Episodes

  • Drive My Car — The Surface Transportation Bill

    Drive My Car — The Surface Transportation Bill
    Jun 5 2026
    Energy and transportation reporter Kelly Livingston joins host Peter Cohn to discuss the evolving surface transportation reauthorization bill. The sweeping measure (HR 8870), approved last month by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, must still navigate a thicket of floor and committee action in both chambers, and progress in the House could yet be upended by disputes over rail safety regulations, gasoline taxes and a first-ever national electric vehicle fee.
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    29 mins
  • Reconciliation 2.0

    Reconciliation 2.0
    May 15 2026
    CQ Budget newsletter author Aidan Quigley joins host Peter Cohn to discuss the Senate’s $72 billion budget reconciliation package as it winds its way through the legislative process. What will get attached? What will get cut? Will the extra funding for ballroom and other presidential security upgrades survive?
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    28 mins
  • "Hell Week"

    "Hell Week"
    May 1 2026
    CQ Roll Call House leadership reporter Valerie Yurk joins host Peter Cohn to discuss the chamber’s unforgiving workload ahead of next week's recess, the week that was — or wasn’t — when it comes to FISA, the farm bill, the budget resolution and Homeland Security spending, and what it all means for the rest of the 2026 agenda.
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    28 mins
  • The budget, appropriations and reconciliation

    The budget, appropriations and reconciliation
    Apr 27 2026
    Budget editor David Lerman joins host Jessica Wehrman to talk about the latest developments in the budget reconciliation process and whether the 10-week long Department of Homeland Security shutdown might finally be nearing an end.
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    29 mins
  • Artificial Intelligence

    Artificial Intelligence
    Mar 28 2026
    CQ Roll Call’s tech reporter Allison Mollenkamp joins host Jessica Wehrman for a deep dive into how the Trump administration and Congress hope to shape AI policy and what their priorities are moving forward.
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    29 mins
  • State of the Union retrospective

    State of the Union retrospective
    Feb 27 2026
    White House reporter John T. Bennett and Senate leadership reporter Savannah Behrmann join host Jessica Wehrman for a recap of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, the Democratic reaction to it, and what that speech portends for 2026 and beyond.
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    28 mins
  • STOCK Act, crypto and congressional ethics

    STOCK Act, crypto and congressional ethics
    Feb 6 2026
    In this episode of CQ and A, reporters Nina Heller and Mark Schoeff Jr. discuss the STOCK Act, cryptocurrency and whether lawmakers have the will to tighten their ethics provisions.
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    29 mins
  • The Appropriations Game

    The Appropriations Game
    Jan 23 2026
    Is the end of appropriations season in sight? CQ Roll Call budget editor David Lerman and budget reporter Aris Folley join this episode of CQ&A to talk about the final piece of fiscal 2026 appropriations and game out how it will play in the Senate
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    27 mins