The U.S. Department of Justice can appoint special prosecutors to assist in conducting investigations.
November 20, 2025
high
procedural
Describes a standard DOJ investigative mechanism used to allocate prosecutorial resources or independence for particular matters.
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence oversees U.S. intelligence entities such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and regularly receives classified briefings on matters of national security.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the oversight responsibilities and briefing practices of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
In the United States federal legislative process, a bill approved by the House of Representatives must also be passed by the Senate and then be presented to the President to become law.
November 18, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the procedural steps required for a bill to become law in the U.S. federal system.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a U.S. Representative from New York and is a member of the Democratic Party.
November 18, 2025
high
temporal
Elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing New York (party affiliation).
As of 2025-11-18, neither the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) nor the Muslim Brotherhood were designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.
November 18, 2025
high
legal/status
States the U.S. government's designation status for the named organizations.
As of 2025-11-17, Eric Adams was the Mayor of New York City.
November 17, 2025
high
temporal
Civic office holder
A discharge petition is a procedural mechanism in the U.S. House of Representatives that can be used to force a floor vote on a bill.
November 17, 2025
high
procedural
Describes a House rule used to bring a bill to the floor without leadership approval.
A majority in the 435-member U.S. House of Representatives is 218 votes, which is the threshold required for a successful discharge petition.
November 17, 2025
high
structural
Defines the numerical threshold for a majority and for successful use of a discharge petition in the current-size House.
Marjorie Taylor Greene is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of Georgia.
November 15, 2025
high
descriptive
Current elected-office status of the named individual
In Georgia, when a prosecutor recuses themselves or is removed from a case, the executive director of the nonpartisan Prosecuting Attorneys' Council is responsible for appointing a substitute prosecutor.
November 15, 2025
high
procedural
Describes the statutory or established procedure in Georgia for replacing a prosecutor on a case.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offers a mobile application referred to in the article as the "CBP Home" app.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Named CBP mobile application referenced as a channel for accessing CBP information/services.
Jerry Nadler is a Democratic U.S. Representative who has served 17 terms representing New York's 12th Congressional District.
November 11, 2025
high
temporal
Tenure length of the Congressman serving New York's 12th District.
As of 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice reported that violent crime in Washington, D.C., was at a 30-year low.
November 10, 2025
high
statistical
Reported characterization of Washington, D.C. violent crime levels by the U.S. Department of Justice.
In 2025, the West Virginia Citizen Action Group asserted that West Virginia law limits the governor's authority to deploy the state National Guard out of state to specific purposes such as responding to a natural disaster or another state's emergency request.
November 10, 2025
medium
legal
Stated legal interpretation by a civic organization regarding conditions under which the West Virginia governor may authorize out-of-state National Guard deployments.
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.
November 07, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the legal effect of oversight letters issued without subpoena authority.
Nancy Pelosi is the only woman to have served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Historical leadership milestone in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Winsome Earle-Sears held the office of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Office held by Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia state government.
Use of U.S. military force abroad without explicit authorization from the U.S. Congress commonly raises legal and oversight questions among U.S. lawmakers.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Congressional authorization is a central element of U.S. legal and oversight frameworks governing the use of military force.
The Georgia Public Service Commission is a five-member state public utility regulatory body.
November 05, 2025
high
structural
Describes the institutional composition and role of Georgia's statewide public utility regulator.
The Onondaga County Legislature is the legislative body that governs Onondaga County, New York, which includes the city of Syracuse.
November 05, 2025
high
structural
Identifies the county legislative body and its inclusion of Syracuse within its jurisdiction.
Lina Khan served as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission during the Biden administration.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Professional role in U.S. federal government
As of 2025, Virginia had around 320,000 federal workers and hundreds of thousands of federal contractors.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of federal employment and contracting in the state of Virginia.
Virginia governors are limited to a single four-year term.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
State constitutional term limit for the office of governor in Virginia.
New Jersey schedules its gubernatorial elections in odd-numbered years.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Structural detail about the timing of New Jersey's gubernatorial elections.
In Miami mayoral elections, if no candidate receives 50% or more of the votes in the initial election, the top two candidates advance to a runoff election.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the municipal runoff rule used to determine the winner when no candidate achieves a majority.
Emilio González served as a bilingual surrogate for Donald Trump's presidential campaign, worked on Trump's presidential transition team, and was later named a senior fellow at the America First Policy Institute.
November 04, 2025
high
temporal
Career and political-affiliation background for a mayoral candidate.
In the United States, congressional redistricting is typically conducted once every ten years following the decennial U.S. Census.
November 03, 2025
high
general
Describes the regular timing of redistricting in the U.S.
California uses a voter-established independent redistricting commission to draw congressional district maps after the decennial U.S. Census.
November 03, 2025
high
general
Describes California's institutional approach to drawing congressional maps.
Justices on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court serve 10-year terms.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Length of term for Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices.
Pennsylvania imposes a mandatory judicial retirement age of 75 for its state supreme court justices.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Age-based mandatory retirement rule for Pennsylvania state supreme court justices.
Pennsylvania uses retention elections for state Supreme Court justices, in which voters decide whether to award sitting justices another term.
November 03, 2025
high
procedural
Method by which Pennsylvania voters confirm incumbent supreme court justices for additional terms.
Pennsylvania law requires an automatic recount for statewide races when the vote margin is 0.5 percentage points or less.
November 03, 2025
high
procedural
Threshold and procedure for automatic recounts in Pennsylvania statewide elections.
The New Jersey General Assembly consists of 80 seats.
November 03, 2025
high
temporal
Structural description of New Jersey's lower legislative chamber
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) maintains a contingency fund intended for emergency uses such as responding to natural disasters, and that contingency fund can be used to cover program costs in emergencies.
October 31, 2025
high
organizational
Describes the purpose and use of USDA's contingency funding.
The Federal Protective Service is the agency that provides security for federal buildings.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the federal agency responsible for security of federal facilities.
U.S. federal law sets conditions under which the military, including the National Guard, may be used domestically; one statutory condition is that civil authorities are unable to enforce the law with regular forces.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Describes a legal criterion for domestic deployment of military forces.
U.S. federal law also authorizes domestic use of the military, including the National Guard, when there is a rebellion or a recognized danger of rebellion.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Describes another statutory basis for domestic military deployment.
Tennessee law specifies categories of witnesses entitled to be present at executions and includes a provision for seven members of the news media.
October 29, 2025
high
legal
State statute governing capital punishment witness categories.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is an investigative component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
October 28, 2025
high
descriptive
Organizational relationship within U.S. federal law enforcement.
Under those local rules, government employees, including Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security personnel, who make statements that have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing a criminal prosecution may be subject to sanctions.
October 28, 2025
high
legal
Sanctions exposure for government employees who make prejudicial extrajudicial statements in criminal matters under Middle District of Tennessee local rules.
Argentina's national legislature is bicameral, consisting of an upper chamber called the Senate and a lower chamber called the Chamber of Deputies.
October 27, 2025
high
structural
Basic structure of Argentina's federal legislative branch.
The Register of Copyrights is the head of the U.S. Copyright Office, which is housed within the Library of Congress and serves as an adviser to the United States Congress on copyright-related matters.
October 27, 2025
high
structural
Describes the institutional placement and advisory role of the Register of Copyrights within the U.S. federal system.
Hakeem Jeffries is the House Minority Leader and serves as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York.
October 24, 2025
high
general
Describes an elected official's leadership role and party affiliation.
The White House complex includes two subsidiary structures—the East Wing and the West Wing—that are smaller and lower than the main Executive Residence, contributing to the overall classical design balance of the White House.
October 23, 2025
high
architectural
The East and West Wings are distinct, lower additions flanking the main Executive Residence.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees SNAP, and federal control of benefit administration can limit states' ability to independently issue or fund SNAP benefits.
October 23, 2025
high
administrative
Explains administrative oversight and its implications for state actions related to SNAP.
Coast Guard Island is owned by the federal government and is not open to the general public; escorts or specific government identification cards are required for visitors.
October 23, 2025
high
operational
Access to the federal Coast Guard base on Coast Guard Island is restricted and controlled.
Under North Carolina state law, the governor does not have authority to veto legislative redistricting maps.
October 22, 2025
high
legal
Statutory limitation on the governor's veto power specific to legislative redistricting in North Carolina.
Air traffic controllers in the United States are federal employees employed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
Employment relationship between air traffic controllers and the federal agency that oversees the National Airspace System.
Government shutdowns can cause federal employees to work without pay and can strain operations of essential federal services, which can produce staffing shortages in agencies that operate critical transportation infrastructure and contribute to travel delays.
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
General effects of federal government funding lapses on essential public-service operations.
U.S. congressional rules bar lawmakers from making political statements or solicitations on United States Capitol grounds.
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
Ethics and facility-use rules restrict political campaigning and solicitations on Capitol property.
Chuck Schumer is the Senate Minority Leader in the U.S. Senate.
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
Leadership position in the Democratic caucus of the U.S. Senate.
Hakeem Jeffries is the House Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Political leadership position in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Individuals subpoenaed by congressional committees can invoke the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to decline to answer questions.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Legal principle governing testimony before congressional investigations.
Thomas Massie is a U.S. Representative from Kentucky who has served seven terms in the House of Representatives.
October 20, 2025
high
biographical
Incumbent congressional tenure.
The White House East Wing serves as the official entrance to the White House and is designated as space for the First Lady.
October 20, 2025
high
institutional
Describes the functional role and designated use of the White House East Wing.
AUKUS is a trilateral security agreement between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom that includes cooperation to enhance Australia's submarine force, under which the United States agreed to sell up to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia with deliveries scheduled as soon as 2032 and the United Kingdom and Australia to collaborate on building additional attack submarines.
October 20, 2025
high
policy
Summarizes core elements of the AUKUS agreement related to submarine sales and cooperative submarine construction.
COGAT is an Israeli government agency that handles affairs in the Palestinian territories.
October 19, 2025
high
organizational
COGAT manages coordination and administrative interactions between the Israeli government and the Palestinian territories.
Federal government shutdowns can result in furloughs of human resources personnel, which prevents federal employees from accessing HR services such as health-care enrollment and other personnel paperwork.
October 16, 2025
high
administrative
Operational effect of federal funding lapses on personnel administration and employee access to HR services.
Labor unions can pursue judicial injunctions to halt federal workforce layoffs during government shutdowns by arguing that such layoffs are unlawful or constitute politically driven reductions in force.
October 16, 2025
high
legal
Legal recourse available to unions representing federal employees facing layoffs during funding gaps.
Governments can transfer unobligated or unused funds from other budget accounts, such as research appropriations, to cover payroll obligations during funding gaps or shutdowns.
October 16, 2025
high
financial
Budgetary maneuver used to ensure payroll continuity when regular appropriations are unavailable.
The National Capital Planning Commission has statutory responsibility for the planning and siting of monuments, memorials, and statues in Washington, D.C., and proposed monuments must undergo the commission's review and approval process under federal law.
October 16, 2025
high
institutional
Authority and review process for monuments and memorials in the U.S. capital.
U.S. presidents and first families commonly undertake design and construction changes to the White House to leave a personal imprint on the presidential residence.
October 16, 2025
high
political
General pattern of presidential modifications to the White House over time.
Hakeem Jeffries is the U.S. House Minority Leader and represents a congressional district that includes part of Brooklyn.
October 16, 2025
high
role
Describes Jeffries' congressional leadership position and the area he represents.
Some U.S. cities and states have replaced observance of Columbus Day with observance of Indigenous Peoples Day.
October 13, 2025
high
descriptive
Local and state jurisdictions have adopted Indigenous Peoples Day in place of Columbus Day as an official observance.
Jack Ciattarelli previously served as a New Jersey state lawmaker.
October 13, 2025
high
biographical
Prior elected-office experience of a New Jersey political candidate.
SpaceX's Falcon rockets are used to transport astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station for NASA.
October 13, 2025
high
descriptive
Established operational role of SpaceX Falcon launch vehicles
Mike Johnson is the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and is a Republican from Louisiana.
October 13, 2025
high
temporal
Biographical and office-holding information about a U.S. congressional leader.
The Knesset is the national legislature of Israel (Israel's parliament).
October 13, 2025
high
temporal
Institutional description of Israel's legislative body.
The Knesset is the national parliament of Israel.
October 12, 2025
high
definition
Name of Israel's legislative body
The U.S. Department of the Interior employs approximately 70,000 individuals.
October 10, 2025
high
statistical
Size of the federal department's workforce
The Department of the Interior comprises agencies and offices including the Office of the Secretary, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management.
October 10, 2025
high
organizational
Major components within the Department of the Interior
The Speech or Debate Clause of the United States Constitution protects certain legislative acts and core legislative activities from interference by the executive branch.
October 09, 2025
high
legal
The Speech or Debate Clause provides legislative immunity for core legislative functions to preserve separation of powers.
The President of the United States can federalize state National Guard units, thereby placing them under federal control.
October 09, 2025
high
procedural
General process for transferring National Guard forces from state to federal authority.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) have overlapping technological and customer-service goals.
October 07, 2025
high
organizational
General observation about shared operational priorities between two federal agencies.
A lapse in federal appropriations (a government shutdown) can result in military personnel working without pay and some federal employees being furloughed.
October 05, 2025
high
process
Operational and personnel effects that commonly occur during federal government funding lapses.
A continuing resolution (CR) is a short-term funding measure used to keep the federal government open temporarily while Congress completes the appropriations process.
October 05, 2025
high
procedural
Explains the purpose and use of continuing resolutions in federal budgeting.
U.S. federal law establishes statutory conditions that must be met before the military can be used for domestic operations, including conditions related to whether regular law enforcement forces are able to enforce the law.
October 01, 2025
high
legal
Describes the legal framework governing domestic use of military forces in the United States.
The U.S. federal fiscal year 2026 began on 2025-10-01.
October 01, 2025
high
temporal
Start date for the U.S. federal fiscal year 2026.
From January–September 2024, the U.S. State Department spent $306 million on foreign and domestic travel; from January–September 2025, the U.S. State Department spent $212 million on foreign and domestic travel.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Year-to-date travel spending comparison across two calendar years for the U.S. State Department.
Domestic travel spending at the U.S. State Department decreased by about $37 million between January–September 2024 and January–September 2025, with conference attendance accounting for nearly $7 million of that decrease, site visits and consultations within the U.S. decreasing by around $14 million, and domestic special mission travel down around $5.5 million.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Breakdown of components contributing to the year-to-date decline in domestic travel spending at the U.S. State Department.
Overseas travel spending at the U.S. State Department decreased from about $206 million in January–September 2024 to about $149 million in January–September 2025; site visits and consultations overseas decreased by around $12.5 million and travel for training decreased by around $15 million.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Breakdown of components contributing to the year-to-date decline in overseas travel spending at the U.S. State Department.
The U.S. Department of Justice has historically deployed federal election observers to jurisdictions with prior election issues to help ensure compliance with election laws.
August 01, 2025
high
temporal
Describes DOJ's general practice of sending election monitoring resources to areas with histories of election problems.
In April 2025, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget recommended reducing the combined budget of the U.S. State Department and USAID from about $55 billion to about $28.4 billion and recommended cutting funding for humanitarian assistance and global health programs by more than 50%.
April 01, 2025
high
temporal
Budget recommendation from the Office of Management and Budget regarding the combined State Department and USAID budget.
The Trump administration dismissed more than 200,000 federal employees in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Reported workforce reductions attributed to an executive administration in 2025.
The Virginia Attorney General is the state's chief legal officer responsible for overseeing state-level prosecutions and police oversight.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the general responsibilities of the Virginia Attorney General's office.
Haiti has been under a state of emergency since March 2024.
March 01, 2024
high
temporal
National security/status measure declared for Haiti.
In Virginia, the lieutenant governor ceremonially presides over the state Senate.
January 10, 2024
high
temporal
Describes the institutional role of the lieutenant governor in Virginia's state government.
The U.S. Department of Justice deployed election resources to Alaska municipal elections in October 2023.
October 01, 2023
high
temporal
Example of DOJ deploying election support to non-federal, local elections.
Military-related public outreach activities such as aircraft flyovers, honor guards, and on-field flag unveilings are funded through the U.S. Department of Defense's annual budget.
January 01, 2023
high
institutional
Funding mechanism for military participation in public and sporting events.
The U.S. Department of Justice deployed federal election monitors to California during the 2022 general election.
November 08, 2022
high
temporal
Historical deployment of DOJ election monitors to a state-level general election.
Janet Mills won re-election as Maine governor in 2022, defeating former Governor Paul LePage by a margin described as double digits.
January 01, 2022
high
electoral
Summarizes the outcome and margin of Mills's 2022 gubernatorial re-election.
Eric Swalwell served as one of the impeachment managers in President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial in 2021.
February 13, 2021
high
temporal
Role in congressional impeachment proceedings
The U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack conducted an official investigation and produced findings regarding the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
January 06, 2021
high
temporal
Identifies the legislative body's investigative role concerning the January 6, 2021 attack.
Michael Nachmanoff was confirmed as a federal judge by President Joe Biden in 2021.
January 01, 2021
high
temporal
Biographical detail about a federal judge's appointment.
In 2021, President Joe Biden formally recognized the second Monday in October as both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day.
January 01, 2021
high
temporal
A federal recognition that designates the same calendar day for both observances.
Kathy Hochul became New York's first female governor in 2021 after Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual harassment allegations.
January 01, 2021
high
temporal
State executive succession and gender milestone
The longest U.S. federal government shutdown occurred from December 22, 2018 to January 25, 2019 during President Donald Trump's administration.
January 25, 2019
high
temporal
Historical reference to the longest-duration federal government shutdown in recent U.S. history.
Janet Mills won Maine's 2018 gubernatorial election, becoming the state's first female governor.
January 01, 2018
high
electoral
Describes a durable electoral milestone in Janet Mills's political career.
Jesús "Chuy" García was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018.
January 01, 2018
high
temporal
Biographical electoral history for a member of Congress.
Eileen Higgins was elected to the Miami-Dade County Commission in 2018.
January 01, 2018
high
temporal
Biographical and electoral background for a Miami county commissioner.
In early 2017, U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang issued a preliminary injunction blocking efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), concluding in a written opinion that the actions likely violated the U.S. Constitution in multiple ways, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit later set aside that injunction on appeal.
January 31, 2017
high
temporal
Federal-court preliminary injunction concerning organizational changes to a federal agency and subsequent appellate disposition.
When the White House lacks a sufficiently large indoor space for state dinners and other large gatherings, organizers have sometimes used large tents erected on the South Lawn.
January 01, 2010
high
procedural
Outdoor tenting on the South Lawn has been used as a practical solution for large White House events requiring more space than available indoors.
Larry Summers served as director of the National Economic Council from 2009 to 2011.
January 01, 2009
high
temporal
Summers's role in the Obama administration as head of the National Economic Council.
Mark Warner succeeded Republican Senator John Warner in the U.S. Senate in 2009.
2009
high
temporal
Historical succession of a U.S. Senate seat from Virginia.
Nancy Pelosi served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2023.
January 01, 2007
high
temporal
Recorded terms as Speaker of the U.S. House.
Nancy Pelosi was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
January 01, 2007
high
biographical
Historic first in U.S. congressional leadership.
Eileen Higgins served as the Peace Corps country director for Belize, a position she accepted in 2006.
January 01, 2006
high
temporal
Part of Higgins's prior professional and international-service background.
Dick Cheney served as Vice President of the United States under President George W. Bush during the September 11, 2001 attacks and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
September 11, 2001
high
temporal
Biographical and historical context linking Cheney's vice presidency to major national security events beginning in 2001.
The annual salary of the President of the United States is fixed by federal law at $400,000 per year.
January 01, 2001
high
legal/administrative
Identifies the statutorily fixed presidential salary.
Lawrence 'Larry' Summers served as U.S. Treasury Secretary from 1999 to 2001.
January 01, 1999
high
temporal
Biographical information about a U.S. government official's tenure.
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which came into effect in 1997, includes protections for the human rights of all citizens.
February 04, 1997
high
legal
General legal fact about South Africa's post-apartheid constitutional framework.
The state of Oklahoma created a commission in 1997 to investigate the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
January 01, 1997
high
temporal
Governmental action taken to investigate the historical violence in Tulsa.
Dick Durbin was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996.
January 01, 1996
high
temporal
Biographical electoral history for a U.S. senator.
Christine Todd Whitman served as Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001 and was the state's first female governor.
January 01, 1994
high
temporal
Historical fact about New Jersey's gubernatorial history.
Dick Cheney became U.S. Secretary of Defense in 1989 under President George H.W. Bush.
January 01, 1989
high
temporal
Cabinet-level appointment in the U.S. Department of Defense.
Argentina returned to democratic rule with the inauguration of President Raúl Alfonsín on December 10, 1983.
December 10, 1983
high
temporal
End of military dictatorship and restoration of democratic governance in Argentina.
Dick Cheney succeeded Donald Rumsfeld as White House Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford in 1975.
January 01, 1975
high
temporal
Career milestone indicating a senior White House staff role and succession.
The J. Edgar Hoover Building was dedicated in 1975.
January 01, 1975
high
temporal
Year the FBI's Pennsylvania Avenue headquarters was officially dedicated.
Columbus Day has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1971.
January 01, 1971
high
temporal
U.S. federal holiday status.
No political party has held the New Jersey governorship for more than three consecutive terms since the 1960s, when a two-term Democratic governor succeeded another two-term Democratic governor.
December 31, 1969
high
temporal
Long-term pattern of party tenure in the New Jersey governorship
Florida's Government in the Sunshine law requires meetings of public boards to be open to the public and for boards to provide adequate notice of their meetings.
January 01, 1967
high
legal
State-level open‑meetings requirement in Florida
China's five-year plans are state-led economic planning instruments that were first launched under Mao Zedong in 1953.
January 01, 1953
high
temporal
Five-year plans are the principal centralized economic planning framework used by the Chinese Communist Party.
Major structural renovations beginning in 1950 gutted the interior of the White House and forced President Harry S. Truman and his family to live in a temporary residence for nearly four years.
January 01, 1950
high
temporal
Mid-20th century structural rehabilitation of the White House.
The White House East Wing underwent a renovation in 1942.
January 01, 1942
high
temporal
Recorded renovation year of the East Wing of the White House
The Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) is an underground bunker built beneath the East Wing of the White House during World War II.
January 01, 1942
high
historical
The PEOC is an established continuity-of-government facility associated with the White House.
The United States has used the Social Security Number system as a national identifier since 1936.
January 01, 1936
high
historical
Social Security Numbers have long served as a primary identifier in many U.S. government and private-sector systems.
The Social Security Act was enacted on August 14, 1935, marking its 90th anniversary in 2025.
August 14, 1935
high
temporal
Historical fact about the origin and multi-decade duration of the Social Security Act.
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, established in 1910, is an independent federal agency that advises the President and Congress on design plans for monuments, memorials, coins, and federal buildings.
January 01, 1910
high
temporal
Definition and founding year of the federal advisory agency responsible for reviewing design proposals for federal projects.
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts is a seven-member commission whose members are experts in architecture, art, urban design, and landscape design.
January 01, 1910
high
temporal
Describes the typical composition and professional expertise of the commission's membership.
Since its creation in 1910, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts has reviewed design plans for projects including Arlington National Cemetery and Maya Lin's Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
January 01, 1910
high
temporal
Examples of the types of historic federal and memorial projects the commission has reviewed.
The East Wing of the White House was built in 1902.
January 01, 1902
high
historical
Construction history of White House components
The East Wing of the White House has traditionally served as the public entrance to the White House and housed facilities such as the family movie theater and offices for legislative affairs, military liaisons, in-house calligraphers, and the first lady and her aides.
January 01, 1902
high
descriptive
The East Wing contains public-access and administrative functions associated with the White House residence and staff.
The Freedmen's Bureau was a Reconstruction-era agency that provided relief, education, and helped reunite families of formerly enslaved people and poor whites in the post–Civil War South.
January 01, 1865
high
historical
Describes the historical role and functions of the Freedmen's Bureau during the Reconstruction period after the U.S. Civil War.
Delegates at the Wheeling Convention in western Virginia voted to separate from Virginia, resulting in the creation of the state of West Virginia in June 1863.
June 20, 1863
high
temporal
Civil War–era state formation and internal political realignment within Virginia.
British troops set fire to the White House in 1814 during the War of 1812; architect James Hoban oversaw rebuilding and the restored White House reopened with President James Monroe's arrival in 1817.
January 01, 1814
high
temporal
Destruction and reconstruction of the White House following the War of 1812.
President John Adams and his wife were the first residents to inhabit the White House in November 1800 while the building was still unfinished.
November 01, 1800
high
temporal
Early occupancy of the presidential residence.
The cornerstone for the White House was laid in October 1792; the neoclassical building was designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban and was constructed over eight years by a workforce that included enslaved and freed Black Americans and European immigrants.
October 01, 1792
high
temporal
Origins and construction of the White House.
Article I of the U.S. Constitution establishes that the U.S. Congress has the authority to manage the federal budget and holds the 'power of the purse.'
September 17, 1787
high
legal
Constitutional allocation of budgetary authority.
In U.S. federal budget and appropriations practice, parties sometimes condition reopening government funding on whether policy issues (such as entitlement or subsidy changes) will be negotiated before or after a short-term funding measure.
high
process
Describes a recurring negotiation dynamic in U.S. congressional funding standoffs.
The United States Senate Judiciary Committee conducts hearings in which senators question officials and witnesses.
high
procedural
Describes the durable function and forum of a congressional committee.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the U.S. Forest Service.
high
organizational
Administrative oversight relationship between a federal department and an agency.
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel operates a Hatch Act Unit that processes complaints alleging violations of the Hatch Act.
high
organizational
Office responsible for handling enforcement complaints related to the Hatch Act.
Alexander Vindman served as a Ukraine-focused staffer on the U.S. National Security Council and was a prominent figure in the impeachment inquiry led by Representative Adam Schiff into President Donald Trump.
high
biographical
Describes Alexander Vindman's role on the National Security Council and his involvement in a congressional impeachment inquiry.
Tim Kaine is a United States Senator representing the Commonwealth of Virginia.
high
biographical
Identifies elected federal office held.
In U.S. federal practice, special elections are used to fill vacant U.S. House of Representatives seats when a sitting representative resigns or dies.
high
temporal
General procedural rule for filling vacancies in the U.S. House.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans every five years.
high
temporal
Describes the statutory update cycle for the federal dietary guidance.
HHS guidance for grant-funded teen pregnancy prevention programs can include content restrictions, such as prohibitions on materials described as undermining parental rights, promoting particular gender ideologies, or exposing children to sexually explicit material.
high
descriptive
Describes the types of substantive content limitations that federal grant guidance may specify.
Jared Kushner served as a senior White House adviser during President Donald Trump's first administration.
high
biographical
Describes Kushner's prior official role in the Trump White House.
The U.S. Attorney General has the authority to direct federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in particular cases.
high
legal
Department of Justice supervisory authority over federal prosecutions
ICE is an abbreviation for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal agency involved in immigration enforcement.
high
contextual
The article refers to an ICE facility; the full agency name appears in the text.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace open enrollment period begins on November 1.
high
temporal
Annual open enrollment for ACA health insurance marketplaces typically starts on November 1 each year.
State governors in the United States have the authority to grant clemency in criminal cases, including capital cases.
high
legal
Clemency is an executive power available to governors that can commute or pardon criminal sentences, and is commonly sought in death penalty cases.
Florida's Sunshine Law requires open meetings for public boards to allow public notice and input.
high
legal
State-level transparency law in Florida governing public boards and meetings.
Florida circuit judges are selected by popular election, whereas federal judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
high
institutional
Contrast in selection methods between state-level (Florida) and federal judges in the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (USDA RMA) administers federal crop insurance programs.
high
descriptive
Identifies the federal agency responsible for administering crop insurance programs.
U.S. federal crop insurance programs provide indemnity payments (federal crop insurance benefits) and include federal premium subsidies to help pay insurance premiums.
high
descriptive
Describes core components of federal crop insurance program benefits and subsidization.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages and implements federal civil works and infrastructure projects that collectively involve funding on the scale of billions of dollars.
high
institutional
Describes the role and scale of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in federal infrastructure project management.
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel is an independent federal watchdog agency that investigates whistleblower reports from federal employees.
high
organizational
Describes the mandate and independence of the Office of Special Counsel.
Presidential nominees to lead independent federal agencies typically require confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
high
procedural
Explains the general confirmation process for nominees to executive branch independent agencies.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
high
administration
Federal oversight of SNAP is handled by the USDA, which communicates with state agencies about program operations and funding.
Mandatory federal spending does not require annual approval by Congress and includes entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare.
high
policy
Definition of mandatory (direct) spending in the federal budget.
BASE jumping has been banned in U.S. national parks since the 1980s.
high
regulatory
Longstanding federal policy prohibiting BASE jumping within national park boundaries.
Violating federal prohibitions on BASE jumping in national parks can result in penalties including fines of up to $5,000, potential imprisonment, confiscation of equipment, and bans from park lands.
high
legal
Typical enforcement consequences for illegal BASE jumping under federal law.
The Commission of Fine Arts is a federal board that reviews, provides comments on, and approves architecture and construction in Washington, D.C., and the National Capital Planning Commission is a separate federal board that also reviews construction in the capital.
high
procedural
Describes durable institutional roles in oversight of architecture and construction in the U.S. capital.
Justice Department election monitors are typically staff in the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorneys' offices, and are generally experienced DOJ attorneys rather than law enforcement officers.
high
descriptive
These monitors are deployed to observe election processes and compliance with federal voting laws.
Dick Cheney served as White House Chief of Staff of the United States.
high
temporal
Biographical role held by Dick Cheney in the U.S. federal government.
Dick Cheney served as United States Secretary of Defense.
high
temporal
Biographical role in the U.S. Cabinet overseeing the Department of Defense.
Florida's Government in the Sunshine law is a state open-government statute that governs public access, transparency, and notice requirements for certain government meetings in Florida.
high
legal
Describes the nature and purpose of Florida's open-government statute referenced in the article.
Miami Dade College is overseen by a District Board of Trustees that acts as the governing body for the institution.
high
institutional
Identifies the governance structure referenced for the college in the article.
Florida's judicial system includes intermediate appellate courts called District Courts of Appeal, such as the 3rd District Court of Appeal, which hear appeals from lower courts.
high
legal
Describes the role and existence of Florida's district courts of appeal referenced in the article.
In Virginia, the lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate (the upper chamber) and can wield the gavel during senate proceedings.
high
institutional
Describes the formal presiding role of the lieutenant governor in Virginia's legislative branch.
Some U.S. states use independent or nonpartisan redistricting commissions to draw congressional district maps instead of having state legislatures draw those maps.
high
structural
Describes an institutional alternative to legislative-controlled redistricting.
The U.S. Department of the Interior is a federal agency that includes bureaus such as the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
high
descriptive
Organizational composition of the Department of the Interior.
Oversight and management of national parks is a primary responsibility of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
high
descriptive
Core responsibilities of the Department of the Interior related to public lands.
The Gaza Health Ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and maintains detailed casualty records.
high
institutional
Describes the institutional role and recordkeeping of Gaza's health authority.
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board is composed of five members who are appointed either by the state governor or by the state's top judicial official.
high
organizational
Describes the institutional composition and appointment process for the state's parole and pardon decision-making body.
Vacancies in the U.S. House of Representatives are filled through special elections called by state authorities.
high
process
General procedure for filling vacated U.S. House seats
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's headquarters is housed in the J. Edgar Hoover Building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.
high
descriptive
Identifies the FBI's long-standing principal headquarters location.
The J. Edgar Hoover Building is an example of Brutalist-style architecture.
high
descriptive
Architectural classification for the FBI's Pennsylvania Avenue headquarters.
Title 10 of the United States Code can be invoked to place National Guard troops under federal control (to federalize the National Guard).
high
legal
Statutory mechanism for shifting National Guard forces from state to federal control.
U.S. congressional appropriations are commonly organized into separate, subject-specific appropriations bills that fund areas such as agriculture and food and drug administration programs; veterans and military construction; and the legislative branch.
high
process
Describes the typical organization of federal appropriations into individual bills covering distinct policy areas.
A continuing appropriations act (also called a continuing resolution) is a legislative vehicle used to provide temporary funding for federal agencies when full-year appropriations have not been enacted.
high
process
Explains the purpose of continuing appropriations acts as stopgap funding measures in the federal budget process.
U.S. attorneys are typically nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
high
procedural
Describes the standard federal appointment and confirmation process for U.S. attorneys.
U.S. attorneys serve as the chief federal prosecutors in their respective Department of Justice offices across the United States.
high
definitional
Defines the primary role and function of U.S. attorneys within the Justice Department.
If an interim U.S. attorney's 120-day appointment expires, federal judges of the relevant judicial district have statutory authority to appoint the U.S. attorney to fill the vacancy.
high
procedural
Rule governing who may fill a U.S. attorney vacancy after a time-limited interim appointment.
The U.S. Department of State has a Level 4 ('Do Not Travel') travel advisory for Haiti citing risks of kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, and civil unrest.
high
policy
U.S. government travel advisory designation and cited risks.
A designation of an organization as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the U.S. State Department becomes official when the designation is published in the Federal Register.
high
procedural
Federal administrative publication requirement for formalizing certain U.S. government designations.
Zohran Mamdani served as a New York State Assembly member representing Astoria.
high
descriptive
Previous legislative office held in New York State government.
Members of the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence receive broader access to classified information than the average member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
high
institutional
Describes the relative security clearance and information access associated with House Intelligence Committee membership.
The U.S. House of Representatives includes nonvoting delegates representing U.S. territories, for example the delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands.
high
structural
Representation of U.S. territories in the federal legislature.
California uses an all-party primary system in which the top two vote-getters in the primary advance to the general election.
high
temporal
California's top-two primary (all-party primary) advances the two highest vote-getters to the general election regardless of party.
U.S. federal law provides that when a former vice president dies, the U.S. flag is to be flown at half-staff from the day of death until the day of interment.
high
legal
Statutory protocol for lowering the U.S. flag upon the death of a principal government figure such as a former vice president.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) typically requires multiple years of training for air traffic controllers.
high
operational
Duration and complexity of FAA air traffic controller training programs.