Weekly Update 3/2/2026
Weekly Update 3/2/2026 Capitol Advocacy Partners
President and Administration:
Trump won't rule out ground troops in Iran as U.S. military confirms four troops killed in war: The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has entered its third day, with continued Iranian missile and drone attacks hitting Israel and several Gulf states, causing civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. At least four U.S. service members have been confirmed killed, and the U.S. military says more casualties are possible as operations continue. The President has stated that the campaign will proceed until its…
FEMA sends out billions for disasters, warning Democrats of 'dire’ shutdown impact: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent out more than $5 billion in disaster relief in a single week, cutting by more than half the $9.6 billion balance in the nation’s disaster relief fund and warning of “dire consequences” as a funding lapse at the DHS…
Congress:
House GOP leaders poised to force vote to end DHS shutdown: Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives are preparing to force a vote Thursday (3/5) on legislation to fund DHS, aiming to pressure Democrats to reopen the agency amid heightened domestic threats following U.S. strikes on Iran. The measure is nearly identical…
Hearings:
On Tuesday, 3/3, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary is anticipated to hold oversight hearings to examine the Department of Homeland Security.
Education:
ED’s DEI guidance is dead, but Trump's crackdown isn't: A federal court blocked the U.S. Department of Education’s Dear Colleague letter declaring race-based programming illegal, and the department dropped its appeal. Advocates call the rulings a victory and say colleges can restore paused diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Legal experts say the…
School counselors see rising trauma linked to immigration enforcement: School counselors across the country report increases in student trauma tied to heightened immigration enforcement, including more post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses, young children clinging to teachers, and rising absenteeism that in some cases leads to families withdrawing from school or leaving their communities. In Minnesota and other states with large immigrant populations, counselors say students fear family separation and…
The Education Department's 9 interagency agreements: what is going where: The U.S. Department of Education signed nine interagency agreements with four federal agencies between May 2025 and Feb. 23, 2026, shifting billions of dollars in responsibilities for grant management, technical assistance, and other administrative duties as part of the President's effort to shrink…
Special education enrollment rises to more than 8.2M students: The number of students ages 3 to 21 qualifying for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) increased 3.8%, or nearly 302,000 students, from 2023 to 2024, reaching about 8.2 million, according to federal data analyzed by The Advocacy Institute. Enrollment under IDEA…
Education groups push $2.5 billion plan to rebuild teacher preparation: Groups led by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education are urging Congress to invest $2.5 billion to overhaul federal support for teacher preparation, citing enrollment declines, program cuts, and growing classroom demands. In a new report, they propose reviving and expanding teacher workforce grants and scholarships within the U.S. Department of Education, creating a national educator workforce data system, and…