Weekly Update- 3/17/2025

Appropriations

‘Full of despair’: Senate Dems Look to Regroup After Losing Shutdown Fight: Senate Democrats are reflecting on their recent defeat in government funding negotiations…

President and Administration 

Trump Decries His Prosecutions, Vows to Remake Justice Department: At an event at the Justice Department on Friday (3/14), Trump vowed to end the "weaponization"…

After Judge Blocks Alien Enemies Act, White House Claims Nearly 300 Already Deported: A federal judge on Saturday blocked the President’s use of the Alien Enemies Act..

White House Seriously Considering Deal from Oracle to Run TikTok: Oracle is in advanced talks with the White House to run TikTok, though concerns persist about the role of its Chinese founders…

Poll: Voters Like the Idea of DOGE, but Elon Musk and Activities Raise Red Flags: Voters are divided on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its efforts to tackle government…

Judge Orders Sweeping Rehiring of Fired Workers at 18 Federal Agencies: A second federal judge has ordered the reinstatement of probationary federal employees fired at 18 major agencies…

California

Newsom's Effort to Court the Right with Podcast Draws Liberal Backlash: Governor Gavin Newsom, distancing himself from his liberal past, launched a podcast to engage right-wing figures…

Katie Porter Enters the Ring: Katie Porter, the former Orange County representative known for her anti-Trump stance, is now aiming for California’s governorship, hoping to leverage a new wave of "resistance"…

2026 California Gubernatorial Election

• Democratic Party Declared

• Toni Atkins, former President Pro Tempore of the California Senate, Former Speaker of the California State Assembly

• Stephen Cloobeck, Founder of Diamond Resorts

• Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California (will withdraw if Harris runs)

• Katie Porter, Former U.S. Representative from California’s 47th Congressional District (will withdraw if Harris runs)

• Tony Thurmond, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction

• Antonio Villaraigosa, Former Mayor of Los Angeles

• Betty Yee, California Democratic Party Vice Chair, Former State Controller

• Michael Younger, Vice President of Calbright College, Former Deputy Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Workforce Development Agency

• Republican Party Declared 

• Chad Bianco, Riverside county Sheriff-Coroner

• Brandon Jones, Marketing Agency Founder

• Sharifah Hardie, Business Consultant

• Jimmy Parker, Former Judge

• Leo Zacky, Vice President of Zacky Farms and candidate for governor in 2021 and 2022

Cities: EPA Launches Attack on ‘Holy Grail’ of Climate Science – and Dozens of Rules: President Trump’s environmental chief, Lee Zeldin…

Cities: State Democrats Push Back on Newsom’s Budget Plans for CARB: California lawmakers pushed back against several of Governor Newsom’s budget proposals for the state’s air regulator, including a plan to grant the California Air Resources Board (CARB)…

California Schools Chief Aims to Guarantee Funding for Teacher Housing: Superintendent Tony Thurmond is supporting legislation to create the first guaranteed state funding for educator housing, addressing the state’s ongoing teacher shortage exacerbated by the housing crisis. According to a 2024 UCLA and UC Berkeley report…

Cities: USF Pulls Out of California Forest Cleanup Program Targeting Illicit Cannabis Grows: The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has informed California's Department of Fish and Wildlife…

Education
How Education Department Layoffs Hit Student Loans, Testing, Civil Rights: The administration's 50 percent staffing cuts at the Education Department triggered disruptions in services…

Students at Military Bases Worldwide Rebel Against Trump DEI Crackdown: Teachers have removed Pride flags and banned posters promoting "gender ideology"…

Judge Blocks Federal Attempt to Cut Teacher Training Grants: A U.S. District Court judge in Maryland blocked the administration’s attempt to cut $250 million…

Trump Freezes $1 Billion in Food Aid Given to Local Schools and Food Banks: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cut over $1 billion in funding intended to help schools and food banks…

Student Well-Being, School Choice, Higher Ed Top Governors’ Priorities: In their 2025 State of the State addresses, governors proposed increased funding for school-based mental health services…

Cities, LFCV, LHE, CLE, NACSA: Update on Pending Section 504 Lawsuit: A lawsuit is working its way through the federal judiciary that has the potential to change how schools, public entities…

Weekly Update- 3/10/2025

Appropriations

Top appropriators near government funding deal ahead of shutdown cliff: Congress' top appropriators are nearing a bipartisan agreement on overall government funding total…

House GOP stopgap funding bill: $13B in nondefense reductions: A stopgap measure to fund the government through September would increase defense spending by $6B…

Top GOP leaders hit by brain drain as tax discussions enter a critical phase: A wave of departures among top Republican tax aides on Capitol Hill is raising concerns about Congress’s readiness…

Ways and Means committee to start drafting plans for enacting Trump tax agenda this week: House Ways and Means Republicans are set to begin drafting a party-line bill to implement…

President and Administration 

Draft executive order calls for closing Education Dept.: President Trump is preparing to issue an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to work toward closing…

Trump administration ordered to reinstate thousands of fired USDA workers: A federal civil service board ruled that over 5,600 workers fired from the Department of Agriculture (USDA)…

Trump Moves to Restrain Elon Musk: President Trump announced a shift to more precise federal workforce cuts, using a "scalpel" instead of a "hatchet," moderating Elon Musk's aggressive…

CNN poll: Trump address to Congress gets modestly positive remarks, changes few minds: A CNN poll of viewers who watched President Donald Trump’s speech on Tuesday revealed tempered positivity…

California

Gavin Newsom breaks with Democrats on trans athletes in sports: California Governor Gavin Newsom, on his new podcast "This is Gavin Newsom," admitted Democrats are "getting crushed" on transgender sports issues…
GUSD, LVJUSD: California’s ethnic studies course mandate may be pushed back: Governor Gavin Newsom's proposed budget does not include funding for ethnic studies courses…

Kamala Harris sets a deadline for her next move: Former Vice President Kamala Harris is seriously considering running for California governor, with a decision expected by…

LVJUSD, GUSD, NACSA, CLE: State education officials change labels for low-performing students: The California State Board of Education voted to change the language used to describe low-performing students in standardized test scores…

Cities: San Jose mayor wants to tie city worker raises to performance: San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is proposing to link senior city staff pay raises to measurable improvements…

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s new governor is a Trump ally. What does it mean for the clean energy transition?: Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón’s…

Education 

Linda McMahon confirmed as Education secretary: The Senate confirmed Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education in a 51-45 party-line vote…

‘Just do it’: Trump committed to dismantling Education Department as order looms: President Trump’s plan to eliminate the Department of Education faces delay…
Trump floats moving $1.6T student loan portfolio to Treasury, other agencies: President Donald Trump announced he is considering transferring management of federal student loans…
NEA sues to block Education Department’s DEI guidance, reporting portal: The National Education Association (NEA) and its New Hampshire affiliate, represented by the ACLU…

Education Department shrinks staff that fields student aid complaints:  The U.S. Department of Education has cut its team handling student aid complaints, firing eight out of 21 staff members…

Weekly Update- 3/3/2025

Appropriations

GOP leaders say they won’t put reins on Trump and Musk in shutdown negotiations: Top Republican leaders in Congress agreed Wednesday (2/26) to oppose Democratic demands for restrictions on President Trump and Elon Musk's ability…

Johnson floats stopgap funding bill, says GOP should codify DOGE cuts later: House Speaker Mike Johnson announced plans to pass a clean government funding extension until September to avoid a March 14 shutdown… 

Trump’s spending play raises ‘risk of a shutdown,’ top Democrats say: Democratic appropriators warned that President Trump's decision to back a long-term funding patch instead of continuing bipartisan spending talks increases the risk of a government….

President and Administration 

A Trump order made English the official language of the U.S. What does that mean? President Trump signed an executive order making English the official language of the U.S., rescinding a 2000 mandate that required federal agencies…

Trump launches lumber probe threatening Canada and others with new tariffs: President Trump has ordered a two-pronged approach to address what his administration calls a "crisis"…

Trump says Canada, Mexico tariffs will go into effect March 4: President Trump announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting March 4…

FEMA is losing scores of employees. What does that mean for disaster recovery?: FEMA has recently fired hundreds of employees, including probationary and contract workers…

Magnolia: ‘It emboldened us’: Pardoned anti-abortion activists vow more protests: Several activists pardoned by Trump for blocking abortion clinics…

California

With eye on Trump, Newsom declares California emergency for forest fires: Governor Gavin Newsom is declaring a state of emergency in California…

Cities: Four early trends defining California AI policy in 2025: California legislators have introduced numerous AI-focused bills this session despite previous setbacks…

Cities: DOGE is hobbling Trump’s plan to unleash California’s water: Firing orders from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are undermining President Trump’s…

Judge to hear California’s voter ID lawsuit after initially tossing case: A California superior court judge has allowed the state’s lawsuit against Huntington Beach's proposed voter ID…

Gavin Newsom calls on SoCal utilities to bury their power lines: California Governor Gavin Newsom has directed utilities in communities affected by the Los Angeles…

California bill would help schools facing immigration-related attendance drops: A California bill aims to prevent schools from losing funding due to decreased…

Education 

Education Department Launches ‘End DEI’ Website to Solicit Complaints About Schools: The U.S. Department of Education has launched a public portal…

House Appropriations Subcommittee Discusses Future of Federal K-12 Funding: On February 26, 2025, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies…

Education Department to staffers: Quit by Monday and get $25K in cash: The U.S. Department of Education is offering voluntary buyouts of up to $25,000…

How the Trump Administration's 'Indiscriminate Cutting' Will Affect Students: Through the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk, the Trump administration has terminated…

Chronic Absenteeism Worst in Kindergarten, 9th and 12th Grades, State Data Shows: New state data reveals that chronic absenteeism is most severe in kindergarten, 9th grade, and 12th grade…

Advocates urge judge to let them defend Biden’s Title IX rule: A college student and the Victim Rights Law Center are requesting permission from a federal court to intervene…

Weekly Update- 2/24/2025

President and Administration 

Many of Trump’s early actions are unpopular, Post-Ipsos poll finds: According to a Washington Post-Ipsos poll, President Trump's actions at the start of a second term…

Heel Doge? GOP Unease Towards Cuts Rise: Some Republicans are pushing back against President Trump’s deep budget cuts, led by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)…

Sen. Mitch McConnell won’t seek reelection in 2026, ending long tenure as Republican power broker: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced…

HUD reportedly faces significant workforce reductions and policy shifts under Trump administration directives: On February 14, reports emerged that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will undergo substantial workforce reductions, with at least 40 percent of staff…

Trump expected to take control of USPS, fire postal board, officials say: President Donald Trump plans to dissolve the U.S. Postal Service’s leadership and place it under the Commerce Department…

USDA suspends two diversity initiatives amid larger crackdown: The USDA has suspended two diversity-focused educational programs: the 1890 Scholars Program, which provided scholarships…

California

California bill aims to help deported college students: California Assembly Higher Education Chair Mike Fong has introduced a bill that would allow deported community college student…

CA SB243 (25R): California bill to prevent youth chatbot addiction draws support from health experts: California State Senator Steve Padilla has introduced SB 243…

Covered California touts record enrollment but warns of potential Trump cuts: Covered California reports 1.98 million people have enrolled in health insurance for 2025, with 350,000 new enrollees…

Education 

DEI Programs Are Lawful Under Federal Civil Rights Laws and Supreme Court Precedent: A memo shared by leading legal scholars for university leaders, general counsel offices…

Weekly Update- 2/18/2025

President and Administration 

Republicans balk at Trump's spending cuts and tariffs: While Republican lawmakers initially supported President Trump's executive actions and federal spending cuts…

Trump officials defend HHS cuts as more methodical than the slashing at other agencies: The Trump administration and Department of Government Efficiency began dismissing 3,600…

House GOP budget plan targets deep SNAP cuts: House Republicans' new budget plan includes $230 billion in cuts to agriculture programs, which will likely reduce SNAP food aid benefits…

Trump administration fires thousands of federal workers: Mass layoffs have begun across at least seven federal agencies, including the Department of Energy…

Federal judge blocks Trump order on health care for transgender youth: On Thursday (2/13), a federal judge in Baltimore temporarily blocked President Trump's…

Trump’s funding freeze raises a new question: Is the government’s word good? The Trump administration has frozen billions of dollars in climate and clean energy funding that was allocated through the 2022…

Records show how DOGE planned Trump’s next DEI purge – and who gets fired next: A team of workers from the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) developed…

White House failed to comply with court order, judge rules: Federal Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ruled on Monday (2/10)  that the Trump administration defied his order to release billions in federal grants…

RFK Jr. reign begins at HHS: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary on Thursday (2/13), and his plans to reshape the agency…

California

California’s hemp market is rife with highly intoxicating, synthetic products, report says: A new study titled "The Great Hemp Hoax" reveals widespread issues..

MAGA sheriff running for CA governor vows to end ‘sanctuary’ laws: Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a pro-Trump Republican, launched his 2026 California gubernatorial campaign on Monday (2/17)…
Newsom’s gas-price watchdog warns of impending price spikes: California's Energy Commission's Division of Petroleum Market Oversight (DPMO) alerted Gov. Newsom…

Puerto Rico

Trump Administration's Immigration Enforcement Actions Impact Puerto Rico: The Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement has led to the detention of individuals in Puerto Rico, including U.S. citizens. Reports indicate that Puerto Ricans have been mistakenly caught in immigration sweeps, raising concerns about the accuracy and fairness of these operations. Critics argue that the administration's aggressive tactics are causing undue harm to communities and infringing upon citizens' rights. (The Bulwark)

Proposed Legislation in Puerto Rico Aligns with Trump Administration's Energy Policies: A new bill in Puerto Rico seeks to eliminate renewable energy targets and extend the operation of a controversial coal-fired power plant. Supported by Governor Jenniffer González, the proposal mirrors the Trump administration's energy stance, favoring fossil fuels over renewable sources. Environmentalists warn that this move could exacerbate the island's health issues and environmental degradation. (AP News)

ACLU Files Lawsuit Over Migrant Detentions at Guantánamo Bay: The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit seeking access to migrants detained at the Guantánamo Bay naval base. The detainees, including individuals from Puerto Rico, are reportedly held without access to legal representation, raising concerns about their rights and the legal basis for their detention. The ACLU demands that detainees be granted communication with attorneys and challenges the administration's lack of transparency regarding these detentions. (Reuters)

Education 

LVJUSD, GUSD: DOGE, Education Department threaten states’ funding if they don’t cut DEI programs: President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency and Department of Education…

Title IX Under Trump: President Donald Trump signed executive orders that define sex as exclusively male or female and prohibit transgender students from participating in women's and girls'…

All ED Clients: DOGE announces $881 million in cuts for Education Department contracts: The Education Department has terminated 89 contracts, cutting $881 million in funding…

DOGE cut off from student loan data, for now: The Education Department has temporarily agreed to block DOGE, a commission established by Donald Trump in January 2025 and run by Elon Musk..