Weekly Update- 12/01/2025

Weekly Update 12/1/2025 Capitol Advocacy Partners

President and Administration:

National Guard shooting suspect is Afghan man, official says: A 29-year-old Afghan immigrant, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is accused of shooting two West Virginia National Guard members, killing one, outside a Washington, D.C., Metro station last Wednesday (11/26) after driving across the country from Bellingham, Washington. Lakanwal….

Judge dismisses Georgia criminal case against Trump: Georgia’s criminal case accusing Trump of trying to overturn the 2020 election has been fully dismissed. Judge Scott McAfee ended the prosecution on Wednesday (11/26) after lead prosecutor Peter Skandalakis said he could not pursue it, citing the difficulty of trying a sitting…

EPA to abandon air pollution rule that would prevent thousands of U.S. deaths: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is withdrawing its defense of a Biden-era rule that tightened limits on fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), effectively abandoning the stricter standard. In a court filing, the agency argued the rule was improperly issued and should be vacated before states…

Congress: 

Appropriations: House GOP appropriators aren’t yet ready to advance the two biggest outstanding funding bills – Defense and Labor-HHS-Education – and are instead rooting for a cross-chamber compromise on several smaller funding measures, with sights on enactment of these measures by the end of December. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN)…

Hearings:

• On Tuesday, 12/2, the House Small Business Committee is expected to hold a hearing “Main Street Under Attack: The Cost of Crime on Small Business.” 

• On Wednesday, 12/3, the House Committee on Homeland Security is anticipated to hold a hearing “When Badges Become Targets: How Anti-Law Enforcement Rhetoric Fuels Violence Against Officers.”

Education:

Treasury Seeks input on new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program, comments due Dec 26, 2025: The administration plans to release guidance allowing states to opt into a new federal scholarship tax credit program starting in 2026, ahead of its 2027 launch. Created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the program would offer taxpayers up to $1,700…

Chair Cassidy launches major investigation into liberal states failing to protect girls and women in sports, arguing such states may be defying Trump’s executive order: Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) has launched a major investigation into 18 states and Washington, D.C., over policies that allow transgender students…

The Education Department gave another agency power to distribute its money. It hasn't gone well: The administration’s early effort to shift federal career and technical education funding from the Education Department to the Labor Department has been plagued by technical issues, delays, and communication problems. The move was meant to streamline…

CA ED CLIENTS ONLY: First look at 2026-27 state budget: Schools and community colleges are fine — for the moment: The Legislative Analyst’s Office projects higher-than-expected revenue for California’s 2026–27 budget due to surging AI-related income taxes, resulting in a $7.4 billion increase for schools and community colleges. Under Proposition 98…

Weekly Update- 11/24/2025

Weekly Update 11/24/2025 Capitol Advocacy Partners

President and Administration:

Acting FEMA chief out after short, troubled tenure: Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson resigned last Monday (11/17), just hours after telling POLITICO that he had “no idea” about reports of his departure. Richardson is also leaving his role leading the Weapons of Mass Destruction Office. His departure had been rumored for two weeks, with former FEMA officials predicting he would leave by the end of the hurricane season. Richardson has served as FEMA’s senior official…

Comey, James cases dismissed as judge disqualifies interim U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan: Today (11/24), a federal judge threw out the criminal cases against former Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that Trump’s…

Congress: 

House: Is out of session and will return for legislative business on December 1.

Senate: Is out of session and will return for legislative business on December 1.

Appropriations- Little sign of spending progress as top appropriators meet: Top appropriators from the House and Senate met for the first time since the partial government shutdown but made no progress toward a fiscal 2026 spending deal. Participants included Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). Collins supports…

Nydia Velázquez is stepping down: Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) announced she will retire at the end of her current term in January of 2027, when the new Congress is sworn in, concluding more than three decades in Congress and opening a rare vacancy in a strongly progressive New York City…

Greene’s exit deals a blow to G.O.P., putting rifts on display: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) abrupt decision to resign has created immediate uncertainty for House Republicans, narrowing an already tight majority and exposing deeper divisions within the conference. Her departure, which is anticipated to be on January 5, 2026, follows public criticism of what she described as Congress’s failure to advance key legislative priorities, reflecting broader frustration among some conservative…

Education:

Administration launches plan to dismantle Education Department: The administration has begun executing its plan to dismantle the Education Department by shifting major functions to other federal agencies. Six offices will move, including K–12 and higher education programs to the Labor Department, Indian Education to Interior, international education to State, and child care and medical…

What state education chiefs think as Trump moves programs out of the Ed. Dept.: State education chiefs are reacting to the administration’s plan to shift major Education Department programs to other federal agencies. While some Republican-led states say they were expecting the change and believe funding will continue smoothly, many Democratic-led states warn it will create confusion, delays, and reduced…

New audit exposes accountability faults in Florida's massive school choice program: Florida lawmakers are under pressure to fix the state’s expanding school choice program after an audit found major accountability problems. Enrollment has surged past 500,000 students, but the state can’t accurately track who is in public or private schools, leading to funding errors, including a $47 million…

Another religious school to apply for public charter status in Oklahoma: A Jewish school is now seeking approval to operate as a virtual public charter in Oklahoma, reigniting a debate that escalated earlier this year when the U.S. Supreme Court deadlocked on a similar bid from a Catholic virtual…

Weekly Update-11/17/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 11/17/2025

President and Administration:

The Trump administration plans a major shift away from long-term housing for homelessness: The administration is shifting federal homelessness policy, cutting funding for long-term housing and directing more resources to transitional programs that require work or addiction treatment. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) says this approach aims to promote self-sufficiency…

Supreme Court denies request to revisit same-sex marriage decision: The Supreme Court declined a request from former Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis to revisit its 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage. Davis had asked the court to overturn the ruling and reverse an order requiring her to pay more than $300,000 to a couple she denied a marriage license. The justices offered no comment…

Congress: 

Appropriations: It is expected that next week that the Senate will see floor action on four FY’26 appropriations: 

• Defense (S2572);

• Labor-HHS-Education(S2587);

• Commerce-Justice-Science (S2354); and

• Transportation-HUD (S2465).

Senators distance themselves from controversial payout provision: Senate Republicans are distancing themselves from a controversial provision in the government funding package that would allow lawmakers to sue the federal government for at least $500,000 if their electronic records were seized without notice during the investigation into the 2020 election. While eight Republican senators were reportedly subpoenaed, only Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has publicly committed to using the provision, saying he intends to pursue legal remedies. The provision has drawn criticism from Democrats…

Democratic Rep. Grijalva (D-AZ) sworn in after seven weeks, becomes key signature on Epstein files petition: Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) was sworn into the House after a seven-week delay, just ahead of a vote to reopen the government. Immediately after taking the oath, she signed the discharge petition to force a vote requiring the Department of Justice to release the full Jeffrey Epstein files, pushing the petition over the 218-signature threshold. Grijalva used her first floor remarks to call…

GOP plans to replace Obamacare have failed. Here’s what lawmakers propose now: Republicans are racing to craft a health care plan as enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies are set to expire next month, a change that could sharply increase premiums for tens of millions of Americans. The White House is advancing a proposal to redirect billions in ACA payments from insurers to individuals’…

California: 

Schiff in the crosshairs: Trump’s escalating legal campaign against political adversaries may soon reach the Senate, according to new reporting. After securing indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, Trump is now focused on Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA)…

Education:
McMahon: The shutdown proved just how little the Department of Education will be missed: Education Secretary McMahon argued that the 43-day government shutdown demonstrated how unnecessary the federal education bureaucracy is, noting that schools operated normally while the agency was closed. She said the Department of Education largely functions as a pass-through…

Ed. Dept. layoffs are reversed, but staff fear things won’t return to normal: Hundreds of U.S. Department of Education employees will return to work after Trump signed a bill ending the record 43-day government shutdown and reversing October layoffs. The measure funds the government through Jan. 30 and blocks further cuts, reinstating 465 Education…

Supreme Court sets argument date for transgender sports cases: The Supreme Court will hear arguments on January 13 on whether states can bar transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that align with their gender identity. The consolidated cases challenge laws in Idaho and West Virginia that restrict transgender girls from playing on girls’ teams, citing biological…

Trump grant cancellations can face challenges in two courts, judge rules: A federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that Democratic-led states challenging the administration’s cancellation of more than $250 million in federal teacher training grants can proceed in district court. U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley said the states’ constitutional and statutory claims belong in district court…

Data from 3.3 million school texts highlights keys to tackling chronic absenteeism: A new report analyzing 3.3 million school text messages across 15 states found that timely, clear, and personal communication can help reduce chronic absenteeism. The study by SchoolStatus…

Weekly Update-11/10/2025

Capitol Advocacy Partners Weekly Update 11/10/2025

President and Administration:

Trump’s big push for apprenticeships has yet to take off: Growth in the nation’s Registered Apprenticeship programs has slowed under the current administration, with fewer than 700,000 active apprentices as of late September, a modest 3.9 percent increase from last year. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said the ongoing government shutdown has delayed new apprenticeship…

ICE's detainee population reaches 66,000, a new record high, statistics show: The number of detainees in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody this week reached a record 66,000, reflecting the administration’s intensified immigration enforcement efforts. ICE’s detainee population has increased by nearly 70 percent since the President’s second term began…

Federal judge, warning an ‘existential threat’ to democracy, resigns: Retired federal judge Mark L. Wolf warned that Trump poses an “existential threat to democracy,” accusing him of using the law to punish opponents and protect allies. In The Atlantic, Wolf said he resigned from the Massachusetts federal bench to speak freely about what he sees as a breakdown of the rule…

Trump’s $2,000 tariff ‘dividend’ idea has some holes: Trump has floated a plan to distribute at least $2,000 per person (excluding high-income earners, which Trump did not define) to most Americans, funded by revenues from tariffs his administration has imposed. However, analysts doubt the math: payouts could reach $300 billion or more, while the government collected $195 billion…

Congress: 

Congressional Budget Office believed to be hacked by foreign actor: The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) was recently hacked by a suspected foreign actor, raising concerns that communications between lawmakers and the agency may have been compromised. Officials discovered the breach early and have since implemented additional monitoring and security controls to protect…

California: 

Santa Clara didn't wait for Trump's health care cuts to hit. Other counties may not be far behind: Santa Clara County voters approved Measure A, a sales tax increase expected to generate $1.5 billion over five years to offset federal health care funding cuts under the current administration. The measure, passing with 57 percent of the vote, aims to sustain county-owned hospitals facing losses from H.R. 1, which could cost California hospitals up to $130 billion over the next decade and leave millions…

Education:

Push for Indiana schools to share buses and buildings ramps up: Indiana lawmakers and local leaders are advancing efforts for Indianapolis Public Schools and charter schools to share buses and facilities, fueling debate over governance, resources, and school access. The Indianapolis Local Education Alliance will release recommendations this month on how…

The funding worry over school mental health services: Federal efforts to expand school mental health services are in turmoil amid President Trump’s anti-DEI policies, court battles, and the ongoing government shutdown. The administration’s decision to cancel and restructure mental health grants that were renewed after the 2022 Uvalde shooting has left schools…

Civil Rights oversight and accountability under strain: A federal judge barred all federal layoffs during the shutdown, yet Education Department staff in the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) still received termination notices effective Nov. 3, potentially affecting over 200 employees despite the injunction. The OCR, which investigates discrimination complaints, has already lost several regional offices…

A small change in Special Ed. rules could affect equity, accountability, advocates warn: The Education Department has proposed ending a reporting requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that ensures states disclose changes to how they measure “significant disproportionality” in special education. Advocates warn the move would weaken transparency…

Committee reaches consensus on Education Department student loan rule proposal: The Education Department announced that a rulemaking committee reached consensus on 17 provisions reforming federal student loan regulations under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The agreement covers changes to the Repayment Assistance Plan and defines..

States, districts grapple with declining enrollment: Public schools nationwide are facing sharp enrollment declines driven by lower birth rates and expanding school choice programs. States including Alabama, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Maryland are experiencing record…

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…