Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for April 29, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

The Supreme Court significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act in a 6-3 decision with huge potential ramifications for the 2026 midterms. The decision this morning suggests that any consideration of race “represents a departure from the constitutional rule that applies in almost every other context,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion.

• Justice Elena Kagan called the Louisiana v. Callais decision the “latest chapter in the majority’s now-completed demolition of the Voting Rights Act” in a dissent, adding that states can “systematically dilute minority citizens’ voting power.”
• Donald Trump said he missed the ruling news because he’d “been with the astronauts” of Artemis II but encouraged states to redraw their maps.

SCOTUS also appears poised to approve Trump’s push to end temporary deportation protections for millions of immigrants fleeing dangerous conditions in their home countries.

THE HILL

After a LOT of drama, the House approved a procedural measure to advance a number of bills simultaneously today after a three-hour voting process. Included in the package: a renewal of a key section of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a budget bill funding ICE and CBP, a bill requiring parental permission before a school accommodates a child’s gender expression and a bill to sell ethanol fuel year-round.

• Several Republican holdouts flipped their votes after intense conversations on the floor. That division led to the farm bill being taken out of consideration until after a weeklong recess.

THE ADMINISTRATION

The war with Iran has cost taxpayers approximately $25 billion so far, the Pentagon’s top budget official, Jay Hurst, told the House Armed Services Committee this morning.

• That figure was met with bipartisan skepticism in the Senate, NOTUS’ Igor Bobic reports. Democrat Richard Blumenthal said Hurst was “lowballing it” and Republican Mike Rounds said the low number “surprises me.”

Pete Hegseth says the U.S. strike on an Iranian elementary school is still under investigation and avoided questions about how long the war will last.

An FDA review found that infant formula is safe, affirming the medical consensus despite skepticism from a growing “Make America Healthy Again” movement.

Jerome Powell said he will step down from his role as chair of the Federal Reserve at the end of his term next month — but said he plans to continue serving on the Fed’s board of governors while an inspector general probe into his handling of a renovation project at the central bank’s headquarters continues.

PRESENTED WITHOUT COMMENT

Thank you for reading! Today’s newsletter was produced by Kate Nocera 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.