Weekly Update- 12/08/2025

Weekly Update 12/8/2025 Capitol Advocacy Partners

Appropriations

Senate GOP leaders are trying to take up a package of FY26 appropriations bills amid objections. The package was expected to include some combination of the Commerce-Justice-Science (S. 2354), Interior-Environment (S. 2431), Labor-HHS (S. 2587), Transportation-HUD (S. 2465), and Defense (S. 2572, H.R. 4016) bills. Senate conservatives, including Scott…

President and Administration:

Billions in rural health funding hinge on states passing Trump-backed policies: The Trump administration’s new $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program ties a portion of funding to whether states adopt preferred health policies — a move Democrats and health advocates call unprecedented and coercive. While half the money will be distributed evenly and another quarter based on need, the remaining $3.75 billion depend on states passing laws aligned with Trump. These include bipartisan measures like…

Libraries and museums get federal funding back after Trump cuts: The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the independent agency in charge of awarding federal grant funding to libraries and museums, is reinstating all grants that were previously terminated by the administration. A short statement posted on the agency’s website last….

Congress: 

House on track for National Defense Authorization Act vote this week: A compromised version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which puts Congress’ stamp on Pentagon programs and policy each year, has recently been released. The bill would add $8 billion to Trump’s defense budget while restricting troop…

Hearings:

• Tomorrow, December 9, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary is anticipated to hold a hearing to examine protecting children online against offenders.

• The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families is expected to hold a hearing tomorrow to examine building pathways, focusing on advancing workforce development in the 21st century.

• On Wednesday, December 10, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is expected to hold a hearing on  the future of retirement.

California:

Gavin Newsom accuses Trump of wildfire aid snub: Gov. Gavin Newsom accused the administration of refusing a routine meeting on wildfire recovery funding as the governor sought more recovery aid in Washington, calling the move unprecedented as the state seeks nearly $34 billion in federal assistance after devastating Los Angeles–area fires. Newsom’s office says the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declined to make the FEMA’s acting director or any other official available, which they argue reflects a broader neglect of California and a break from past disaster-response norms. The dispute highlights…

Education:

Workforce development portal moves to Labor: The federal portal used by states to submit workforce development plans has shifted to the Labor Department, a change primarily affecting state education agencies for now. Labor and Education will jointly administer Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs, including adult education…

20 states push back as Ed. Dept. hands programs to other agencies: Twenty Democratic-led states—including California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, along with the District of Columbia—have filed an amended lawsuit challenging the administration’s transfer of major Education Department programs to other…

Education Department outsourcing is unlawful, amended lawsuit claims: A coalition of school districts, unions, and a disability rights group filed an amended lawsuit Nov. 26, arguing the administration’s plan to shift major Education Department programs to other federal agencies is unlawful and will harm students. The complaint seeks to block interagency…

Funding ends for school mental health projects after a ‘roller coaster’ year: The administration is ending funding Dec. 31 for up to 174 school mental health projects created under a $1 billion post-Uvalde federal initiative, cutting short grants that were supposed to last five years. The Education Department says the Biden-era awards relied on “DEI-based” priorities, but districts and universities say the cancellations are disrupting counselor pipelines, forcing staff…

CA ED CLIENTS ONLY: DOJ sues California over in-state tuition for undocumented students: The U.S. Department of Justice sued California on Thursday, challenging state laws that allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition and receive state financial aid. The complaint targets Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and leaders of the University of California, California State University and the community college system. DOJ argues the policies illegally…

Houses passes bill that would require public schools to disclose foreign funding over $10,000: The House on Wednesday (12/3) passed H.R. 1005, the CLASS Act, which would require public K-12 schools to report foreign funding above $10,000 to the U.S. Education Department, including the source, country of origin, amount and any attached conditions. Lawmakers also approved two related measures targeting foreign influence: H.R. 1049, requiring schools to disclose foreign-funded instructional…

Administration effort to end 1960s school desegregation cases faces a hurdle: A federal judge in Louisiana has blocked the administration’s effort to quickly end a series of 1960s school desegregation cases, rejecting a bid by the state, the Concordia Parish school system and the U.S. Justice Department to dismiss a 1965 lawsuit without proving…

Treasury, IRS seek comments on federal school choice program: The Treasury Department and IRS are seeking public comments through Dec. 26 on implementation of a new federal tax credit–funded school choice program created under the Republican-backed “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” The program, set to begin in 2027, allows taxpayers to donate up to $1,700…
The billionaire pushing taxpayer-funded school vouchers: Billionaire Jeff Yass, a low-profile trader turned political megadonor, has become one of the nation’s most influential — and controversial — champions of school vouchers, pouring more than $350 million into politics since 2015 to advance school choice initiatives. Driven by libertarian beliefs shaped by Milton Friedman, Yass sees vouchers as a philanthropic mission to rescue children from failing public schools, though critics argue his spending gives one…

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…