Katherine Hapgood

Now that it’s playbook official: excited to announce that I’m officially joining the financial services team as a regulations and small business policy reporter on the Hill! Khapgood@politico.com for tips or dm for signal/text.

NEWS: Key senators have an "agreement in principle" with the White House on language to resolve a clash between banks and crypto firms over stablecoin yield Details remain unclear. Lawmakers now plan to vet the plan with the respective industries politico.com/live-updates/2…

Trump’s economy was softening before the Strait of Hormuz crisis. That makes it that much harder for the GOP to reverse the tide on its Econ woes. Here’s Chuck Coughlin, vet GOP strategist of @azhighground in swing state Arizona.

NEWS: Senate Banking Republicans are discussing adding bank deregulatory provisions to crypto market structure legislation in exchange for the House accepting a Senate-approved housing package Highly unclear if House Rs would accept such a trade politico.com/live-updates/2…

For pros: subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

A group of CDFI Fund proponents urged NEC Director Kevin Hassett and others to release more than $1 billion already appropriated. However, OMB Director Russell Vought continues to withhold funding appropriated by Congress, with $289 million to expire if not released by Sept. 30.

Financial Services Committee members today said they want to swiftly reauthorize the U.S. Export-Import Bank but are open to including reforms. Rep. Davidson, said he prefers to tackle both a bank reauthorization and modernization effort in one go. subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

MUST READ: A bombshell NYT investigation shows that Cesar Chavez sexually abused young girls. Dolores Huerta also discloses for first time that that Chavez raped her. So much more from Manny Fernandez and Sarah Hurtes —> nytimes.com/2026/03/18/us/…

Trump is pressuring the Hill on voter verification — but not his own housing plan. NEW w/ @meganmesserly politico.com/news/2026/03/1…

House Financial Services Republicans told me they’re looking to “hash things out” informally with the Senate on housing affordability legislation but are still prepared to request a formal conference to reconcile the bill if a compromise can’t be reached. subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

No one in Congress is on board with the SBF pardon campaign “The guy’s a piece of shit,” said Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) politico.com/news/2026/03/1…

News: top farm groups implored fertilizer execs to ask Trump admin to remove fertiziler duties Iran war is driving up fertilizer prices ahead of spring planting season @SecRollins today: “We are very close to having an announcement on some solutions” subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

Trump goes his own way on housing dlvr.it/TRTVQ8

Bipartisan coalition drops new bill to supercharge AI-powered research dlvr.it/TRS5rK

Trump’s silence leaves housing affordability bill in limbo dlvr.it/TRS7Yt

The Senate is on track to easily pass a housing affordability package Thursday that is dead in the House as is — an ominous sign for any GOP affordability measures. via @Reporter_Mia and @hapgoodreports politico.com/live-updates/2…

Rep. Mike Flood, chair of the Financial Services Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, said that due to “outstanding concerns” with the Senate’s housing bill the two chambers may need to formally negotiate a legislative compromise with a conference. politico.com/live-updates/2…

NEWS — Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris tells @politico the major Senate housing bill cannot pass the House without changes — casting new doubt on one of the few major pieces of GOP legislation aimed at addressing high prices for Americans Senate GOP leaders want to vote on it as soon as tomorrow “We’ll deal with housing in some way — it’s not going to be the way the Senate is going to send it over to the House,” Harris said in an interview at the House GOP policy retreat. “We’ll go from there.” He said House could amend the bill and send it BACK to the Senate - or conference it politico.com/live-updates/2…

Senate Banking staffing news: Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.) has elevated Janie Faulkner to become the panel’s new GOP staff director It comes at a pivotal moment for two of Scott’s top legislative priorities — housing and crypto subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

The Senate today overwhelmingly voted to advance a bipartisan housing package even with backlash from conservative House Republicans over a central bank digital currency provision and some industry groups over a measure banning large investors. politico.com/live-updates/2…

French Hill said today Senate housing bill needed further negotiations to reflect House members’ priorities. White House told @AlexGangitano today they still support the bill as-is. The latest on the bipartisan housing bill dynamic— subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…