This week’s guide to government and politics in under 10 minutes

I CLINTONS, OTHERS TO TESTIFY IN EPSTEIN PROBE

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are expected to testify before Congress next week about their past ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The House Oversight Committee will also depose retail billionaire Lex Wexner in New Albany, Ohio. The testimony comes as a bipartisan group of lawmakers challenges the administration’s assertion that it has fulfilled its legal obligation to release Epstein-related files. Lawmakers say the Department of Justice improperly redacted material and still holds more than one million unreleased documents. Dozens of current and former government and business leaders have stepped down over connections to Epstein.

>> Find out about an effort to remove the statute of limitations for sex trafficking here.

I EPA MOVES TO UNDO FOUNDATION OF U.S. CLIMATE RULES

The Environmental Protection Agency is revoking the legal finding that underpins most federal climate regulation. In 2009, the EPA issued an “endangerment finding” determining that greenhouse gas emissions pose a threat to public health and the environment—triggering regulatory authority under the Clean Air Act. That finding has served as the legal basis for limits on emissions from vehicles and power plants, as well as for climate-related grants and programs. Once the rollback is finalized, the federal government would no longer set carbon emission limits for major sources, marking one of the most significant shifts in U.S. climate policy in decades.

>> Dig deeper into the EPA’s decision and how it reshapes climate policy and enforcement here.

I DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON AMID ICE STANDOFF

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is in a government shutdown that’s almost guaranteed to last through the week. Congressional Democrats blocked funds for DHS last week in an effort to secure changes to the way federal immigration agents conduct operations and establish policies and procedures to enhance the transparency and accountability of those operations. The shutdown is limited to DHS, which includes ICE, Customs and Border Patrol, TSA, FEMA, and other federal agencies. Congress is out of session this week, which means the earliest it could vote to fund DHS is next week. 

>> Get a behind-the-scenes look at the dynamics influencing the funding and reform talks here.

I ICE PLANS $38 BILLION EXPANSION OF DETENTION CAPACITY

The Department of Homeland Security is planning to spend more than $38 billion to convert warehouses across the country into new immigration detention centers. The proposal includes 16 regional processing facilities capable of holding 1,000–1,500 detainees each, along with eight large-scale centers designed to hold up to 10,000 people at a time. Under the plan, detainees would be held for several days at smaller centers before transfer to larger facilities, where they could remain for up to 60 days before deportation. The proposal would dramatically expand detention capacity nationwide.

>> Understand what rights you have if confronted by ICE here. 

I FED: U.S. CONSUMERS, BUSINESSES PAID MOST TARIFF COSTS

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports that U.S. businesses and consumers have paid about 90% of the costs of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, contradicting administration promises that foreign companies would pay the import taxes. The report found that tariffs were passed on to U.S. consumers and businesses through higher prices on tariffed goods.

>> Learn more about what tariffs are and how they work here.

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