#federal-policy

#federal-policy

Hunger, sadly, is as American as apple pie: a crisis we seem to revisit each budget cycle but never resolve. With the record-breaking federal government shutdown finally over and access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) no longer in enteringthe Supreme Court's domain, millions of Americans have been once again caught in the crossfire of political brinkmanship. The country's food safety net - already in tatters - has been grievously abused.

A growing number of Americans believe that gender-affirming care will become less accessible in their lifetime, a new 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll finds - reflecting a political landscape that has become increasingly hostile toward transgender health care. Nearly 4 in 10 Americans think gender-affirming care will become less accessible over the course of their lifetime. A year ago, The 19th and SurveyMonkey found only 20% of Americans felt that way.

"I think everything's being considered, will be considered."

Tom Lopach, president and CEO of the Voter Participation Center, a nonprofit focused on registering people of color, unmarried women, and young voters-three groups that make up what the organization calls the New American Majority-described the severity of the situation to NPQ: "We've seen an unprecedented effort to reduce access to voting on so many levels." He noted that executive orders, federal and state legislation, court rulings, and policy and staffing changes across government agencies form "a multi-pronged attack on voting."

Extending the program would have required approval from Congress and President Trump. "A Trump traffic jam is on its way to California and other states - all because Republicans in Congress decided to let a wildly successful bipartisan program expire," Newsom said in a statement. "That's Trump's America: more traffic, more smog and a government more committed to slashing proven programs than solving real problems."

A U.S. District Judge has barred federal agents from conducting detention stops in Southern California without reasonable suspicion of immigration law violations. Agents cannot rely solely on factors like race, ethnicity, or language.

All solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters must be personally approved by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum under a new order that authorizes him to conduct elevated review of activities ranging from leases to rights of way, construction and operational plans, grants and biological opinions.

The changes in federal tax incentives could affect the feasibility of new solar and wind projects as the state is counting on them to provide more electricity for Californians.

"Higher education has not faced this level of financial uncertainty in generations," said Robert Kelchen, chair of educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, who reviewed preliminary survey data. Recent history offers one comparison—the early days of the pandemic, when uncertainty was similarly 'off the charts.' However, back then, the federal government 'quickly stepped in to provide support.' Today, by contrast, the federal government 'is causing the uncertainty.'

Schools and organizations serving undocumented students are increasingly conducting their activities underground to avoid being targeted by the Trump administration. They fear federal audits and funding cuts.

Beginning July 1, park rangers will only accept credit cards, debit cards, or mobile payments at beach entrance booths as part of a cashless transition.

The USDA's directive for states to turn over sensitive SNAP recipient data is currently on hold amid privacy law concerns and a pending lawsuit.

The Trump administration's actions have severely jeopardized decades of established federal support for victims of domestic and intimate partner violence, risking lives and safety.

In just six months of his second term, Trump has targeted California, proposing over 150 actions detrimental to the environment, from cancelling climate grants to loosening regulations.

Riley has been in counseling for over two years, learning to manage her anger through conversation rather than physical actions, showcasing the importance of mental health support in schools.

But on Monday, a day after President Trump posted on social media that he wants to reopen the nearly century-old prison as a "substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America's most ruthless and violent Offenders," many tourists were imagining a very different role: what it would be like to be the construction manager who might actually have to figure out how to make that happen.