Category: Federal

  • Federal government weighs in on Texas antitrust suit against Big Three

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    The U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission filed a statement of interest last week in an 11-state, Texas-led lawsuit alleging BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard colluded to suppress coal production, violating antitrust laws. The statement argued ESG-related coordination among asset managers could raise valid antitrust concerns. Republican-led, energy-producing states like Texas have long…

  • Supreme Court hears case on nationwide injunctions tied to birthright citizenship order

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    What happened? The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments May 15 in Trump v. CASA, Inc., a case challenging President Donald Trump’s (R) executive order restricting birthright citizenship. The case was consolidated with Trump v. Washington and Trump v. New Jersey, in which four and 18 states, respectively, filed lawsuits against the administration. The legal…

  • Proposed OPM rule would change procedures to terminate career federal employees

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    What’s the story On May 23, 2025, the public commentary window ended for a proposed Office of Personnel Management (OPM) rule that would modify the procedures for terminating career federal employees, also known as civil servants. The OPM proposed the rule on April 23. The proposed “Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service”…

  • House passes One Big Beautiful Bill Act budget reconciliation bill 215-214

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    House Republicans’ 2025 budget reconciliation package, H.R. 1 – the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed the chamber 215-214 on May 22. Approval in the House sent the bill to the Senate. The bill includes provisions on tax policy, border security and immigration, defense, energy production, the debt limit, adjustments to SNAP and Medicaid, and…

  • Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001

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    There were 47 vacancies in the 890 authorized federal judicial posts as of May 16, 2025. Forty-six of those vacancies were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. By May 16, 2025—117 days in office—President Donald Trump (R) had nominated five judges to…

  • House Energy and Commerce Committee includes Medicaid work requirement in budget reconciliation bill

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    The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed its budget reconciliation bill on May 14 with a 30-24 vote after a May 13th markup of the previous draft version. The current version of the bill would require states to adopt community engagement requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents on Medicaid. The current version specifies community engagement…

  • House Judiciary’s budget reconciliation bill considers REINS Act provisions

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    The House Judiciary Committee released a draft of their budget reconciliation bill on April 27, which included major provisions from the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act (REINS Act), and the markup version voted out April 30th by a 23-17 margin retained those provisions. The final omnibus bill may differ from this…

  • Trump announces first judicial nominees

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    President Donald Trump (R) on May 1, 2025, announced that he would nominate Whitney Hermandorfer for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. This marks his first federal judicial nomination since taking office on January 20, 2025. During his first term, Trump issued his first nomination 11 days after he took office: Justice…

  • President Donald Trump ends April with 44% approval, 53% disapproval

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    At the end of April, approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 44% approval. Fifty-three percent of voters disapproved of his performance. The lowest approval rating he’s received during his presidency is 44%, last seen on April 30, 2025. The highest approval rating Trump has received is 54%, last seen on Jan. 22,…