On August 9, Vice President Pence laid out an ambitious plan to establish a “Space Force” by 2020 as the sixth branch of the U.S. military. The new branch would be the first since the Air Force was formed shortly after World War II. Pence stated: “The space environment has fundamentally changed in the last generation. What was once peaceful and uncontested is now crowded and adversarial. Today, other nations are seeking to disrupt our space-based systems and challenge American supremacy in space as never before.” Pence cited he pursuit of new space weapons by Russia, China, North Korea, and…

Ten Senate Republicans have introduced a bill designed to guarantee protections for patients with pre-existing conditions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The move is in response to a lawsuit brought by 20 States that are seeking to invalidate the law since Congress effectively ended the “individual mandate” that requires most Americans to have health insurance coverage or pay a fine. The U.S. Department of Justice has declined to defend the ACA in court and has called provisions of that prohibit discrimination based on pre-existing conditions unconstitutional. Oral arguments in Texas v. United States began in early September. The Republican…

On August 8, the Senate defeated a proposal to provide States with $250 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 to secure their voting systems. The 50-to-47 vote — on an amendment to H.R. 6147, an appropriations package — fell short of the number needed for adoption. Senator Bob Corker (TN-R) was the only Republican to support it. Democrats have been seeking to provide extra fund­ing for Election Assistance Commission grants to States. Congress previously provided $380 million for the grants in the FY 2018 omnibus appropriations bill, and Republi­cans have stated that they prefer to wait before providing more. They…

Senate Democrats and attorneys general from eight States and the District of Columbia have launched a campaign to block the availability online of computer models of firearms. These models can be used in conjunction with new 3D printing technology to manufacture guns and gun parts. Senators Ed Markey (MA-D), Richard Blumenthal (CT-D), and others have filed legislation to prohibit the publi­cation of a digital file online that allows a 3D printer to manufacture a firearm. A separate bill would require all guns to have at least one significant component made of metal. Lawmakers and the attorneys general are concerned that…