5 Things to Know About Hamas’ Terror Attack and Israel’s Declaration of War

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war against Hamas Saturday after the terrorist group launched missile strikes and an incursion, killing hundreds and taking hostages. On Sunday, the U.S. Navy began moving warships and aircraft closer to Israel following the Hamas attacks. Here are 5 things to know about the attack and its aftermath. 1. ‘This Is Our 9/11’ “This morning, on Shabbat and a holiday, Hamas invaded Israeli territory and murdered innocent citizens including children and the elderly,” Netanyahu said in a statement released to X (formerly Twitter) Saturday.…

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4 Key Things You Need to Know About Government Shutdowns

With the nation’s capital fixated on tense negotiations over funding the federal government, apocalyptic warnings over a possible shutdown are filling headlines. Time is “running short,” we’re in “crisis mode,” and the House and Senate are on a “collision course,” to quote just a few prominent news outlets.  But for the 99% of Americans who live far from the swamp, it’s not always clear how a government shutdown would affect day-to-day life. Here are some important points about how shutdowns work—and how Washington makes them worse. 1) Many Functions Continue Despite Shutdown Even…

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Junk Fees: Fees You’re Paying for That You May Not Even Know About

If you have a credit card or bank account, then you’ve probably had to pay junk fees. From credit card late fees to ATM fees, convenience fees to overdraft fees, U.S. banks and financial institutions are padding their profits with our money. Junk fees are surcharges that typically come as a surprise to consumers. In many cases, they appear at the end of the checkout process and their costs are not shown upfront.  Junk fees are squeezing the middle class on essential needs like housing, banking, and travel—and it’s time…

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8 Things to Know About Biden’s Fiscal 2024 Budget, From Bad to Worse

When discussing budgets, President Joe Biden often uses a quote that he attributes to his father: “Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget—and I’ll tell you what you value.” If the administration’s latest budget is any indication, Biden doesn’t value America’s future. 1) More Spending and Debt A president’s budget is a request to Congress and can be thought of as a wish list rather than an all-or-nothing demand. Administrations typically lay out an ambitious policy agenda that’s unlikely to happen. Incredibly, even the Biden administration’s wish…

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Get to Know Nikki: Nikki Haley Is Just as MAGA as the MAGA Right Wing

Today, former Trump administration Cabinet official Nikki Haley announced her run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. As she launches her campaign, Haley is talking about her personal background and attempting to distinguish herself from what promises to be a Republican field that is slanted to the far right.  But a look at the evidence suggests that Nikki Haley is just another MAGA hardliner masquerading as a mainstream Republican to try to appeal to more-moderate primary voters. Here’s a look at just three of Haley’s most defiant “just as MAGA”…

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Congressmen want to know what agencies are doing to ensure clean water across America

Best listening experience is on Chrome, Firefox or Safari. Subscribe to Federal Drive’s daily audio interviews on Apple Podcasts or PodcastOne. Two House Democrats are asking questions about agency efforts to ensure clean and safe drinking water across the country. Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) said the Department of Homeland Security and the Environmental Protection Agency are crucial to overseeing water and wastewater utilities. Now, they’re asking for a Government Accountability Office review of how DHS and EPA prioritize funding for utilities that are…

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