Author: Dani Tietz

Federal

HHS Rescinds 50-Year-Old Public Input Policy, Streamlines Rulemaking Process

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Friday it is rescinding a decades-old policy that required public input on certain rulemaking procedures, effective immediately. The move eliminates the 1971 “Richardson Waiver,” which mandated notice and comment periods for rules related to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts. […]

State of Illinois

Illinois Launches New REAL ID Initiative Ahead of 2025 Deadline: Expanded DMV Hours, Online Portal

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has launched a new initiative to help residents prepare for the upcoming REAL ID enforcement deadline on May 7, 2025. The program includes several key components: Secretary Giannoulias emphasized that not all residents need a REAL ID before May 7. Those with valid U.S. […]

Federal

Democratic Committees Sue Trump Over Executive Order They Say Undermines FEC Independence

The Democratic National Committee (DNC), DSCC, and DCCC have filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and other officials, challenging an executive order that they claim threatens the independence of the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The lawsuit, filed on February 28, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the District […]

Federal

Federal Judge Halts Mass Firings of Probationary Federal Employees, Rebukes Trump Administration’s Workforce Cuts

A federal judge in San Francisco has determined that the Trump administration likely violated the law by abruptly terminating thousands of probationary federal employees across multiple agencies, issuing a temporary restraining order to halt further firings in key departments. U.S. District Judge William Alsup’s ruling, delivered on February 27, marks […]

Federal

Mass NOAA and NWS Layoffs Spark Concerns Over U.S. Weather Forecasting and Public Safety

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) have been affected by widespread layoffs. The mass firings, which occurred on February 27 have left employees stunned and raised serious concerns about the future of weather forecasting and public safety in the country. According to sources […]

Federal

U.S. Education Department Launches DEI Reporting Portal

The U.S. Department of Education has introduced a new online platform called EndDEI.Ed.Gov, aimed at addressing concerns about discrimination in K-12 public schools. This portal allows parents, students, teachers, and community members to report instances of perceived discrimination based on race or sex in educational institutions receiving public funding. The […]

Federal

Trump Administration Orders Large-Scale Federal Workforce Cuts in New Memo

The Trump administration has issued a memorandum outlining plans for large-scale reductions in the federal workforce Wednesday night. The document provides guidance to executive departments and agencies on developing Agency RIF (Reduction in Force) and Reorganization Plans (ARRPs). Memos from the President are typically issued by government agencies or departments […]

Federal

Chief Justice Roberts Temporarily Halts Order Requiring Trump Administration to Resume $2 Billion in Foreign Aid

Chief Justice John Roberts has temporarily frozen a federal judge’s order that would have required the Trump administration to resume nearly $2 billion in foreign aid payments. The pause came just hours before a Feb. 26 midnight deadline set by U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali for the administration to […]