Arizona stories ready to republish | October 1, 2026

Below are today’s Arizona and national stories, available for immediate republication. You can access them via The Center Square RSS feed or BLOX Content Exchange.

Goldwater Institute calls Pima County's data center ban illegal
The Goldwater Institute sent a letter to the Pima County Board of Supervisors, saying the southern Arizona county illegally implemented a data center moratorium. By Zachery Schmidt.

Pentagon says Golden Dome covers everyone, CBO says it will cost $1.2T
The Pentagon told The Center Square its Golden Dome missile shield will protect the entire homeland for $185 billion. The Congressional Budget Office estimates a notional system consistent with the administration's missile defense goals could cost about $1.2 trillion over 20 years, roughly $9,300 for each of the nation's 129.2 million households.

Senate Democrats block congressional insider trading ban from becoming law 
The U.S. Senate failed to advance a bill Wednesday that would have banned congressional stock trading after every Democrat voted against it. The Stop Insider Trading Act, introduced by Rep. Brian Steil, R-Wis., passed the House earlier this year with bipartisan support.

U.S. Senate tanks bill meant to shield Americans from data center energy costs 
A bill meant to prevent American communities from shouldering rising energy costs caused by data centers has died in the U.S. Senate. The Ratepayer Protection Act, which nearly unanimously passed the House two weeks ago, failed to advance Wednesday in a 57-43 vote. Only four Democratic senators supported the bill.

Election officials: Mail ballots, citizenship key in midterms
With 34 days until the midterm elections, administrators from across the country said mail ballot processes and citizenship verification remain key issues.

Report: Biden-era Afghan refugee program had 40% error rate
The Biden administration’s Afghan refugee program was so flawed that it potentially allowed an untold number of terrorists and dangerous criminals into the country, according to a newly released Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General report.

U.S. to build new domestic military base, no cost estimate provided
A new military base is coming to the United States, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Wednesday.  Hegseth announced several programs the Pentagon will take on in the coming years in an effort to advance technology and increased deterrance. A location for the new base is yet to be determined, but he said the department will take suggestions. 

U.S. ends 12-year anti-ISIS mission in Iraq
After 12 years, the U.S. marks the end of Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq with the withdrawal of American forces from Erbil Air Base. U.S. Central Command announced the withdrawal Wednesday morning, describing the end of the mission as “orderly.”

Louisiana, Alabama and Arkansas sue states over abortion pill protections
Louisiana, Alabama and Arkansas have filed a lawsuit against California, New York and Massachusetts, alleging those states are helping abortion providers send abortion-inducing drugs into states where the procedure is outlawed, the three plaintiff states’ attorneys general announced Wednesday.

Energy advocate: Reset of fuel economy standards will reduce costs for Americans
The American Energy Alliance praised the Trump Administration’s finalization of the “Freedom Means Affordable Cars” rule that will reset the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, thereby reducing costs for American families and causing safer roads.

Pike spared execution, for now, by 6th Circuit
Christa Pike on Wednesday morning was spared execution in Tennessee by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Gov. Bill Lee, the second-term Republican, had said Monday he would not intervene. The state Supreme Court declined her petition Tuesday evening. The appellate court halted the scheduled 10 a.m. proceedings inside Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville.

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ELECTION DEBATE: Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, and his Republican opponent in the Nov. 3 election, Alex Kolodin, debate issues such as election integrity. By Zachery Schmidt.

SCOTUS PREVIEW: Lawmakers and legal analysts will discuss the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court climate change case and other cases on the courts docket. (Andrew Rice)

NASA MOON BASE COSTS: NASA announced three new science payload suites for its lunar outpost Tuesday without disclosing what they cost or which landers carry them. The Government Accountability Office reported Aug. 19 that NASA has implemented none of the priority recommendations it issued a year earlier, and the first one is improving transparency into Artemis costs. (Brett Rowland)

FIGHTING FLOCK: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, will introduce the Stop Flock Abuse Act, which prohibits AI-surveillance cameras from utilizing facial recognition technology, imposes limits on data retention and searches, and requires agencies to preserve an audit log, among other things. (Therese Boudreaux)

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Dave Mason
Regional Editor
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