Category: Federal
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SCOTUS accepts cases concerning federal antitrust laws, NCAA compensation rules
On December 16, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States granted review in the consolidated cases National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) v. Alston and American Athletic Conference v. Alston for a total of one hour of oral argument during its 2020-2021 October Term. The cases originated from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the…
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Biden announces picks for heads of Interior, Energy, and EPA
On Dec. 17, President-elect Joe Biden announced his picks for secretaries of energy and the interior, and administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. These announcements leave five remaining Cabinet-level positions in the Biden administration without announced nominees. Biden nominated former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) as Secretary of Energy. She served as governor from 2003…
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U.S. Supreme Court declines to rule on merits of census case
The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) issued an unsigned 6-3 opinion in Trump v. New York. The case was argued on Nov. 30, 2020, and concerned congressional apportionment following the 2020 U.S. Census. The U.S. government asked SCOTUS to consider if the president could order the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to exclude individuals residing unlawfully in…
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U.S. Senate confirms two nominees to federal judgeships
The U.S. Senate has confirmed two nominees to federal district court judgeships. The 94 U.S. District Courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. The U.S. Senate has confirmed 232 of President Trump’s Article III judicial nominees—three Supreme Court justices, 54 appellate court judges, 172 district court judges, and three U.S.…
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Thomas Kirsch confirmed to U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit
The U.S. Senate confirmed nominee Thomas Kirsch to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on November 16, 2020, and confirmed by a 51-44 vote of the U.S. Senate on December 15, 2020. He will join the court upon receiving his judicial…
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In five elections since 1920, the winning presidential candidate’s party has lost seats in the U.S. House
On Dec. 14, 2020, the Electoral College cast votes for president and vice president of the United States. Joe Biden (D) won 306 electoral votes, defeating President Donald Trump (R) who won 232. In the same 2020 election cycle, Biden’s Democratic party lost 13 U.S. House seats (one race remains uncalled). How many times has…
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Federal Register weekly update: Highest final rule count since October
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity. From December 14 to December 18, the Federal Register grew by 2,290 pages for a year-to-date total of 82,870 pages. Over the same…
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New bill would require GAO to send Congress a report on major midnight regulations
On December 14, Representative Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) introduced the Midnight Regulations Review Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to send Congress a report about major regulations made by outgoing presidents just before the transition to a new administration. The bill defines major rules as those…
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Office of Personnel Management continues implementation of Trump’s civil service executive orders
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on December 17 issued a proposed rule aimed at continuing the implementation of President Donald Trump’s (R) 2018 civil service executive orders. The proposed rule prioritizes federal employee performance over length of service in decisions concerning a reduction in force—a principle set forth in Executive Order 13839, “Promoting Accountability and Streamlining Removal…
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Biden wins all six Reverse-Pivot Counties that voted McCain-Romney-Clinton
Following the 2016 presidential election, Ballotpedia identified six Reverse-Pivot Counties that voted for Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016 after voting for John McCain (R) in 2008 and Mitt Romney (R) in 2012. All six of 2016’s Reverse-Pivot Counties voted for Biden in 2020. These counties have a median population of 785,915. Voters there cast 4,015,613…