Macro / Misc.

Recent developments on the AI front – including the Trump administration’s recently released AI policy blueprint and a letter made public today from Sens. Jim Banks (R-IN) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), urging an immediate pause in Nvidia (NVDA) AI chip exports to China, highlighting that while there will continue to be a great deal of sound coming out of DC, we’re…

With both chambers in session this week ahead of a scheduled two-week recess, Washington’s focus remains concentrated on a narrow set of issues, including:  The evolving U.S.-Iran conflict, which is expected to include another War Powers resolution in the Senate….

While this morning’s Senate Commerce Committee hearing, entitled “Liability or Deniability? Platform Power as Section 230 Turns 30,” was lively and somewhat surprisingly well attended, we seriously doubt any material erosion of Section 230 protections for social media companies such as Meta (META), Alphabet’s YouTube (GOOGL), and Reddit (RDDT) will pass…

We estimate roughly a 35% probability that Congress will enact a youth online safety legislative package, including the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), COPPA 2.0, and the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA) or similar legislation. The combo of these measures would be negative for Snap (SNAP), Roblox (RBLX), Meta (META), and Alphabet’s…

With both the House and Senate back in Washington, the focused will be on a number of issues, including:   The evolving Iran conflict.   The standoff surrounding Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.  Senate debate over the SAVE America Act.   Also, the Federal…

There is a lot happening on the trade front from 60 Section 301 tariff country investigations announced by the Trump administration yesterday, to court dates set in the Section 122 legal challenge, and the ongoing USMCA saga. Taken together, these issues are likely to…

Amazon’s (AMZN) request for additional time to meet its Project Kuiper deployment timeframe has attracted renewed scrutiny from the FCC, given recent comments from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr—including a post on X this week criticizing the company’s opposition to SpaceX’s satellite expansion and…

With Congress partially out of session this week, Washington will continue to revolve around the Iran conflict, trade policy adjustments, and a handful of legislative initiatives moving through the Senate. The Senate remains in session while the…

With the Congress back in Washington this week, Iran will dominate the agenda, but it won’t completely crowd out housing policy, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding, and Farm Bill politics.  The House and Senate are both expected to move an Iran-related war powers resolution this week; however, it is unlikely to constrain the…

Trade policy is likely to remain fluid in the months ahead as the Trump administration invokes Sections 122, 232, 301, and potentially 338 authorities. While the threat of Section 122-based tariffs provides near-term leverage to push for bilateral trade agreements, the statutory 150-day limit of…