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…