irs funding

Two prominent Republican representatives announced they won’t seek reelection at the end of their terms in Congress. We’ll get into the future of the GOP, as former President Donald Trump continues to drive a wedge in the party’s identity. Also, how the verdict in a case involving the National Association of Realtors could upend the way we buy and sell homes. Plus, a breakthrough gene therapy treatment is allowing some deaf children to hear for the first time. And, coming clean about hotel showers.

Here’s everything we talked about:

• • “House GOP’s Israel-IRS bill could add more than $26 billion to deficit: CBO” from The Hill

• • “US jury finds realtors liable for inflating commissions, awards $1.78 bln damages” from Reuters

• • “Thanks to a Missouri jury, how we buy and sell homes may change” from Marketplace

• • “After Losing High-Profile Verdict, Realtors Group Hit With Larger Lawsuit on Agent Commissions” from CoStar

• • “Republicans Kay Granger, Ken Buck announce they won’t seek reelection” from CNBC

• • “Buck says GOP is ‘lying to America’ and he won’t run again” from Roll Call

• • “Deaf since birth, some children in China can hear after gene treatment” from MIT Technology Review

• • “We’ve Used Showers for Centuries. Why Can’t Hotels Make Them Easier?” from The Wall Street Journal

Got a question for the hosts? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

The extensive use of the dollar around the world has helped to maintain a strong U.S. economy. But recent discussions about the dollar’s declining use has some people worried that another currency may take its place. We get into what it means for the dollar to be the world’s reserve currency and why the concern might be overblown. Plus, what the economy has to do with a shortage of volunteers. And, why small acts of kindness make us smile.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• • “The U.S. Dollar as an International Currency and Its Economic Effects” from the Congressional Budget Office

• • “The Offshore World According To FACTA” from the National Bureau of Economic Research

• • “Nonprofits scramble for help amid dearth of volunteers” from AP News

• • “Small acts of kindness matter more than you think” from Vox

• • “Highlights From SpaceX’s Scrubbed Starship Rocket Launch Attempt” from The New York Times

• • “SpaceX calls off today’s launch of Starship” from CNN

• • “George Santos Says He Will Run for Re-election in 2024” from The New York Times

• • “George Santos launches 2024 reelection bid” from Politico

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House Republicans make good on some promises, details have emerged about the classified documents found at President Biden’s private office at the Penn Biden Center, and Prince Harry’s bombshell memoir hits bookstores. Get the facts first on Morning Wire. 

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