Category: Federal
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Budget reconciliation bill changes SNAP and Medicaid work requirements
President Donald Trump (R) signed the budget reconciliation bill — H.R. 1 — known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law on July 4. The bill contains provisions requiring states to implement work requirements for Medicaid by Jan. 1, 2027, and alters the exemptions from the able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) work…
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Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds confirmation hearing for Michael Waltz for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a confirmation hearing for Michael Waltz for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on July 15, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not scheduled a meeting to vote on his nomination. Waltz must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination can…
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Five candidates are running in the July 15 special Democratic primary for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District
Five candidates are running in the special Democratic primary for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District on July 15, 2025. Deja Foxx (D), Adelita Grijalva (D), and Daniel Hernandez Jr. (D) lead in fundraising, endorsements, and media attention. The special election will fill the vacancy left by Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who died on March 13, 2025.…
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Budget reconciliation bill enacts first federal private school choice program
What’s the story? President Donald Trump (R) signed the formerly titled One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) into law on July 4, enacting the first federal private school choice program. Under the program: The tax credit program will apply to donations made starting in 2027. What’s the background? The bill passed the U.S. House of…
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Trump has not had any federal judicial nominees confirmed through July 1 of his first year of his second term
The U.S. Senate has not yet confirmed any of President Donald Trump’s (R) Article III federal judicial nominees through July 1, 2025, his first year of his second term in office. This is the fewest number of Article III judicial appointments through this point in all presidents’ second terms since Bill Clinton (D). The average…
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Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for July 2025
In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies from June 2, 2025, to July 1, 2025. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS New vacancies There were 49 vacancies out of 870 active Article III judicial positions, a total vacancy percentage of 5.6,…
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State supreme court vacancy count for June 2025
In this month’s state supreme court vacancy update, Ballotpedia tracked announced retirements, nominations, appointments, confirmations, and the swearing-in of justices from June 1 to June 30, 2025. Ballotpedia tracks vacancies in all 52 state supreme courts. Justice retirements: One justice stepped down from her state’s highest court in June 2025. On June 27, Beth Walker…
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President Donald Trump’s rate of issuing new executive orders decreases again in June
President Donald Trump (R) issued nine executive orders in June, bringing his total to 166. To view the titles and text of each order he issued in June, click here. Trump issued 46 executive orders in January 2025, more than any other month of his presidency. With only nine orders, June 2025 marks the month…
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Supreme Court limits nationwide injunctions in Trump v. CASA, Inc.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6–3 decision in Trump v. CASA, Inc. on June 27, holding that federal district courts exceeded their authority by issuing universal injunctions—orders that block a federal policy nationwide, not just for the parties in the case. The Court did not decide the constitutionality of the underlying executive order concerning…
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Rep. Dwight Evans announces he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026
Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Penn.) announced on June 30, 2025, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. On his retirement, Evans said in a statement, “After some discussions this weekend and thoughtful reflection, I have decided that the time is right to announce that I will not be seeking…