In this episode of Congress in Context, we break down how Capitol Hill's procedural maneuvers directly hit household budgets and reshape national institutions—from rising utility bills to the governance of college athletics. We examine the high-stakes floor debate over the Ratepayer Protection Act, where congressional gridlock over AI data center energy demands threatens to shift massive infrastructure costs onto everyday utility consumers. Meanwhile, the Senate's procedural movement on the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 highlights a fierce clash over federal revenue-sharing models, student-athlete healthcare, and sweeping antitrust protections. Beyond the political noise, we analyze how Federal Reserve interest rate increases, AI competition guardrails, and shifts in federal medical research funding ...