lawmakers

In 2025, lawmakers and public-safety stakeholders expressed concerns that commercial drivers with limited English proficiency may pose increased road‑safety risks because they might have difficulty reading traffic signs and understanding local traffic laws.

When lawmakers or congressional members do not have subpoena power, letters requesting information function as voluntary requests and recipients are not legally obligated to comply with those requests.

A government shutdown can occur when lawmakers fail to reach and pass a funding agreement or continuing resolution before the statutory or appropriations deadline.

Members of both political parties in Congress have historically guarded access to classified national security information because control of governing power can change quickly.

During U.S. federal government shutdowns, lawmakers can use targeted or "à la carte" funding bills to continue benefits or operations for specific programs and beneficiaries while other parts of the government remain closed.

Dozens of pending proposals across multiple U.S. jurisdictions seek to ban masking by federal policing authorities in public places.

Federal executive actions during U.S. government shutdowns have included diverting previously appropriated Department of Defense research and development funds to continue military pay, an action that some lawmakers have characterized as potentially illegal.

A continuing resolution (CR) is a temporary funding measure that Congress can pass to keep federal government operations funded until a specified future date when regular appropriations are enacted.

A continuing resolution (CR) is a temporary extension of current federal funding levels intended to give lawmakers additional time to negotiate a longer-term spending bill for the next fiscal year.

Lawmakers and stakeholders commonly request disclosure of safety risk assessments and supporting data from aviation regulatory agencies when decisions are made that affect flight operations.

Widespread flight delays and cancellations can disrupt lawmakers' travel and thereby affect the timing and outcomes of legislative votes.

Under U.S. law, lawmakers may redraw electoral maps for partisan reasons, but redistricting that constitutes a racial gerrymander can be challenged and invalidated in court.