Early Morning Political News: 4‑Minute Read
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Friday, July 24, 2026
Federal Level
House Passes New Resolution to End Iran War
The House voted 214 to 208 Thursday to approve a War Powers resolution directing President Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran, with four Republicans joining nearly all Democrats to advance the measure. The resolution is not legally binding, but it reflects growing bipartisan frustration in Congress over a war that has stretched nearly five months without formal congressional authorization. The Senate rejected a companion resolution the same day by a narrow 49 to 47 vote, keeping the military campaign intact for now. Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks said he is exploring legal options to force the administration to comply with the House’s earlier war powers votes. 1, 2
Jordan Refers Jack Smith to DOJ for Prosecution
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan sent a letter to the Justice Department Wednesday asking prosecutors to investigate former special counsel Jack Smith for allegedly lying to Congress about the scope of records he obtained on lawmakers during his investigation of President Trump. Jordan alleges Smith concealed that he received message content, not just phone metadata, from more than 40 lawmakers during his 2020 election probe. Smith’s attorneys say he testified truthfully about the phone records and that any message content came through the separate Presidential Records Act, calling the referral misleading. The dispute echoes a similar false-statements case against former FBI Director James Comey that a judge later dismissed. 3, 4
Cassidy Backs Trump’s CDC Pick Despite Hearing Flap
Senate Health Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy said Thursday he will vote to confirm Dr. Erica Schwarz as CDC director, reversing earlier doubts raised by her halting answers about whether she would stand up to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on vaccine policy. The committee’s scheduled vote was postponed after Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski was absent for a family emergency, leaving Schwarz needing at least one Democratic vote to advance without Murkowski present. Cassidy’s endorsement significantly improves her path to confirmation ahead of a rescheduled committee vote, though her rocky hearing performance last week has left some public health advocates skeptical of her independence. 5
California Sues Trump Over Disaster Grant Rules
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday that a coalition of 25 Democratic-led states is suing the Trump administration over new conditions tied to federal disaster preparedness grants. The lawsuit challenges rules requiring states to verify voters’ citizenship through a federal system, use hand-marked paper ballots, and assist federal immigration enforcement in exchange for keeping Homeland Security Grant Program funding, which helps states guard against terrorism and natural disasters. A federal judge in Rhode Island, a Trump appointee, rejected a similar funding threat earlier this year, calling it “unconscionable.” Bonta said this marks California’s 79th lawsuit against the current administration. 6
State Level
Judges Uphold Tennessee Map Splitting Memphis
A three-judge federal panel declined Thursday to block Tennessee’s new congressional map, which splits the state’s only majority-Black district in Memphis into three Republican-leaning districts ahead of the August 6 primary. The judges, including two Trump appointees, ruled that challengers lacked direct evidence Republicans were racially motivated rather than seeking a partisan advantage, writing that political motivations “readily explain the map’s dilutive effects.” Democratic Representative Steve Cohen, who has represented the Memphis-based seat for two decades, has already announced he will not seek reelection under the new lines. Voting rights advocates say the ruling will likely embolden other Republican-led states to redraw similar districts before November. 7
New Jersey Bans Surveillance Pricing at Grocery Stores
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed legislation Thursday banning surveillance pricing, a practice in which retailers use shoppers’ personal data to set individualized prices at the checkout. The law makes New Jersey among the first states to prohibit the practice at grocery stores, which consumer advocates say can raise costs for shoppers without their knowledge or consent. Sherrill said the measure builds on her administration’s broader push to lower everyday costs for state residents, following earlier energy and housing affordability measures she signed this year. 8
Minnesota AG Fights DHS Voter List Mandate
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Thursday that his office is challenging new federal disaster relief conditions requiring states to share voter registration lists with the Department of Homeland Security and alter how they administer elections. Ellison’s office called the requirements illegal and unconstitutional, joining a growing list of state challenges to the Trump administration’s efforts to tie unrelated federal funding to election policy changes. The dispute adds Minnesota to the coalition of states pushing back on similar terms attached to counterterrorism and disaster preparedness grants nationwide. 9
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Article Sources
1. NPR, “House approves resolution to end the war in Iran,” July 23, 2026.
https://www.npr.org/2026/07/23/nx-s1-5904515/congress-iran-war-powers-vote
2. US News & World Report, “US Senate Blocks Resolution Curbing Trump’s Iran War Powers,” July 23, 2026.
https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2026-07-23/us-senate-blocks-resolution-curbing-trumps-iran-war-powers
3. NBC News, “Rep. Jim Jordan formally asks DOJ to prosecute Jack Smith,” July 23, 2026.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/rep-jim-jordan-formally-asks-doj-prosecute-jack-smith-congressional-te-rcna588834
4. ABC News, “Jim Jordan issues criminal referral against former special counsel Jack Smith,” July 22-23, 2026.
https://abcnews.com/Politics/house-judiciary-committee-chairman-jim-jordan-issues-criminal/story?id=135006808
5. The Hill, “Cassidy will support CDC nominee, but attendance issues force vote postponement,” July 23, 2026.
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5986517-cassidy-endorses-cdc-nominee-schwartz/
6. CalMatters, “California sues Trump over emergency funding rules that pressure states on elections,” July 23, 2026.
https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/07/california-emergency-funding-trump-lawsuit/
7. ABC News, “Federal judges allow new Tennessee congressional map that splits majority-Black district in Memphis,” July 23, 2026.
https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/federal-judges-new-tennessee-congressional-map-splits-majority-135038517
8. ABC7 New York (WABC-TV), “NJ governor signs law to ban surveillance pricing to make groceries cheaper,” July 23, 2026.
https://abc7ny.com/videoClip/19564453/
9. Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, “July 23, 2026 Press Release,” July 23, 2026.
https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Communications/2026/07/23_Disaster-Relief.asp