Weekly Update 7/6/21

California

Last week, both chambers of the California legislature approved Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to send additional $600 stimulus checks to residents across the state, sending the legislation to the governor's desk…

Californians legally bought a record 686,435 handguns in 2020 - a nearly 66% increase from the year before - while annual long-gun sales reached their second-highest total with 480,401 legal purchases, according to data Attorney General Rob Bonta released Thursday, 7/2…

The gubernatorial recall election is set for 9/14…

San Jose officials have passed the first law in the nation that requires gun owners to carry liability insurance and pay a fee to cover taxpayers’ costs associated with gun violence…

California broadly reopened its economy barely two weeks ago and since then an especially contagious COVID-19 variant has spread among the unvaccinated, a development that has health officials on edge and already has prompted Los Angeles County to strongly recommend everyone resume wearing masks inside…

Coronavirus

Last week, the Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 to leave in place the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) ban on evictions, imposed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent homelessness…

The Biden administration on Thursday, 7/1, announced the formation of “surge response” teams intended to combat the fast-moving delta variant by deploying additional expertise and supplies to hot spots…

FEMA has changed its pandemic funeral assistance policy to allow family members of those who died from COVID-19 between 1/20/20 and 5/16/20 to submit for reimbursement even if the death certificate does not identify the illness as the cause of death…

The highly contagious delta variant quickly spreading through the U.S. may force schools to double down on mitigation measures in order to reopen safely later this summer and into the fall, health experts say…

President and Administration

State and local officials responsible for doling out more than $46 billion in federal rental assistance had distributed just $1.5 billion as of the end of May, according to new Treasury Department data that illustrated a severe bottleneck in the aid…

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is ordering car manufacturers to disclose crashes involving automated driving systems - ranging from fully autonomous to those that can perform driver tasks such as steering, changing speeds and switching lanes - as part of an effort to monitor the safety of new technologies being used on the nation’s roads…

The U.S. will no longer require Americans applying for passports or consular reports of birth abroad to undergo a medical certification if their self-selected gender doesn’t match the gender listed on other citizenship or identity documents, the State Department announced…

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday, 7/1, issued a moratorium on federal executions, ordering a review of death penalty policy changes made under former President Trump…

Congress 

The House passed two bills last week that are expected to form the core of legislation in the chamber designed to boost U.S. research and development in response to China’s challenge to U.S. economic supremacy…

A rare show of bipartisan unity over tax policy unfolded last week, with 18 lawmakers making their case on why House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) should include an expansion of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction in upcoming legislation…

Every child whose parent or guardian earns less than $100,000 per year would be granted a savings account under a bill introduced by Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA), Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)…

Last week, the House voted to create a new select committee that will investigate the deadly 1/6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, in a vote falling mostly along party lines that signals the political fight to come over the panel's examination of the insurrection…

Education

Data released last week revealed a startling decline in the number of American children attending public schools: Total K-12 enrollment dropped by roughly 3% in 2020-21 compared with the previous school year - which amounts to a drop of roughly 1.5 million pupils…

Last week, the Supreme Court declined to hear a high-profile feud over the rights of transgender youth in public schools, letting stand a lower court victory for a Virginia student whose school barred him from using the boys’ restroom…

On Thursday, 7/1, the Education Department released more than $3 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to states to support infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities…

Immigration Update 6/30/21

The Border

On Friday, 6/25, Vice President Kamala Harris visited immigration facilities and met female migrants aged 9-16 in El Paso, Texas…

In mid-June, the White House released a summary of actions that the administration had taken thus far to address the border crisis…

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Sunday, 6/20, that U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada will remain closed to nonessential travel "to reduce the spread" of COVID-19…

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday, 6/16, rescinded a Trump-era decision that made it harder for victims of domestic and gang violence to win asylum…

Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott, who took his position during the Trump administration, announced his resignation, pledging to stay for around 60 days to ensure a smooth transition…

An Amnesty International report has found that United States officials are returning Mexican unaccompanied migrant children to Mexico without giving them adequate screenings for protection needs - treating children from Mexico differently than other nations…

President and Administration

The White House is considering ending the use of Title 42, a Trump-era public health order that lets U.S. border officials quickly turn back migrant families to Mexico, as early as 7/31…

 Earlier this month, the administration announced that it has dismantled a Trump-era government office to help victims of crimes committed by immigrants, a move that symbolizes Biden’s rejection of Trump’s repeated efforts to link immigrants to crime…

 The administration is broadening the pool of migrants who will be allowed to enter the U.S. through asylum claims, in the latest effort to chip away at the restrictive immigration policies under President Trump…

In mid-June, the administration announced plans to expand the number of Central American children eligible to apply for asylum while still in their home countries…

The administration is calling on Congress to cancel billions of dollars set aside for Trump’s border wall…

A 46-page draft blueprint maps out the Biden administration’s plans to significantly expand legal immigration, including methodically reversing efforts to dismantle it by Trump, causing the average time to approve employer-sponsored green cards to double… 

The administration has quietly tasked six humanitarian groups with recommending which migrants should be allowed into the U.S. through asylum as it faces mounting pressure to lift public health rules barring people from seeking protection…

Vice President Harris’ First Foreign Trip

In early June, Vice President Harris travelled to Mexico and Guatemala in the hopes of emerging with a migration strategy that will work…

Harris delivered a direct warning to migrants considering making the trek during her meeting with the Guatemalan President…

The powerful California Latino Legislative Caucus rebuked Harris for telling Central American migrants "do not come”…

The Courts

The Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that immigrants allowed to stay in the U.S. temporarily for humanitarian reasons may not apply for green cards if they had entered the country unlawfully, potentially affecting tens of thousands of immigrants…

Congress

Immigration enforcement agencies would lose millions in funding under a House spending bill released yesterday, 6/29…

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TC) continue to spearhead bipartisan talks on a narrow immigration package dealing with Dreamers, border security and migrant farm workers…

A group of House Democrats led by Reps. Deborah Ross (D-NC) and Ami Bera (D-CA) are asking the Biden administration to help a group of immigrants often known as “documented dreamers,” or individuals who came to the U.S. as children of foreigners on nonimmigrant visas…

Earlier this month, dozens of House Democrats asked the DHS not to re-detain people in ICE detention released during the COVID-19 pandemic…

Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) led a letter from several House Republicans demanding information from the Biden administration about their response to unaccompanied children apprehended at the southern border…

Weekly Update 6/28/21

California

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has blocked US District Judge Benitez's controversial ruling that overturned California's longtime ban on assault weapons, in which he likened the AR-15 to a Swiss Army knife…

An 11-member en banc panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is considering a challenge to a voter-approved ban of large-capacity magazines with more than 10 rounds of ammunition…

Gov. Newsom says California will pay off all the past-due rent that accumulated in California because of the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a promise to make landlords whole while giving renters a clean slate…

An analysis of data shows that, in the Bay Area, businesses in higher-income or predominantly white census tracts were far more likely to have received a PPP loan than businesses in areas that are lower-income or have a higher share of Black and Hispanic residents…

California schools collectively have billions of state and federal dollars to spend on programs to help students catch up on the learning they lost while school campuses were closed…

Coronavirus

The Biden administration is likely to miss its goal of 70% of adults receiving at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose by July Fourth…

While women have received COVID-19 shots at higher rates nationally than men, polling indicates that higher shares of mothers than fathers are resistant to vaccinating their kids…

Troves of misinformation, language barriers and fears around immigration enforcement are hampering efforts to vaccinate Hispanic communities against COVID-19, challenging the Biden administration’s push to crush the virus as a dangerous new variant quickly spreads…

President and Administration

President Biden said on Wednesday, 6/23, that states could draw from $350 billion in federal stimulus money to shore up police departments and vowed to crack down on gun dealers who fail to run background checks…

 The administration unveiled a raft of measures to prevent people who lost income during the pandemic from losing their homes on Thursday, 6/24, including extending nationwide eviction and foreclosure bans until 7/31…

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Friday, 6/25, that the Justice Department is filing suit against the state of Georgia over its sweeping election law recently passed by Republicans, alleging it violates the federal Voting Rights Act by seeking to disenfranchise Black voters…

On Thursday, 6/24, the U.S. Supreme Court discussed whether to hear a case that could settle whether states can exclude religious schools from publicly funded voucher programs… 

A Pennsylvania school district violated a high school cheerleader’s First Amendment rights when officials punished her for a profane, off-campus social media post, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday, 6/23…

Congress 

Democrats are expected to bring a $715 billion infrastructure bill to the floor this week, the product of work by two committees…

According to a summary circulating, the budget plan under development by Senate Budget Chairman Bernie Sanders would overshoot Biden’s proposed spending by nearly $1.6 trillion over a decade, costing $6 trillion and adding $3 trillion to deficits…

Democrats suffered one of the biggest setbacks of Biden’s presidency last week when all 50 Republicans blocked Democrats’ voting rights bill from advancing to floor debate…

Last week, Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) outlined a proposal for curbing prescription drug prices as pressure builds on Democratic lawmakers to use the reforms to pay for infrastructure…

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nominations of David Chipman to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Ur Jaddou to be director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services…

House Democrats are creating a new select committee to investigate the deadly 1/6 insurrection, including the federal government’s response…

A House committee approved far-reaching legislation to curb the market dominance of tech giants, including Google and Facebook…

Education

Today, 5/28, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona announced that the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE) now has full access to all federal education pandemic relief funds earmarked for the Commonwealth and other education program grant dollars…

The Education Department is planning to amend the regulations for Title IX put into place under the Trump administration and intends to release its proposed rule next May…

The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee advanced the nomination of President Biden’s pick to oversee higher education policy James Kvaal, with bipartisan support in April, along with that of deputy secretary pick Cindy Marten…

In a new report, at-risk students were about half as likely as their peers to feel confident that they could find academic/advising support, and were more likely to prefer automated services like chatbots and phone menus compared to groups…

Last week, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona held a virtual roundtable conversation with rural students from grades 6-12...

Last week, the Education Department began its negotiated rule-making process by holding three days of public hearings, with commenters discussing topics for federal student aid regulations…

Infrastructure and Transportation Update 6/24/21

Today, 6/24, President Joe Biden celebrated a deal with a group of Democratic and Republican senators on a $579 billion infrastructure plan, saying it would create millions of jobs while fulfilling a major piece of his economic agenda…

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said they’ve agreed on a strategy to twin a bipartisan infrastructure package and a budget resolution setting up fast-track legislation with the rest of Biden’s $4 trillion economic plan…

President Biden made clear his support for the physical infrastructure package is contingent on Congress also passing companion legislation with funding for other key priorities included in his American Jobs Plan and the $1.8 trillion American Families Plan -- particularly those known as “soft” or “human” infrastructure…

Highlights of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework include…

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced 38-26, a five-year, $547 billion surface transportation bill largely along party lines this month with support from two Republicans only - Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Jenniffer González-Colón (R- PR)…

Weekly Update 6/21/21

California

Recall candidates seeking to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom must furnish five years of tax returns, Secretary of State Shirley Weber said last week…

Californians will soon need to certify that they are looking for work to keep the unemployment aid flowing…

California residents over age 50 would be newly eligible for the state’s Medicaid program regardless of immigration status under a budget plan that cleared the Legislature last week…

Officials unveiled a new system Friday, 6/18, through which Californians can access a digital copy of their COVID-19 vaccination record…

Coronavirus

The sharp decline in routine childhood immunizations following stay-at-home orders last spring reversed considerably by the fall…

The CDC Foundation has released a new report on the “Intentions and Views around COVID-19 Vaccination Among K-12 Populations”…

Hundreds of thousands of Americans have sought medical care for post-COVID-19 health problems that they had not been diagnosed with before becoming infected with the virus, according to the largest study to date of long-term symptoms in COVID-19 patients…

President Joe Biden urged unvaccinated Americans to get inoculated, warning that a highly transmissible variant of the virus could cause more deaths…

President and Administration

Technology developed with U.S. research grants will be blocked from being manufacturing overseas as part of President Biden’s supply-chain initiative…

Last week, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released the Final Rule for the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program, which will direct $268 million for expanding broadband to eligible historically minority-serving institutions (MSIs), Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs), and Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs)…

On Thursday, 6/17, President Biden signed legislation that made June 19 a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S., after the House and Senate passed the bill in votes earlier this week…

The Biden administration released a new broadband mapping tool that shows high-speed internet needs in rural areas, as part of its push for $2 trillion legislation to fix America’s infrastructure…

The Senate confirmed former National Security Agency (NSA) deputy director Chris Inglis to be the national cyber director, leading the new Office of the National Cyber Director inside the White House…

The Biden administration is readying to implement the president’s executive order requiring federal contractors to lift the minimum wage for government contractors to $15, from its current level of $10.95, as the Labor Department sent its proposed rule to the White House for review…

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia last week, ruling 9-0 that a Catholic social services agency, which believes marriage is between a man and a woman, has a right to exclude same-sex couples from becoming foster parents - and that the city violated the organization’s First Amendment rights when it froze an existing contract due to the policy…

Congress 

Bipartisan infrastructure negotiations continued last week with lawmakers and the White House still not on the same page when it comes to paying for hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending…

The House Appropriations Committee is slated to begin marking up its fiscal 2022 budget this week with the hope of having all 12 bills done by mid-July…

Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), one of the leaders in Congress behind the push for an expansion of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, is considering proposing a one-time wealth tax on the richest Americans…

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is expected to force a vote on whether to move forward with debate on S. 1 - the For the People Act - tomorrow, 6/22, bringing to a head a legislative drama that has been unfolding for months…

By almost every measure, 2021 has already been a terrible year for gun violence…

Missouri has become the latest state to throw down a broad challenge to the enforcement of federal firearms laws, as Republican-controlled state legislatures across the country intensify their fierce political counterattack against President Biden’s gun control proposals…

Democrats are preparing to vote on a scaled-down guns bill - most likely a curtailed plan to boost background checks for firearm buyers…

Last week, President Biden elevated Amazon critic and anti-monopoly advocate Lina Khan to chair the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)…

 In an unclassified FBI threat assessment on QAnon sent to lawmakers last week, the FBI warned that online QAnon conspiracy theorists may carry out more acts of violence as they move from serving as "digital soldiers" to taking action in the real world following the 1/6 U.S. Capitol attack…

Education

Title IX’s protections against sexual discrimination and violence extend to gay and transgender students, the Department of Education announced last week, in an interpretation of the 2020 Supreme Court ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County…

Last week, Secretary Cardona held a virtual roundtable conversation with a diverse group of early childhood stakeholders and leaders who bring perspective from the experiences of early educators, families, and communities during the public health emergency…

 A group of Democratic lawmakers introduced the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2021 last week which would double the Pell Grant over a five-year period and extend eligibility to undocumented students…

The Office of Federal Student Aid at has updated two of its quarterly portfolio reports with new figures on student loans, showing that the federal student aid portfolio has increased by $49 billion since this time last year…

Mental Health

Inside Higher Ed recently released their latest print-on-demand compilation, "Taking a Holistic Approach to Student Wellness”…

Emergency room visits following suspected suicide attempts by teenage girls spiked in the first months of 2021, compared with rates in 2019, the CDC reported on Friday, 6/18…

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced Vibrant Emotional Health will be the administrators of the new 988 dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline…