Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• DHS adjusts civil monetary penalties for inflation; corrects Coast Guard and TSA codified amounts — The Department of Homeland Security issued a final technical rule correcting clerical errors in its 2025 civil monetary penalty inflation adjustments. The Coast Guard's codified penalty table inadvertently omitted five properly adjusted penalties; TSA's penalties were updated to reflect a May 2024 statutory amendment raising maximum penalty authority under 49 U.S.C. 46301. The rule became effective immediately upon publication, with adjusted penalties applicable to violations occurring after November 2, 2015.
• EPA publishes notice of Environmental Impact Statements filed December 19–26, 2025 — The Environmental Protection Agency published a notice of availability for Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) received during the week of December 19–26, 2025, pursuant to Section 309(a) of the Clean Air Act and CEQ guidance under 42 U.S.C. 4332. The notice lists one final EIS: TVA's Spring Valley II Solar Project in Alabama, with a review period ending January 30, 2026. EPA's comment letters on EISs are available through the EPA's CDX database.
• FDA announces receipt of petition for partial exemption of radiology AI devices from premarket notification requirements — The Food and Drug Administration published a notice announcing receipt of a petition requesting partial exemption from premarket notification (510(k)) requirements for certain radiology computer-aided detection, diagnosis, and triage software devices. The petition, submitted on behalf of Harrison.ai, seeks exemption for four device types when manufacturers meet specified conditions including prior 510(k) clearance, robust post-market surveillance plans, and continued compliance with quality systems and establishment registration. FDA is soliciting public comments through February 27, 2026, and will issue a final determination within 120 days of this notice.
• FDA Determines Regulatory Review Period for ADZYNMA Patent Extension — The Food and Drug Administration determined the regulatory review period for ADZYNMA (ADAMTS13, recombinant-krhn), a biologic product for congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, as 4,059 days (3,821 testing phase, 238 approval phase). The determination spans from the IND effective date of September 30, 2012, through FDA approval on November 9, 2023. This establishes the maximum potential patent extension period for five related patents held by the Regents of the University of Michigan and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited.
• FDA Determines Regulatory Review Period for ALHEMO Patent Extension — The Food and Drug Administration determined the regulatory review period for ALHEMO (concizumab-mtci), a biologic product approved for hemophilia treatment, as 3,475 days (2,625 testing phase, 850 approval phase) spanning June 18, 2015 to December 20, 2024. This determination establishes the maximum potential patent extension period under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act. The applicant, Novo Nordisk A/S, seeks 1,826 days of patent term extension for U.S. Patent No. 8,361,469. Public comment period closes February 27, 2026; petitions regarding due diligence due by June 29, 2026.
• FDA determines regulatory review period for LEQEMBI patent extension — The Food and Drug Administration has determined that the regulatory review period for LEQEMBI (lecanemab-irmb), an Alzheimer's disease treatment, is 4,546 days, consisting of 4,300 days in the testing phase and 246 days in the approval phase. This determination, made pursuant to the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, establishes the maximum potential length of patent extension for U.S. Patent No. 8,025,878 held by BioArctic AB. The USPTO will apply statutory limitations to calculate the actual patent extension period, with the applicant seeking 5 years of extension. Comments on the accuracy of the dates may be submitted until February 27, 2026.
• FDA determines regulatory review period for OJEMDA patent extension — The Food and Drug Administration determined the regulatory review period for OJEMDA (tovorafenib), a pediatric low-grade glioma treatment, as 4,942 days (4,705 testing phase, 237 approval phase) for purposes of patent term extension under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984. The testing phase ran from October 14, 2010 (investigational new drug exemption effective date) through August 31, 2023 (initial NDA submission), and the approval phase from August 31, 2023 through April 23, 2024 (approval date). The determination establishes the maximum potential patent extension length; the USPTO will apply statutory limitations to calculate actual extension. Comments on date accuracy are due February 27, 2026; petitions regarding applicant due diligence are due June 29, 2026.
• FDA Determines Regulatory Review Period for ROMVIMZA Patent Extension — The Food and Drug Administration determined the regulatory review period for ROMVIMZA (vimseltinib), a drug approved for treating symptomatic tenosynovial giant cell tumor, to be 3,020 days (2,777 testing phase, 243 approval phase). The determination, made pursuant to the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, establishes the maximum potential patent extension length. The applicant seeks 1,632 days of patent term extension. Comments on date accuracy are due by February 27, 2026; petitions regarding due diligence must be filed by June 29, 2026.
• FDA determines regulatory review period for ZELSUVMI patent extension — The Food and Drug Administration has determined the regulatory review period for ZELSUVMI (berdazimer sodium), a topical treatment for molluscum contagiosum approved for marketing on January 5, 2024. The FDA calculated a total regulatory review period of 4,144 days (3,778 days testing phase, 366 days approval phase), beginning September 2, 2012, when the investigational new drug exemption became effective. This determination establishes the maximum potential patent extension period; the applicant seeks 1,280 days of actual patent term extension from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• FDA Proposes Withdrawal of Three Drug Approvals — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed withdrawing approval for three abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) due to the holders' failure to submit required annual reports. The affected drugs include bacitracin-neomycin sulfate-polymyxin B sulfate ointment, captopril tablets, and piroxicam capsules. The ANDA holders have until January 28, 2026, to request a hearing to contest the withdrawal. If no hearing is requested, the approvals will be withdrawn, and the drugs cannot be legally marketed.
• FDA submits PET drug manufacturing information collection to OMB for review and clearance — The Food and Drug Administration submitted a proposed information collection to the Office of Management and Budget for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The collection implements current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) regulations governing positron emission tomography (PET) drugs under 21 CFR Part 212. The submission covers recordkeeping and disclosure requirements for PET drug production facilities, including academic, hospital, and commercial operations. Estimated annual burden is 98,833 recordkeeping hours and 83 disclosure hours. Public comment period closes January 28, 2026.
• OSHA grants permanent variance to CBNA/Halmar for Potomac River Tunnel compressed-air work — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final notice granting a permanent variance to CBNA/Halmar Joint Venture for construction of the Potomac River Tunnel Project in Washington, DC. The variance permits the contractor to deviate from three specific OSHA compressed-air standards (29 CFR 1926.803(f)(1), (g)(1)(iii), and (g)(1)(xvii)) by using alternative decompression protocols based on the 1992 French Decompression Tables, staged decompression with oxygen supplementation, and existing man-locks instead of a separate decompression chamber. The variance applies only to hyperbaric interventions during tunnel-boring machine operations and remains in effect until project completion or OSHA revocation. OSHA determined the alternatives provide worker safety equivalent to or exceeding the standard requirements.
• OSHA grants permanent variance to McNally/ASI Marine for compressed-air tunnel work exceeding standard pressure limits — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final notice granting a permanent variance to McNally Tunneling Corp./ASI Marine for the Southerly Tunnel and Consolidation Project in Cleveland, Ohio. The variance permits workers to be exposed to compressed-air pressures up to 58 p.s.i.g. (exceeding the standard 50 p.s.i.g. limit), allows use of alternative 1992 French Decompression Tables instead of OSHA-mandated tables, permits staged decompression without automatic controls, and authorizes use of existing man-locks instead of a separate decompression chamber. The variance applies only to this specific project and requires strict compliance with a project-specific Hyperbaric Operations Manual, medical oversight, worker training, equipment inspections, and detailed incident reporting to OSHA.
• FCC Seeks Public Comment on Workplace Discrimination Complaint Forms Collection — The Federal Communications Commission published a notice requesting public comments on its information collection for workplace discrimination complaints (FCC Forms 5621 and 5622) under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The collection covers complaints filed by FCC employees and related individuals alleging discrimination or retaliation under the Civil Rights Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Rehabilitation Act. The FCC estimates 22 annual respondents, 2.5–5 hours per response, and 89 total annual burden hours. Written comments are due by February 27, 2026.
• EPA announces final risk evaluation finding 1,3-butadiene poses unreasonable risk to human health; initiates risk management action. — The Environmental Protection Agency released its final risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 1,3-butadiene, a high-volume petrochemical used in rubber and plastic manufacturing. Based on the weight of scientific evidence, EPA determined that 1,3-butadiene presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health under 11 specific conditions of use, driven primarily by non-cancer and cancer risks to workers from inhalation exposure. EPA will now proceed to propose risk management regulatory actions to address the identified unreasonable risk.
• EPA corrects categorization of Clean Harbors Lone Mountain no-migration variance notice — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a correction notice on December 30, 2025, recategorizing a document originally published on December 11, 2025, as a "Proposed Rule" but now properly designated as a "Notice." The document concerns a no-migration variance from land disposal restrictions for the Clean Harbors Lone Mountain facility in Oklahoma under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The correction clarifies the document's administrative status without altering its substantive content or the underlying variance proposal.
• EPA corrects duplicate regulatory text in fuel standards rule — The Environmental Protection Agency published a technical correction to 40 CFR Part 1090, removing duplicate instances of paragraphs (c)(10) and (c)(20) from section 1090.95 in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (revised as of July 1, 2025). This CFR correction addresses an editorial error in the most recent annual revision of the regulations governing fuels, fuel additives, and regulated blendstocks. The correction was filed on December 30, 2025, and published in the Federal Register on December 31, 2025.
• EPA issues correction to South Carolina regional haze air plan approval — The Environmental Protection Agency published a correction to its December 11, 2025 final rule approving South Carolina's Second Planning Period Regional Haze Plan under 40 CFR Part 52. The correction removes an erroneous reference to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from the document heading. The underlying rule addresses air quality and visibility protection requirements for the state.
• EPA submits information collection renewal for grain elevator emissions compliance monitoring — The Environmental Protection Agency submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval a renewal of its information collection request (ICR 1130.14, OMB Control Number 2060-0082) governing New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for grain elevators under 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart DD. The renewal extends compliance monitoring and reporting requirements for 254 grain elevator facilities, including initial notifications, performance tests, periodic reports, and maintenance records. The estimated annual burden is 584 hours across all respondents, with an estimated annual cost of $80,000. Public comment period extended to January 29, 2026.
• EPA submits information collection renewal for nonroad spark-ignition engine certification compliance requirements to OMB for review — The Environmental Protection Agency submitted an information collection request (ICR 1695.15, OMB Control Number 2060-0338) to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The ICR covers certification and compliance requirements for nonroad spark-ignition engines and represents a proposed extension of the currently approved collection through December 31, 2025. The submission includes 393 estimated respondents (engine manufacturers) and an estimated annual burden of 1,390 hours per respondent, with total estimated annual costs of $102,388,928.41. A 30-day public comment period is open through January 28, 2026.
• EPA submits information collection request for kraft pulp mill emissions monitoring to OMB for review and approval — The Environmental Protection Agency submitted an information collection request (ICR Number 1055.14, OMB Control Number 2060-0021) to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The ICR covers New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for kraft pulp mills under 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart BB, requiring affected facilities to submit initial notifications, performance tests, and periodic compliance reports. The current approval expires December 31, 2025; this notice opens a 30-day public comment period (closing January 29, 2026) on the proposed extension.
• EPA submits information collection request for Safe Management of Recalled Airbags Rule to OMB for review and approval — The Environmental Protection Agency submitted an information collection request (ICR No. 2589.06, OMB Control No. 2050-0221) to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the currently approved ICR through December 31, 2025. The collection requires airbag handlers to maintain records of off-site shipments and receipt confirmations for hazardous waste airbag modules and inflators for no less than three years. An additional 30-day public comment period is open through January 29, 2026.
• EPA submits pesticide data call-in information collection request to OMB for renewal — The Environmental Protection Agency submitted an information collection request (ICR No. 2288.21, OMB Control No. 2070-0174) to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The request covers data call-ins issued under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) section 3(c)(2)(B), requiring pesticide registrants to provide scientific data on health and environmental effects. The current approval expires December 31, 2025. EPA previously requested public comments on May 9, 2025; this notice opens a 30-day additional comment period ending January 29, 2026.
• EPA submits TSCA Section 5 information collection request to OMB for renewal — The Environmental Protection Agency submitted an information collection request (ICR Number 1188.16, OMB Control Number 2070-0038) to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The ICR covers premanufacture review reporting and exemption requirements for new chemical substances, significant new use reporting for existing chemicals, and significant new use rules. This is a proposed extension of the currently approved collection through December 31, 2025. Public comments are invited through January 29, 2026.
• FCC Invites Public Comments on Tariff Review Plan Information Collection — The Federal Communications Commission published a notice requesting public comments on an extension of its currently approved information collection under OMB Control Number 3060-0400, which governs Tariff Review Plans (TRPs) filed by incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) to support interstate access service tariff revisions. The collection affects approximately 2,747 respondents with an estimated annual burden of 60,476 hours. Comments are due by March 2, 2026.
• Census Bureau submits questionnaire pretesting research clearance to OMB for review — The U.S. Census Bureau submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget for extension of a generic clearance (OMB Control Number 0607-0725) authorizing questionnaire pretesting research. The collection involves approximately 5,500 annual respondents, 1 hour per response, and 5,500 total burden hours. Data collection is voluntary and authorized under Title 13 of the U.S. Code. The notice invites public comment for 30 days via reginfo.gov, following a prior 60-day comment period in July 2025.
• DEA and HHS extend telemedicine flexibilities for controlled-substance prescribing through December 31, 2026 — The Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Health and Human Services issued a fourth temporary extension of COVID-19 telemedicine flexibilities, authorizing DEA-registered practitioners to prescribe Schedule II-V controlled substances via telemedicine to patients without prior in-person medical evaluation through December 31, 2026. The extension prevents an abrupt "telemedicine cliff" that would restrict patient access to care and provides time for DEA to finalize permanent regulations. The rule applies to prescriptions issued for legitimate medical purposes via interactive telecommunications systems meeting specified conditions.
• DEA establishes 2026 aggregate production quotas for Schedule I and II controlled substances and assessment of annual needs for List I chemicals. — The Drug Enforcement Administration issued a final order establishing aggregate production quotas (APQs) for Schedule I and II controlled substances and assessment of annual needs (AAN) for ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine for calendar year 2026. The order followed a 15-day public comment period (November 28–December 15, 2025) during which DEA received 5,044 comments from patients, healthcare providers, manufacturers, and advocacy groups. Key issues included concerns about opioid and ADHD medication shortages, pharmacy ordering thresholds imposed by distributors, and diversion estimation methodology. DEA adjusted quotas for certain substances upward (d,l-amphetamine, d-amphetamine, dimethyltryptamine, lisdexamfetamine, morphine, oripavine, psilocybin, psilocyn) in response to comments and established quotas for newly scheduled synthetic substances.
• EPA extends steam electric power plant wastewater compliance deadlines to 2034 — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule extending compliance deadlines for steam electric power plants under the Clean Water Act. The rule postpones zero-discharge limitations for flue gas desulfurization wastewater, bottom ash transport water, and combustion residual leachate from December 31, 2029, to December 31, 2034. It also extends the Notice of Planned Participation deadline for plants permanently ceasing coal combustion from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2031, and creates site-specific timing flexibilities for unexpected circumstances. The EPA cited energy demand surges, supply-chain delays, and grid reliability concerns as justification.
• OSHA extends OMB approval for Susan Harwood Training Grant Program information collection requirements — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a notice requesting public comments on extending Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of information collection requirements for the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. The program requires nonprofit grant recipients to submit quarterly progress reports (GQPR Form OSHA 171) documenting training activities, attendance, expenditures, and progress toward grant objectives. OSHA estimates the burden at 6,324 hours for 93 respondents submitting 372 responses. The agency notes that use of the GrantSolutions system reduces processing time. Public comments are due by March 2, 2026.
• OSHA grants DEKRA Certification Inc. expanded NRTL recognition and adds two test standards — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final notice granting DEKRA Certification Inc. expansion of its Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) scope of recognition. The expansion includes thirty-two additional test standards covering household electrical appliances and hand-held motor-operated tools, and recognition of a new testing facility in Dresden, Germany. OSHA also added two new standards (UL 60335-2-69 and UL 60335-2-79) to the NRTL Program's List of Appropriate Test Standards. The expansion becomes effective December 31, 2025.
• DEA publishes notice of Maridose LLC bulk manufacturer application for controlled cannabis substances — The Drug Enforcement Administration published a notice that Maridose LLC applied on January 1, 2026, to be registered as a bulk manufacturer of cannabis-derived controlled substances (marihuana extract, marihuana, and tetrahydrocannabinols) for supply to DEA-registered researchers conducting approval studies. The comment period closes March 24, 2026, and registered bulk manufacturers and applicants may submit objections or request a hearing by that date.
• EPA adds sodium perfluorohexanesulfonate to Toxics Release Inventory reporting requirements — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule adding sodium perfluorohexanesulfonate (CASRN 82382-12-5), a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), to the list of chemicals subject to mandatory toxic chemical release reporting under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). The addition implements a statutory mandate from the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 and becomes effective January 1, 2026, with reporting obligations beginning in 2027. The chemical is designated as a "chemical of special concern" and excluded from certain burden-reduction reporting options.
• Federal Election Commission adjusts coordinated party expenditure limits and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for inflation — The Federal Election Commission published notice of annual inflation adjustments to coordinated party expenditure limits and lobbyist bundling disclosure thresholds, effective January 1, 2026. House expenditure limits in multi-district states increased to $65,300; Senate limits vary by state voting-age population, ranging from $130,600 to $4,071,800. The lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold increased to $24,000. Adjustments are mandated by the Federal Election Campaign Act and indexed to the consumer price index.
• GSA establishes Calendar Year 2026 mileage reimbursement rates for federal employee travel and relocation — The General Services Administration published Notice-MA-2026-01 establishing mileage reimbursement rates for privately owned vehicles (POV), airplanes, and motorcycles for calendar year 2026. The rates, detailed in FTR Bulletin 26-02, apply to official temporary duty and relocation travel performed January 1–December 31, 2026. GSA sets the POA rate by statute to match the IRS standard mileage rate; airplane and motorcycle rates are determined through independent annual cost reviews evaluating fuel, depreciation, maintenance, insurance, taxes, and consumer price index data.
• GSA revises foreign gifts and decorations minimal value threshold to $525.00 — The General Services Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Department of State, revised the minimal value threshold for foreign gifts and decorations received by federal employees, effective January 1, 2026. The threshold increased from $480.00 to $525.00, reflecting an 8.99 percent rise in the Consumer Price Index over the preceding three years. Foreign gifts and decorations above this value become federal property and must be reported to GSA for disposal or official use tracking.
• EPA approves Colorado air quality procedural rule revisions — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a direct final rule approving minor administrative revisions to Colorado's State Implementation Plan submitted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on May 20, 2022. The revisions update the Procedural Rules (5 CCR 1001-1) and Common Provisions Regulation (5 CCR 1001-2) with non-substantive grammatical and clerical changes, including a numbering format update and clarification on materials incorporated by reference. The rule becomes effective March 3, 2026, unless adverse comments are received by February 2, 2026.
• EPA Delegates NESHAP Authority to Oklahoma — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a rule delegating authority to the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) to implement and enforce certain National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) as they existed through June 30, 2023. This delegation includes areas of Indian country in Oklahoma, except for specific excluded lands. The rule becomes effective on February 2, 2026, allowing ODEQ to manage these standards statewide, enhancing local control over air quality regulations.
• EPA finalizes nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emission limits for five taconite facilities in Michigan and Minnesota, modifying Upper Predictive Limit equations and requiring electronic reporting. — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a revision to the Federal Implementation Plan addressing Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) requirements for taconite facilities. The EPA established nitrogen oxide (NOx) limits ranging from 1.5 to 3.0 lbs NOx/MMBtu and sulfur dioxide (SO2) limits ranging from 17.0 to 247.8 lbs SO2/hr for indurating furnaces at five facilities: Tilden (Michigan), Hibbing, Minorca, Northshore, and United Taconite (Minnesota). The EPA also modified the Upper Predictive Limit equations used to calculate these limits and revised reporting requirements to mandate electronic submission. The rule becomes effective February 2, 2026, following procedures established in prior 2013 and 2016 FIP revisions. Conservation groups opposed the action, arguing the EPA failed to conduct required BART analyses and improperly relaxed emission limits.
• EPA revokes 2024 rule requiring major HAP sources to maintain major source standards after reclassification to area sources — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule revoking the September 2024 "Review of Final Rule Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources Under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act" pursuant to Congressional Review Act joint resolution S.J. Res. 31, signed into law by President Trump on June 20, 2025 as Public Law 119-20. The revocation restores the 2020 rule allowing major sources of persistent and bioaccumulative hazardous air pollutants to reclassify as area sources and avoid major source emission standards. The EPA issued this ministerial action without public comment, citing Administrative Procedure Act good-cause exemption. Estimated regulatory cost savings are $935.8 million in present value.
• FDA determines MYSOLINE primidone suspension withdrawn for safety reasons, bars generic approvals — The Food and Drug Administration determined that MYSOLINE (primidone) suspension, 250 mg/5 mL, was withdrawn from sale in 2001 for reasons of safety or effectiveness due to antimicrobial contamination concerns, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The agency will remove the drug from the Orange Book list of approved products and will not accept or approve abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) referring to this formulation. No reformulated version has been approved for reintroduction.
• TSA submits Pipeline Corporate Security Reviews information collection to OMB for 30-day public comment period — The Transportation Security Administration forwarded an Information Collection Request (OMB control number 1652-0056) to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval of a revision to its currently approved collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The collection enables TSA to assess security practices in the pipeline industry through its voluntary Pipeline Corporate Security Review program and to enforce mandatory cybersecurity requirements under TSA Security Directive Pipeline-2021-02 series. The revision updates the collection title and seeks a maximum 3-year approval period. Estimated annual burden: 80,231 hours across approximately 100 respondents.
• EPA renews Local Government Advisory Committee charter for two years and solicits nominations for Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee membership. — The Environmental Protection Agency published notice that the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) charter has been renewed for an additional two-year period under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The LGAC, composed of elected and appointed government officials, advises the EPA Administrator on environmental issues affecting local governments. Concurrent with renewal, the EPA is soliciting nominations for membership on the LGAC's Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee, with a deadline of January 15, 2026. Nominees must hold elected positions or full-time appointed positions with local, tribal, state, or territorial governments.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration strips collective bargaining rights from federal workers; House passes restoration bill — President Trump issued executive orders eliminating collective bargaining rights for over 1 million federal government employees. In response, the House of Representatives passed a bill on December 11 to restore those rights. AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler characterized this as "the biggest attack on unions in our history" and announced the labor federation would file lawsuits challenging the administration's efforts to weaken unions and worker protections, with plans to push for Senate passage in January.

Supporting reports

• Education Department announced wage garnishment of defaulted student loan borrowers — The Trump administration announced that it will begin garnishing wages of student loan borrowers in default starting in early January 2025. Beginning the week of January 7, the Education Department expects approximately 1,000 defaulted borrowers to receive notices of administrative wage garnishment, with the number increasing thereafter. The government can seize up to 15% of a borrower's after-tax income. More than 5 million borrowers are currently in default, with projections that the total could reach approximately 10 million.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge blocks Trump administration's conditional cuts to homeland security funding for states — US District Judge Mary McElroy of Rhode Island ruled on December 23, 2025, that the Trump administration's cuts of over $230 million in federal homeland security and FEMA grants to seven states and DC were unlawful. The administration had reduced funding for Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and DC as punishment for non-compliance with immigration enforcement policies. McElroy's 48-page decision found the cuts violated administrative law and held vital counterterrorism and law enforcement programs hostage to political demands. The Department of Homeland Security indicated it would appeal.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court rejected Trump administration's argument to deploy federalized National Guard in Chicago — On December 23, 2025, the Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's legal argument that it possessed the power to deploy federalized National Guard troops in and around Chicago. The decision limited Trump's authority to use military forces within the United States without explicit congressional authorization or state consent.
• Supreme Court rejected Trump administration's National Guard deployment authority in Chicago — On December 23, 2025, the Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's argument that it possessed the power to deploy federalized National Guard troops in and around Chicago. The 6-3 decision blocked the administration's attempt to militarize American cities without state consent.
• Supreme Court rejects Trump's National Guard deployment in Illinois as unlawful — The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 preliminary ruling that President Trump's deployment of federalized National Guard troops in the Chicago area beginning in October violated the Posse Comitatus Act. The majority held that a president must first attempt to execute laws using regular U.S. military forces and may deploy the National Guard only if unable to do so with regular forces. The Court found the Government failed to identify statutory or constitutional authority permitting military enforcement of laws in Illinois.
• Supreme Court rejected Trump's National Guard deployment for immigration enforcement in Illinois — The Supreme Court rejected Trump's deployment of the National Guard to aid immigration enforcement in Illinois, ruling that federal law limits use of the National Guard to situations where regular military forces are insufficient. The majority found that the President does not have inherent authority to deploy the military to protect ICE property. Three justices (Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch) dissented.
• Supreme Court blocks Trump administration from deploying National Guard in Illinois — The Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops in Illinois as part of his mass immigration crackdown, ruling that the government "failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois." The decision represents a rare judicial check on executive power in the Trump administration.
• Supreme Court Denies Stay in Trump v. Illinois — On December 23, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the federal government's request for a stay in the case of Trump v. Illinois. This decision upheld a lower court's order that barred the Trump administration from deploying the federalized National Guard in Illinois for immigration enforcement actions. The case arose after the Trump administration federalized the Texas and Illinois National Guard to assist with immigration enforcement in Chicago, which was challenged by the state of Illinois. The Supreme Court's denial means the federal government cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois pending further legal proceedings. Justices Alito, Thomas, and Gorsuch dissented from the decision.
• US Supreme Court blocks Trump national guard deployment to Chicago — The US Supreme Court denied the Trump administration's emergency request to lift a lower court order blocking the deployment of national guard troops to the Chicago area. In a 6-3 decision, the majority ruled that the government failed to meet the legal burden required to show it could not enforce immigration laws without federal military intervention. The decision upholds a ruling by US District Judge April Perry from October and signals potential impact on similar deployments in other Democratic-led cities.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration announced $170 billion immigration enforcement expansion — The Trump administration announced plans to expand immigration enforcement in 2026 with $170 billion in funding, including workplace raids, expanded detention facilities, and deportation processing infrastructure. Implementation is scheduled to begin in January 2026 despite opposition from business groups, faith organizations, and civil rights advocates. The announcement was released during the holiday period.
• Trump Administration Announces $170 Billion Immigration Enforcement Expansion — The Trump administration announced a $170 billion plan to expand immigration enforcement starting in January 2026. The plan includes workplace raids, expanded detention facilities, and deportation processing infrastructure. This move has faced opposition from business groups, faith organizations, and civil rights advocates, who argue it represents a long-term shift in immigration policy.

Supporting reports

• Jim Beam suspends whiskey production due to Trump trade war — Jim Beam, one of the world's largest American whiskey producers, announced it is pausing production at its Happy Hollow facility in Clermont, Kentucky, from January 1 through 2026. The suspension follows curtailed exports to major trading partners; Canada has boycotted American spirits in retaliation for Trump's trade war, with U.S. whiskey sales to Canada down more than 60 percent. Other Kentucky bourbon producers including Jack Daniel's announced earlier layoffs or production pauses. As of 2024, Jim Beam employed nearly 1,500 Kentucky workers.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration to garnish wages of student loan defaulters — The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration will start garnishing the wages of people in default on their student loans early next year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. The resumption of wage garnishment will affect millions of borrowers struggling with debt.
• Education Department announced wage garnishment of defaulted student loan borrowers — The Trump administration announced that it will begin garnishing wages of student loan borrowers in default starting in early January 2025. Beginning the week of January 7, the Education Department expects approximately 1,000 defaulted borrowers to receive notices of administrative wage garnishment, with the number increasing thereafter. The government can seize up to 15% of a borrower's after-tax income. More than 5 million borrowers are currently in default, with projections that the total could reach approximately 10 million.

Supporting reports

• Justice Department sues District of Columbia over semi-automatic firearm registration ban — The Department of Justice, through its Civil Rights Division and newly established Second Amendment Section, filed a lawsuit against the District of Columbia and its Metropolitan Police Department, alleging that D.C.'s ban on AR-15 and other semi-automatic firearms violates the Second Amendment. The suit challenges the District's registration requirement and pattern of refusing to register protected firearms, claiming the policy unconstitutionally restricts law-abiding citizens' rights to own commonly used weapons for lawful purposes including self-defense.
• Justice Department sues DC over AR-15 ban — The Justice Department sued Washington, DC and its Metropolitan Police Department, arguing that DC's gun laws banning AR-15 style weapons—which have been used in the deadliest mass shootings in the US—are "unconstitutional" and violate the Second Amendment. The suit represents federal intervention to overturn local gun safety measures.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed in O'Neill v. Hartman (D. Md. 1:25-cv-04228) — A transgender data scientist employed by the National Security Agency filed a complaint in federal district court on December 22, 2025, challenging Executive Order 14168, issued by President Trump on January 20, 2025. The order directs federal agencies to implement policies based on sex rather than gender and prevents accommodation of transitioning employees. The plaintiff alleges the NSA created a hostile work environment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and seeks a declaration that the executive order violates Title VII, an injunction against its implementation, and compensatory damages.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration announced $170 billion immigration enforcement expansion — The Trump administration announced plans to expand immigration enforcement in 2026 with $170 billion in funding, including workplace raids, expanded detention facilities, and deportation processing infrastructure. Implementation is scheduled to begin in January 2026 despite opposition from business groups, faith organizations, and civil rights advocates. The announcement was released during the holiday period.
• Trump Administration Announces $170 Billion Immigration Enforcement Expansion — The Trump administration announced a $170 billion plan to expand immigration enforcement starting in January 2026. The plan includes workplace raids, expanded detention facilities, and deportation processing infrastructure. This move has faced opposition from business groups, faith organizations, and civil rights advocates, who argue it represents a long-term shift in immigration policy.
• Administration announced $170 billion immigration enforcement expansion — The administration announced a $170 billion expansion of immigration enforcement infrastructure beginning in January, described as permanent rather than temporary. The expansion includes new detention facilities, expanded workplace raid capacity, and deportation processing at unprecedented scales.

Supporting reports

• U.S. labor market lost 41,000 jobs in October-November; unemployment rose to 4.6% — The U.S. labor market lost 41,000 jobs over October and November, with the unemployment rate rising to 4.6 percent, the highest level in four years. This represents a significant decline from the prior year, when monthly private sector job growth averaged 200,000 jobs. Economist Heather Long noted that nearly 1 million more people are unemployed now than in January, and the U.S. would have lost jobs in the past six months without unspecified offsetting factors.

Supporting reports

• House measure to restore union rights passed — The House of Representatives passed a measure aimed at overturning President Trump's elimination of union rights at federal agencies. This bipartisan effort was facilitated by a discharge petition, despite opposition from House Speaker Mike Johnson and the likelihood of failure in the Senate.
• House passed measure to overturn Trump's elimination of federal union rights — On Thursday, the House passed a measure to overturn President Trump's elimination of union rights at federal agencies. A bipartisan group of members forced the vote past House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) using a discharge petition. The measure is unlikely to pass the Senate, where Republicans oppose it. Trump stated that ending union rights was necessary to protect national security.

Supporting reports

• Trump attacks Colorado governor over refusal to release election denier — Speaking to reporters, Trump baselessly called Colorado Governor Jared Polis "a weak and pathetic man who was run by Tren de Aragua" for refusing to release Tina Peters, the former Colorado county clerk who was convicted of tampering with voting machines following the 2020 presidential election, from prison.

Supporting reports

• Indiana Senate rejected Trump's redistricting demands despite federal funding threats — The Indiana State Senate voted against a redistricting bill that Trump had publicly demanded for six weeks, including through threats to withhold federal funding. Trump subsequently claimed he was not heavily involved. Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith confirmed the Trump administration had explicitly threatened to withhold federal funding if the bill did not pass, then deleted the post. A majority (21 of 40) Republican state senators voted against the measure, contradicting Gov. Mike Braun's characterization of them as "a small group."
• Trump and administration officials pressured Indiana legislature on congressional redistricting — Trump and members of his administration, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Don Trump Jr., pressured Indiana state legislators to redraw congressional districts to favor Republicans. Heritage Action, the lobbying arm of the Heritage Institute, posted on social media that Trump had threatened to strip all federal funding from Indiana if the state senate failed to pass a gerrymandered map. Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith confirmed the Trump administration's threats. The pressure campaign included death threats against Republican state senators who resisted.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge blocks Trump administration's deployment of National Guard to Los Angeles — A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration's deployment of National Guard members to Los Angeles and ordered that control over California's National Guard be returned to Governor Gavin Newsom. The Trump administration had claimed that protests against immigration enforcement constituted a rebellion, justifying seizure of control over the state's National Guard without Newsom's consent. The ruling reflects a pattern in which courts have found the administration exceeded its legal authority in federalizing state National Guard units.
• Judge blocks Trump administration's federalized national guard deployment in Los Angeles — US District Judge Charles Breyer issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday, December 11, 2025, ordering the return of approximately 100 remaining California national guard troops to state control. The Trump administration had federalized the guard in June 2025, deploying roughly 4,000 troops to Los Angeles in response to immigration-related protests, over the objection of Governor Gavin Newsom. Breyer rejected the administration's claim that protests constituted a "rebellion" justifying federal takeover, finding the deployment illegal and the rationale no longer valid. The injunction takes effect Monday, December 15, 2025.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs Executive Order 14365 establishing federal AI policy framework and authorizing legal challenges to state AI laws — President Trump signed Executive Order 14365 on December 11, 2025, establishing a national policy framework for artificial intelligence designed to minimize regulatory barriers to AI innovation. The order directs the Attorney General to establish an AI Litigation Task Force to challenge state AI laws deemed inconsistent with federal policy, authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to evaluate and identify "onerous" state AI laws within 90 days, and empowers federal agencies to condition discretionary grants on states either refraining from enacting conflicting AI laws or agreeing not to enforce them. The order also directs the FCC and FTC to initiate proceedings on federal AI reporting standards and preemption of state laws requiring "deceptive" AI outputs.
• Trump signs executive order to preempt state AI regulation and establish federal litigation taskforce — On December 11, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Ensuring a national policy framework for artificial intelligence" that seeks to block states from regulating AI technology. The order creates a Department of Justice "AI Litigation Task Force" with the sole responsibility of challenging state AI laws. Though the order lacks the force of law, it resurrects a failed legislative effort to impose a 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation and directs review of existing state laws requiring AI safety disclosures or algorithmic discrimination assessments. The order prioritizes Silicon Valley interests over state consumer protections and civil liberties concerns.
• Trump issues executive order establishing national AI policy framework and challenging state AI laws — President Trump signed an executive order on December 11, 2025, directing the federal government to establish a minimally burdensome national policy framework for artificial intelligence and to challenge state AI laws deemed inconsistent with federal policy. The order creates an AI Litigation Task Force within the Department of Justice to sue states over AI regulations, directs the Commerce Secretary to evaluate and identify "onerous" state AI laws within 90 days, and conditions federal broadband funding on states' compliance with the national framework. The order explicitly targets state laws requiring AI models to alter outputs or disclose information in ways the administration views as unconstitutional.
• Trump announces executive order to preempt state AI regulations — President Trump announced on Truth Social that he will sign an executive order this week to preempt state-level AI regulations. A leaked draft of the order, drawn from an Andreessen Horowitz policy memo, would require the Attorney General to assemble an "AI Litigation Task Force" to overturn state AI laws using Commerce Clause arguments and would withhold federal broadband grants from states implementing AI regulations. Legal experts dispute this interpretation of the Commerce Clause.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order establishing national AI policy framework — The White House issued a fact sheet on December 11, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump to establish a national policy framework for artificial intelligence. The order directs the Attorney General to establish an AI Litigation Task Force to challenge state AI laws; instructs the Secretary of Commerce to evaluate and potentially defund states with conflicting AI laws; and directs the FTC and FCC to limit states' ability to regulate AI companies. The fact sheet states the order aims to preempt a "patchwork" of state regulations and characterizes certain state laws as requiring "DEI ideology" and "Woke AI."
• White House signed Executive Order 14365 establishing federal preemption framework for state AI regulation — President Trump signed Executive Order 14365 on December 11, 2025, directing the establishment of a national AI policy framework designed to preempt state-level AI regulations. The order creates an AI Litigation Task Force within the Department of Justice to challenge state AI laws deemed inconsistent with federal policy, directs the Secretary of Commerce to evaluate and identify "onerous" state AI laws within 90 days, and authorizes withholding of federal broadband funding from states with AI laws conflicting with the order's policy. The order also directs the FCC and FTC to issue preemption standards and policy statements regarding AI disclosure and deceptive conduct.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration transfers 760 acres of California public land to US Navy for militarized border defense zone — The Trump administration's Department of Interior announced the transfer of 760 acres of public land in California's San Diego and Imperial counties to the US Navy for a three-year period to establish a "National Defense Area" supporting border security operations. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated the action addresses security gaps and supports the President's border and sovereignty agenda. The region, spanning from the Otay Mountain Wilderness Area to approximately one mile west of the California–Arizona border, is claimed by officials to be among the highest-traffic areas for unlawful crossings.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration halts Biden's Save student-loan repayment program — The Trump administration's Education Department announced plans to terminate Biden's Save (Saving on a Valuable Education) income-driven repayment program, which served over 7 million borrowers. Following a settlement with Republican-led states (Missouri, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma), the department will stop new enrollments, deny pending applications, and transition existing borrowers into alternative repayment plans. Education Under-Secretary Nicholas Kent characterized Save as an "illegal" scheme that shifted debt onto taxpayers. The settlement requires approval from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
• Education Department moved to eliminate Biden-era student loan forgiveness plan — On December 9, the Education Department moved to eliminate a Biden-era student loan forgiveness plan, which lowered the monthly payments of millions of borrowers and included $0 payments for borrowers making $16 or less per hour. The action reverses debt relief protections for low-income borrowers.

Supporting reports

• CNN and CNBC announce partnerships integrating Kalshi prediction market data into news coverage — CNN announced immediate integration of Kalshi prediction market data across its programming, including a real-time news ticker displaying Kalshi data during relevant segments. CNBC announced a similar partnership beginning in 2026, incorporating real-time prediction data into editorial coverage across TV, digital, and subscription channels, plus a dedicated Kalshi page on CNBC's site. The economic terms were not disclosed. Kalshi, a CFTC-regulated online prediction market, has grown to an expected $50 billion in annual trading volume in 2025, up from $300 million in 2024, following a successful lawsuit against the CFTC.
• Prediction market structure creates guaranteed aggregate losses for retail users — Prediction markets on Kalshi are zero-sum: for every outcome, one bettor wins and the other loses. Because Kalshi collects fees on all trades, users are mathematically guaranteed to lose money in aggregate. Academic research found that Kalshi users lost an average of 20 percent even before fees, indicating that sophisticated bettors have a structural advantage over typical users. The CNN and CNBC partnerships will promote Kalshi to new audiences unaware of these dynamics, potentially driving retail participation in a system designed to extract wealth.
• Kalshi markets enable profitable speculation on humanitarian crises — Kalshi offered betting markets on specific humanitarian outcomes, including whether a famine would be declared in Gaza in 2025. After the IPC declared a famine in Gaza in August 2025, individuals profited from bets placed on that outcome, effectively monetizing human suffering and starvation. The article notes this exemplifies how prediction markets trivialize even the most severe events by framing tragedies as money-making opportunities.

Supporting reports

• Trump announced executive order to override state AI regulation laws — President Trump announced he would issue an executive order to preempt state laws on artificial intelligence regulation, claiming the country needs a single national standard. The announcement ignored the constitutional and legal reality that executive orders cannot override state law; such regulation would require congressional legislation. Trump's position contradicts his campaign promises of "states' rights" and amounts to deregulation by decree during a period of accelerating AI-driven job losses and community concerns about data center impacts on energy grids and utility costs.

Supporting reports

• Republican lawmakers in Indiana faced swatting attacks after Trump pressure — NBC News reported that at least 11 Republican lawmakers in Indiana have faced swatting attacks and other threats since Trump's November 16 Truth Social post pressuring state legislators to approve a new congressional map that would benefit Republicans. The attacks followed Trump's direct intervention in state legislative matters.

Supporting reports

• Judge Breyer questions Trump administration's authority to maintain federalized control of California national guard — During a hearing in San Francisco, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer challenged the Trump administration's legal rationale for continuing to command California's national guard troops deployed to Los Angeles in June 2025. The administration had federalized approximately 4,000 state guard members without Governor Newsom's consent to respond to immigration-raid protests. Breyer expressed skepticism that an ongoing crisis justified indefinite federal control, noting that "crises come and crises go," and questioned whether state authorities were unable or unwilling to maintain federal property security. The judge did not immediately rule on California's request for a preliminary injunction to restore state control, though he had previously ruled the deployment illegal.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General issues memo directing prosecution of anti-ICE activism as domestic terrorism — On December 4, the U.S. Attorney General's office issued a memo to federal prosecutors directing them to prosecute conduct under domestic terrorism statutes, explicitly listing "opposition to immigration enforcement," "violent efforts to shut down immigration enforcement," and "extreme views in favor of mass migration and open borders" as potential terrorist ideologies. The memo also directs prosecution of "picketing or parading with intent to obstruct the administration of justice" and instructs federal law enforcement to share "Antifa" files with the FBI, effectively criminalizing protest and political opposition.
• Pam Bondi directs law enforcement to investigate antifa groups for tax crimes — US Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo to all law enforcement agencies and prosecutors instructing them to investigate antifa and other groups designated as domestic terrorists, with specific direction to search for tax crimes. The memo also ordered federal agencies to review files for antifa-related intelligence within 14 days and directed the FBI to compile a list of domestic terror groups. The action implements Trump's September executive order designating antifa as a domestic terrorism organization and signals efforts to revoke tax-exempt status of left-wing groups.

Supporting reports

• U.S. employers announced 1.17 million job cuts in 2025 — CNBC reported that announced job cuts from U.S. employers moved past 1 million for the year in November as corporate restructuring, artificial intelligence, and tariffs have helped pare job rolls. Layoff plans totaled 71,321 in November, a step down from the massive cuts announced in October but still enough to bring the 2025 total to 1.17 million. This total is 54 percent higher than the same 11-month period a year ago and marks the highest level since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the global economy.
• White House economic advisor dismissed job cut concerns — White House Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett appeared on Fox News and dismissed concerns about record job cuts and poor consumer sentiment. When asked about 76 percent of people saying the economy is "only fair" or "poor" and 62 percent blaming Trump for economic conditions, Hassett attributed poor survey data to government shutdowns. When asked about year-to-date job cuts being up 54 percent, Hassett characterized the higher turnover as potentially positive, suggesting people feel able to find other jobs.