State of Play
The government shutdown has reached day 34 with no resolution in sight, though bipartisan Senate talks on FY2026 spending bills are showing tentative progress.
This is expected to surpass the current 35 day record for the longest shutdown in history.
Driving the News
As the political standoff over ACA subsidies continues, Tuesday’s state elections in New Jersey, Virginia, and California could shape the narrative around public support for how each party is handling the shutdown.
Three Things to Watch in Tech
US-China Agree to Tech Provisions in Trade Deal: The United States and China reached a trade deal late last week that includes both countries taking significant steps to ease pressure on tech companies.
The agreement, finalized during a meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi in South Korea, ensures the US will further extend the expiration of certain tariff exclusions through November 10, 2026. China under the deal will suspend its implementation of new export controls on rare earth materials. US Treasury Secretary Bessent also announced that China approved the transfer agreement for TikTok, and he expects the deal to move forward in the coming weeks.
The deal is expected to relieve immediate economic pressures on tech companies, however, tensions remain over advanced AI chip exports with President Trump suggesting that Nvidia’s advanced chips must be kept out of China.
2. Supreme Court Nears Decision on Trump Tariffs: The Supreme Court is set to hear Wednesday a landmark case on whether President Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose sweeping global tariffs is constitutional or not, marking the first time the justices will rule on the merits of one of his key economic policies.
The case tests the limits of presidential authority under a 1977 emergency statute, which Trump invoked to levy tariffs on nearly every US trading partner, arguing they were needed to address trade deficits and national security threats.
The outcome could redefine the balance of power between Congress and the presidency on economic policy, with major implications for the global economy, tech innovation, US businesses, and the Court’s own legitimacy amid rising political pressure.
3. Senators Hawley and Blumenthal Tackles AI Chatbots: Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced new bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting minors from AI chatbots.
The GUARD Act, also cosponsored by Senators Britt (R-AL), Warner (D-VA), and Murphy (D-CT), is in response to several cases of chatbots encouraging self-harm and sexualized interactions with children, the Senators said in the bill’s press release.
The bill would ban AI companion chatbots for minors, require all AI systems to disclose their non-human status, and criminalize companies that design AI tools for minors that solicit or generate sexual content.
Lawmakers and advocacy groups, including RAINN, described the legislation as a critical step to impose strict safeguards and hold AI companies accountable for exploiting or endangering children online.
🏛️ Tech Hearings
No relevant hearings.
🗓️ Upcoming Events
The Hudson Institute - Virtual Discussion on "Securing American AI Leadership" - Monday, November 3 at 12:00 PM EST
The George Washington University Institute for Korean Studies - Korea Policy Forum on "Building a Strategic U.S.-ROK Artificial Intelligence Partnership" - Tuesday, November 4 at 1:00 PM EST
The Henry L. Stimson Center - Discussion on "Beyond Denial: Toward a Credible Cyber Deterrence Strategy" - Wednesday, November 5 at 10:00 AM EST
