Weekly Update 5/11/2026
Weekly Update 5/11/2026 Capitol Advocacy Partners
Appropriations:
OMB has yet to disburse over $2 billion in fiscal 2026 education grants: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has not yet to apportion more than $2 billion that Congress approved in February for 35 K-12 and higher education programs. This is generally a routine process that involves OMB transferring funds into their corresponding accounts at US ED, but months after the passage of FY26 appropriations this step has still not occurred. Affected programs include $235 million for education research, $220 million for teacher preparation, $150…
Treasury deficit hits $2.1 trillion as reconciliation negotiations intensify: Congressional Republicans are accelerating work on several reconciliation packages as internal negotiations expand beyond immigration enforcement to include defense spending, tax policy, and affordability ahead of the 2026 midterms. Treasury Department…
President and Administration:
President revives the Presidential Physical Fitness Award and annual fitness test for Schools on Military Installations: The President signed an order last week reviving the Presidential Physical Fitness Award as part of a broader push to return an annual physical fitness test to American schools, making the test mandatory for students at 161 schools located on U.S. military installations. The test, created in the 1950s and phased out under former President Barack Obama in favor of a program focused on long term health, originally measured students on exercises including a one mile run and sit ups, with students scoring above the 85th…
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finalizes rule requiring SNAP retailers to stock more staple foods: A final regulation set to publish this week will require retailers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to more than double the available staple foods they stock in grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables to keep accepting SNAP dollars. Retailers will also no longer be able to count certain snack foods toward those quotas; if retailers don’t meet the new standards, they will no longer remain authorized to accept SNAP…
Congress:
House and Senate GOP rifts threaten the Republican legislative agenda: Intraparty tensions between House and Senate Republicans have spilled into public view over the past month, with both chambers trading blame over the prolonged Department of Homeland Security funding fight, a soon-to-expire surveillance law, a stalled bipartisan housing bill and a Federal Reserve digital currency proposal. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)…
Hearings:
On Tuesday, 5/12, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary is expected to hold a business meeting to consider proposed budget reconciliation.
On Wednesday, 5/13, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies is expected to hold hearings to examine the President's fiscal year 2027 budget request for the Environmental Protection Agency.
On Wednesday, 5/13, the Senate Special Committee on Aging is expected to hold a hearing "Supporting Families in the Sandwich Generation."
On Thursday, 5/14, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies is expected to hold hearings to examine the President's fiscal year 2027 budget request for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
On Thursday, 5/14, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement is anticipated to hold a hearing “Fairfax County, Virginia: The Dangerous Consequences of Sanctuary Policies.”
On Thursday, 5/14, the House Education and Workforce Committee is expected to hold a hearing “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.”
California:
California needs $4.3 billion loan to keep Medi-Cal solvent: California's Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) must borrow $4.3 billion from the state's general fund to cover its bills, state finance officials told lawmakers last week. The loan from the general fund to the Department of Health Care Services covers increased health care costs, delayed federal payments to hospitals and $1.7 billion in costs associated with non-emergency…
California Assembly avoids new spending or taxes in cautious budget roadmap: California Assembly Democrats released a budget outline last week that holds the line on funding new programs or backfilling previous cuts, and proposed no new corporate taxes despite progressive pressure in both chambers. Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) said tax debates should wait until after the midterm elections, signaling potential reassessment if Democrats fail to win back Congress and reverse federal cuts. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO)…
Leading Democratic gubernatorial candidates roll out housing plans: California's leading Democratic gubernatorial candidates released housing plans last week with ambitious round-number commitments. Tom Steyer is promising to build 1 million new homes in four years, a construction rate the state has not seen in nearly 40 years and one that researchers are skeptical he can hit. Xavier Becerra said he will expedite construction…
Education:
At an 'inflection point': California’s education system lacks coherence, study finds: A major Stanford University report found that while California has made progress in funding equity, early childhood education, and literacy initiatives, outcomes remain uneven across the state’s nearly 950 school districts. Researchers identified fragmented governance, burdensome mandates, lack of implementation guidance, and teacher shortages as ongoing challenges, estimating that local administrator…
Administration finds UCLA’s medical school used race-based admissions practices: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)’s Civil Rights Division determined last week that UCLA’s medical school used race-based admissions practices following a yearlong investigation, alleging the school admitted applicants based on race. The DOJ also claimed admitted Black and Hispanic students were, on average, less academically…
Education Department scrutinizes Los Angeles district over teacher reassignment policies: The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights launched an investigation into the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) last week over a 2024 district agreement with United Teachers Los Angeles that allows teachers accused of sexual misconduct, including engaging in sexual or romantic relationships with students, to be reassigned…
Federal judge declines to block immigration enforcement near Minnesota schools: U.S. District Judge Laura Provinzino denied a preliminary injunction sought by two Minnesota school districts and the state's main teachers union seeking to stop Department of Homeland Security agents from conducting immigration enforcement at or near schools and bus stops. The current administration rescinded Biden-era guidance…
Administration proposes rolling back Biden-era Head Start pay requirements: The administration has proposed rolling back portions of a 2024 Biden-era Head Start rule that would have required significant pay increases and expanded wage standards for early childhood educators. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said the Biden regulation was overly costly and exceeded the federal…
Education Department resolved just 1% of civil rights cases in 2025: The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) reached resolution agreements in only 1% of pending cases in 2025, the lowest rate in over a decade. OCR reached no resolution agreements on sexual harassment, sexual violence…
Education Department launches $5.6 million special education spending study: The Education Department is moving forward with the $5.6 million National Study of Special Education Spending by requesting Office of Management and Budget clearance, according to a notice planned for Federal Register publication. The study will be the first comprehensive federally supported look at Individuals…