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Category: Pure Politics

Administration Seeks to Dismantle ED by Moving Programs to Different Agencies

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While publicly acknowledging earlier this year that Congressional approval would be needed to officially terminate the Education Department, the Administration announced today a series of Interagency Agreements (IAA) to move vast portions of its portfolio to other agencies in an effort to dismantle it from the inside.  The announcement from ED is available here.

Specifically, ED is proposing to move six sets of programs to four other federal agencies:

  • Programs  currently under jurisdiction of Office of Higher Education (NOT Title IV student financial aid programs) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education would be transferred to the Department of Labor– the factsheets for these agreements are here and here.
  • Most of tribal and Native American education programs would be moved to the Department of Interior– the factsheet is available here.
  • International Education and Foreign Language Studies would be shipped to State Department– the factsheet on that transfer is available here. 
  • Two sets of programs would be moved to the Department of Health and Human Services:  Foreign Medical Accreditation and Child Care Access Means Parents in School– the factsheets for these proposed moves are here and here.

Additional reports about the proposed moves are available here, here, and here.

Although these moves have been proposed by the Administration, they are unlikely to be the last word on this front.  We should expect legal and other challenges to today’s annoucements.

Shutdown Officially Ends

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After 43 days, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has officially ended. President Donald Trump signed a funding bill late Wednesday night, just hours after the House passed it 222–209. The bill restores government operations through January and provides full-year funding for select agencies, including SNAP, which had been disrupted during the shutdown.

Despite Republicans’ narrow House majority, six Democrats crossed party lines to support the measure: Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Adam Gray of California, Jared Golden of Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, and Tom Suozzi of New York. Two Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Greg Steube of Florida—voted against it.

The bill includes backpay for federal workers and reverses layoffs imposed during the shutdown. However, it does not address Democrats’ key demand: extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at year’s end. Instead, Senate Majority Leader John Thune pledged to hold a vote on that issue in December—a promise many Democrats view with skepticism.

The shutdown, triggered by a standoff over healthcare subsidies, left millions without food aid, grounded flights, and forced federal employees to work without pay. In the end, Democrats did not gain any policy concessions, and the government reopened under deal that may or may not deliver on healthcare reform. With funding set to lapse again in January, Congress faces another deadline for full-year funding bills.

The End is in Sight

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The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is poised to end, with the House of Representatives scheduled to reconvene at approximately 4 p.m. Wednesday to vote on a funding bill passed by the Senate earlier this week.

The Senate measure advanced with the support of all Republican senators and a group of eight Democrats, a move that has sparked intense backlash from progressive activists and deepened divisions within the Democratic caucus. While the bipartisan support helped propel the bill forward procedurally, most Senate Democrats remain staunchly opposed to the package, citing concerns over spending priorities and the exclusion of key Democratic provisions.

In the House, the funding bill faces similar resistance from Democratic lawmakers. Despite this, Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed confidence that the measure will garner sufficient Republican support to pass, effectively ending the shutdown that has paralyzed federal operations for weeks.

The proposed legislation includes a short-term extension of funding for most federal agencies through January 30, 2026, providing a temporary reprieve while negotiations continue on broader appropriations. In addition to the stopgap funding, the package incorporates three full-year appropriations bills covering:

  • Military Construction and Veterans Affairs: Ensuring continued support for infrastructure projects and essential services for veterans.
  • Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Funding critical programs related to food safety, rural development, and agricultural subsidies.
  • Legislative Branch Operations: Maintaining the functioning of Congress and its support agencies, including staff salaries and administrative services.

House Democrats are expected to introduce an amendment aimed at extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits for an additional three years—a provision that has broad support among the party’s base. However, the amendment is unlikely to pass given the Republican opposition.

One Small Step…

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Last evening, by a vote of 60-40, the Senate finally agreed proceed on a legislative package that would, among other things, reopen the government. This represents the first step of many that would fund  and reopen the government.

After more a dozen failed procedural votes, the Senate was finally able to reach the 60-vote threshold on a proposal to move forward: In addition to legislation to reopen the government that includes backpay for federal workers, the agreement also includes a December vote to extend Obamacare subsidies.

Among other items, the legislative package that the Senate agreed to debate on includes: 

  • Three of the twelve full-year appropriations bills:  Agriculture; Legislative Branch; and Veterans Affairs;
  • a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the other parts of the government through January 30;
  • backpay for furloughed federal workers; and,
  • a prohibition on additional reductions in the federal workforce through the length of the CR.

Eight Democrats joined the vast majority of the Republicans in moving the proposal forward while one Republican opposed the move.

This agreement does not mean that the Senate has officially voted to approved the measure.  It just means that the Senate can now proceed to consider the package. 

In addition, if the Senate does ultimately approve it, the House– which has been in recess since September 19– must reconvene to pass it as well.  Finally, assuming both chambers agree, the final measure must be signed by the President.

At the end of the day, the Senate agreement to move forward represents the first step in a longer process to reopen the government.

 

Government Shutdown Nears Historic Milestone as Congressional Standoff Deepens

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With no resolution in sight, the federal government is barreling toward a grim milestone: one full month of shutdown. If the impasse continues through November 4, it will become the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, eclipsing the 35-day closure during President Trump’s first term.

The deadlock stems from a bitter standoff between House Republicans and Senate Democrats over a stopgap spending bill passed by the House on September 19. Since then, the lower chamber has not held a single vote. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), in a strategic move to pressure Senate Democrats, has kept the House in a “district work week” for four consecutive weeks—effectively sending lawmakers back to their home districts rather than convening in Washington.

Senate Democrats have blocked the House-passed spending bill a dozen times, citing concerns that it would gut healthcare subsidies and drive-up costs for millions of Americans. Republicans, meanwhile, argue that the bill is a necessary first step to keep the government open and that healthcare provisions can be negotiated separately.

The consequences of the shutdown are set to intensify in the coming days. More than 40 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) face the expiration of their benefits on November 1. The Trump Administration has stated it will not use emergency funds to extend the program.

Meanwhile, millions of federal employees and active-duty military personnel are bracing for another missed paycheck. The National Federation of Federal Employees, the country’s largest federal worker union, issued a scathing statement this week, urging Congress to “immediately pass a funding bill and restore full pay to the public servants who keep this country running.”

The prolonged shutdown is taking a toll on both parties. A Gallup poll conducted in early October shows public frustration boiling over: Congressional approval has plummeted from 26% to just 15% in a matter of weeks. Analysts warn that the longer the shutdown drags on, the more political damage lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are likely to suffer.
Despite the growing pressure, leadership in both parties remains entrenched. Democrats continue to insist that the House bill is a “non-starter” due to its impact on healthcare, while Republicans maintain that the Senate’s refusal to negotiate is prolonging the crisis.

Vice President Vance will be on the Hill today to have lunch with congressional Republicans, and the issue of the shutdown is sure to dominate conversation. Despite growing concerns for both parties, there appears to be no end in sight.