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August 31, 2026

MJL Morning Briefing — Mon, Aug 31

MJL Morning Briefing
From Matt Leonard · Monday, August 31, 2026
TOP STORY
House returns to pass Senate stopgap, averting a Sept. 30 shutdown
The House votes Tuesday evening under suspension of the rules on the Senate-approved funding bill, which cleared that chamber 90-6 and would fund federal agencies through Dec. 11.
Punchbowl News
National Politics
Zelensky sends sanctions adviser to the Hill as Russia bill stalls in the House
Ukrainian sanctions commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk meets House Democrats this week on the Senate-passed bill, which cleared 86-11 and would authorize Trump to impose up to a 100% tariff on the top five countries purchasing Russian oil.
Punchbowl News
At least eight Energy & Commerce seats open next Congress, drawing early campaigning
Reps. Melanie Stansbury and Bob Onder are among members already publicly campaigning for a minimum of eight open spots on House Energy & Commerce in the next Congress.
Politico Playbook
Sanders says Democratic leaders are rooting against El-Sayed in Michigan
In a Playbook interview, Bernie Sanders said party leaders and the donor class are "less than enthusiastic" about Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, whom they view as a threat to oligarchy.
Politico Playbook
PA & NJ Politics
Bipartisan Pa. bills would curb police use of Flock license plate readers
Three recently introduced bills range from an outright ban on fixed cameras to stiffer penalties for unauthorized data access; Sen. Doug Mastriano (co-op: Adams, Valley) said government "should not surveil everyone in hopes of finding wrongdoing."
PA Capital-Star
Shapiro and Garrity split on Medicaid as federal changes roll out next year
Spotlight PA's voter guide finds Shapiro has joined a lawsuit challenging work requirements while Garrity embraces the federal law, in a program covering nearly 2.9 million Pennsylvanians.
Spotlight PA (PA Post)
Pennsylvania logs 86 new measles cases, nearing 500 for the year
The commonwealth added 86 cases last week for a yearly count approaching 500, with 83 patients hospitalized and two deaths linked to the virus by the Shapiro administration.
Spotlight PA (PA Post)
Rural hospital closures would push Pa. maternity drives to 49 minutes
For Medicaid enrollees, the median drive between a rural hospital providing inpatient maternity care and the closest in-state alternative is 49 minutes in Pennsylvania, against a 43-minute national median for rural hospitals.
PA Capital-Star
On the Floor — Next Session
HB 1667 — An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, in sales and use tax, further providing for exclusions from tax; in corporate net income tax, further providing for…
House · Bill On Concurrence (keywords: data center, data centers)
PA General Assembly
SB 1345 — An Act amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, in zoning, providing for optional temporary moratorium on acceptance or consideration of new…
Senate · Third Consideration (keywords: data center, data centers)
PA General Assembly
Energy Industry
⚡Sherrill signs data center reporting bill, rolls back N.J.'s $500M AI tax credit
New Jersey will require data centers to report water and electricity use to the Board of Public Utilities for three years, and repealed the 2024 AI incentive that gave CoreWeave a $250 million break; PJM's New Jersey Hub was $26.90/MWh Monday morning.
Politico New Jersey Playbook
Vineland data center accused of running 45 unpermitted gas generators
Thermal drone footage captured by Floodlight last week showed the partly built DataOne facility operating at least 45 of its 62 generators, none of which hold permits, about a mile from two schools.
Floodlight, via Politico New Jersey Playbook
Pittsburgh Sports
Pirates edge Cardinals 5-4 in St. Louis
Esmerlyn Valdez and Jared Triolo homered Sunday, Triolo's traveling 412 feet; Braxton Ashcraft went five innings, allowing two earned runs with three strikeouts, to pick up the win.
ESPN
Steelers set initial 53-man roster, keeping four quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar all made Pittsburgh's initial 53-man roster, an unusually deep quarterback room to carry into the regular season.
Steelers Now
Market Snapshot
PJM West Hub (RT)$27.34/MWh
PJM AEP-Dayton (RT)$28.11/MWh
PJM Capacity 28/29$325.00/MW-day
Henry Hub$2.70/MMBtu
WTI Crude$86.66/bbl +3.9%
As of Aug 31, 8:00 a.m. EPT (PJM RT)
Curated by Matt Leonard. Numbers from real endpoints only.
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