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…