Weekly Update- 1/20/2026

Weekly Update 1/20/2026 Capitol Advocacy Partners

President and Administration:

SAMHSA grants reversal: On Tuesday, the administration cut $1.9 billion for addiction and mental health grants. In letters informing grantee organizations of the funding cuts, SAMHSA said it was canceling grants to better align its spending with agency priorities, and informed recipient organizations that the decision was final. The next day, the administration reversed the grant…

What to know about the threats on federal funds flowing to Minnesota:  The federal government is threatening to withhold billions of dollars in funding from Minnesota while also launching new legal action against the state, escalating a broader conflict between the administration and Democratic-led states. The Agriculture Department has announced a freeze on more than $129 million in grants to the state and to Minneapolis, citing past fraud in a pandemic-era food aid program, and some programs are already seeing funding pauses, including a university poultry testing lab. Separately, the Centers for….

Congress: 

Congress clinches $1.2T funding deal for DHS, Pentagon, domestic agencies: Congressional leaders have unveiled a bipartisan $1.2 trillion funding package to keep the remainder of the federal government running ahead of the Jan. 30 shutdown deadline, covering the Pentagon and major domestic agencies including Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Transportation, Education, Labor and Housing and Urban Development. The deal would boost defense spending to more than $839 billion while largely rejecting the administration’s proposed domestic cuts, with notable increases for HUD and smaller increases for HHS, Education and Labor, alongside a modest cut for Transportation. The package keeps ICE funded at $10 billion but reduces enforcement….

Health care subsidies: Senate negotiators are still struggling to find a path forward on extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. Abortion appears to be a major obstacle in finding common ground to reach an agreement on any package. Democrats and Republicans have been going in circles on language regarding the Hyde…

Hearings:

• On Wednesday, 1/21, the House Committee on Homeland Security is anticipated to hold a hearing “Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security: CISA, TSA, S&T.”

• On Wednesday, 1/21, the House Committee on Financial Services is expected to hold a hearing on oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Housing Administration.
  

California 

California's 2026 legislative session: California lawmakers are entering the 2026 session with a projected $2.9 billion deficit, down from $12 billion last year, prompting a focus on spending priorities and oversight. Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón has highlighted housing, energy, and health care as key areas to address the cost-of-living crisis, while Governor…

Education:

Education Department probes schools and districts over transgender athletes: The Education Department announced that its Office of Civil Rights is investigating 18 K-12 school districts, colleges and state education agencies in 10 states for alleged violations of Title IX tied to allowing transgender students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, with most of the cases in Democratic-led states. The probes were unveiled just days after the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case concerning state…

Education Department to send higher education staff to Labor: The Department of Education announced it will detail staff from its Office of Postsecondary Education to the U.S. Department of Labor starting this week as it transitions postsecondary education programs to Labor’s grants and payments systems. The move advances Trump’s goal of eliminating the Education Department…

Senators discuss school tech limits amid youth mental health crisis: Senators warned of a growing youth mental health crisis linked to social media and technology use during a Jan. 15 hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Lawmakers and witnesses debated proposals ranging from limiting or ending 1:1 school devices (one device per student) to banning…

Increasing rates of student loneliness a challenge for schools: Rising student loneliness and isolation are increasingly seen as a challenge for schools, prompting calls for stronger social-emotional learning (SEL) support. Policy attention includes a California initiative launched under an executive order by Gavin Newsom to address higher suicide rates…

Trump signs bill allowing schools to offer whole milk: President Trump signed the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, allowing schools in the National School Meal Program to serve whole and 2% milk again, reversing Obama-era limits on saturated fat. The law does not require schools to change menus and continues to allow plant-based milks without…

Weekly Update-1/12/2026

Weekly Update 1/12/2026 Capitol Advocacy Partners

President and Administration:

Blue states sue administration for freezing billions meant for kids, needy:  Five Democratic led states, including California, have filed a lawsuit challenging the administration’s decision to freeze more than $10 billion in federal funding intended for children, low income families, and social services. The suit, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, argues that the Department of Health and Human Services illegally withheld grants administered through the Administration for Children and Families. The administration announced on Tuesday (1/6) that $7.35 billion for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, nearly $2.4 billion for the Child…

Trump announces U.S. will leave dozens of international organizations: The administration announced that the United States will withdraw from and stop funding 66 international organizations, including 31 entities affiliated with the United Nations, arguing that they conflict with U.S. sovereignty, security and economic interests. The list includes major bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Global Forum on Migration and Development and the U.N. Population Fund…

Corporation for Public Broadcasting votes to shut down: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has voted to dissolve after Congress eliminated more than $500 million in annual federal funding last year, formally ending the organization that has supported NPR, PBS and hundreds of local public media stations since 1968. Executives considered keeping the corporation dormant in case funding was restored, but ultimately decided that doing so could expose it to political…

Congress: 

Appropriations Sprint: Lawmakers are battling the clock as they work to push through appropriations ahead of the January 30 government funding deadline. The Senate is expected to take up a minibus appropriations package that would fund the Department of Justice, the Department of Commerce, key science agencies and related entities…

Health care subsidies: A bipartisan group of senators and House members aim to have text this week on a deal to extend expired Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies for two years, including changes Republicans said are necessary….

Republican Rep. LaMalfa dies, narrowing GOP’s House majority: Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a seven term Republican lawmaker from California, died at age 65, further tightening the already narrow House majority. His death, combined with the recent departure of another Republican member, leaves the party with little margin for error when trying to pass…

Indiana Rep. Baird hospitalized after car crash: Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) and his wife were hospitalized last week following a serious car accident, according to statements from his office and comments made by the President at a House…

House GOP prioritizes Trump’s changes to showerheads: House Republicans are moving quickly to advance legislation that would codify the President’s efforts to loosen federal limits on showerhead water flow. The bill, known as the Shower Act and sponsored by Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC), would redefine federal showerhead standards to allow higher water usage and multiple…

Hearings:

• On Tuesday, 1/13, the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education is anticipated to hold a hearing titled “Who’s Watching the Kids? How Employers, Innovators, and Parents are Solving America’s Child Care Crunch.”

• On Thursday, 1/15, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is expected to hold a hearing to examine the impact of technology on America’s youth. 

California:

Supreme Court asked to block California law against outing trans students: The Supreme Court has been asked to block enforcement of a California law that bars public school teachers from notifying parents if a student asks to use different pronouns or adopts a different gender identity. The emergency appeal, filed by the Thomas More Society, argues that the law violates parents’ religious…

Education:

School sports case reaches the Supreme Court at a fraught time for trans rights: The U.S. Supreme Court will hear its first case on state bans barring transgender girls from school sports on January 13, 2026, focusing on West Virginia’s law and a challenge brought by 15-year-old Becky Pepper Jackson. The case asks whether such bans violate Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination…

Department of Education to give over $208 million for mental health: The U.S. Department of Education is awarding more than $208 million to 65 recipients to expand school based mental health services in high need districts. The grants support the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration and School Based Mental Health programs, whose priorities were revised last summer…

Judge bars Trump from purging DEI terms from Head Start funding requests: A federal judge has temporarily blocked Trump from removing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) related language from Head Start grant applications and from laying off more staff in the Office of Head Start. The ruling responds to a lawsuit accusing the administration of illegally…

As school choice tax credit goes national, the battle over regulation begins: The new federal School Choice Tax Credit lets states opt into a nationwide private school choice program that gives donors a dollar for dollar tax credit of up to $1,700 for contributions to scholarship groups. More than 2,100 public comments show deep disagreement over…

Weekly Update- 01/05/2026

Weekly Update 1/5/2026 Capitol Advocacy Partners

President and Administration:

What to know about Maduro, his capture, and Trump’s plans for Venezuela: Nicolás Maduro plead not guilty today (1/5) in federal court in New York after a U.S. military and intelligence operation deposed the Venezuelan president and removed him and his wife from Caracas on Saturday (1/3). Maduro faces a four-count indictment, including narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking conspiracies, stemming from long-standing U.S. charges that he and his inner circle profited from drug…

Congress: 

Three-bill funding package released following House-Senate breakthrough: The three-bill funding package covering Energy and Water, Commerce Justice Science and Interior Environment programs was released after a bicameral agreement on topline spending levels.package would fund the Departments of Energy, Commerce, Interior and Justice, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, federal science programs and water infrastructure, through the end of the fiscal…

Hearings:

• On Wednesday, January 7, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights is anticipated to hold a hearing to examine “holding rogue judges accountable.

Education:

Florida’s school choice headache: millions of unused dollars:  Florida’s rapid expansion of universal school choice has left more than $400 million in taxpayer-funded education vouchers unused, state audits found. About 500,000 students receive vouchers averaging $8,000, but enrollment verification failures and administrative strain have left…

California:
Judge halts administration plan to divert billions of dollars from homeless housing: A federal judge has temporarily blocked the administration’s plan to redirect billions of dollars in federal homelessness funding away from permanent supportive housing, ordering the Department of Housing and Urban Development to continue processing grants under existing guidelines. The ruling responds to lawsuits filed by a coalition of states, including California, along with local governments and nonprofit providers, who argue the proposed funding changes would destabilize homelessness programs and force many people…

Weekly Update- 12/15/2025

Weekly Update 12/15/2025 Capitol Advocacy Partners

President and Administration:

National Trust sues to stop Trump’s ballroom construction: The National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a lawsuit seeking to halt work on Trump’s 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom, arguing the administration illegally demolished the East Wing annex and began construction without required federal…

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) temporarily pauses homelessness funding overhaul just ahead of court hearing: Last Monday (12/8), HUD temporarily withdrew a proposed funding notice that would have sharply reduced permanent housing support for people experiencing homelessness, pulling the policy shortly before a court hearing on lawsuits challenging the change. The withdrawn policy would have capped permanent housing at 30%…

Trump seeks to cut restrictions on marijuana through planned order: Trump is reportedly preparing an executive order that would direct federal agencies to pursue reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug, significantly loosening federal restrictions while stopping short of legalization. The proposal would reduce regulatory barriers for research and provide financial relief for legal marijuana businesses. The President discussed the plan with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)…

Trump defies GOP critics by signing controversial order threatening states over AI laws: Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to challenge state-level artificial intelligence regulations that the administration views as conflicting with its goal of maintaining U.S. leadership in AI development. The order authorizes the Justice Department to sue states over laws deemed overly restrictive, encourages federal agencies to consider withholding funds, and calls for drafting federal…

The EPA is wiping mention of human-caused climate change from its website: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has removed or altered numerous website pages that previously described climate change as driven by human activity, shifting language to emphasize natural processes or deleting content altogether. Pages citing scientific…

Congress: 

Senate rejects dueling health care bills as Affordable Care Act (ACA) deadline looms: On Thursday, 12/11, the Senate voted 51-48 on advancing a GOP health care plan that would have expanded health savings accounts (HSA) as an alternative to the expiring ACA tax credits. Democrats’ plan to extend the Covid-era enhanced subsidies for three years…

Appropriations: House and Senate appropriators are still working to resolve top-line numbers for the Labor-HHS, Defense, and Energy and Water bills. On the Democrat side, top appropriators are ready to dive into the details once the majority sets the overall allocations. But until those final allocations are resolved, bipartisan negotiations on the remaining bills can’t begin their conferences. Some of the Senate Republicans who have been objecting to bringing up the FY26 minibus may be ready…

Senators’ Pay During Shutdowns: The Senate Rules and Administration Committee approved a resolution that would withhold senators’ pay for the duration of a government shutdown. The resolution (S. Res. 526), authored by Senator Kennedy (R-LA), would require the Secretary of the Senate to withhold…

Hearings:

• On Tuesday, 12/16, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is anticipated to hold a hearing on legislative improvements to public safety communications in the United States.

• On Wednesday, 12/17, the House Administration Subcommittee on Modernization and Innovation is scheduled to hold a hearing: “The Future of Constituent Engagement with Congress.”

California:

How Gavin Newsom became the Democrats’ 2028 front-runner: Ezra Klein of The New York Times conducted an interview with Governor Newsom to discuss his recent political strategies and how Newsom…

Education:

Education negotiators reach deal on Workforce Pell Grants: Education Department negotiators reached consensus in just five days on implementing new Workforce Pell Grants, expanding Pell eligibility to short-term training programs as brief as eight weeks. The proposal closely follows the law passed by Congress this summer and reflects a faster approach than prior negotiations…

California schools inch closer to rescuing mental health funds slashed by Trump: California schools may temporarily recover mental health grant funds the administration attempted to cancel, thanks to a Dec. 4 court ruling requiring the U.S. Department of Education to release remaining money. The reversal affects districts that documented harm, restoring…

To ease civil rights backlog, McMahon orders back staff she tried to fire: Education Secretary Linda McMahon has ordered over 250 Office for Civil Rights (OCR) employees—previously targeted for layoffs—to return by Dec. 15 to address a backlog of roughly 25,000 civil rights complaints. The move comes after months of legal battles…

Do federal privacy laws require schools to protect — or reveal — students’ LGBTQ+ identity?: Federal lawmakers are sharply divided over whether the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) should shield students’ LGBTQ+ identities from parents or require schools to disclose them. During a Dec. 3 hearing of the House Education and Workforce Committee’s Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education…

DOJ joins Loudoun County transgender student inclusion lawsuit: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has moved to join a lawsuit against the Loudoun County School Board (Va.), arguing the district violated the religious rights of two Christian high school boys suspended after objecting to a transgender student using the boys’ locker…

House subcommittee advances 18 bills to protect minors online: The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade advanced 18 bipartisan bills aimed at strengthening online protections for children and teens, including the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and COPPA 2.0. The measures now move to the full House Energy…

Supreme Court turns down book ban case: The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Little v. Llano County, leaving in place a lower court ruling that allows states and local governments to decide which books public libraries may remove. The case — which challenged removals tied to topics like racism and transgender identities — could have been the first major book-ban ruling since…

NACSA/CLE: Indianapolis tries to shape a ‘grand bargain’ for charters, district: Indianapolis is weighing a “grand bargain” that would let charter schools share district buses and unused buildings in exchange for giving up some autonomy. A state-ordered panel is drafting recommendations, likely creating a new governing body to oversee shared…

Weekly Update- 12/08/2025

Weekly Update 12/8/2025 Capitol Advocacy Partners

Appropriations

Senate GOP leaders are trying to take up a package of FY26 appropriations bills amid objections. The package was expected to include some combination of the Commerce-Justice-Science (S. 2354), Interior-Environment (S. 2431), Labor-HHS (S. 2587), Transportation-HUD (S. 2465), and Defense (S. 2572, H.R. 4016) bills. Senate conservatives, including Scott…

President and Administration:

Billions in rural health funding hinge on states passing Trump-backed policies: The Trump administration’s new $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program ties a portion of funding to whether states adopt preferred health policies — a move Democrats and health advocates call unprecedented and coercive. While half the money will be distributed evenly and another quarter based on need, the remaining $3.75 billion depend on states passing laws aligned with Trump. These include bipartisan measures like…

Libraries and museums get federal funding back after Trump cuts: The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the independent agency in charge of awarding federal grant funding to libraries and museums, is reinstating all grants that were previously terminated by the administration. A short statement posted on the agency’s website last….

Congress: 

House on track for National Defense Authorization Act vote this week: A compromised version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which puts Congress’ stamp on Pentagon programs and policy each year, has recently been released. The bill would add $8 billion to Trump’s defense budget while restricting troop…

Hearings:

• Tomorrow, December 9, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary is anticipated to hold a hearing to examine protecting children online against offenders.

• The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families is expected to hold a hearing tomorrow to examine building pathways, focusing on advancing workforce development in the 21st century.

• On Wednesday, December 10, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is expected to hold a hearing on  the future of retirement.

California:

Gavin Newsom accuses Trump of wildfire aid snub: Gov. Gavin Newsom accused the administration of refusing a routine meeting on wildfire recovery funding as the governor sought more recovery aid in Washington, calling the move unprecedented as the state seeks nearly $34 billion in federal assistance after devastating Los Angeles–area fires. Newsom’s office says the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declined to make the FEMA’s acting director or any other official available, which they argue reflects a broader neglect of California and a break from past disaster-response norms. The dispute highlights…

Education:

Workforce development portal moves to Labor: The federal portal used by states to submit workforce development plans has shifted to the Labor Department, a change primarily affecting state education agencies for now. Labor and Education will jointly administer Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs, including adult education…

20 states push back as Ed. Dept. hands programs to other agencies: Twenty Democratic-led states—including California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, along with the District of Columbia—have filed an amended lawsuit challenging the administration’s transfer of major Education Department programs to other…

Education Department outsourcing is unlawful, amended lawsuit claims: A coalition of school districts, unions, and a disability rights group filed an amended lawsuit Nov. 26, arguing the administration’s plan to shift major Education Department programs to other federal agencies is unlawful and will harm students. The complaint seeks to block interagency…

Funding ends for school mental health projects after a ‘roller coaster’ year: The administration is ending funding Dec. 31 for up to 174 school mental health projects created under a $1 billion post-Uvalde federal initiative, cutting short grants that were supposed to last five years. The Education Department says the Biden-era awards relied on “DEI-based” priorities, but districts and universities say the cancellations are disrupting counselor pipelines, forcing staff…

CA ED CLIENTS ONLY: DOJ sues California over in-state tuition for undocumented students: The U.S. Department of Justice sued California on Thursday, challenging state laws that allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition and receive state financial aid. The complaint targets Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and leaders of the University of California, California State University and the community college system. DOJ argues the policies illegally…

Houses passes bill that would require public schools to disclose foreign funding over $10,000: The House on Wednesday (12/3) passed H.R. 1005, the CLASS Act, which would require public K-12 schools to report foreign funding above $10,000 to the U.S. Education Department, including the source, country of origin, amount and any attached conditions. Lawmakers also approved two related measures targeting foreign influence: H.R. 1049, requiring schools to disclose foreign-funded instructional…

Administration effort to end 1960s school desegregation cases faces a hurdle: A federal judge in Louisiana has blocked the administration’s effort to quickly end a series of 1960s school desegregation cases, rejecting a bid by the state, the Concordia Parish school system and the U.S. Justice Department to dismiss a 1965 lawsuit without proving…

Treasury, IRS seek comments on federal school choice program: The Treasury Department and IRS are seeking public comments through Dec. 26 on implementation of a new federal tax credit–funded school choice program created under the Republican-backed “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” The program, set to begin in 2027, allows taxpayers to donate up to $1,700…
The billionaire pushing taxpayer-funded school vouchers: Billionaire Jeff Yass, a low-profile trader turned political megadonor, has become one of the nation’s most influential — and controversial — champions of school vouchers, pouring more than $350 million into politics since 2015 to advance school choice initiatives. Driven by libertarian beliefs shaped by Milton Friedman, Yass sees vouchers as a philanthropic mission to rescue children from failing public schools, though critics argue his spending gives one…