Weekly Update-10/20/2025

President and Administration:

Appeals court lifts block on Trump’s Oregon troop deployment: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Monday cleared the administration to proceed with deploying National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, overturning a lower court’s temporary block. The 2-1 ruling, issued by two Trump-appointed judges, allows Oregon and California Guard members to be stationed…

Comey lawyers move to dismiss case: Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey asked a federal judge to dismiss the criminal case against him, alleging it is a politically motivated prosecution ordered by President Trump out of personal animosity. In court filings, Comey’s lawyers argued that Trump pressured the Justice Department to bring charges after multiple prosecutors declined, ultimately appointing Lindsey Halligan—one of his former personal attorneys…

Trump puts political appointees in charge of hiring feds: Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to create strategic hiring committees led by political appointees, giving them greater control over civil service hiring to align with administration…

Chamber sues Trump to block $100,000 fee for H-1B visas: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit to block a new $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, arguing the policy is unlawful and exceeds executive authority. The Chamber says the fee would…

Supreme Court appears poised to weaken Voting Rights Act (VRA): The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority signaled it may restrict or eliminate the use of race in drawing election districts, which could significantly weaken the Voting Rights Act and reshape congressional maps across the South. During arguments in a case over Louisiana’s 2024 redistricting plan…

State Department revokes visas over Charlie Kirk comments: The State Department has revoked the visas of at least six foreign nationals from countries including Argentina, South Africa, and Mexico after they made social media posts celebrating the death of conservative activist…

California:

Bay Area universities losing millions in minority grant funding: The U.S. Department of Education redirected $350 million in federal funding from minority-serving institution grants to charter schools and other programs, prompting Bay Area universities to lose over $2 million in support…

Transportation Department withholds $40M from California over English-speaking requirements: The administration has withheld over $40 million in federal transportation funding from California, claiming the state failed to comply with new English-speaking requirements for commercial truck drivers. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy…

Education:

Supreme Court refuses parental challenge to school district's gender identity policy: The Supreme Court declined Tuesday (10/14) to hear a lawsuit from two Colorado families who said the Poudre School District violated their parental rights by keeping…

Teacher turnover contributes to suspensions and referrals, study finds: A new study from NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development finds teacher turnover is linked to higher discipline rates in schools, especially when teachers leave in the middle…

California high schoolers to gain automatic offers to Cal State under new law: California high school students will soon receive automatic admission offers to California State University campuses under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Starting with the class of 2027, seniors who meet academic eligibility requirements will be directly admitted to Cal State…

Newsom signs First-in-Nation Law to ban ultraprocessed food in school lunches: California became the first state to ban ultraprocessed foods in school meals under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Starting now and phased in through 2035, K–12 schools must remove foods containing harmful ultraprocessed ingredients such as artificial dyes, flavors, emulsifiers…

Weekly Update- 10/13/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 10/13/2025

President and Administration:

Administration says immigration enforcement threatens higher food prices: The administration acknowledged that its immigration crackdown is hurting farmers and could raise food prices by cutting off agriculture’s labor supply. In a document filed with the Federal Register, the Department of Labor warned that the “near total cessation of the inflow of illegal aliens” threatens the stability of U.S. food production and prices for consumers….

1 in 3 Republicans say Trump is improperly enriching himself: A new Pew Research Center survey shows growing unease among Americans, including Republicans, over President Trump’s use of power and personal enrichment. While 89% of Democrats believe Trump has improperly used his office to benefit himself, 31% of Republicans and 61% of independents now share that view, up from 23% of Republicans in 2019. Nearly half of U.S. adults (49%) say…

California:

Newsom expands access to mental health treatment through CARE Court: California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 27, expanding eligibility for the state’s CARE (Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment) Court program, which provides court-supervised mental health treatment for individuals with serious mental illness…

California as first state offering phone bill discounts to undocumented immigrants: California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1303, making California the first state positioned to offer undocumented immigrants access to state-run phone bill discounts through the LifeLine program. The law, authored by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia…

Education:

Senate Republicans approve top Education Department nominees: On Tuesday (10/7), Senate Republicans approved a slate of top Education Department nominees as part of an en bloc consideration of 108 of President Trump’s nominees. The confirmations passed by a 51–47 party-line vote…

Appeals court refuses to block Trump’s Title IX funding change: A federal appeals court has refused to block the administration’s funding restrictions on Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, marking a setback for one of the first districts to challenge the administration’s new Title IX enforcement. The Education Department placed Fairfax on “reimbursement only”…

Ed. Dept. workers’ union sues over emails blaming Democrats for shutdown: The American Federation of Government Employees has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education, alleging that the agency violated employees’ First Amendment rights by altering their out-of-office emails to blame Senate Democrats for the federal government shutdown. The complaint, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., claims that the partisan messages were inserted without staff consent, forcing employees to appear to endorse political statements. Department spokesperson Madi Biedermann…

Trump funding cuts hit particularly hard for deaf and blind children: The U.S. Department of Education has cut more than 30 special education grants worth nearly $30 million, ending funding for Braille, interpreter, and deaf-blind training programs. The administration said the programs conflicted with its policy priorities, part of a broader rollback of diversity and inclusion…

H-1B visa lawsuit alleges $100K fee will worsen teacher shortages: A coalition of education, union, and nonprofit groups has sued the administration over a new $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications, arguing it will worsen teacher shortages…

As the LGBTQ youth population doubles, legislation targeting them triples: A new analysis by the Movement Advancement Project finds that as the number of LGBTQ-identifying youths has doubled since 2020, the number of state bills restricting their rights has tripled to about 300…

Book bans becoming the new norm for districts, report says: A new PEN America report says book bans have become routine in U.S. schools, with 6,870 instances recorded across 23 states in the 2024–25 school year. The organization warns that districts now face mounting local…

Private School Choice gets supercharged in Trump’s 2nd term: President Trump’s education agenda centers on expanding private and charter school choice while reducing federal oversight. Through executive orders and agency guidance, the administration has encouraged states to use federal funds to support school choice and loosen certain regulations. Congress…

SEL improves student grades, test performance: A new meta-analysis published by the American Educational Research Association finds that universal social emotional learning (SEL) programs significantly improve students’ grades and test scores, especially in literacy and math. Reviewing 40 studies of more than 33,000 students worldwide, researchers found the strongest…

Weekly Update- 10/6/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 10/6/2025

Daily Shutdown Briefing #5 - Current Legislative and Agency Developments

The Senate is expected to vote again on two competing funding bills this evening –  the GOP-led stopgap and a Democratic alternative, though both are expected to fail again. With little sign of progress, lawmakers could face growing pressure as active-duty military members next week miss Oct. 15 paychecks.

President and Administration:

Trump plan would limit disability benefits for older Americans: The Trump administration is preparing a proposal to change how the Social Security Administration (SSA) determines eligibility for disability benefits, potentially making it harder for older Americans to qualify. The plan would eliminate or raise the current age threshold used to assess whether applicants can adapt…

Judge deals Trump setback on deploying troops to Portland: A federal judge has blocked the administration from deploying any state National Guard troops to Oregon, marking the latest legal setback to the president’s efforts to use military forces in U.S. cities. U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut, a Trump appointee, ruled Sunday (10/5) that the administration had defied her earlier order halting the deployment of Oregon’s Guard by instead sending California troops, prompting her to issue the broader…

Supreme Court allows Lisa Cook to remain on Fed board for now: The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday (10/1) that Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook may remain in her position while it considers Trump's attempt to remove her from the Central Bank. The Court will hear arguments in January, extending Cook’s tenure through at least the end of the year. The case centers on whether…

Pope makes rare comments on U.S. politics, military gathering: Pope Leo XIV made rare remarks on U.S. politics, expressing concern about the tone of comments by the President and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a military gathering in Virginia and emphasizing the need for dialogue and peace. The pope also reaffirmed the Church’s teaching on the sanctity…

National Flood Insurance Program is set to expire with government shutdown, halting new policies and some home loans: Authorization for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is set to expire Tuesday (9/30) if Congress fails to pass a spending bill, halting new and renewed flood insurance policies and disrupting home sales in high-risk flood…

White House fires much of the National Council on the Humanities: The White House dismissed most members of the National Council on the Humanities on Wednesday (10/1), retaining only four appointees aligned with the Administration. Council members said they were notified abruptly by email that their positions were terminated effective immediately. The National Council advises the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) on grantmaking and policy…

California:

California still has no plan to save Planned Parenthood, CEO says: Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration has yet to announce a plan to sustain Planned Parenthood clinics across California following the loss of federal funding under H.R. 1, the Republican spending bill signed by Trump in July. The legislation prevents Planned Parenthood from billing Medi-Cal…

Education:

SCOTUS to step into the trans athletes debate: The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) is set to hear two major cases this term (which started today) that could determine whether states can ban transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams. The cases, Little v. Hecox from Idaho and West Virginia v. B.P.J., both challenge state laws that restrict participation based on biological…

How the federal government shutdown affects K-12: Most K-12 schools will continue normal operations during the federal government shutdown, as state and local funds cover most costs. Federal grants such as Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)…

Trump targeting services for multilingual learners leaves gaps in schools: The administration’s proposed 2026 budget eliminates $890 million for multilingual learners, cutting professional development, newcomer centers, and English language learner (ELL) teacher hiring across K-12 schools. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition…

FCC removes school bus Wi-Fi, hotspots from E-rate: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 2-1 to remove school bus Wi-Fi and internet hotspots from eligibility for federal E-rate funding, reversing an expansion approved under Biden. The decision ended discounts…

A growing number of state bills target sex education, report says: A growing number of state bills are challenging sex education in K-12 schools, according to the 2025 Legislative Mid-Year Report from the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States…

Hawaiʻi is turning to charters to expand free preschool: Hawaiʻi is expanding free preschool access by converting private programs into charter schools, starting with Waikīkī Community Preschool, now tuition-free and state-funded. The effort supports the state’s goal to provide preschool to all three- and four-year-olds by 2032. Charter preschools can help address teacher shortages…

California school board member stipends could change under new bill: California lawmakers are considering Assembly Bill 1390, which would raise the maximum monthly stipend for school board members and county education boards for the first time since 1984. Currently, stipends range from $60 in the smallest districts to $1,500 in the largest. The bill, sponsored…

Weekly Update-9/29/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 9/29/2025

Appropriations

Democrats: Democrats are not retreating from their opposition to the GOP-led stopgap funding patch as the White House threatens to fire federal workers if Congress allows a government shutdown. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said the threats were tantamount to “mafia-style blackmail,"…

Republicans: On Thursday (9/25), Trump stated that responsibility for any difficulties arising from his administration’s actions should rest with Democrats, arguing that their refusal to pass a clean funding bill is what risks a government shutdown.

President and Administration:
Trump’s shutdown plans: Mass layoffs, deregulation, military deployments: The administration is preparing for a government shutdown at midnight on Tuesday (September 30) threatening mass layoffs, sweeping deregulation, and a sharp narrowing of federal responsibilities. Under the plan led by White House budget director Russell Vought, many agencies such as Labor and Housing would see massive…

The man behind Trump’s push for an all-powerful presidency: Russell T. Vought, the President’s budget director, is driving an aggressive push to expand presidential authority and weaken federal agencies, reviving ideas he developed during Trump’s first term. After clashing with Elon Musk’s short-lived Department of Government Efficiency, Vought has reasserted control, using budget…

States send out the ‘bat signal’ for help responding to cyber threats amid federal cuts: State cybersecurity leaders are stepping up collaboration as federal cyber support shrinks under administration cuts. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), once a cornerstone for state-level cyber defense, has lost significant staff and halted key programs…

Supreme Court OKs Trump to withhold $4B in foreign aid: The Supreme Court ruled that Trump can withhold $4 billion in foreign aid appropriated by Congress, strengthening his position in an ongoing dispute over executive spending power. The unsigned order, opposed by Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, endorsed Trump’s “pocket rescission”…

Public Safety

At least four dead in attack on Michigan church: At least four people were killed and eight others injured after a gunman attacked a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday (9/28). Authorities said the suspect, identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, crashed his vehicle into the church before opening fire…

Trump calls for troops in Portland, escalating use of military inside U.S.: Trump announced plans to send U.S. troops to Portland, Oregon, and to immigration detention facilities nationwide, authorizing the use of “Full Force, if necessary.” The move follows an executive order mobilizing counterterrorism powers against domestic opponents, despite longstanding precedent limiting…

Education:

Districts lose millions as Trump ends desegregation grants: The U.S. Department of Education has ended the Biden-era Fostering Diverse Schools grant program, leaving six districts and charter networks—including one in Los Angeles—without millions they had budgeted for the 2025–26 school year. The program, launched in 2023 to boost racial and socioeconomic diversity…

FCC to vote Sept. 30 on removing school bus Wi-Fi, hotspots from E-rate: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is scheduled to vote tomorrow (Sept. 30) on whether to roll back a Biden-era expansion of the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Program (E-rate)…

Administration cuts some teacher-training grants for English learners: The U.S. Department of Education has halted some National Professional Development (NPD) grants, the only federal program dedicated to training teachers to better serve English learners. At least 10 programs received non-continuation letters on Sept. 23, giving them just seven days to appeal. Officials say the cuts target...

Educators worry about how Trump’s autism rhetoric will affect students, parents: Trump and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that acetaminophen use during pregnancy and vaccines contribute to autism—statements refuted by major medical…

As CTE transfers to Labor Department, here’s what schools need to know: The U.S. Department of Education is transferring daily management of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs under the Carl D. Perkins Act to the U.S. Department of Labor through an interagency agreement. The administration says this will streamline services, but critics warn it could cause confusion…

Math and career education are now top grant priorities for Ed. Dept.: The U.S. Department of Education has proposed two new competitive grant priorities: strengthening math instruction and advancing career and technical education (CTE). The math priority emphasizes explicit, systematic teaching, teacher training, and statewide plans to raise achievement, echoing the “science of reading”…

Administration set to propose ‘patriotic education’ grant initiative: The administration is preparing a “patriotic education” grant initiative that would direct federal funds toward programs promoting a conservative interpretation of U.S. history, emphasizing Judeo-Christian values, Western civilization, and national symbols. The proposal, to be published by the U.S. Department…

Des Moines schools chief is detained and accused of living in U.S. illegally: Ian Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was detained Friday (9/25) by federal immigration agents, who said he had been living and working in the U.S. illegally. ICE officials stated Roberts entered the country on a student visa in 1999, had a deportation order issued in May 2024, and was carrying a loaded handgun, cash, and a knife when arrested after fleeing agents. His sudden detention shocked the community…

Weekly Update- 9/22/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 9/22/2025

President and Administration:

Trump ends annual report on U.S. hunger amid rising food insecurity: The administration announced it will end the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) annual Household Food Security report, first introduced in the 1990s. The decision comes as last year’s report found that 18 million households…

Department of Transportation looking to shut off funding to minority business resource centers: The Department of Transportation, under Trump’s second term, is moving to defund its Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRCs), which help small businesses — including minority-owned firms — compete for federal contracts. Additionally, SBTRCs administer the USDOT Bonding Education Program (BEP), assist with identifying access to capital…

Education:

RFK Jr., McMahon say school mental health screenings turn students into patients: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Education Secretary Linda McMahon criticized school-based mental health screenings, arguing they “medicalize” children and treat them “like patients,” while calling instead for improvements through nutrition…

Ed. Dept. will emphasize ‘patriotic education’ in grant competitions: The Department of Education announced it will prioritize “patriotic education” in competitive grants, framing the approach as one that highlights the nation’s founding ideals and unifying principles. Secretary McMahon also launched the America 250 Civics Coalition, a group of more than 40 organizations—including Hillsdale College, PragerU, and Turning Point USA…

Administration cancels dozens more grants, hitting civics, arts, and higher ed.: Trump has escalated its cancellation of federal education grants, cutting off funding for dozens of ongoing projects in civics, arts, literacy, special education, and college readiness. The Department of Education has issued “non-continuation” notices to at least nine GEAR UP programs, nine arts education initiatives, nearly 20 American history projects, and multiple efforts to provide…