Category: Federal
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September saw President Donald Trump’s (R) second-lowest monthly executive order total
President Donald Trump (R) issued 11 executive orders in September, bringing his second-term total to 209. This is the second-fewest executive orders he has issued in any month of this term. To view each order he issued in September, click here. So far this term, Trump issued the fewest executive orders in June 2025 with…
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Third quarter federal agency rule count lower at this stage in Trump's presidency than Biden's
Federal administrative agencies in the third quarter of the first year of the second Trump administration have issued less proposed and final rules than in the third quarter of the first year under the Biden administration. President Donald Trump (R) issued more presidential documents in Q3 2025 than former President Joe Biden (D) did in Q3…
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President Donald Trump (R) hit 43% approval in September, lowest rating of his second term
At the end of September, approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 44% approval. Fifty-four percent of voters disapproved of his performance. In early September, Trump received a 43% approval rating, the lowest of his second term. The highest approval rating Trump has received this term is 54%, last seen on Jan. 22,…
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Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001
There were 50 vacancies out of 890 authorized federal judicial posts as of Sept. 30. Forty-nine of those were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. In the past month: By Sept. 30—254 days in office—President Donald Trump (R) had nominated 26 judges…
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Michael Waltz confirmed as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Michael Waltz as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Sept. 19, 2025. The Senate voted 47-43 in favor of his nomination, with 44 Republicans and three Democrats, Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), voting in favor. There were 41 Democrats who voted against…
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EPA proposes ending emissions reporting
On Sept. 13, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule that would eliminate the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), which requires fossil fuel producers to disclose carbon emissions. Administrator Lee Zeldin said the reporting program goes beyond what the Clean Air Act requires. Why does it matter? Administrator Zeldin says the change could…
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Senate Republicans invoke nuclear option to change nomination rules
On September 11, 2025, Senate Republicans voted to change chamber rules governing the nomination process for certain types of presidential nominees. The vote was 53-45, along party lines. This procedure, where a majority party changes a Senate rule or precedent through a simple majority vote, is often referred to as the nuclear option or constitutional…
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Department of Labor announces ESG retirement plan rule
The Department of Labor (DOL) announced Sept. 4 that it plans to issue a new rule governing the use of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in retirement plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration listed the issue in its semi-annual regulatory agenda as…
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Ballotpedia has tracked each major party's number of U.S. House seats won in relation to U.S. House national vote share gained from 1980 to 2024 (Brew)
As states implement or consider new congressional district boundaries ahead of the 2026 elections, debates over how votes translate into control of U.S. House seats are in the spotlight. Our review of more than 40 years of data shows that the share of all House votes a party receives across the country does not always…
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Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for September 2025
In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies from Aug. 2 through Sept. 1, 2025. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS New vacancies There were 50 vacancies out of 870 active Article III judicial positions, a total vacancy percentage of 5.7, which…