Lobbying spending in Washington state has doubled since 2014 What’s it buying? In the last decade, money spent lobbying in Washington rose more steadily and dramatically than other U.S. state that tracks lobbying money — from around $41 million in 2014 to more than $90 million last year. Scott Greenstone Play AudioListen 5 mins
New senior staff announced as White House looks to 'right the ship' at the Pentagon The defense department has announced new senior level positions after recent firings and resignations. But with Pentagon head Pete Hegseth under fire for missteps, the way ahead is still unclear. Tom Bowman
Luigi Mangione's case marks a shift in politics of the death penalty in the U.S. Over the last half-century, the political leanings of the Supreme Court, Congress, and the presidency contributed to dramatically different approaches to the federal death penalty. Kristin Wright Play AudioListen 4 mins
Fired, rehired, and fired again: Some federal workers find they're suddenly uninsured Commerce Department employees caught up in a legal battle over their mass firings are now learning that their health care coverage was cut off weeks ago, even though they were paying their premiums. Andrea Hsu
The U.S. takes a step toward allowing mining on the ocean floor, a fragile ecosystem President Trump signed an order Thursday aimed at making it easier for companies to mine the ocean floor. Scientists and environmental groups say it could harm a fragile ecosystem. Julia Simon
They say they want Americans to have more babies. What's beneath the surface? Pronatalists believe that modern culture has failed to adequately prioritize the value of nuclear families and making lots of babies. They see powerful potential allies in Elon Musk and JD Vance. Lisa Hagen
What bills are graduating this legislative session, and what's flunking out? This week Sound Politics discusses what the legislature managed to pass this year, and what was left on the cutting-room floor. Oh yeah, and there’s also the little matter of the budget. Scott Greenstone Play AudioListen 28 mins
A developing political scandal in Florida has Gov. Ron DeSantis on the defensive A developing political scandal in Florida has put Gov. Ron DeSantis on the defensive. Republican lawmakers are investigating how $10 million in state money was diverted for use in a campaign. Greg Allen Play AudioListen 5 mins
How three key cabinet departments are functioning amid layoffs and cuts NPR correspondents recap how funding cuts, layoffs and leadership and policy changes in the second Trump administration are affecting the Departments of Defense, State and Health and Human Services. Selena Simmons-Duffin Play AudioListen 8 mins
More than 50 House Democrats demand answers after whistleblower report on DOGE Members of the Congressional Labor Caucus wrote the letter after NPR reported that a whistleblower says DOGE may have removed sensitive labor data and compromised the security of computer systems. Jenna McLaughlin
