Other News

State of Illinois

Federal food assistance changes threaten benefits for thousands of Illinoisans

by Ben Szalinski, Capitol News Illinois July 8, 2025 Article summary The domestic policy law signed by President Donald Trump last week creates new work requirements that could jeopardize food assistance benefits for 360,000 Illinoisans. Illinois will be required to cover a greater portion of the administrative costs and benefits […]

Federal

Federal Court Bars IRS from Penalizing Churches for Political Speech During Religious Services

A federal court in the Eastern District of Texas has approved a landmark consent judgment that restricts the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from enforcing the so-called Johnson Amendment against certain churches for speech delivered during religious services.  The Johnson Amendment, a provision of the Internal Revenue Code (§ 501(c)(3)), prohibits […]

Federal

Supreme Court Allows Trump Administration to Proceed With Federal Agency Restructuring

The Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration’s request to stay a lower court injunction, allowing the government to move forward with sweeping plans to reorganize and downsize federal agencies while legal challenges continue. The case centers on Executive Order No. 14210, issued by President Donald J. Trump in February […]

Federal

Agriculture Secretary Declares ‘No Amnesty’ While Proposing Medicaid Recipients Replace Deported Farm Workers

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins doubled down on the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy Tuesday, declaring “there will be no amnesty” while proposing that 34 million able-bodied adults on Medicaid could replace deported agricultural workers as the industry shifts toward automation. Speaking at a press conference alongside Republican governors, Rollins defended […]

Federal

Trump Administration Moves to Slash NOAA, Dismantle FEMA in Line with Conservative Blueprint

The Trump administration has launched an assault on America’s weather and disaster response infrastructure, implementing massive budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) while advancing plans to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) entirely by the end of 2025. These sweeping changes align closely with the […]

Federal

Social Security Email Overstates Tax Relief in “One Big, Beautiful Bill”

The Social Security Administration (SSA), long regarded as a nonpartisan institution dedicated to serving the public, is facing sharp criticism after sending out a mass email this weekend lauding the passage of President Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” The message, signed by SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano, claimed the new law […]

State of Illinois

State ends fiscal year with record revenue

by Ben Szalinski, Capitol News Illinois July 2, 2025 Article Summary: Illinois closed fiscal year 2025 with record $54 billion in revenue. While that marked a surplus from the enacted budget, the extra revenue was anticipated when lawmakers approved the current-year budget in May. It doesn’t give lawmakers any extra […]

Federal

Trump Administration Walks Back Epstein Files Claims as DOJ Finds No ‘Client List’ or Murder Plot

What began as a campaign pledge to expose the truth about Epstein’s network has morphed into a public relations disaster for Attorney General Pam Bondi, who repeatedly promised revelations that never materialized. The Trump administration’s highly publicized promises to release explosive Jeffrey Epstein files have ended with a dramatic reversal, […]