Congress is back in session for 2026, but as has been the case since January of last year, much of the action has been in the executive branch. Donald Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without notifying Congress in advance of the military extraction. Still, some in Congress are working on the release of the Epstein files, and another shutdown is looming at the end of the month. Here’s a look at what’s happening on Capitol Hill.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is calling on the state to provide free breakfast to all public school students, making the proposal part of his recommended budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The new Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority was created after Mecklenburg voters in November approved an increase to the sales tax.

North Carolina could remain without a new budget until at least April. Lawmakers had scheduled their first session of 2026 this week but aren't planning to hold any votes.

When a trio of Republican state lawmakers introduced a bill last year that would subject women who obtain abortions to decades in prison, some reproductive rights advocates feared South Carolina might pass the “most extreme” abortion ban in the United States.

Outside the Bechtler Museum of Art in uptown Charlotte, more than 200 Iranian Americans gathered Sunday afternoon to protest and stand in solidarity with Iranians demonstrating against the Islamic Republic in Iran.

A Justice Department investigation involving Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell could complicate the confirmation of future Federal Reserve nominees, after a key Republican senator from North Carolina said he would oppose any picks tied to the situation.

We’re speaking with the three new faces on the Charlotte City Council. All ran on keeping communities safe, expanding affordable housing and improving transportation. Charlotte has been grappling with those issues for years — and now that Joi Mayo, J.D. Mazuera Arias and Kimberly Owens have started their terms, we’ll see how their priorities translate into action.

Thousands have signed a petition opposing a proposed data center in Stokes County.

North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis escalated his criticism of the Trump administration on Wednesday, directing sharp remarks at White House adviser Stephen Miller over comments about Greenland.