Sen. Paul Threatens Fauci with Contempt, and Asylum Rules Get Tougher

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is threatening to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after Fauci refused to answer questions at a Senate hearing. Fauci, who was the nation's top infectious disease expert during the COVID-19 pandemic, used his Fifth Amendment rights to stay silent. He and Senator Paul have argued for years about where COVID-19 came from. Just before the hearing, Paul released more than 1,000 pages of Fauci's private diary entries, claiming Fauci had hidden the truth about the virus's origins.

Legal experts remind the public that using the Fifth Amendment does not mean a person is guilty of anything. Before leaving office, President Biden gave Fauci a pardon covering the years 2014 to early 2025. However, experts warn that Fauci could still face perjury charges — meaning charges for lying under oath — if he ever contradicts what he said in the past. Senator Paul plans to hold a vote next week on whether to officially hold Fauci in contempt, which could lead to fines or even jail time.

On the issue of asylum, the Trump administration changed the rules for how cases are handled. Asylum officers can now send some cases straight to immigration court without giving people an interview first. Normally, those interviews give asylum seekers a chance to explain why they need protection before a decision is made. Asylum approval rates are now at their lowest point in at least 20 years, and the administration has also limited who can qualify for asylum.

The changes are especially hard for people who were counting on Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to stay in the country. Even people who are approved for asylum now face problems like being blocked from programs that help with food, health care, and small-business loans. Since applying for asylum does not give someone legal status, those still waiting for a decision could also be deported. Matt Joseph, a former asylum officer, called it a 'concerted attack on asylum from all fronts.'

In other news, the Trump administration is moving to end payments that have kept Medicare drug coverage affordable for millions of older Americans. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 capped what Medicare patients pay out of pocket for drugs at $2,000 a year starting in 2025. Subsidies were set up to help insurance companies handle the extra costs so premiums would not rise sharply. Those subsidies were supposed to last until 2027, but they are now set to end a year early.

Summer has also been tough for kids this year because of extreme weather. Heat waves, heavy rain, and wildfire smoke have made outdoor activities unsafe in many places. Scientists say climate change, driven mostly by burning fossil fuels, is making these events more frequent and more intense. Camp directors report that camps used to see three to five days with a heat index over 105°F, but now may see eight to ten such days each summer. Some camps have moved activities indoors or had to evacuate entirely because of dangerous conditions.