February’s big accomplishment: partial government funding—months late and still incomplete. This episode breaks down the most important provisions in the law, from war powers and foreign policy to domestic policies that affect your daily life, and evaluates what Congress actually delivered.
Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links
- Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal
- Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode)
- Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com
- Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney
- Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com
- Use your bank’s online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536.
Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish
Thank you for supporting truly independent media!
Contact Your Members of Congress: (202) 224-3121
Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes
CD255: Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs)
CD186: National Endowment for Democracy
CD152: Air Traffic Control Privatization.
CD129: The Impeachment of John Koskinen
Laws
Government Funding — H.R.7148 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026
Killing of Alex Pretti
“Analysing the Minneapolis shooting of Alex Pretti.” January 28, 2026. BBC News on YouTube.
Department of Defense
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026 — Explanatory Statement
Iran
“Pentagon seeks more than $200 billion in budget request for Iran war.” Noah Robertson et al. March 18, 2026. The Washington Post.
Israel
“Dozens of Palestinian journalists beaten, starved or raped, report alleges.” Lorenzo Tondo. February 19, 2026. The Guardian.
“Rights groups report widespread sexual violence against Palestinians in Israeli prisons.” Luc Bronner. January 20, 2026. Le Monde.
“Palestinians endure ‘systemic abuse’ in Israeli prisons, rights group says.” Sam Metz and Sam Mednick. January 20, 2026. AP News.
“Report: Abuse in Israeli jails caused deaths of more than 90 Palestinians.” Simon Speakman Cordall. November 19, 2025. Al Jazeera.
“Israel’s escalating use of torture against Palestinians in custody a preventable crime against humanity: UN experts.” August 5, 2024. United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
“Israel/OPT: Horrifying cases of torture and degrading treatment of Palestinian detainees amid spike in arbitrary arrests.” November 8, 2023. Amnesty International.
Ecuador
“US, Ecuador launch joint anti-drug strikes.” Dharvi Vaid. March 7, 2026. DW.
“US, Ecuador bomb drug trafficker camp near Colombia border, militaries say.” Jasper Ward and Alexandra Valencia. March 6, 2026. Reuters.
Littoral Combat Ships
“US Navy could escort vessels in Strait of Hormuz with international coalition, Bessent says.” March 12, 2026. Reuters.
“BAE Systems FY2025 Results Show Strong Profit and Backlog.” February 18, 2026. InsiderFinance.
“BAE Systems.” OpenSecrets.
“The Inside Story of How the Navy Spent Billions on the ‘Little Crappy Ship.’” Joaquin Sapien. September 7, 2023. ProPublica.
“The Pentagon Saw a Warship Boondoggle. Congress Saw Jobs.” Eric Lipton. February 4, 2023. The New York Times.
“Navy Issues Multiple Contracts Worth Up to $2.76B for East Coast Littoral Combat Ship Maintenance.” Mallory Shelbourne. August 13, 2021. USNI News.
E-7 Wedgetail Aircraft Program
“Following congressional rebuke, Air Force awards E-7 contracts.” Michael Marrow. March 13, 2026. Breaking Defense.
“FY26 defense bill boosts budget by $8B, largely bypassing last-minute $28B munitions request.” Valerie Insinna et al. January 20, 2026. Breaking Defense.
“E-7 Wedgetail Radar Jet The Pentagon Tried To Cancel Gets Over $1B In New Defense Bill.” Joseph Trevithick. January 20, 2026. TWZ.
“Air Force cancels E-7 Wedgetail, citing survivability and cost concerns.” Valerie Insinna. June 26, 2025. Breaking Defense.
“Background Briefing on FY 2026 Defense Budget.” June 26, 2025. U.S. Department of War.
“Boeing Co.” OpenSecrets.
National Endowment for Democracy
CD186: National Endowment for Democracy
“Damon Wilson, President and CEO.” National Endowment for Democracy.
“Board of Directors.” National Endowment for Democracy.
Cuba
“U.S. says Cuba is prohibited from taking Russian oil as two tankers head to island.” Sam Meredith. March 20, 2026. CNBC.
“Trump muses over ‘taking Cuba’ as island’s power grid collapses after weeks of US oil blockade.” Patrick Oppmann. March 17, 2026. CNN.
“‘I do believe I’ll have the honor of taking Cuba’: Trump says.” March 16, 2026. AP News.
Departments of Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education
Departments of Transportation and Housing & Urban Development
CD152: Air Traffic Control Privatization
Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles
“One person dead, another injured after UTV rollover crash in Stonewall.” Drew Mowrer. March 21, 2026. KXII.
“7-year-old dies after UTV rollover near Bennet; 9-year-old brother injured.” Tyra Tillman. January 20, 2026. KETV Omaha.
“Industry Profile: Misc Transport.” OpenSecrets.
“Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles.” U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“Congress Erects Hurdle for CPSC’s Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Rulemaking in 2016 Omnibus Bill.” December 22, 2015. Mintz.
“ROHVA Statement Regarding Consumer Product Safety Commission Vote on Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.” Recreational Off-highway Vehicle Association.
Gas Stoves
“Clearing the Air: Gas Stove Emissions and Direct Health Effects.” February 28, 2024. Environmental Health Perspectives 132(2).
“Fact Check: Amid reports of US gas stove ban, commission says any regulation would be a ‘lengthy process.’” January 11, 2023. Reuters.
“Health Effects from Gas Stove Pollution.” Brady Anne Seals and Andee Krasner. 2020. Rocky Mountain Institute, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Mothers Out Front, and Sierra Club.
Secret Campaign Contributions Protection
CD129: The Impeachment of John Koskinen
Pharmacy Benefit Managers
CD255: Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs)
“Federal PBM Reform Is Finally Law.” February 24, 2026. NFP.
“Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026: The New Landscape of PBM Fiduciary Oversight.” Saghi Fattahian and Lindsay M. Goodman. February 24, 2026. Moran Lewis.
“CAA 2026 Introduces New PBM Transparency and Reporting Requirements for Employer Health Plans.” Robert Trujillo. February 13, 2026. The Fedeli Group.
H.J.Res.142 – Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025
S.3424 – Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2025
S.269 – Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
S.3705 – Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act
Audio Sources
Current Readiness of the Joint Force
Senate Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
March 4, 2026
Witnesses:
- Admiral James W. Kilby, USN, Vice Chief of Naval Operations
- Diana C. Maurer, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, Government Accountability Office
Clips
56:35 Diana Maurer:
Over the course of several administrations, the military has overused and under maintained too many weapon systems for too long, and for years, the services have stretched to meet demanding operational needs with fewer people, older equipment and facilities, and a shrinking industrial base. At the same time, the department is all too often not realistically planned for how to sustain ships, aircraft, ground vehicles and other systems. And across the services, we found a lack of spare parts, maintainers, repair facilities, technical data training and other problems, and as a result, too many systems that taxpayers have spent billions to build and maintain are not mission capable.
1:30:45 Admiral James Kilby:
Sir, my ability to deliver amphibious maintenance has been challenged, and I’ve been very clear about that. And last year, when I testified, we were at 42% combat surge ready for our amphibious ships. This year, we’re at 53%. I don’t feel good about that.
Oversight Hearing – National Endowment for Democracy
House Appropriations Committee
February 24, 2026
Witness:
- Damon Wilson, President and CEO, National Endowment for Democracy
Clips
1:30:45 Damon Wilson:
So Nicaragua, after Venezuela and Cuba, it’s our third largest program in the Western Hemisphere, reflecting the nature of a pretty extreme repression from the Ortega-Murillo regime following their return to power.
Music
Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito
