As the U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline looms, here are the main sticking points — NPR The status of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear enrichment program are among the biggest obstacles to extending the truce, which expires Wednesday evening.

NPR reports as the U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline approaches, the possibility of peace talks is tenuous at best.
A bipartisan majority supports requiring congressional approval to continue military operations beyond 60 days, including majorities of Rs & Ds.

www.npr.org/2026/04/21/n...

What Would the People Do: If the government were to listen to the people, what policies would they pass? Follow us for regular postings on the policy solutions that the majority of Americans want, as revealed by dozens of in-depth national surveys. Or find out for yourself here: vop.org/commonground

Maryland moves to make AI deepfakes a crime after Baltimore County school scandal The 2024 incident at Pikesville High School showed the law hadn’t caught up with technology, one Maryland senator says.

Maryland is taking action on harmful AI deepfakes, @thebaltimorebanner.com reports. Nationally, @publicconsultation.org data show Americans support guardrails: 83% favor labeling deepfakes and 74% support a federal AI oversight agency.

www.thebanner.com/education/k-...

House to vote on constraining Trump’s Iran war — with GOP support undecided A key House Democrat is targeting a few Republicans, in hopes of getting enough support to rebuke the president’s war.

The House is set to vote today on a war powers resolution to constrain the president’s authority in Iran.
Public opinion data shows a bipartisan majority favors requiring congressional approval to extend military operations beyond 60 days.

www.ms.now/news/house-v...

For more: vop.org/commonground...

Republicans Brace for Iran War's 60th Day—and Big Test of Congress Lawmakers see May 1 as a moment of reckoning: Congress can either end the war or give it a stamp of approval

As the U.S. war in Iran nears the 60-day deadline for congressional authorization, lawmakers face a pivotal decision on continued military operations.
Data shows 58% of Americans support requiring congressional approval to continue military operations beyond 60 days.

time.com/article/2026...

U.S. asked Iran to freeze uranium enrichment for 20 years, sources say The talks are not dead.

The U.S. and Iran are in active nuclear negotiations, with a ceasefire deadline of April 21. Notably, PPC data show 67% of Americans have supported a nuclear agreement with Iran.

www.axios.com/2026/04/13/i...

For more data on nuclear weapons: vop.org/commonground...

Sen. John Fetterman backed a stock trading ban — but his household reported buying shares tied to industries he oversees Stock trading by lawmakers in industries they regulate can have serious ramifications for the American public. But there are bipartisan moves to address the problem.

Take a look at this Yahoo Finance piece that includes @publicconsultation.org data, showing large bipartisan majorities support stronger limits on congressional stock trading! For more on the data, visit: vop.org/americans-on...

finance.yahoo.com/markets/stoc...

NATO Labors to Avoid Becoming Another Casualty of the Iran War

New reporting highlights continued strain between the U.S. and NATO leadership as the Iran war tests alliance unity. Yet VOP data shows 78% of Americans, including majorities across parties, support remaining in NATO.
Learn more: vop.org/commonground...

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/u...

Rutte the 'Trump whisperer' faces a fresh test as Trump turns on NATO over Iran NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has weathered a fresh ordeal with President Donald Trump. This time over the U.S.

AP reporting notes renewed tensions over the U.S. commitment to NATO amid the Iran conflict. Yet VOP data shows a broad bipartisan consensus: 78% of Americans support remaining in NATO.

Explore more: vop.org/commonground...

apnews.com/article/nato...

Trump threatens "whole civilization will die tonight" amid 11th hour Iran negotiations "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again."

As the U.S. war in Iran enters day 39 and tensions continue to escalate, questions about oversight are intensifying.
A bipartisan 58% supports requiring congressional approval to continue military operations beyond 60 days.

www.axios.com/2026/04/07/t...

Trump unveils 100% tariff on some patented drugs on 'Liberation Day' anniversary President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that could slap long-threatened pharmaceutical tariffs of up to 100% on some patented drugs from companies that don’t reach deals with his administ...

The administration is using tariff threats to get drug companies to lower their prices. Eight in ten Americans favor the government playing an active role in reducing the cost of drugs by capping drug prices to what is charged in other developed countries. (R 75%, D 87%)

apnews.com/article/trum...

International Trade – International Trade International trade arrangements have been controversial for some decades. Each international trade agreement has been preceded by a major debate about whether the benefits of redu...

One year after broad U.S. tariffs were implemented, Americans favor a rules-based approach to trade. A bipartisan 68% prefer having mutually low tariffs with agreed-upon rules rather than higher tariffs across-the-board, including 60% of Rs and 77% of Ds.

For more: vop.org/commonground...

MYTH: Americans can't agree on the nation's role in the world.
MAJORITY: Americans support an active US global role, including multilateral defense agreements (83%) and international programs advancing economic development, democracy, humanitarian relief, and global health (70–84%).

To read the National Policy Framework on Artificial Intelligence, visit www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...

Artificial Intelligence – Artificial Intelligence Over the last few years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has advanced rapidly, and its usage throughout society has greatly increased. Developments in AI have brought n...

Innovation v.s. Regulation: A new federal AI framework prioritizes innovation, regulatory sandboxes and limiting state-level rules. Bipartisan majorities support safeguards like government pre-testing (81%) and audits (77%). For more public opinion data on AI, visit vop.org/commonground...

A Chicago Council/Ipsos survey found 56% of Americans said congressional approval was necessary before the administration used military force to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities, including 59% of independents.
globalaffairs.org/research/pub... 3/3

7 Out Of 10 Voters Do Not Want The U.S. To Take Military Action Against Iran For Killing Of Protesters, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; 70% Say Presidents Should Seek Congressional Appr... "Talk of the U.S. military potentially intervening in Iran's internal chaos gets a vigorous thumbs down, while voters signal Congressional approval should be a backstop against military involvement in...

The sentiment is consistent across pollsters. Quinnipiac finds 70% to 24% of voters say presidents should get congressional approval before military action.
poll.qu.edu/poll-release... 2/3

Americans think the war with Iran will last months or more More than half (54%) of Americans say they were not surprised that Trump ordered military strikes on Iran. Only 25% Americans say that Iran posed an immediate threat

The Senate has rejected war powers resolutions regarding Iran on several occasions. But polls show that the public disagrees: YouGov reports that 56% of Americans say the president should have sought congressional approval before striking Iran. Only 28% disagreed.
yougov.com/en-us/articl... 1/3

The Pentagon orders troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to deploy to the Middle East Nearly a month into the Iran war, the Trump administration is keeping its options open: It says it's pursuing diplomatic solutions, while deploying thousands of paratroopers to the Middle East.

NPR reports the U.S. is expanding its military presence in the Middle East, deploying thousands of additional troops. Bipartisan majorities support reining in war powers.
58% support requiring congressional approval to continue military operations beyond 60 days.

www.npr.org/2026/03/25/n...

Make your voice heard: engage directly by contacting your representatives, staying informed and making connections. Small actions strengthen civic participation. Learn more and take action: www.vop.org

Immigration – Immigration and Border Security Numerous voices from both sides of the aisle have called for immigration reform in light of:   the approximately 11 million immigrants who have been living in the US wi...

They also agree on other immigration reforms: a bipartisan 68% support requiring employers to use E-Verify to ensure workers are legally authorized (64% GOP, 74% Dems). 67% favor expanding legal work visas to meet labor demand (53% GOP, 84% Dems).

For more, visit vop.org/commonground...

MYTH: Americans are too divided on illegal immigration and how to handle it.

MAJORITY: Americans agree on offering more channels for immigrants to achieve legal status (58%), provided they have not committed any significant crime.

US states sue Trump EPA over decision to repeal bedrock climate finding Lawsuit says rescission of endangerment finding – which ruled greenhouse gases threaten public health – was illegal

24 states are suing the EPA to restore the Endangerment Finding, the legal backbone of federal climate protections. Our data: 70% of Americans support the fuel efficiency standards for cars that it enabled. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Immigration – Immigration and Border Security Numerous voices from both sides of the aisle have called for immigration reform in light of:   the approximately 11 million immigrants who have been living in the US wi...

For more: vop.org/commonground...

Florida sheriffs say mass deportations go too far, call for path to citizenship Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and other state law enforcement leaders say they'd rather be focusing on immigrants who are committing crimes.

Florida sheriffs are calling mass deportations "too wide a net" and are pushing for a path to citizenship. Turns out they're with the majority: @publicconsultation.org data shows 58% prefer a citizenship pathway over mass deportation. Only 26% prefer mass deportation.

reason.com/2026/03/18/f...

Republican leaders reject demands for public hearings on Trump's war with Iran While Democrats say public hearings are necessary, House and Senate leadership say briefings behind closed doors are sufficient and avoid risking the operation.

As the Iran war enters its third week, Democrats are pushing for public congressional hearings while GOP leaders resist. A bipartisan 58% of Americans favor requiring congressional approval for military ops beyond 60 days, including 53% of Rs and 62% of Ds. www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

For more on Energy and Environment: vop.org/commonground...

Oil flows through Santa Barbara coastal pipeline for first time in decade amid Trump's fight with California Sable Offshore Corp. announced Monday that it has resumed oil flow through its pipelines despite protests from California officials.

Oil is flowing again through a long-shuttered Santa Barbara pipeline after federal action overrode state regulators. Notably, 76% of Americans prefer to maintain or decrease offshore drilling levels, including 64% of Rs and 86% of Ds.

www.latimes.com/california/s...

-Making wages over $400k subject to the payroll tax (81%, R: 79%, D: 88%).
- Reducing benefits for high earners (81%, R: 78%, D:86%) - Raising the retirement age to 68 (75%, R: 75%, D: 76%)
- Raising the payroll tax rate (73%, R: 70%, D: 78%)

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