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.

Amanda Fenton Amanda Fenton

Weekly Update-5/12/2025

Weekly Update 5/12/25

President and Administration 

Federal judge temporarily halts Trump's sweeping government overhaul: A federal judge in San Francisco has temporarily blocked the Trump administration's executive order…

Cities: Judge blocks Trump admin from pulling San Francisco housing funds over anti-DEI rules: A U.S. District Court judge issued a temporary restraining order…

Federal judge blocks Education Department from cutting off school pandemic aid in 16 states and DC: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from halting COVID-19…

Trump team faces key legal decision that could put mental-health parity in peril: The Trump administration faces a May 12 deadline to decide whether to defend Biden-era regulation…

Even with DOGE cuts, the U.S. has spent $166 billion more than last year: Despite Trump and the U.S. DOGE Service actions to shrink government programs and the federal workforce, the U.S…

Trump administration cut more than $1.8 billion in NIH grants: In a sweeping move to cut federal spending, the administration terminated $1.81 billion in National Institutes of Health (NIH)…

California

LFCV, LHE: Newsom warns city that resisted $1 for homeless shelter: ‘Do your job’: California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized Turlock city officials for refusing to allocate $1 and a letter…

Education 

Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)

The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) is expected to be included in the upcoming House and Ways Means tax package. It could create a 100 percent federal tax credit…

SCOTUS to rule in case that could upend enforcement of disabled students’ rights: The Supreme Court is weighing a case that could make it harder for students with disabilities to…

Senate approves repeal of E-rate Wi-Fi hotspots for schools, libraries: The Senate voted to overturn a Federal Communications Commission (FCC)…

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Amanda Fenton Amanda Fenton

Weekly Update-5/5/2025

Weekly Update 5/5/25

White House Fiscal Year 2026 Discretionary Budget

The Trump Administration’s FY2026 “skinny” Budget proposes sweeping changes in discretionary federal spending, anchored by a sharp 22.6 percent reduction…

To reiterate, these are only proposals at this stage. Congress remains tasked with putting together and passing a budget and they will ultimately begin putting together the FY26 draft budget…

Key Budget Totals

  • Non-defense discretionary: $558 billion (22.6% decrease)…

Top Increases

  • Department of Defense (DoD): +$113 billion to strengthen military readiness, modernize nuclear deterrents, and invest in shipbuilding and sixth-generation fighter aircraft…

Major Cuts and Eliminations

  • Foreign Aid and International Programs: Over $20 billion…

President and Administration 

Sweeping cuts hit NEA after Trump administration calls to eliminate the agency: The Trump administration has begun canceling National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants…

President Trump signs order seeking to end federal funding for NPR and PBS: President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on Thursday (5/1) directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)…

Ed. Dept. Issued Non-Continuation Notices for $1B mental health program designed to thwart school shootings: The Trump administration is seeking to end a $1 billion…

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Amanda Fenton Amanda Fenton

Public Safety and Justice Update- 5/2/25

Public Safety & Justice Update 5/2/2025 Capitol Advocacy Partners 

Trump to 'Unleash' Local Police, Cautions Against Interfering with  ICE 

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on April 28 promising to "unleash high-impact local police forces" and to step up law

Schiff, Murphy Reintroduce Assault Weapons Ban

Senator Adam Schiff joined Senator Chris Murphy and other Democrats on Wednesday (4/30) to reintroduce an assault weapons ban

States Move to Outlaw ‘Glock Switches’

More states are enacting bans on “Glock switches,” also known as auto sears, devices about the size of a quarter that can turn semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic weapons…

When Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Came to an Immigrant Mayor’s City 

On Sunday (4/27), the Drug Enforcement Administration led a raid  that led to the arrests of more than 1,100 people. The raid,  conducted in Democratic Colorado…

Poll: Most Californians Want More Guns in Schools

A majority of Californians are broadly concerned about school shootings, and support schools hiring armed police officers as a means to prevent them…

California Dems’ Crime Problem is Coming From Inside the House
A few months into a legislative session that was supposed to be focused on tackling affordability and restoring voters’ confidence in their ability to address crime and homelessness…

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Amanda Fenton Amanda Fenton

Public Safety & Justice Update- 4/25/2025

Public Safety & Justice Update- 4/25/2025

DOJ Cancels Grants for Gun-Violence and Addiction Prevention, Victim Advocacy

The Justice Department has canceled hundreds of grants to community organizations…
F.B.I. Arrests Wisconsin Judge in Immigration Dispute 

F.B.I. agents arrested a Wisconsin judge on Friday (4/25) accusing her of shielding an immigrant from federal authorities.  U.S. Marshals confirmed the arrest of a sitting county judge…

Supreme Court Rejects Revival of Bans on Young Adults from Carrying Guns 

On Monday (4/21) the Supreme Court rejected the state’s appeal of a ruling that said a law banning 18-20-year-olds from obtaining permits to carry firearms in public violated..

Racial Disparities in Youth Incarceration Are The Widest They’ve Been in Decades 

Studies show children of color are treated more harshly in the justice system than their white peers, and federal data released last month suggests that disparity is widening…

F.B.I Releases Child Victimization, 2019-2023, Special Report 

On Wednesday (4/23) the F.B.I.’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program released a Special Report, focusing on the juvenile victims of murder…

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Amanda Fenton Amanda Fenton

Weekly Update 4/21/2025

Weekly Update 4/21/2025

President and Administration 

Trump administrations mulls sharp funding cuts at health agencies: The Trump administration is weighing a dramatic overhaul of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)…

Congress

State lawmakers warn Congress of consequences of cutting Medicaid expansion: State lawmakers in GOP-led states are warning Congress not to cut Medicaid expansion as Republicans seek $1.5 trillion…

California

Californians strongly oppose Trump’s attempt to dismantle Department of Education: A new Public Policy Institute of California survey reveals that most Californians believe the state’s…

California is first state to sue Trump on tariffs: California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s use…

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