Money and the economy
Prices, banking, consumer protection, and how the economy is managed.
Prices and wages respond to decisions spread across Congress, the Federal Reserve and your state. Congress writes tax and spending law and regulates banks and consumer finance; the Fed sets interest rates independently and answers to neither party.
Who decides this
- Congress
- Federal spending and borrowing, banking and consumer finance law, antitrust, and trade policy.
- Your state
- State budgets, consumer protection enforcement, insurance regulation, and business licensing.
- Your city or county
- Local budgets, business taxes and fees, and economic development incentives.
In Congress Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs · Senate Finance · House Financial Services · House Ways and Means
11 open questions
H.R. 5484
Should Congress pass a long-term flood insurance reauthorization instead of another short extension?
The National Flood Insurance Program provides most residential flood coverage in the U.S. Its authorization was set to lapse September 30, 2026. The stopgap funding law signed September 2 extended it only to December 11, 2026, the latest in years of short extensions attached to spending bills. In a lapse, FEMA generally cannot sell or renew policies, which can stall thousands of home closings in flood zones. The bipartisan H.R. 5484 would instead reauthorize the program for multiple years, while the program owes the Treasury more than $20 billion from past catastrophes. Where do you stand?
S. 4160
Are sports prediction markets gambling — and should Congress treat them that way?
Platforms like Kalshi offer "event contracts" on sports outcomes under federal commodities law, bypassing state and tribal gambling regulation — including Nevada's. The Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act (S. 4160), co-sponsored by Nevada's Catherine Cortez Masto, would bar federally regulated exchanges from listing contracts that function as sports bets. This summer, 44 state attorneys general told the CFTC it lacks authority over sports contracts and New York sued Kalshi as an illegal gambling operation. Supporters say the loophole guts state consumer protections; opponents say these are legitimate, federally regulated markets with real informational value. Where do you stand?
S. 3623
Should Congress force competition in credit card swipe fees?
The Credit Card Competition Act (S. 3623) would require the largest card-issuing banks to enable at least two unaffiliated networks to route credit card transactions, breaking Visa and Mastercard's control over the 2-3% "swipe fees" merchants pay on every sale. Retailers are pushing for a 2026 vote while the card industry spends heavily to stop it — one of the hottest lobbying fights of the summer. Supporters say competition would save consumers billions in passed-through fees; opponents say it would gut card rewards and weaken security. Where do you stand?
AB 280 (2025) · NV
Should Nevada cap annual rent increases for seniors?
AB 280 in Nevada's 2025 session would have capped annual rent increases at 5% for tenants 62 and older or those dependent on Social Security, and required landlords to itemize and justify fees. It passed both chambers, and Governor Lombardo vetoed it — his second veto of a senior rent-cap bill. Tenant advocates are using the interim to build support for a 2027 rerun. Supporters say seniors on fixed incomes are being priced out; the veto message argues rent control undermines housing affordability over time by discouraging investment. Where do you stand?
AB 238 / AB 5 (2025) · NV
Should Nevada expand film tax credits to anchor a Las Vegas studio campus?
A proposal to expand Nevada's film tax credit program by roughly $95 million a year for 15 years — anchoring the planned Summerlin Studios campus with Warner Bros. Discovery and Sony — has now failed twice: it passed the Assembly in the 2025 session but died in the Senate, and fell one vote short in a November 2025 special session. Backers are expected to try again in the 2027 session. Supporters say it would diversify Nevada's economy and create thousands of jobs; fiscal analysts told lawmakers the state would lose about 77 cents per dollar of credits. Where do you stand?
H.R. 8060
Should Congress Reauthorize Federal Programs That Combat Elder Abuse and Fraud?
The bill would reauthorize and update Elder Justice Act programs. Supporters cite protecting seniors; skeptics question funding levels and effectiveness. Where do you land?
H.R. 1181
Should payment networks be barred from flagging gun-store purchases with a special code?
The House passed the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act (H.R. 1181) in July 2026, and it is now before the Senate Banking Committee. The bill would bar payment networks and banks from assigning firearm retailers a distinct merchant category code that separates them from other stores. Supporters frame it as protecting lawful buyers' financial privacy; opponents say the codes help flag suspicious purchases tied to trafficking or mass shootings. Where do you stand?
H.R. 3633
Who should regulate crypto, and how much protection do buyers need?
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 (H.R. 3633) would set federal rules for digital assets, largely splitting oversight between the SEC and the CFTC and defining when a token is a commodity versus a security. It also bars the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency. The House passed it 294-134, and the Senate is expected to take a first procedural vote in mid-September 2026. Supporters say clear rules keep the industry onshore and protect consumers better than enforcement-by-lawsuit; opponents say the bill weakens investor protections and leaves gaps for fraud and conflicts of interest. Where do you stand?
Federal policy
Should Big Tech Be Barred From Favoring Its Own Products?
Should the largest online platforms be barred from ranking their own products ahead of competitors', using business customers' data against them, or blocking data portability? Supporters call such limits fair competition; opponents call them government micromanagement. Where do you stand?
Federal policy
How Much Say Should Elected Officials Have Over the Fed?
Pressure is growing on the Federal Reserve to set interest rates with an eye on the political calendar. Some see independence as essential to stable prices; others say an unelected central bank should answer more directly to voters. Where do you stand?
Federal policy
Should Congress Be Required to Pass Full-Year Budgets?
Congress has governed through shutdown threats and short-term stopgaps for years. Some want rules that force full-year appropriations; others say those pressure points are one of the few tools a minority has. Where do you stand?
Common questions
- Can Congress lower interest rates?
- No. The Federal Reserve sets rates independently. Congress can change the law the Fed operates under and confirms its governors, but it does not set rates.
- Who handles price gouging?
- Mostly your state attorney general, under state law. Federal antitrust covers anticompetitive conduct rather than high prices alone.