The U.S. House Rules Committee adjourned on Monday evening, and is unlikely to reconvene this week, amidst growing calls for the release of additional information related to Jeffrey Epstein, as confirmed by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. This adjournment will prevent the advancement of several legislative bills, including immigration reform, according to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Several Republican members of Congress, including Representative Thomas Massie and Representative Tim Burchett, have publicly called for the full release of the Epstein files, emphasizing the need for transparency and justice for victims. Representative Erin Houchin, a member of the Rules Committee, also raised concerns about the Epstein issue in an elected leadership meeting, as reported by Emily Brooks of The Hill. The White House, via its official account, stated, “They came after the wrong man,” without further elaboration. Separately, President Donald Trump's pledge to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports has prompted a lawsuit from Johanna Foods Inc., a U.S.-based juice company. The company filed the lawsuit in the Court of International Trade, asserting that the measure would disrupt its business operations and significantly increase prices for American consumers, according to a report by Kyle Griffin. This development comes as the price of ground beef in the U.S. reached a new record of $6.12 per pound in 2025, up from $4.50 in 2022, as reported by the Governor's Press Office. In other news, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has initiated reforms to the organ-transplant system and threatened to close a major procurement body. This action follows a probe that uncovered instances of premature organ retrieval attempts while patients still exhibited signs of life, as reported by Reuters Legal. Additionally, the DEA Administrator Robert Murphy stated that profit for Mexican cartels is the primary factor behind the increase in methamphetamine seizures this year, according to NewsNation. Senator James Lankford expressed sorrow over the death of Hosam Saraya, an Oklahoman and member of the Druze community, who was reportedly executed in Syria. Meanwhile, the Committee on Education and the Workforce is scheduled to hold a markup on Wednesday at 9:30 AM ET to consider five bills aimed at empowering workers, protecting opportunities for student-athletes, and addressing human trafficking. The European Union is also increasing its defense spending, with the EU Commission approving a draft budget for 2028-2035 that includes a five-fold increase in defense and space spending, totaling up to €131 billion, in response to European intelligence indicating Russia could challenge NATO within 3-5 years, as announced by EUintheUS. Jonathan Bush, nephew of former President George H.W. Bush, has formed an exploratory committee to consider a run for Maine governor in 2026, according to PollTracker2024.
