United States: Government, Public Sector

President Trump's July 2026 proclamation introduces a groundbreaking incentive program that cuts Section 232 aluminum tariffs in half for companies committing to build, expand, or refurbish U.S. primary aluminum smelters. The program ties tariff relief to projected facility output and requires construction to begin by January 2029, while leaving open questions about foreign investment participation and benefit-sharing arrangements.

US M&A activity surged 49% in the first half of 2026, driven by megadeals and AI infrastructure buildout. How are artificial intelligence investments reshaping cross-border dealmaking between the United States, Canada, Japan, and other global markets? What sectors are leading this unprecedented wave of consolidation?

Europe's defense sector is experiencing a major transformation as nations commit to increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP, creating unprecedented investment opportunities across manufacturing, infrastructure, and technology. This analysis examines the key trends reshaping the market, from AI and autonomous systems to evolving regulatory frameworks and foreign investment screening. Understanding how competition law, export controls, and compliance requirements intersect will be critical for investors seek

A federal court has issued a preliminary injunction blocking California's enforcement of SB 343, the state's recyclability labeling law, just months before its scheduled October 2026 enforcement date. The court found that key provisions of the statute are likely unconstitutionally vague and that the law impermissibly restricts protected commercial speech under the First Amendment. This decision significantly impacts companies that have been preparing compliance strategies for the law's strict recyclability

A federal court has temporarily blocked California's SB 343, a law restricting recyclability claims on product packaging, finding it likely violates constitutional protections for commercial speech. The ruling raises questions about how states can regulate environmental marketing claims and whether disclosure-based approaches might be more constitutionally sound than outright prohibitions.

On July 13, 2026, a divided Ninth Circuit panel in Novedades y Servicios, Inc. v. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network affirmed a preliminary injunction barring the government from enforcing the March 2025 Southwest Border Geographic Targeting Order (Border GTO), issued by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)...

President Trump's Executive Order 14415 mandates stricter controls on defense contractors acquiring critical materials from foreign adversaries, requiring comprehensive supply chain mapping and mitigation plans. The order curtails waiver authority and directs the Pentagon to develop new regulatory frameworks for tracking components from raw materials to finished products. How will these enhanced requirements reshape defense contracting and supply chain management for companies at all tiers?

The Federal Communications Commission has initiated unprecedented enforcement actions targeting false U.S. production claims and fraudulent test reports in equipment authorization processes. A drone manufacturer faces potential revocation of its authorizations after allegedly misrepresenting its products as domestically manufactured, while a Chinese test lab may lose FCC recognition for submitting duplicated test data across dozens of unrelated products.

Massachusetts is advancing groundbreaking legislation to regulate robotic devices, establishing a framework that prohibits weaponization while permitting defined government and research applications. The Responsible Robotics Act addresses a critical regulatory gap as commercially available robots become increasingly capable and widely deployed in communities. With strong House support and industry backing, the bill could become one of the nation's first comprehensive state laws governing the responsible use

As the Federal Maritime Commission's adjudicatory workload has quadrupled since 2020, its Office of Administrative Law Judges operates with minimal permanent staff and no dedicated law clerks. With demurrage and detention litigation surging and new enforcement matters on the horizon, the question emerges whether current judicial resources can sustain fair and efficient resolution of increasingly complex shipping disputes.

A recently enacted provision, 10 U.S.C. Section 2808a, authorizes defense agencies to use other transaction agreements (OTAs) for military construction (MILCON) and repair projects...

President Trump's Executive Order 14415 mandates stricter controls on defense contractors acquiring critical materials from foreign adversaries, requiring comprehensive supply chain mapping and mitigation plans. The order curtails waiver authority and directs the Pentagon to develop new regulatory frameworks for tracking components from raw materials to finished products. How will these enhanced requirements reshape defense contracting and supply chain management for companies at all tiers?