Good morning.You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.Two Democrats overseeing federal elections are questioning why the Trump administration hasn't distributed funds for state and local election security as directed by Congress.
Sen.Alex Padilla of California and Rep.
Joseph Morelle of New York wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and the acting head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Nick Anderson, urging the restoration of more than $39.6 million for specific election security efforts outlined in the fiscal year 2026 DHS Appropriations bill, passed in April.NPR was provided an exclusive copy of the letter.
The lawmakers wrote that they share a "grave concern that time is running out … to assist state and local election officials in protecting our elections from cyber and mis- and disinformation threats." Historically, the Trump administration has treated election security as a political issue, but it has also cut federal funding and jobs in this critical area, including at CISA.Chevron is expanding its operations in Venezuela and plans to invest $7 billion over the next five years, eventually expanding production to around 600,000 barrels of oil per day.Chevron's CEO yesterday announced the joint venture in Caracas, alongside U.S.
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez.The agreement comes after the Trump administration announced an agreement that would give the U.S.
access to 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil.Critics question the legality of these oil agreements, arguing they may hinder Venezuela's democratic transition after U.S.
troops captured Rodriguez's predecessor, Nicholas Maduro, in January.Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy trial yesterday said once again that they could not reach a unanimous verdict.They remained at an impasse afte...