Congress Stalemate Threatens DHS Funding Deadline
Congress remains at an impasse over negotiations to prevent a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as funding is set to expire on February 13. Senate Majority Leader John Thune criticized a list of ten demands from House and Senate Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, as unrealistic, while Republicans are pushing for cuts to funding for sanctuary cities. With only a week left to reach an agreement, some lawmakers are calling for President Donald Trump to intervene in the stalled discussions.
Census Bureau Cuts 2026 Field Test Size Amid Criticism
The U.S. Census Bureau announced significant cutbacks to the 2026 field test for the 2030 census, which will now involve approximately 155,000 households in Huntsville, Alabama, and Spartanburg, South Carolina, taking place from April to September. Critics warn that these reductions could undermine efforts to accurately count historically underrepresented populations, including poor, immigrant, rural, and minority communities. The test will include questions about U.S. citizenship status, amidst ongoing proposals from Republican lawmakers to exclude non-U.S. citizens from census counts used for congressional representation and federal funding.
US Job Openings Drop to Five-Year Low in December
U.S. job openings fell to 6.542 million in December, the lowest level in over five years, according to the Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. This decline of 386,000 from November's revised figure of 6.928 million coincided with a rise in weekly jobless claims, which increased by 22,000 to 231,000 for the week ending January 31, attributed in part to recent snowstorms. Despite these fluctuations, the labor market remains stable, with hiring rising by 172,000 positions to 5.293 million in December.
Texas anti-ESG law ruled unconstitutional by judge
U.S. District Judge Alan Albright ruled that Texas's 2021 anti-ESG law, which restricted state investments in companies boycotting the fossil fuel industry, is unconstitutional due to its vague definitions and violation of First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The judge's decision mandates that Texas cease enforcement of the law, which had already led to significant divestments from firms by major state investment funds.
US Inspector General to Audit FAA Training Program
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General announced it will audit the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic controller training program following a significant hiring campaign that resulted in about 600 new trainees. The review comes amid concerns over a failure rate exceeding 30% in fiscal year 2024 and will assess challenges such as instructor availability, facility capacity, and the need for curriculum updates. The FAA aims to hire at least 8,900 controllers by 2028 to address ongoing staffing shortages.
