The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week to block federal crime-fighting funds from going to so-called “sanctuary cities” where police do not routinely report undocumented immigrants to federal authorities. About 150 large cities in the country have such policies, the Columbia Daily Herald reports. The bill was approved 241-179, largely along party lines. The president has threatened to veto the measure.

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted to approve $181.5 million in funding for a new federal courthouse in Nashville today, according to Sen. Lamar Alexander. The funding passed the committee by a vote of 16-14 and “includes what is intended to be all the funding needed to build the new courthouse in one fiscal year instead of being spread out over several years,” Alexander said in a press release. 

Sen. Ted Cruz today told a Senate committee he wants to amend the Constitution to subject Supreme Court justices to periodic, public retention elections. The Presidential hopeful from Texas has been an outspoken opponent of the high court rulings that upheld federal subsidies under Obamacare and legalized gay marriage in all 50 states. Cruz called the hearing of the Judiciary subcommittee he chairs on oversight, agency action, federal rights and federal courts to discuss what options the American people have to “rein in judicial tyranny.” The Hill has more.

Based on reports out of Washington, discussions on the future direction of federal student loans include a possible plan to end the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The TBA has begun discussions with representatives of a broad range of groups representing organizations that have members receiving student loan debt relief under the program. Also participating in the discussions are non-profit and public agencies, that are able to employ talented graduates because the program allows them to work for lower public sector salaries. The TBA has set up a TBA IMPACT contact page for members to register their interest and to contact members of Congress, particularly Sen. Lamar Alexander, chair of the Senate HELP Committee that oversees the program.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to approve $181.5 million for a new federal courthouse in Nashville when it meets Thursday, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said. Nashville has been pursuing a new courthouse for more than 20 years, and last year then-TBA President Jonathan Steen reiterated the TBA's long support for the project, writing the White House concerning the “significant operational, space and security deficiencies” in the Estes Kefauver Federal Building. The funding must still win House approval, which might have to come through a conference committee agreement, since the House currently does not have money budgeted for the project. The Tennessean has the story.

After a lengthy nomination process, the U.S. Senate has voted to approve Kara Farnandez Stoll as the first Latina judge on the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, according to the Latin Post. Stoll was nominated by President Obama in November 2014 but was not approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee until this past April. The vote of the full Senate last week was unanimous, though five members did not participate.

In the wake of the shooting deaths of four Marines in Chattanooga yesterday, U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais is offering federal legislation to allow military personnel to carry firearms on military installations and other military properties. The Republican congressman plans to introduce the bill Monday formally called the "Enhancing Safety at Military Installations Act." The language of the proposed act clarifies that "firearms" only applies to handguns. The Tennessean has more.

The Senate Appropriations Committee today marked up a bill that contains $385 million for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) for FY 2016, an increase of $10 million over current levels. LSC had asked for $486.9 million, approximately the same amount requested for the past two years, the agency reports. While not moving forward with a similar increase, the House has not presented an amendment to zero out the LSC budget as it has for at least six years.

A Senate panel today blocked President Barack Obama’s request for $50 million to pay for legal help for unaccompanied immigrant children coming to the United States after fleeing violence in Central America. Under federal law, immigrant children have two options to seek legal status, including requesting asylum for fear of returning home to face gang violence. Without legal help, the maze of documentation and legal requirements is far more difficult for a child to maneuver, the Washington Times reports.

The Senate today approved a bill to reform National Security Agency domestic surveillance programs, ending a drawn-out showdown on Capitol Hill that saw counterterrorism provisions expire. The bill, which passed the House nearly three weeks ago, requires the government to obtain a warrant to collect phone metadata from telecommunications companies. It now heads to President Barack Obama, who has pledged to sign the bill. WCYB has the story from CNN.