Category: Federal
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U.S. Supreme Court rejects challenge to California law limiting church attendance
On May 29, 2020, the United States Supreme Court rejected a challenge to California’s religious gathering limits, which order attendance in churches or places of worship to a maximum of 25% or 100 attendees. The 5-4 decision was joined by Chief Justice Roberts who warned against intervening in emergencies: “Where those broad limits are not…
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Trump executive order aims to protect procedural rights in agency adjudication
President Donald Trump (R) on May 19 issued an executive order aimed at providing regulatory relief to spur economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to targeted regulatory actions, the order also contains provisions that seek to promote economic recovery by safeguarding procedural rights and ensuring fairness in agency adjudication and enforcement. The order…
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Trump executive order targets regulations waived during pandemic for potential permanent repeal
On May 19, President Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies to remove regulatory barriers to economic activity as part of a coronavirus pandemic recovery effort. The order specifically directs agency leaders to determine whether regulations modified or waived during the pandemic should be repealed permanently. It also encourages agencies to use emergency powers…
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Former Alabama lawmaker joins the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Former Alabama Representative April Weaver was appointed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on May 18, 2020. Weaver will serve as a regional director overseeing Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, and North Carolina. She reports to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. Weaver was first elected to…
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Senate confirms Ratcliffe as director of national intelligence
The U.S. Senate voted 49-44 on May 21 to confirm U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) to the position of director of national intelligence (DNI). Ratcliffe will take over the role from the current acting DNI, Richard Grenell. Grenell is the second acting DNI to serve in an interim capacity since Dan Coats stepped down in…
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2,898 major party candidates filed for 2020 Congress elections
As of May 25, 2,898 major party candidates have filed to run for the Senate and House of Representatives in 2020. So far, 433 candidates are filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run for U.S. Senate. Of those, 351—177 Democrats and 174 Republicans—are from one of the two major political parties. In 2018,…
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Federal Register weekly update; 2020 page total passes 31,000 pages
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 May 18 to May 22, the Federal Register grew by 1,766 pages for a year-to-date total of 31,356 pages. Over the same…
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Travel restrictions on Brazil go into effect Tuesday
The White House on Sunday fast-tracked a proclamation prohibiting travelers from Brazil from entering the United States, moving the date the restrictions take effect from Thursday, May 28, to Tuesday, May 26 at midnight. The proclamation prohibits foreign travelers who have been in Brazil in the last 14 days prior to trying to enter the…
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Jo Jorgensen wins Libertarian Party presidential nomination
The Libertarian Party selected Jo Jorgensen as its presidential nominee on Saturday, May 23, during the Libertarian National Convention. Party delegates nominated six candidates to be on the initial ballot. Candidates were eliminated on each subsequent ballot until one candidate received a majority of the vote. Jorgensen received 51% of the vote on the fourth…
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FEC regains quorum to enforce campaign finance laws
The Federal Election Commission’s (FEC) nearly nine-month period without a functioning quorum came to a close on Tuesday when the United States Senate voted 49-43 along party lines to confirm Republican attorney Trey Trainor as the commission’s newest member. Trainor’s confirmation created the quorum of members necessary for the FEC to oversee campaign finance disclosures,…