Seventeen Democratic U.S. senators asked the Senate to prevent the Commodity Futures Trading Commission from using federal funds for lawsuits involving prediction markets. They urged appropriators to block spending on litigation against state gaming regulators. The lawmakers said Chairman Michael Selig is asserting exclusive CFTC authority and infringing on state powers by treating event contracts as swaps. They warned the approach could let online prediction markets bypass state consumer protection and oversight.

The large-scale SunZia transmission infrastructure linking the U.S. Southwest has begun operating. Pattern Energy and Hitachi Energy said the line is now fully operational, sending renewable power from New Mexico to Arizona and other western grid demand centers. The project combines a major wind farm and a 550-mile high-voltage direct current line capable of moving up to 3,000 MW, enough for about 1 million U.S. households, and is expected to cut carbon emissions.