Government Regulation and Public Sector Law

Georgia's Transaction Hold Law, effective July 1, 2026, applies to most federally insured depository institutions doing business in Georgia. The new law grants discretionary authority to hold transactions suspected of involving financial exploitation of eligible adults.

Power and corruption intertwine in the world's most salacious scandals. Hosts Tatiana Sainati and Diana Shaw explore how corruption infiltrates institutions, examining red flags that could have prevented catastrophic failures and the consequences for perpetrators and victims alike.

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 has become law, imposing sweeping sanctions on Russian officials, financial institutions, and shadow fleet vessels while authorizing tariffs up to 100 percent on major purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas. How will these new measures impact global trade relationships, particularly with China and India as the largest buyers of Russian crude?

While the government funding deadline isn’t until December, last week proved that the power of the purse remains very much the topic of the day.

The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Covered List reforms adopted on July 22, 2026, will take effect October 13, 2026, with significant impacts on the U.S. drone market. The newly effective rules will tighten procedures for modifying devices, including drones, as well as prohibit authorizations for any device that contains "logic-bearing hardware" produced by Covered List entities and extend marketing rules to online marketplaces while expressly requiring them to display FCC identification numbers at the online point of sale.

The U.S. Department of War's Defense Innovation Unit has launched the CLASS ACT program, a groundbreaking 36-month pilot that sponsors nontraditional defense contractors for top secret facility security clearances before they hold any DOW contract. This initiative eliminates traditional barriers by allowing commercial technology companies and private capital firms to obtain clearances and access classified information needed to compete effectively in the defense marketplace.

The D.C. Circuit's recent decision in a Buy America waiver challenge establishes new precedent for how federal agencies evaluate domestic availability in infrastructure projects. The ruling addresses whether manufacturers' future production capabilities should factor into waiver decisions and clarifies the standing requirements for suppliers challenging such waivers. This case provides critical guidance for companies navigating federal procurement requirements in transportation and infrastructure projects.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has resolved a longstanding split among lower courts regarding whether companies that win multiple-award IDIQ contracts can challenge their competitors' awards. This precedential decision clarifies the standing requirements for bid protests and establishes new boundaries for post-award challenges in government contracting disputes.

The Small Business Administration has extended the comment period for two proposed rules that could dramatically reshape federal government contracting by significantly expanding the pool of entities eligible for small business set-aside procurements. With some size standard thresholds proposed to increase as much as tenfold, these changes would fundamentally alter the makeup of the small business contractor base.

Senate appropriators signal that meaningful action on FY27 spending bills is unlikely before the election, while the House Appropriations Committee shifts focus to oversight hearings. Congressional Republicans continue discussions on reconciliation and debt limit strategies, though prospects for action during the lame-duck session remain uncertain as agencies begin FY28 budget planning.

Cannabis rescheduling advances through federal courts while Michigan and Kansas gubernatorial candidates debate marijuana taxation and legalization. The article also addresses ongoing concerns about cannabis odor at major sporting events.

The 2026 midterm elections will determine the congressional environment for healthcare policy during the final two years of the Trump Administration. With Republicans holding narrow majorities in both chambers and President Trump's approval ratings in the mid-30s, relatively small electoral shifts could materially change congressional control and reshape the healthcare policymaking landscape, affecting everything from drug pricing and Medicare Advantage to Medicaid implementation and industry oversight.