Weekly Update-11/03/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 11/03/2025

President and Administration:

Trump says a recent M.R.I. scan was ‘perfect,’ and he’d ‘love’ a third term: Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that a recent MRI scan was “perfect,” though he declined to explain why doctors ordered the test. During the same exchange, he again suggested he would “love” to serve a third term…

White House fires arts commission expected to review Trump construction projects: The Administration dismissed all six members of the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), a federal agency that advises on design and architecture for government projects in Washington, D.C. The move follows Trump’s plans…

Pentagon readying thousands of Guard ‘reaction forces’ as U.S. mission widens:  The Pentagon, under Trump’s direction, has ordered the training and equipping of up to 23,500 National Guard troops for potential deployment in U.S. cities to address civil unrest. Internal Defense Department…

Congress: 

Cities- House Republicans urge caution as HUD proceeds with homeless housing program cuts: More than 20 House Republicans, led by Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) and Nick LaLota (R-NY), sent a letter urging HUD Secretary Scott Turner to renew expiring Continuum of Care program grants amid plans by the Department to cap funding for permanent housing. The lawmakers…

Education:

Ed. Dept. can’t cancel dozens of School Mental Health Grants, Judge rules: A federal judge blocked the administration from canceling about four dozen school mental health grants in 15 states, ruling the Education Department likely violated federal law. The grants…

Education Department Under Fire for IDEA Proposal: Over two dozen Senate Democrats are questioning the Trump administration’s legal authority to transfer special-education programs from the Department of Education to another federal agency. Led by Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH)…

California’s K-12 facility funding system unconstitutional, students, parents say in lawsuit: A coalition of students, parents, and advocacy groups has sued California, claiming its K–12 school facilities funding system is unconstitutional. The lawsuit, filed Oct. 23 in Alameda County Superior Court, argues the state’s reliance on local bond funding favors wealthy districts and…

Shut Out: Inequitable access to after school programs grows: More than 22 million U.S. children, mostly from low-income families and families of color, lack access to after-school programs, according to the Afterschool Alliance’s America After 3PM report. About 77% of parents…

180 ransomware attacks plague education sector worldwide in 2025 through Q3: In the first three quarters of 2025, the education sector faced 180 ransomware attacks worldwide, a 6% increase from 2024, according to Comparitech. Ninety-five attacks occurred in the United States, with 35 confirmed so far. Although attacks dipped slightly in recent quarters, experts warn against complacency…

Weekly Update- 10/27/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 10/27/2025

President and Administration:

Trump calls off federal operation in San Francisco: The President called off a planned federal immigration operation in the San Francisco Bay Area after several tech executives, including Salesforce’s Marc Benioff and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, urged him to reconsider. Trump said…

No Education Department? No problem, Trump’s Education Secretary says: During the ongoing government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Education has largely ceased operations, with more than 460 additional layoffs effectively halting enforcement of special education and civil rights laws. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the situation demonstrates that the department is unnecessary…

Pentagon announces a new right-wing press corps after mass walkout: The Pentagon has announced the creation of a new “right-wing” press corps following a mass walkout of journalists who refused to sign a restrictive new media policy. Sixty reporters and outlets, including Gateway Pundit, the Post Millennial, Human Events, the National Pulse, and Turning Point USA’s Frontlines, signed the agreement…

Could the demolition of the White House's entire East Wing have been stopped?: Satellite images confirmed that the entire East Wing of the White House has been demolished to make way for a $300 million privately funded ballroom, despite the Trump administration not obtaining required permits…

Historic magnolia trees, Kennedy Garden appear to have been removed to make way for Trump's White House ballroom: Satellite images show that President Trump’s $300 million White House ballroom project has led to the demolition of the East Wing and the removal of at least six trees..

Trump says he will not seek authorization for cartel strikes: The President said he will not seek congressional authorization before continuing and expanding military strikes against drug cartels, saying the campaign will move from maritime targets to actions on land. The operation so far has included nine strikes at sea that the administration says killed 37 people, and Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth…

Justice Department Will Monitor Elections in California and New Jersey: The Administration announced that the Justice Department will deploy election monitors to polling sites in California and New Jersey ahead of the Nov. 4 election, citing requests from Republican officials…

Americans brace for food stamps to run out: ‘The greatest hunger catastrophe since the Great Depression’: Nearly 42 million Americans could lose access to food assistance if the federal government shutdown lasts past November 1, when funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is set to run out. The Department of Agriculture has warned regional offices to pause payments “until further notice,” raising fears of what advocates call the worst hunger crisis since the Great Depression. The funding lapse follows the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act….

Congress: 

Keeping the House absent, Johnson marginalizes Congress and himself: Speaker Johnson has kept the House of Representatives on indefinite hiatus as the government shutdown enters its second month, effectively sidelining Congress and diminishing his own authority. No votes, hearings, or debates have taken place in over a month, as Johnson maintains there is no reason…

Education:

Trump Administration moves to dismantle education department amid deep staff cuts: The Trump administration is moving closer to shutting down the Education Department, with plans to cut about 460 more employees, roughly 20% of the remaining staff, after earlier layoffs eliminated half…

Some Head Start Programs To Go Without Federal Funds If Shutdown Drags On: More than 100 Head Start programs serving about 60,000 children could lose federal funding if the government shutdown continues into November. On Nov. 1, 134 programs in 41 states are set to receive annual…

School districts prepare to go without some federal funds next year: School districts nationwide are preparing for major cuts to federal education funding, with more than 75% of school and district leaders expecting declines in the coming years, according to an EdWeek Research Center survey. Programs like Title I, IDEA, and school meal reimbursements—essential for low-income and special…

Weekly Update-10/20/2025

President and Administration:

Appeals court lifts block on Trump’s Oregon troop deployment: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Monday cleared the administration to proceed with deploying National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, overturning a lower court’s temporary block. The 2-1 ruling, issued by two Trump-appointed judges, allows Oregon and California Guard members to be stationed…

Comey lawyers move to dismiss case: Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey asked a federal judge to dismiss the criminal case against him, alleging it is a politically motivated prosecution ordered by President Trump out of personal animosity. In court filings, Comey’s lawyers argued that Trump pressured the Justice Department to bring charges after multiple prosecutors declined, ultimately appointing Lindsey Halligan—one of his former personal attorneys…

Trump puts political appointees in charge of hiring feds: Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to create strategic hiring committees led by political appointees, giving them greater control over civil service hiring to align with administration…

Chamber sues Trump to block $100,000 fee for H-1B visas: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit to block a new $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, arguing the policy is unlawful and exceeds executive authority. The Chamber says the fee would…

Supreme Court appears poised to weaken Voting Rights Act (VRA): The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority signaled it may restrict or eliminate the use of race in drawing election districts, which could significantly weaken the Voting Rights Act and reshape congressional maps across the South. During arguments in a case over Louisiana’s 2024 redistricting plan…

State Department revokes visas over Charlie Kirk comments: The State Department has revoked the visas of at least six foreign nationals from countries including Argentina, South Africa, and Mexico after they made social media posts celebrating the death of conservative activist…

California:

Bay Area universities losing millions in minority grant funding: The U.S. Department of Education redirected $350 million in federal funding from minority-serving institution grants to charter schools and other programs, prompting Bay Area universities to lose over $2 million in support…

Transportation Department withholds $40M from California over English-speaking requirements: The administration has withheld over $40 million in federal transportation funding from California, claiming the state failed to comply with new English-speaking requirements for commercial truck drivers. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy…

Education:

Supreme Court refuses parental challenge to school district's gender identity policy: The Supreme Court declined Tuesday (10/14) to hear a lawsuit from two Colorado families who said the Poudre School District violated their parental rights by keeping…

Teacher turnover contributes to suspensions and referrals, study finds: A new study from NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development finds teacher turnover is linked to higher discipline rates in schools, especially when teachers leave in the middle…

California high schoolers to gain automatic offers to Cal State under new law: California high school students will soon receive automatic admission offers to California State University campuses under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Starting with the class of 2027, seniors who meet academic eligibility requirements will be directly admitted to Cal State…

Newsom signs First-in-Nation Law to ban ultraprocessed food in school lunches: California became the first state to ban ultraprocessed foods in school meals under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Starting now and phased in through 2035, K–12 schools must remove foods containing harmful ultraprocessed ingredients such as artificial dyes, flavors, emulsifiers…

Weekly Update- 10/13/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 10/13/2025

President and Administration:

Administration says immigration enforcement threatens higher food prices: The administration acknowledged that its immigration crackdown is hurting farmers and could raise food prices by cutting off agriculture’s labor supply. In a document filed with the Federal Register, the Department of Labor warned that the “near total cessation of the inflow of illegal aliens” threatens the stability of U.S. food production and prices for consumers….

1 in 3 Republicans say Trump is improperly enriching himself: A new Pew Research Center survey shows growing unease among Americans, including Republicans, over President Trump’s use of power and personal enrichment. While 89% of Democrats believe Trump has improperly used his office to benefit himself, 31% of Republicans and 61% of independents now share that view, up from 23% of Republicans in 2019. Nearly half of U.S. adults (49%) say…

California:

Newsom expands access to mental health treatment through CARE Court: California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 27, expanding eligibility for the state’s CARE (Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment) Court program, which provides court-supervised mental health treatment for individuals with serious mental illness…

California as first state offering phone bill discounts to undocumented immigrants: California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1303, making California the first state positioned to offer undocumented immigrants access to state-run phone bill discounts through the LifeLine program. The law, authored by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia…

Education:

Senate Republicans approve top Education Department nominees: On Tuesday (10/7), Senate Republicans approved a slate of top Education Department nominees as part of an en bloc consideration of 108 of President Trump’s nominees. The confirmations passed by a 51–47 party-line vote…

Appeals court refuses to block Trump’s Title IX funding change: A federal appeals court has refused to block the administration’s funding restrictions on Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, marking a setback for one of the first districts to challenge the administration’s new Title IX enforcement. The Education Department placed Fairfax on “reimbursement only”…

Ed. Dept. workers’ union sues over emails blaming Democrats for shutdown: The American Federation of Government Employees has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education, alleging that the agency violated employees’ First Amendment rights by altering their out-of-office emails to blame Senate Democrats for the federal government shutdown. The complaint, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., claims that the partisan messages were inserted without staff consent, forcing employees to appear to endorse political statements. Department spokesperson Madi Biedermann…

Trump funding cuts hit particularly hard for deaf and blind children: The U.S. Department of Education has cut more than 30 special education grants worth nearly $30 million, ending funding for Braille, interpreter, and deaf-blind training programs. The administration said the programs conflicted with its policy priorities, part of a broader rollback of diversity and inclusion…

H-1B visa lawsuit alleges $100K fee will worsen teacher shortages: A coalition of education, union, and nonprofit groups has sued the administration over a new $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications, arguing it will worsen teacher shortages…

As the LGBTQ youth population doubles, legislation targeting them triples: A new analysis by the Movement Advancement Project finds that as the number of LGBTQ-identifying youths has doubled since 2020, the number of state bills restricting their rights has tripled to about 300…

Book bans becoming the new norm for districts, report says: A new PEN America report says book bans have become routine in U.S. schools, with 6,870 instances recorded across 23 states in the 2024–25 school year. The organization warns that districts now face mounting local…

Private School Choice gets supercharged in Trump’s 2nd term: President Trump’s education agenda centers on expanding private and charter school choice while reducing federal oversight. Through executive orders and agency guidance, the administration has encouraged states to use federal funds to support school choice and loosen certain regulations. Congress…

SEL improves student grades, test performance: A new meta-analysis published by the American Educational Research Association finds that universal social emotional learning (SEL) programs significantly improve students’ grades and test scores, especially in literacy and math. Reviewing 40 studies of more than 33,000 students worldwide, researchers found the strongest…

Weekly Update- 10/6/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 10/6/2025

Daily Shutdown Briefing #5 - Current Legislative and Agency Developments

The Senate is expected to vote again on two competing funding bills this evening –  the GOP-led stopgap and a Democratic alternative, though both are expected to fail again. With little sign of progress, lawmakers could face growing pressure as active-duty military members next week miss Oct. 15 paychecks.

President and Administration:

Trump plan would limit disability benefits for older Americans: The Trump administration is preparing a proposal to change how the Social Security Administration (SSA) determines eligibility for disability benefits, potentially making it harder for older Americans to qualify. The plan would eliminate or raise the current age threshold used to assess whether applicants can adapt…

Judge deals Trump setback on deploying troops to Portland: A federal judge has blocked the administration from deploying any state National Guard troops to Oregon, marking the latest legal setback to the president’s efforts to use military forces in U.S. cities. U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut, a Trump appointee, ruled Sunday (10/5) that the administration had defied her earlier order halting the deployment of Oregon’s Guard by instead sending California troops, prompting her to issue the broader…

Supreme Court allows Lisa Cook to remain on Fed board for now: The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday (10/1) that Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook may remain in her position while it considers Trump's attempt to remove her from the Central Bank. The Court will hear arguments in January, extending Cook’s tenure through at least the end of the year. The case centers on whether…

Pope makes rare comments on U.S. politics, military gathering: Pope Leo XIV made rare remarks on U.S. politics, expressing concern about the tone of comments by the President and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a military gathering in Virginia and emphasizing the need for dialogue and peace. The pope also reaffirmed the Church’s teaching on the sanctity…

National Flood Insurance Program is set to expire with government shutdown, halting new policies and some home loans: Authorization for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is set to expire Tuesday (9/30) if Congress fails to pass a spending bill, halting new and renewed flood insurance policies and disrupting home sales in high-risk flood…

White House fires much of the National Council on the Humanities: The White House dismissed most members of the National Council on the Humanities on Wednesday (10/1), retaining only four appointees aligned with the Administration. Council members said they were notified abruptly by email that their positions were terminated effective immediately. The National Council advises the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) on grantmaking and policy…

California:

California still has no plan to save Planned Parenthood, CEO says: Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration has yet to announce a plan to sustain Planned Parenthood clinics across California following the loss of federal funding under H.R. 1, the Republican spending bill signed by Trump in July. The legislation prevents Planned Parenthood from billing Medi-Cal…

Education:

SCOTUS to step into the trans athletes debate: The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) is set to hear two major cases this term (which started today) that could determine whether states can ban transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams. The cases, Little v. Hecox from Idaho and West Virginia v. B.P.J., both challenge state laws that restrict participation based on biological…

How the federal government shutdown affects K-12: Most K-12 schools will continue normal operations during the federal government shutdown, as state and local funds cover most costs. Federal grants such as Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)…

Trump targeting services for multilingual learners leaves gaps in schools: The administration’s proposed 2026 budget eliminates $890 million for multilingual learners, cutting professional development, newcomer centers, and English language learner (ELL) teacher hiring across K-12 schools. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition…

FCC removes school bus Wi-Fi, hotspots from E-rate: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 2-1 to remove school bus Wi-Fi and internet hotspots from eligibility for federal E-rate funding, reversing an expansion approved under Biden. The decision ended discounts…

A growing number of state bills target sex education, report says: A growing number of state bills are challenging sex education in K-12 schools, according to the 2025 Legislative Mid-Year Report from the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States…

Hawaiʻi is turning to charters to expand free preschool: Hawaiʻi is expanding free preschool access by converting private programs into charter schools, starting with Waikīkī Community Preschool, now tuition-free and state-funded. The effort supports the state’s goal to provide preschool to all three- and four-year-olds by 2032. Charter preschools can help address teacher shortages…

California school board member stipends could change under new bill: California lawmakers are considering Assembly Bill 1390, which would raise the maximum monthly stipend for school board members and county education boards for the first time since 1984. Currently, stipends range from $60 in the smallest districts to $1,500 in the largest. The bill, sponsored…