Weekly Update- 2/18/2025

President and Administration 

Republicans balk at Trump's spending cuts and tariffs: While Republican lawmakers initially supported President Trump's executive actions and federal spending cuts…

Trump officials defend HHS cuts as more methodical than the slashing at other agencies: The Trump administration and Department of Government Efficiency began dismissing 3,600…

House GOP budget plan targets deep SNAP cuts: House Republicans' new budget plan includes $230 billion in cuts to agriculture programs, which will likely reduce SNAP food aid benefits…

Trump administration fires thousands of federal workers: Mass layoffs have begun across at least seven federal agencies, including the Department of Energy…

Federal judge blocks Trump order on health care for transgender youth: On Thursday (2/13), a federal judge in Baltimore temporarily blocked President Trump's…

Trump’s funding freeze raises a new question: Is the government’s word good? The Trump administration has frozen billions of dollars in climate and clean energy funding that was allocated through the 2022…

Records show how DOGE planned Trump’s next DEI purge – and who gets fired next: A team of workers from the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) developed…

White House failed to comply with court order, judge rules: Federal Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ruled on Monday (2/10)  that the Trump administration defied his order to release billions in federal grants…

RFK Jr. reign begins at HHS: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary on Thursday (2/13), and his plans to reshape the agency…

California

California’s hemp market is rife with highly intoxicating, synthetic products, report says: A new study titled "The Great Hemp Hoax" reveals widespread issues..

MAGA sheriff running for CA governor vows to end ‘sanctuary’ laws: Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a pro-Trump Republican, launched his 2026 California gubernatorial campaign on Monday (2/17)…
Newsom’s gas-price watchdog warns of impending price spikes: California's Energy Commission's Division of Petroleum Market Oversight (DPMO) alerted Gov. Newsom…

Puerto Rico

Trump Administration's Immigration Enforcement Actions Impact Puerto Rico: The Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement has led to the detention of individuals in Puerto Rico, including U.S. citizens. Reports indicate that Puerto Ricans have been mistakenly caught in immigration sweeps, raising concerns about the accuracy and fairness of these operations. Critics argue that the administration's aggressive tactics are causing undue harm to communities and infringing upon citizens' rights. (The Bulwark)

Proposed Legislation in Puerto Rico Aligns with Trump Administration's Energy Policies: A new bill in Puerto Rico seeks to eliminate renewable energy targets and extend the operation of a controversial coal-fired power plant. Supported by Governor Jenniffer González, the proposal mirrors the Trump administration's energy stance, favoring fossil fuels over renewable sources. Environmentalists warn that this move could exacerbate the island's health issues and environmental degradation. (AP News)

ACLU Files Lawsuit Over Migrant Detentions at Guantánamo Bay: The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit seeking access to migrants detained at the Guantánamo Bay naval base. The detainees, including individuals from Puerto Rico, are reportedly held without access to legal representation, raising concerns about their rights and the legal basis for their detention. The ACLU demands that detainees be granted communication with attorneys and challenges the administration's lack of transparency regarding these detentions. (Reuters)

Education 

LVJUSD, GUSD: DOGE, Education Department threaten states’ funding if they don’t cut DEI programs: President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency and Department of Education…

Title IX Under Trump: President Donald Trump signed executive orders that define sex as exclusively male or female and prohibit transgender students from participating in women's and girls'…

All ED Clients: DOGE announces $881 million in cuts for Education Department contracts: The Education Department has terminated 89 contracts, cutting $881 million in funding…

DOGE cut off from student loan data, for now: The Education Department has temporarily agreed to block DOGE, a commission established by Donald Trump in January 2025 and run by Elon Musk..

Weekly Update- 2/10/2025

Appropriations

Senate’s top appropriator says Elon Musk has gone too far: Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) is criticizing Elon Musk's growing influence in the Trump administration…

Musk’s DOGE Targets $2 Trillion in Spending Cuts: Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aims to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget…

Lawmaker Quits DOGE Caucus Live On TV With ‘Dynamite’ Slam Of Elon Musk: Rep. Val Hoyle (D-Ore.) announced on NewsNation that she is leaving the DOGE Caucus…

Vought wants to dismantle the ‘deep state.’ As he takes office, it’s already happening: Newly confirmed OMB Director Russell Vought…

President and Administration 

Here’s what to expect for Trump’s version of USAID: The Trump administration plans to dramatically reshape USAID…

Senate bill to keep kids off social media advances: The Senate Commerce Committee approved the Kids Off Social Media Act, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI)…

Staff placed on leave, map tool shut down in tumultuous week at EPA: The EPA is experiencing substantial organizational shifts, with new Administrator Lee Zeldin…

How HHS gets DOGE’d: Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is dramatically reshaping HHS programs by cutting NIH grants and reducing indirect funding rates to 15 percent…

In chaotic Washington blitz, Elon Musk’s ultimate goal becomes clear: Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is aggressively transforming the federal government by dramatically reducing workforce…

California

California’s AG won’t run to succeed Newsom: California Attorney General Rob Bonta won’t run for governor, ending months of speculation..

California lawmakers seek to safeguard schools from Trump’s deportation threats: California lawmakers are moving to protect schools from Trump’s deportation policies with three new bills to restrict ICE…

California’s AG Rob Bonta warns hospitals not to halt transgender care for minors in response to Trump’s orders: California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned California hospitals to continue providing gender-affirming care to minors…

Education 

12 Education Chiefs Ask McMahon for More Control over Federal Funds: Twelve Republican-led state education chiefs have urged Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon…

Trump Threatens Funds to Schools That Let Trans Athletes Compete on Girls’ Teams: On February 5, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports”…

Education Department hit with lawsuit after reports of sharing student data with DOGE: The University of California Student Association sued the Education Department on Friday (2/7) in D.C. District Court…

Public Safety & Justice Update- 2/7/2025

Mass Deportations will Depend on Local Police. Only Some are Offering to Help

Nassau County, New York, announced on Tuesday that its police officers will be joining Immigration and Customs Enforcement's mass deportation…

F.B.I. Agents Ask Court to Bar Trump Team From Disclosing Their Names

F.B.I. Agents and employees filed lawsuits this week to prevent the Trump administration from releasing the identities of agents and staff who participated in the investigations into the Capitol riot on…

Many Schools have Teams Tasked with Stopping Shootings.

Two weeks after the 2018 deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, victims’ parents joined the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission to improve the safety and security of Florida’s…

How YouTube is Changing American Gun Culture

More people are learning how to shoot by watching YouTube channels. 

What Happened When America Emptied Its Youth Prisons

The number of young people behind bars increased steadily in the 1970s and 1980s and then rose sharply in the 1990s. 

GOP’s Fentanyl Bill Could Gain Support from Democrats

Republicans want to move on legislation that would result in harsher sentences for peddlers of fentanyl…

California Pushes More Drug Treatment in Jails to Break Cycle of Addiction

Amid an epidemic of drug overdoses that is showing signs of slowing in California, public health experts…

Weekly Update- 2/3/2025

California

New Bill Would Make California The Next Blue State To Mandate Low-Cost Internet Plans: Assemblymember Tasha Boerner proposed Assembly Bill 353…

Education 
Even in States Where You’re Supposed to ‘Say Gay,’ Fear Often Outweighs the Law: Research shows schools are safest for LGBTQ children and educators and that students learn…
Banning Smartphones at Schools: Research Points to Higher Test Scores, Less Anxiety, More Exercise: The U.K. recently issued guidance urging schools to ban mobile phones…

Weekly Update 1/27/2025

Appropriations

How House GOP Leaders Want To Pay For Trump's Agenda: House Republicans are seeking ways to pay for the massive bill they want to pass enacting President Donald Trump's domestic policy…

President and Administration 

A Key CDC Publication Goes Dark: The CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) has been halted since its last publication on January 16th…

Congress

Judge Calls Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order ‘Blatantly Unconstitutional’:  A federal judge on Thursday (1/23) temporarily blocked President Trump’s executive order…

House Sends Transgender Sports Ban To Senate: The House has passed legislation that prohibits transgender athletes from competing in women's sports…

Congress Sends First Immigration Bill to Trump’s Desk: On Wednesday (1/22), the House passed the Laken Riley Act, mandating the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with crimes…

Campus Antisemitism, Child Literacy Among Senate HELP Committee Priorities: In a meeting on Tuesday (1/21) Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) prioritized addressing antisemitism on college campuses…

California

Former Senator Laphonza Butler Goes to Actum, public affairs firm: Former Senator Laphonza Butler has joined Actum, a public affairs firm…

Central California Battery Fire Prompts Democratic Bill To Restrict Energy Storage Facilities: A fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant’s lithium-ion battery facility has prompted California Assemblymember Dawn Addis to propose AB 303…

L.A. Fires Delay California’s New Fire Hazard Maps: California's fire hazard map rollout is delayed due to the recent Los Angeles fires, with Cal Fire planning to release…

Education

Trump Administration Guts School Safety Committee Created to Combat Mass Shootings: The Trump administration disbanded the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse External Advisory Board…

This Is How ‘Woke’ Schools Really Are—According to Students: A study published by Education Next polled 850 high school students nationwide, offering a unique glimpse into how today's teens experience and perceive discussions of hot-button issues…

SCOTUS to Hear Case on Religious Charter Schools: The Supreme Court's decision to hear Oklahoma's religious charter school case marks a significant moment in education..