Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for May 20, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Donald Trump may not get his ballroom money after all: Senate Republicans are expected to strip security funding for the project from the reconciliation bill since it still lacks the votes. The revised bill text is set to come out soon, and votes on amendments are likely tomorrow.

The president is not happy with the chamber’s parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough. In a long Truth Social post this morning, he bashed her for being appointed by Barack Obama (she was appointed by Harry Reid when he was Senate majority leader) and again called for her replacement.

• Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the diatribe “concerning.”

Two officers who fought rioters on Jan. 6 have sued to block Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund.

• The suit seeks to reverse any transfers the Treasury has made to the DOJ to implement the fund, and to declare the administration’s conduct unconstitutional.

Some House members from both parties are trying to kill the fund, including through legislation if necessary, Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick said.

• “He likes voting against Trump. You know what happens with that? It doesn’t work out well,” Trump said today of Fitzpatrick.

During a committee hearing, Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin moved to subpoena acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and others about the fund. The motion was narrowly voted down.

• Raskin will also introduce the “No Taxpayer-Funded Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2026.”
• And in the Senate, Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen plans to introduce an amendment to the budget reconciliation bill to prevent child sex offenders and people who assaulted officers on Jan. 6 from receiving payouts.

THE ADMINISTRATION

The Justice Department brought charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro in the latest pressure campaign against the country.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the two chairs of a key panel whose recommendations determine what insurers must cover without additional charge.

The Pentagon could exhaust its Iran war funding by the end of the summer, House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole told Punchbowl, adding that the time to process supplemental money is “running out.”

THE HILL

An amended housing package cleared the House 396-13 despite some GOP grumblings. The chamber also canceled a planned Iran war powers vote over attendance issues.

Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Jared Moskowitz say if House candidate Maureen Galindo — a Texas Democrat who called for detaining American Zionists and former ICE officers — is elected, they would force an expulsion vote “every single day we are here.” Other local and national Democrats have also condemned her words.

THE STATES

South Carolina state senators will again vote on a state House-approved congressional map that would likely remove Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn from his district — despite already rejecting a White House-backed map last week that did the same.

DOOR’S OPEN

Thank you for reading! Today’s newsletter was produced by Kelly Poe, Brett Bachman and Andrew Burton. If you liked it, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please subscribe — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at finalnotus@notus.com.