Category: Federal
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Trump issued four executive orders, two memoranda, and seven proclamations in October
President Donald Trump (R) issued four executive orders in October, bringing his second-term total to 292. The orders concerned diesel fuel taxes, sanctions on Russia and Iran, women’s health, and housing costs. Click here to read more about each order. Trump issued seven fewer orders in October than he did in September, when he issued…
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President Trump has appointed 56 federal judges through Nov. 1 of the second year of his second term
President Donald Trump (R) has appointed, and the U.S. Senate has confirmed, 56 Article III federal judges through Nov. 1, 2026, the second year of his second term. This is the third-highest number of Article III judicial appointments through this point in a president's second term since President Bill Clinton (D). Presidents since Clinton have…
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Trump's average approval rating saw second-term low of 37% in October
At the end of October, approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 38% approval. Sixty percent of respondents disapproved of his performance. October also saw the lowest average approval rating of Trump's second term, at 37%, on Oct. 22, 2026. The highest average approval rating of Trump's second term was 54%, last seen…
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IRS proposes federal scholarship tax credit donor and credit rules that increase potential size of program, limit certain uses
On Oct. 2, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued temporary regulations and proposed final regulations to implement the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC), also known as the Education Freedom Tax Credit. The program — codified in section 25F of the IRS code — will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. Both the temporary and proposed…
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IRS defines terms for the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit with implications for participation
On Oct. 2, 2026, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued temporary regulations and proposed final regulations to implement the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC). The program — also known as the Education Freedom Tax Credit — will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. Both the temporary and proposed regulations will be effective in 2027, until…
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SEC ends climate-investor investigation, warns of disclosure obligations
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released a report on Oct. 7 about their investigation into whether large asset managers complied with federal disclosure requirements during a 2021 campaign to elect new directors to ExxonMobil’s board. The agency said it would not pursue enforcement action but outlined circumstances in which coordinated shareholder activities could trigger…
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Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001
There were 28 vacancies out of 890 authorized federal judicial posts as of Oct. 15. All 28 were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. In the past month: By Oct. 15 — 634 days in office — President Donald Trump (R) had…
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Supreme Court hears climate liability case
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Oct. 5 in Suncor Energy v. Boulder County, a case concerning whether federal law prevents state and local governments from using state law to seek damages from oil companies for the effects of global greenhouse gas emissions. According to the question presented, the justices are also considering…
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21 states sue EPA over power plant emissions rule rollback
On Oct. 1, a coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its repeal of major greenhouse gas emissions requirements for fossil fuel-fired power plants. The coalition filed the lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. New York Attorney General Letitia James…
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An overview of the rules, agency documents, and notices published in the Federal Register in the third quarter of 2026
The federal government added 22,454 pages to the Federal Register in the third quarter of 2026, spanning from July 1 to Sept. 30. This is more than in all other quarters during the second Trump administration, except the second quarter of 2026, during which the government added 23,692 pages. The next highest was the third…