Category: Federal
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Trump executive order aimed at increasing agency control of policy-related employees
President Donald Trump (R) on October 21 issued an executive order, “Executive Order on Creating Schedule F in The Excepted Service,” that directs agencies to reclassify federal civil service employees in the competitive service who serve in policy-related roles as members of the excepted service. Supporters of the order claim that the change will increase…
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How can I check the status of my ballot?
As of October 30, voters have cast at least 53.7 million absentee/mail-in ballots according to the New York Times. Forty-four states and the District of Columbia offer online ballot tracking for all voters. Texas and New York provide online ballot tracking only for military and overseas voters. Four states have no online ballot tracking at…
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The two battleground House races with electoral votes at stake
In addition to electing their next representative on Nov. 3, two battleground U.S. House districts will also decide which presidential candidate gets one of their state’s Electoral College votes. While 48 states give all their electoral votes to the statewide winner of the presidential contest, Maine and Nebraska distribute some of their electoral votes to…
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SCOTUS to hear arguments in five cases in first week of November
On November 2, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States will begin its November sitting. All arguments during its November and December sittings will be conducted via teleconference with live audio. The court made the decision to hold proceedings this way in accordance with public health guidance in response to COVID-19. In the first…
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Six national party committees raise combined $2 billion this cycle
Six party committees have raised a combined $2 billion since January 2019, according to pre-general election campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on October 22. The reports covered all fundraising and spending between October 1 and October 14. Democrats and Republicans each have three party committees: a national committee to coordinate…
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U.S. Senate confirms Newman to federal district court judgeship
The U.S. Senate confirmed Michael Newman to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio by a 67-30 vote on October 22, 2020. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. After…
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U.S. Senate rejects CRA resolution to block changes to the Community Reinvestment Act
On October 19, the U.S. Senate rejected a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to block a new banking rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The resolution, passed by the U.S. House in June, failed on a procedural vote of 48 to 43 in the U.S. Senate. Democratic members of…
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U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to DHS ‘remain in Mexico’ policy
On October 19, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Wolf v. Innovation Law Lab. The case involves whether the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) properly implemented a policy called the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The MPP requires people seeking asylum in the United States who travel from a third country through Mexico to…
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U.S. Supreme Court accepts three new cases for its 2020–2021 term
On October 19, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) agreed to hear three new cases during its 2020-2021 term. These cases are Lange v. California, which came to the court on a writ of certiorari to the California First District Court of Appeal, and Wolf v. Innovation Law Lab and Trump v. Sierra…