Weekly Update-9/29/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 9/29/2025

Appropriations

Democrats: Democrats are not retreating from their opposition to the GOP-led stopgap funding patch as the White House threatens to fire federal workers if Congress allows a government shutdown. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said the threats were tantamount to “mafia-style blackmail,"…

Republicans: On Thursday (9/25), Trump stated that responsibility for any difficulties arising from his administration’s actions should rest with Democrats, arguing that their refusal to pass a clean funding bill is what risks a government shutdown.

President and Administration:
Trump’s shutdown plans: Mass layoffs, deregulation, military deployments: The administration is preparing for a government shutdown at midnight on Tuesday (September 30) threatening mass layoffs, sweeping deregulation, and a sharp narrowing of federal responsibilities. Under the plan led by White House budget director Russell Vought, many agencies such as Labor and Housing would see massive…

The man behind Trump’s push for an all-powerful presidency: Russell T. Vought, the President’s budget director, is driving an aggressive push to expand presidential authority and weaken federal agencies, reviving ideas he developed during Trump’s first term. After clashing with Elon Musk’s short-lived Department of Government Efficiency, Vought has reasserted control, using budget…

States send out the ‘bat signal’ for help responding to cyber threats amid federal cuts: State cybersecurity leaders are stepping up collaboration as federal cyber support shrinks under administration cuts. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), once a cornerstone for state-level cyber defense, has lost significant staff and halted key programs…

Supreme Court OKs Trump to withhold $4B in foreign aid: The Supreme Court ruled that Trump can withhold $4 billion in foreign aid appropriated by Congress, strengthening his position in an ongoing dispute over executive spending power. The unsigned order, opposed by Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, endorsed Trump’s “pocket rescission”…

Public Safety

At least four dead in attack on Michigan church: At least four people were killed and eight others injured after a gunman attacked a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday (9/28). Authorities said the suspect, identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, crashed his vehicle into the church before opening fire…

Trump calls for troops in Portland, escalating use of military inside U.S.: Trump announced plans to send U.S. troops to Portland, Oregon, and to immigration detention facilities nationwide, authorizing the use of “Full Force, if necessary.” The move follows an executive order mobilizing counterterrorism powers against domestic opponents, despite longstanding precedent limiting…

Education:

Districts lose millions as Trump ends desegregation grants: The U.S. Department of Education has ended the Biden-era Fostering Diverse Schools grant program, leaving six districts and charter networks—including one in Los Angeles—without millions they had budgeted for the 2025–26 school year. The program, launched in 2023 to boost racial and socioeconomic diversity…

FCC to vote Sept. 30 on removing school bus Wi-Fi, hotspots from E-rate: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is scheduled to vote tomorrow (Sept. 30) on whether to roll back a Biden-era expansion of the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Program (E-rate)…

Administration cuts some teacher-training grants for English learners: The U.S. Department of Education has halted some National Professional Development (NPD) grants, the only federal program dedicated to training teachers to better serve English learners. At least 10 programs received non-continuation letters on Sept. 23, giving them just seven days to appeal. Officials say the cuts target...

Educators worry about how Trump’s autism rhetoric will affect students, parents: Trump and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that acetaminophen use during pregnancy and vaccines contribute to autism—statements refuted by major medical…

As CTE transfers to Labor Department, here’s what schools need to know: The U.S. Department of Education is transferring daily management of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs under the Carl D. Perkins Act to the U.S. Department of Labor through an interagency agreement. The administration says this will streamline services, but critics warn it could cause confusion…

Math and career education are now top grant priorities for Ed. Dept.: The U.S. Department of Education has proposed two new competitive grant priorities: strengthening math instruction and advancing career and technical education (CTE). The math priority emphasizes explicit, systematic teaching, teacher training, and statewide plans to raise achievement, echoing the “science of reading”…

Administration set to propose ‘patriotic education’ grant initiative: The administration is preparing a “patriotic education” grant initiative that would direct federal funds toward programs promoting a conservative interpretation of U.S. history, emphasizing Judeo-Christian values, Western civilization, and national symbols. The proposal, to be published by the U.S. Department…

Des Moines schools chief is detained and accused of living in U.S. illegally: Ian Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was detained Friday (9/25) by federal immigration agents, who said he had been living and working in the U.S. illegally. ICE officials stated Roberts entered the country on a student visa in 1999, had a deportation order issued in May 2024, and was carrying a loaded handgun, cash, and a knife when arrested after fleeing agents. His sudden detention shocked the community…

Weekly Update- 9/22/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 9/22/2025

President and Administration:

Trump ends annual report on U.S. hunger amid rising food insecurity: The administration announced it will end the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) annual Household Food Security report, first introduced in the 1990s. The decision comes as last year’s report found that 18 million households…

Department of Transportation looking to shut off funding to minority business resource centers: The Department of Transportation, under Trump’s second term, is moving to defund its Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRCs), which help small businesses — including minority-owned firms — compete for federal contracts. Additionally, SBTRCs administer the USDOT Bonding Education Program (BEP), assist with identifying access to capital…

Education:

RFK Jr., McMahon say school mental health screenings turn students into patients: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Education Secretary Linda McMahon criticized school-based mental health screenings, arguing they “medicalize” children and treat them “like patients,” while calling instead for improvements through nutrition…

Ed. Dept. will emphasize ‘patriotic education’ in grant competitions: The Department of Education announced it will prioritize “patriotic education” in competitive grants, framing the approach as one that highlights the nation’s founding ideals and unifying principles. Secretary McMahon also launched the America 250 Civics Coalition, a group of more than 40 organizations—including Hillsdale College, PragerU, and Turning Point USA…

Administration cancels dozens more grants, hitting civics, arts, and higher ed.: Trump has escalated its cancellation of federal education grants, cutting off funding for dozens of ongoing projects in civics, arts, literacy, special education, and college readiness. The Department of Education has issued “non-continuation” notices to at least nine GEAR UP programs, nine arts education initiatives, nearly 20 American history projects, and multiple efforts to provide…

Weekly Update-9/15/2025

Weekly Update- 9/15/2025

Appropriations

House: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and House GOP leadership face the immediate challenge of releasing the text of the continuing resolution (CR)…

Senate: ​​If the House advances the CR early, Senator John Thune could move to bring the bill to the Senate floor by the end of the week. However, without unanimous consent…

President and Administration:

Trump escalates attacks on political opponents after Charlie Kirk’s killing: President Trump and his administration are intensifying efforts to blame Democrats exclusively for political violence following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, using the killing to justify potential…

Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Politics: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released his MAHA report, which outlines nearly 130 recommendations aimed at improving children’s health but stops short of imposing new regulations. The report focuses on calling for more…

High Court agrees to hear Trump tariff case: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear two major legal challenges to the President’s use of emergency powers to impose widespread tariffs, setting oral arguments for early November on an accelerated schedule. The cases center on Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to collect tens of billions…

Fear over RFK Jr. vaccine panel’s looming decisions on childhood shots: Vaccine advisers on the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) are set to meet this week (Sept. 18-19) to consider weakening or removing recommendations for several routine childhood vaccines, including Covid-19, hepatitis B, MMRV, and RSV. Public health experts warn this could lower…

Education:

Federal guidance for English learners rescinded: The Trump administration rescinded the 2015 federal “Dear Colleague” guidance outlining schools’ legal responsibilities to English learners, saying it is “not in line with Administration policy.” The guidance, issued under former President Barack Obama…

Trump canceled millions for special education teacher training: The Administration has abruptly canceled over $30 million in federal special education grants, jeopardizing 25 projects across 14 states that support training for special education teachers and services for students with…

National student test scores hit historic lows: Newly released results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress show historic declines in U.S. student performance, highlighting the lasting academic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Twelfth graders recorded their lowest-ever…

House appropriators approve education spending that echoes Trump: House Republicans advanced a $66.7 billion education spending bill for FY2026, cutting $12 billion from federal programs in line with Trump’s budget request to shrink…

Education Department terminates some grants for deafblind students: The U.S. Education Department has ended four Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part D grants supporting deafblind students in Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, and New England, citing misalignment…

Educators join lawsuit challenging Trump policy after ‘violent ICE enforcement’: The nation’s two largest teachers unions, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), along with Oregon’s Guidepost Montessori School…

Judges block Trump policy requiring immigration status verification for Head Start: Federal judges in Rhode Island and Washington have temporarily blocked a Trump policy requiring immigration status verification for programs like Head Start, adult education, and career…

American kids are less likely to reach adulthood than foreign peers: A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that between 2007 and 2023, infants, children, and teenagers in the United States were 1.8 times more likely to die before adulthood than their peers in 18 other wealthy countries, costing an estimated…

Weekly Update-9/8/2025

Weekly Update 9/08/2025 

President and Administration:

Supreme Court lifts restrictions on ‘roving’ ICE raids in Los Angeles: The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, allowed the administration to resume immigration raids in Los Angeles that target people based on broad criteria such as speaking Spanish, working day-labor jobs, or gathering at common pickup sites. The ruling temporarily blocks a lower court’s order that had restricted…

Trump border czar warns sanctuary cities nationwide to ‘expect action’: The Trump administration is escalating immigration enforcement in “sanctuary cities,” with border czar Tom Homan confirming that National Guard troops may be deployed to Chicago and other Democratic-led cities to support ICE operations. Homan said the Guard would not conduct arrests but serve as a “force multiplier”…

Nearly 500 detained in immigration raid at Georgia electric vehicle battery plant: Federal immigration authorities detained nearly 500 workers during a raid at Hyundai and LG’s under-construction EV battery plant in Georgia, calling it the largest single-site enforcement action in Homeland Security Investigations’ history. Most of those detained were South Korean nationals, prompting South Korea’s…

Congress:

Five takeaways from Kennedy’s Senate hearing: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced tough questioning during a Senate Finance Committee hearing last week, where senators from both parties criticized his handling of vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Medicaid. Lawmakers pressed him on restricting access to Covid vaccines…

Education:

California discipline data show widespread disparities despite reforms: A new analysis from the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) shows California students in foster care, homelessness, and students with disabilities lose far more school days to suspensions than their peers, despite state reforms. In 2023-24, foster youth lost 76.6 days of instruction per 100 students…

Education Department plans to boost civil rights enforcement authority: The administration is preparing new Education Department rules to expand civil rights enforcement, giving the agency greater authority to strip federal funding from schools found in violation of its interpretations of Title IX…

Administration sends Education Department employees to Department of Labor: The administration is transferring career and technical education programs from the Department of Education (ED) to the Department of Labor (DOL) as part of efforts to dismantle the agency…

Education Department revamping student aid office to boost consumer education: The Education Department announced it is expanding the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman’s office into the Office of Consumer Education and Ombudsman, adding a focus on borrower guidance and financial literacy. Officials say the revamped office will provide clearer repayment…

Trump says he’ll direct Education Department to protect praying in public schools: Trump announced that the Education Department will soon issue new guidelines protecting students’ right to pray in public schools. Speaking at the Museum of the Bible, he warned of “grave threats” to religious liberty…

Weekly Update- 9/2/2025

Weekly Update 09/2/2025

President and Administration:

Trump bypasses Congress in attempt to cancel $4.9bn in foreign aid: Trump invoked a “pocket rescission” to block $4.9 billion in congressionally approved State Department and USAID funding, the first use of the tool since 1977. By sending the rescission request with just weeks left in the fiscal year…

FDA approves Covid shots with new restrictions: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated Covid vaccines for fall but restricted eligibility to people 65 and older and those under 65 with medical conditions, making this the most limited federal vaccine policy since the shots…

Kennedy fired C.D.C. director over vaccine policy: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured former CDC Director Susan Monarez to fire top career officials and commit to following recommendations from his newly reconstituted vaccine advisory panel, according to NYT. When she refused….

RFK Jr. demanded a vaccine study be retracted—The Journal said no: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. requested the retraction of a Danish study that found no link between aluminum in vaccines and childhood disorders, a rare move for a federal…
DOL pushes AI training in workforce development programs: The Labor Department is encouraging state and local workforce development programs to use federal funds to promote AI literacy and skills training, in line with the President’s executive order. The guidance highlights the growing demand for AI skills across industries and urges programs to prepare both…

Judge rules Trump deployment of National Guard in Los Angeles was Illegal: A federal judge has ruled that the president’s deployment of National Guard troops and Marines in Los Angeles was illegal, blocking the Pentagon from using them for police functions such as arrests and crowd control. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer…

DOJ reassigned top attorneys. They quit after feeling sidelined: In the early weeks of the Trump administration, senior Justice Department attorneys were reassigned to a new Sanctuary Cities Enforcement working group, which quickly became a dead-end assignment. Sources say the group’s tasks were mostly menial, such as basic research, with little connection to the…

Congress:

Congress returns with not much time to dodge a government shutdown: Congress faces a tight deadline to avert a government shutdown, with funding set to expire Sept. 30 and deep partisan and intra-party divides complicating negotiations. Lawmakers are expected to pursue a short-term continuing resolution, but Republicans are split between supporting a stopgap measure…

House Republicans propose 15 percent cut to Education Department, significant reductions to Labor, Health and Human Services budgets: House Republicans have proposed $67 billion in discretionary funding for the Education Department in fiscal 2026, a $12 billion, or 15 percent, reduction from the previous year, mirroring President Trump’s budget request.  This bill is a marked departure from the bi-partisan Senate proposal, which largely maintained funding for most LHHS programs. The bill would advance the administration’s education agenda by renaming Workforce Pell Grants as “Trump Grants” and making significant changes across K-12 and higher education programs. Title I funding for low-income schools would be cut by $5.2 billion (approximately 25%), while charter schools…

Education:

Charter schools, teachers unions draw closer to agreement on regulations: In Sacramento, California, charter school advocates and teachers unions are moving closer to an agreement on new rules for non-classroom-based charter schools, which allow students to study remotely. The debate centers on two competing bills: AB 84 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-CA-66), which proposes sweeping regulations, and SB 414 by Senator Angelique Ashby (D-CA-8)…

States, districts seek to end federal funding freeze lawsuits: Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia, led by California, moved to dismiss their lawsuit over the Trump administration’s summer freeze on $6 billion in K-12 federal grant funds. The Education Department and Office of Management and Budget agreed to release remaining funds by early October…

Teacher program cuts to have ‘lasting negative effects’ on schools: A UCLA policy brief warns that federal cuts to teacher preparation programs under the administration will have “lasting negative effects” on schools, especially rural districts and efforts to diversify the educator…