Weekly Update 2/23/2026
Weekly Update 2/23/2026 Capitol Advocacy Partners
President and Administration:
After court ruling, Trump says US global tariff rate will rise from 10% to 15%: Following a Supreme Court decision striking down a set of the White House’s global tariffs, the President announced he will raise a temporary universal tariff on U.S. imports from 10% to 15%, the maximum allowed under Section 122 of federal trade law, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his earlier tariff program. The Court ruled that the administration exceeded its authority…
Congress:
Senate GOP faces pressure to force "talking filibuster" for voter ID bill: Senate Republicans are coming under intense pressure from the President and right-wing colleagues to embark on an old-fashioned filibuster fight in an effort to ram through a voter identification bill that their party regards as crucial to salvaging their dimming chances of winning the midterm elections (2/21). The move, which Sen. John Thune (R-SD) has been reluctant to undertake, involves using tactics that have not been employed for decades and could…
Hearings:
On Tuesday, 2/24, the Senate Committee on the Budget is anticipated to hold hearings to examine sanctuary cities, focusing on law and order.
Education:
Administration to shift more programs out of the Education Department: The administration announced on February 23, 2026 that it will shift additional responsibilities out of the U.S. Department of Education as part of its broader effort to dismantle the agency and return authority to states. The latest announcement states that oversight of school safety grants…
Bad news for Pell: The Pell Grant program is expected to be short $5.4 billion by Sept. 30, when fiscal year 2026 ends, and in fiscal year 2027, the shortfall could grow by another $11.5 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Congress has expanded the Pell Grant program twice and increased the maximum award several times, but aside from a $10.5 billion one-time infusion over the summer, lawmakers have not increased the program's budget, leaving a cumulative shortfall of $16.9…
Education Department reaches deals with 31 colleges to cut ties to PhD group working to increase advanced degrees for traditionally underrepresented groups: The Department of Education announced it has secured agreements with 31 universities to end their partnerships with The PhD Project, a nonprofit organization that supports students pursuing PhDs, following agency investigations alleging the organization unlawfully limited eligibility based on race this past Thursday, February 19. The agency began investigating 45 schools last March for allegedly violating civil rights laws after the Office for Civil Rights sent a letter to colleges…