WASHINGTON UPDATES
Capitol Advocacy Partners provides weekly newsletter updates featuring curated news from the executive and legislative branches, along with timely information on federal funding opportunities—tailored to keep you informed and ahead.
Weekly Update: 1/13/20
President and Administration
President Trump on Monday, 1/13, said it didn’t matter if Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani posed an imminent threat to the United States because of his “horrible past,” in an effort to defend the decision to strike Soleimani - who commanded Iran’s Quds Force, a designated terrorist organization – after days of scrutiny about the intelligence underlying the decision to authorize the strike against him…
Congress
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is expected to name managers and transmit the articles this week, but when exactly is up in the air. In her “Dear Colleague” note on Friday 1/10, she said that she will do so after meeting with the Democratic caucus to discuss it on Tuesday morning, 1/14. Once the articles are transmitted, the Senate trial is expected to start almost immediately (The Hill).
On Tuesday, 1/14, at 10am EST the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing entitled “On the Brink of Homelessness: How the Affordable Housing Crisis and the Gentrification of America Is Leaving Families Vulnerable.”
On Tuesday, 1/14, at 10am EST the House Committee on Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled “Making HUD-VASH Work for all Veteran Communities.”
2020 Election Update
On Monday, 1/13, Cory Booker announced he was ending his campaign for presidency. Despite his announcement, the field of Democratic presidential candidates remains historically large (The New York Times). There are currently 12 people still running for the 2020 Democratic nomination…
Weekly Update: 1/6/20
President and Administration
White House budget leaders will spend January finalizing Trump's wish list for funding federal departments in fiscal 2021, scheduled for release on 2/10/20…
A new rule proposed by the Administration would no longer require agencies to take climate change into account when they assess the environmental impacts of highways, pipelines and other major infrastructure projects…
This week HUD is anticipated to release a proposal to rollback Obama-era regulations designed to crack-down on housing segregation- the 2015 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule…
Congress
The House will vote on a resolution limiting President Trump’s military actions toward Iran following his decision to launch a drone strike that killed a top Iranian commander, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Sunday, 1/5/20…
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) must transmit the articles of impeachment adopted on 12/18/19 to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)…
On Thursday, 1/9/20, at 10am EST the House Oversight and Reform Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Reaching Hard-to-Count Communities in the 2020 Census.” …
On Thursday, 1/9/20, at 10am EST the House Homeland Security Committee Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled “Understanding the importance of DHS Preparedness Grants: Perspectives from the field.” …
Weekly Update: 12/16/19
President and Administration
The Trump administration is hosting a mental health summit Thursday, 12/19, that's expected to include a discussion about mass shootings…
Congress
Last week, the House Judiciary Committee approved two articles — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — in party-line votes…
This afternoon, 12/16, Congress released the text of the FY20 appropriations package…
On Thursday, 12/12, the House passing a bill that for the first time would require the government to negotiate prices for costly drugs…
Weekly Update 12/9/19
President and Administration
The Trump Administration gave final approval on Wednesday, 12/4, to a rule that will remove nearly 700,000 people from the federal food-stamp program by strictly enforcing federal work requirements…
The Department of Health and Human Services Department announced their plan to provide donated HIV prevention drugs (PrEP) for free to the uninsured, as part of the President’s end HIV initiative…
On Wednesday, 12/4, California Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed the allocation of $650 million directly to counties and cities to address homelessness across the state, saying he was frustrated with the federal government's slow process in allowing him to release the state funds…
Congress
Democrats indicated optimism that the House and Senate can negotiate all of the Fiscal Year 20 bills and clear them by Dec. 20, when government Continuing Resolution (CR) expires…
Today, 12/9, the House Judiciary Committee began a hearing on the House Intelligence Committee’s impeachment report…
Ways and Means Democrats are expected to finally unveil legislation this month taking aim at the $10,000 limit on the federal deduction for state and local taxes…
Witnesses at a House Education and Labor Committee hearing on Wednesday, 11/4, testified that the Trump administration’s immigration policies could be deterring undocumented children and children from mixed-status families from attending school and receiving health and nutrition benefits…
Education
At an annual education conference in Reno, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos pitched an idea to have federal student loans managed by a standalone entity that is separate and independent from the Education Department…
Democratic presidential candidates are pitching tuition-free community college as a way to prevent students from piling up student debt…
Weekly Update 11/25/19
President and Administration
President Trump's nominee for FDA commissioner declined at his confirmation hearing Wednesday, 11/20, to promise to move forward with an e-cigarette flavor ban that the administration has put on hold…
For communities with significant numbers of Latino and immigrant residents, the barriers to an accurate 2020 Census count are high…
California’s government has hit back at automakers that sided with President Trump over the state on fuel efficiency standards, saying Sacramento will halt all purchases of new vehicles from General Motors, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler and other automakers…
Department of Education
Secretary of Education DeVos announced Wednesday, 11/20, that the new College Scorecard is now available…
The Education Department is planning to draft new federal rules to carry out President Donald Trump’s executive order on campus free speech…
Congress
On Thursday, 11/21, President Trump signed a stopgap bill that pushed the appropriations deadline to December 20th…
Now that the last scheduled impeachment hearing has wrapped up, Democrats are eyeing the next phase of their investigation: passing the baton to the House Judiciary Committee…
The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill Wednesday, 11/20, that would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level…
John Pallasch, assistant secretary for employment and training at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), acknowledged during a House Education and Labor Committee hearing on apprenticeships…