The Paper Trail: July 21, 2026

CDC Cyclospora Lab Downsized By DOGE; FCC Officials Feted By Paramount; Data Centers Add Billions In Power Costs

July 21, 2026

Iran War

Weaponization of the Government

Epstein Files

Prediction Markets

Defense and Veterans Affairs

How a military housing watchdog games the system

Military families are finding rent prices are often too expensive for their housing allowance. It’s a problem that’s fueled by the interconnected network of profit-seeking real estate conglomerates in both on- and off-base housing markets.

(Peter Castagno and René Kladzyk, Project On Government Oversight)

Confidentiality agreements increased more than 300% among military families facing issues in privatized housing
(Rose L. Thayer, Stars and Stripes)

Pentagon proposes new secrecy power to withhold unclassified records from public-access laws

The DOD asked Congress for broad new authority to withhold unclassified records from the public, a proposal that transparency advocates say could significantly reduce the public's ability to scrutinize the department.

(Eleanor Watson and James LaPorta, CBS News)

Appeals court keeps Pentagon’s escort policy for journalists in place
(Scott Nover, Washington Post)

Business and Finance

Infrastructure

Health Care

The CDC has a cyclospora lab. DOGE downsized it last year

Amid mass government layoffs last year, the CDC lab that responds to outbreaks of the parasite cyclospora was downsized from 11 people to just three. The CDC is also being stretched thin by a wave of public health crises.

(Emily Mullin, Wired)

Taylor Farms lettuce sample produced false positive for cyclospora, FDA says
(Joe Kottke and Dennis Romero, NBC News)

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