Latest News from The Hill

GOP circles see Rubio gaining ground on Vance with Trump

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 11:12 pm

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is gaining traction inside Republican circles amid growing chatter about who could emerge as the leading contender in the 2028 presidential race. A poll out this week showed him outperforming Vice President Vance in a 2028 potential match-up. A week earlier, Rubio delivered a well-received appearance at the White House...

House unanimously passes resolution urging Trump to secure release of detainees in China

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 10:58 pm

The House on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution urging President Trump to push to secure the release of five people detained in China. The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), passed the lower chamber by a vote of 414-0. It states that Trump “should prioritize securing the release of Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu...

Administration threatens to withhold Medicaid funding over fraud prosecutions

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 10:54 pm

Presented by Lilly {beacon}   Health Care Health Care PRESENTED BY The Big Story Administration threatens to withhold Medicaid funding over fraud prosecutions The Trump administration is escalating its fight against alleged fraud by withholding $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to California over hospice care. © AP Vice President JD Vance threatened to suspend federal funding to...

House passes bill for year-round E15 ethanol fuel sales, splitting Republicans

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 10:47 pm

The House on Wednesday passed a bill to codify year-round sales of E15 ethanol fuel, a major win for members from corn-producing states but one that drew fierce opposition from other Republicans.  The vote was 218-203, with 122 Republicans, 95 Democrats and 1 independent voting in favor, and 90 Republicans and 113 Democrats opposing the...

Congress confronts new questions about US stockpiles, Iran firepower

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 10:38 pm

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s appearance before House and Senate appropriators on Tuesday hasn’t settled the debate in Congress over two mounting questions about the Iran war: whether U.S. stockpiles are dangerously low and how much firepower Tehran maintains. Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday remained dubious of Hegseth’s claims that the U.S. military’s weapons stockpiles remain strong...

Scott Bessent hails John Fetterman vote for Trump's new Fed chief

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 10:32 pm

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered indirect praise for Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on Wednesday after the centrist Democrat broke party lines on a vote confirming Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve chair. Bessent hailed Republican senators and Fetterman for putting “country before political ideology” in a post on the social platform X following the...

Kemp calls for redistricting special session to redraw 2028 maps in Georgia

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 10:30 pm

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) on Wednesday called for a special legislative session for lawmakers to redraw the state's maps ahead of the 2028 elections. Kemp's proclamation called on lawmakers to reconvene on June 17 to "consider enacting, revising, repealing, or amending general law for the division of the State into appropriate districts" following the...

CDC not requiring hantavirus cruise passengers to isolate at home

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 10:26 pm

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday that the hantavirus remains a low public health risk and while the agency is "encouraging" American passengers of the infected cruise ship to isolate at home, the absence of a formal quarantine order means these individuals can go out in public if they choose....

Trump gets his new Fed chief

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 10:17 pm

Welcome to The Hill's Business & Economy newsletter {beacon} Business & Economy Business & Economy   The Big Story Kevin Warsh confirmed as Federal Reserve chair The Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve, setting the stage for new leadership at the...

Rand Paul's son apologizes for allegedly hurling antisemitic attacks at Lawler at Capitol Hill bar

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 9:59 pm

Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) son apologized on Wednesday after he reportedly slung antisemitic attacks at Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) at a bar in the Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Capitol Hill. “Last night, I had too much to drink and said some things that don’t represent who I really am,” William Paul wrote on Wednesday on...

Time running out for Senate crypto deal

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 9:18 pm

{beacon} Technology Technology The Big Story  Senate crypto talks go down to the wire before key test Senators are racing to reach an agreement on a cryptocurrency regulation bill before it faces a key hurdle in the upper chamber.  © Greg Nash The Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to vote Thursday on a bill meant...

Why do germs, diseases spread on cruises?

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 9:18 pm

The apparent recent surge in sicknesses aboard cruise liners prompts the question: Are cruises breeding grounds for disease?

California assessing whether any laws broken in World Cup ticket sales process 

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 9:09 pm

The California Attorney General’s Office is investigating whether FIFA's ticketing practices for upcoming World Cup games in the state violated California law. In a letter to FIFA’s chief legal officer on Wednesday, state Attorney General Rob Bonta raised concerns about reports that the sports organization sold tickets for seating zones that were later changed after...

Bipartisan senators warn against 'unilateral changes' to Taiwan policy

By: The Hill

Published on: May 13, 2026, 8:59 pm

A bipartisan group of senators have advised against “unilateral changes” in American policy toward Taiwan, with President Trump on a visit to China this week. In a Tuesday letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the senators said they were writing “to reaffirm congressional support for the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and our firm...