signaled plans to appeal.

FEC Republicans block 29 campaign finance investigations

Republican members of the Federal Election Commission voted to block 29 investigations into approximately $100 million in alleged campaign finance violations, citing agency discretion. The blocked cases included complaints against Trump-aligned political committees and allied super PACs. Democratic commissioners condemned the action as partisan capture of a federal watchdog agency.

President controls a $12B crypto portfolio while setting policy

SEC and Treasury regulators declined to investigate or restrict President Trump's personal cryptocurrency holdings, estimated at $12 billion, while the administration simultaneously crafted federal crypto policy. Ethics watchdogs flagged the arrangement as a direct conflict of interest under the Emoluments Clause and existing federal ethics statutes. No formal divestiture or blind trust was established.