WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48179) on March 11, 2025, entitled "Gender and School Sports: Federal Action and Legal Challenges to State Laws" by legislative attorneys Madeline W. Donley and Jared P. Cole: * * * SUMMARY Policymakers have debated how schools should respond when transgender students (students who are assigned one sex at birth but identify with the opposite sex) seek to use facilities or participate in school activit more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48179) on March 11, 2025, entitled "Gender and School Sports - Federal Action and Legal Challenges to State Laws:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment In addition to federal antidiscrimination statutes, the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment may be relevant to policies that address the participation of transgender student-athletes i more PR

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48518) entitled "The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak in Poultry, 2022-Present:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Issues for Congress Prior to the announcement of USDA's Five-Pronged Approach to Address Avian Flu, several Members of Congress wrote to Secretary Rollins regarding USDA's response to the HPAI outbreak. For example, a letter signed by 16 Senators stated "a new urgency is requ more PR

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48519) on April 29, 2025, entitled "Medicaid Section 1915(c) Home- and Community-Based Services Waivers" by health care financing analyst Varun Saraswathula and health and aging policy specialist Kirsten J. Colello. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Medicaid is a means-tested individual entitlement program that finances the delivery of health care and long-term services and supports (LTSS) to certain  more PR

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 29 -- The American Bar Association issued the following news release on April 28, 2025: * * * As of today, the ABA is a plaintiff in three separate actions seeking relief in the courts for what we believe are wrongful actions by the administration. Details of these cases are set out below. Global Health Council, et al. v. Trump, et al., No. 1:25-cv-00402 (D.D.C) The ABA, along with other plaintiffs, filed suit to enjoin the unlawful and unconstitutional exercise of  more PR

CLEVELAND, Ohio, April 30 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio issued the following news release on April 29, 2025: * * * Supreme Court of Ohio Grants State's Request, Allowing Ban on Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Trans Minors to Remain In Effect During Appeal COLUMBUS- Today, the Supreme Court of Ohio granted the state's emergency request to stay a ruling from the Tenth District Court of Appeals that would have blocked the state from enforcing House Bill 68, a law banning gender more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: * * * After 100 Days of Trump's Chaos and Corruption, Congresswoman Leger Fernandez Demands Action to Protect American Families on House Floor Washington, D.C. - Today, on the 100th day of Donald Trump's second term, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez delivered a powerful speech on the House floor condemning the President's destructive policies and the Republican majority's failure to act o more PR

PHOENIX, Arizona, April 30 -- The Arizona Department of Education issued the following news release on April 29, 2025: * * * Education department DEI compliance website is live Action on non-compliance awaits court decisions PHOENIX - A page on the Arizona Department of Education (AZED) website has been established to list the districts and charter operators that have or have not certified compliance with new federal guidance regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs. The site is i more PR

PHOENIX, Arizona, April 30 -- The Arizona Supreme Court issued the following news release on April 29, 2025: * * * Arizona Supreme Court Rules that Employer's Insurance Policy Covers Employees Using Its Vehicle for Business PHOENIX - The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that Cincinnati Indemnity Company's automobile insurance policy provides coverage for employees operating non-owned covered autos when the employee uses the vehicle directly in, or in furtherance of, an employer's business. The more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 [Category: Political] -- The Human Rights Campaign posted the following news release: * * * As Congressional Champions Reintroduce Equality Act, Civil Rights Groups Call for its Urgent Passage WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, as leaders in the U.S. House and Senate are set to reintroduce the Equality Act -- historic federal legislation that would ensure comprehensive nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people everywhere -- a coalition of civil rights organizations urgently  more PR

NEW YORK, April 29 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The American Civil Liberties Union, an organization that works to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the U.S., posted the following news release: * * * As Congressional Champions Reintroduce Equality Act, Civil Rights Groups Call for its Urgent Passage WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, as leaders in the U.S. House and Senate are set to reintroduce the Equality Act -- historic federal legislatio more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following enforcement news release: * * * CFTC Announces Departure of Amanda Olear After Nearly 2 Decades of Service The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today announced former Director of the Market Participants Division and former Acting Director of the Division of Market Oversight, Amanda L. Olear, will depart the agency on May 2. Ms. Olear has served at the CFTC for over 17 years in multiple leadership roles a more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 [Category: ThinkTank] -- Common Cause posted the following news release: * * * Common Cause Files SCOTUS Amicus in Birthright Citizenship Case WASHINGTON-- Today, Common Cause filed an amicus brief in Trump v. Casa Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court case that strikes at the heart of our democracy. At stake is not just the future of birthright citizenship, but the ability for federal courts to defend constitutional rights against presidential overreach. On his first day in off more PR

FALLS CHURCH, Virginia, April 29 -- Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle C. Reid issued the following Weekly Reflections on April 28, 2025: * * * Superintendent's Weekly Reflections What a beautiful weekend!! As we approach another beautiful spring week ahead, I trust you will find time to enjoy the outdoors and its ever evolving moments. As we together meet the many challenges ahead of us, I am reminded of a quote I hold dear; "May your choices reflect your hopes, not your f more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee posted the following news release: * * * House Republicans Still Planning to Gut Medicaid in Budget Bill Are They Trying to Lose Their Majority? New reporting from NBC News finds that House Republicans are "considering unraveling a key part of Obamacare" as part of their budget bill. The last time Republicans attempted to gut affordable health care access, voters showed their anger by voting dozens of them out of offic more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: * * * In Letter to Trump, Van Hollen Presents Details of Conversation with Salvadoran VP Ulloa that Reveal the Trump Administration's Ongoing Defiance of Court Orders to "Facilitate" the Return of Illegally Deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Despite a Clear Ability to Comply Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) wrote to President Donald Trump, detailing the Senator's meeting with Salvadoran Vice  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Asian Americans Advancing Justice posted the following news release: * * * Leading Civil Rights Groups Condemn the Latest Executive Order Attempting to Roll Back Protections Executive Order attempts to make new law without following the constitutional process The President has issued a new Executive Order with the misleading title "Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy." The Executive Order purports to dismantle a longstanding and core component of the more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 [Category: Political] -- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly the NARAL Pro-Choice America) posted the following memorandum: * * * MEMO: Four Months of GOP Attacks, Four Months of Fighting Back TO: Interested Parties FROM: Reproductive Freedom for All RE: Four Months of GOP Attacks, Four Months of Fighting Back DATE: April 29, 2025 It's been 100 days since Trump took office, marked by four months of attacks on reproductive freedom. The infographic below can be used  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Merkley, Takano Lead Reintroduction of Historic Equality Act to Ban Discrimination Against LGBTQ+ Americans Lawmakers uplift stories of Americans lacking protections in federal law Washington, D.C. - Today, Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39) teamed up with Wisconsin's U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and New Jersey's U.S. Senator Cory Booke more PR

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 30 -- The American Bar Association issued the following news release: * * * Most Americans favor equal branches of government, ABA survey says WASHINGTON, April 29, 2025 -- The majority of Americans think the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government should have equal power, but nearly 1 in 10 believe one branch should be more powerful than the others, according to a new national survey conducted for the American Bar Association. The 2025 ABA Survey  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 [Category: Science] -- The Food and Water Watch posted the following news release: * * * New Analysis Reveals Big Ag is Draining Colorado River Dry Report comes as federal funding remains frozen New analysis out today from environmental organization Food & Water Watch reveals the egregious water abuse by certain agribusiness sectors, particularly alfalfa and mega-dairies. Protecting the Colorado River - which supplies water for nearly 40 million Americans every year - i more PR

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, ranking member of the of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Ranking Members Raskin, Thompson, and Connolly Demand Trump Administration Provide the Contract They Crafted With El Salvador to House Hundreds of Migrants in Brutal Mega-Prison Ranking Members Seek Urgent Answers on Removal of Migrants to Salvadoran Torture Prison as Administration Plots Deportations of Americans Washington, D.C. (April 29,  more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Castro Introduces Resolution of Inquiry Compelling the Administration to Release Records to Justify Deportation of Individuals April 29, 2025 The Resolution of Inquiry (ROI) comes amidst the deportations of individuals without due process to El Salvadoran gulags WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) introduced a Resolution of Inquiry (ROI), a procedural tool that dir more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Smith Statement on Trump's First 100 Days Today, Rep. Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement as President Trump reaches the end of his first 100 days in his second presidency. "The first 100 days of Trump's second presidency have been marked with illegal firings of federal employees, chaotic tariff policies, unconstitutional deportations without due process, and mindless cuts to es more PR

HARLEM, New York, April 30 -- The National Action Network issued the following statement on April 29, 2025: * * * REV. AL SHARPTON WEIGHS IN ON FIRST 100 DAYS OF SECOND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AS IT CONTINUES ASSAULT ON DEI, DEMOCRACY, AND CIVIL RIGHTS Notes First Hundred Days Have Been Matched by Hundreds of Setbacks for Nation Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), issued the following statement to mark the first 100 days of the second Trump administrati more PR

AUGUSTA, Maine, April 30 -- The Maine Senate Democrats issued the following news on behalf of Maine State Sen. Cameron Reny, D-Bristol: * * * Sen. Reny bill to honor voters' will by expanding ranked-choice voting to gubernatorial and legislative elections receives positive committee vote AUGUSTA -- On Thursday, April 24, the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs voted to advance LD 1666, "An Act to Include in the Ranked-choice Election Method for General and Special Elections more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- Rep. Brad Sherman, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Sherman and House Dems reintroduce Equality Act as Trump escalates war on LGBTQ+ community WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) and Congressional Democrats reintroduced the Equality Act that enshrines federal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to explicitly ban discriminat more PR

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- Rep. Mark Takano, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * TAKANO, MERKLEY LEAD REINTRODUCTION OF HISTORIC EQUALITY ACT TO BAN DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LGBTQ+ AMERICANS April 29, 2025 # Washington, D.C. - Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley teamed up with Wisconsin's U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and New Jersey's U.S. Senator Cory Booker for the bicameral reintroduction of the Equality Act in an effort to pus more PR

MADISON, Wisconsin, April 29 [Category: Sociological] -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news: * * * Trump's first 100 days in state legislatures In the first 100 days of President Trump's second term, a wave of state-level legislation has emerged that undermines the constitutional principle of church/s more PR

NEW YORK, April 30 -- Kostelanetz LLP, a law firm, issued the following news: * * * Twelve Angry Taxpayers: Why the Constitution Might Guarantee a Jury Trial for Accuracy and Fraud Penalties in Tax Cases after SEC Vs. Jarkesy Kostelanetz counsel Gray Proctor wrote an article for the Florida Bar Journal titled "Twelve Angry Taxpayers: Why the Constitution Might Guarantee a Jury Trial for Accuracy and Fraud Penalties in Tax Cases after SEC v. Jarkesy." Gray examines the U.S. Supreme Court's Ju more PR

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Maryland, April 30 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base Andrews (11th Wing) issued the following news: * * * U.S.-China military analyst details strategic differences, warns of long-term competition By Patrick Griffith 316th Wing Public Affairs China's ability to execute long-term strategic goals through a state-controlled system -- vastly different from the United States -- is accelerating the modernization of its military and technological capabilities, according to Brendan more PR