Appeals court rules Trump doesn’t have the authority to fire Copyright Office director

WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided appeals court ruled Wednesday that President Donald Trump doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally remove and replace the director of the U.S. Copyright Office. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit voted 2-1 to temporarily block Trump’s Republican administration from firing Shira Perlmutter as the register of copyrights, who advises Congress on copyright issues. Perlmutter claims Trump fired her in May because he disapproved of advice she gave to Congress in a report related to artificial intelligence.…

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From Director Vought to A-11 update, OMB minimizing GAO’s role

The Office of Management and Budget is making its feelings known about the Government Accountability Office publicly and in regulations. Russ Vought, OMB’s director, said yesterday that GAO, like other independent agencies, doesn’t have a place in overseeing the executive branch. “We are not big fans of GAO. They are a quasi-legislative independent entity. Again, something that shouldn’t exist,” Vought said during a speech at the National Conservatism Conference. Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Prior to the speech, OMB also made its stance about…

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With a possible government shutdown looming, contractors are looking for guidance

 Interview transcript: Terry Gerton Okay, so Congress is back, but limited number of work days before the end of the FY. So with the threat of government shutdown or continuing resolution, what are you advising to your stakeholders? Stephanie Kostro So, I love that you’re bringing this up so early in September, Terry, because the end of September will get here before you know it. And as you pointed out, days in which both the House and the Senate are in session, where they can actually get things out…

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Trump blocks $4.9B in foreign aid Congress OK’d, using maneuver last seen nearly 50 years ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has told House Speaker Mike Johnson that he won’t be spending $ 4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid, effectively cutting the budget without going through the legislative branch. Trump, who sent a letter to Johnson, R-La., on Thursday, is using what’s known as a pocket rescission — when a president submits a request to Congress to not spend approved funds toward the end of the fiscal year, so Congress cannot act on the request in a 45-day timeframe and the money goes unspent…

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Lawmaker calls for an independent review of cybersecurity in the U.S. courts system

After a high-profile hack, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is calling for an independent review of cybersecurity in the U.S. courts system. In a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts, Wyden said the federal Judiciary has fallen short in protecting its sensitive IT systems. He pointed to a recent intrusion of the courts’ case management system. Hackers reportedly took advantage of vulnerabilities that were brought to light five years ago, after a separate hack of the case management system. Wyden says Roberts should commission a National Academy of Sciences review of…

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Senate sets date for vote on 2026 defense policy bill

  The Senate will vote on its version of the 2026 defense policy bill on Sept. 2. The House has not yet scheduled a floor vote on its version of the National Defense Authorization Act, though the House Committee on Rules has set an Aug. 28 deadline for lawmakers to file NDAA amendments. The Senate bill authorizes nearly $ 925 billion for national defense, while the House version aligns with the White House’s $ 883 billion request. Congress has passed the NDAA every year for the past 64 years. (Senate…

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