The Capitol Hill Reader 142: sequestrations, a DOGE case, and American Plutocracy.

Hello readers,

This week’s digest is shorter than usual, with Congress on vacation and very few announcements coming from the Presidential Actions page, but we still have some interesting tidbits for your digestion.

1. The White House honors Henry Clay

2. A sequestration order for fiscal year 2027

3. Congress parties at the beach

4. Two federal court decisions to watch

5. Focus: Is America a plutocracy?

This is a proclamation honoring the life of Henry Clay, an early 19th-century Congressman out of Kentucky. Clay was big on protective tariffs and resource independence; he coined something called the “America System,” in which the United States economy would be propped up on a combination of protectionism, a strong central bank, and ample federal funding for roadways and canals (this was in the very early days of railroads).

Here is an excerpt:

Henry C…