Saturday, July 19, 2025
All civic learning topics for this day
Today's Topics
EPA eliminates ORD and fires 1,200 scientists under reorganization
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced July 19, 2025, elimination of the Office of Research and Development, terminating up to 1,155 scientists including chemists, biologists, and toxicologists. The office closure ends five decades of research that prevented an estimated 200,000 premature deaths annually. Total EPA staffing drops 23% from 16,155 to 12,448 employees, following Trump executive orders and Project 2025 recommendations calling ORD "bloated" and "politically driven."
SDNY dismisses presidential defamation suit citing First Amendment
U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe dismissed President Trump's $49 million lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward on July 18, 2025, ruling that reporters can publish authorized interviews in commercial audiobooks. Trump sued the veteran Washington Post reporter for including their recorded conversations in "The Trump Tapes" audiobook, claiming the recordings were "stolen" despite having given permission to record the interviews.
California sheriffs defy DOJ demand for 850,000 immigrant records
In July 2025, Los Angeles and San Francisco sheriffs Robert Luna and Paul Miyamoto publicly resisted the Justice Department’s request for noncitizen inmate records, citing state sanctuary laws. They signaled legal action rather than compliance, escalating federal-state tensions over immigration enforcement. Their stance highlights how local law enforcement can defend community trust and legal protections.
DOJ Civil Rights Division demands California sanctuary data
In July 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice requested California county sheriffs provide details on noncitizen inmates, including crimes and release dates, to prioritize federal removals. Sheriffs cite state sanctuary laws that bar sharing such information and may face subpoenas if they do not comply. The request underscores tensions over federal immigration enforcement and local autonomy.
House Appropriations strips CPB and USAID funding through rescission
On July 2025, Republican-led Congress passed a rescissions bill canceling $9 billion in existing appropriations, including $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $7.9 billion for foreign aid programs. The bill now awaits the president’s signature and represents a rarely used maneuver that shifts budget authority toward the executive. This could trigger station closures, service cutbacks in rural areas, and gaps in global health and humanitarian missions.
House Appropriations preserves PEPFAR while cutting State Department
On July 17, 2025, the House approved a $9 billion rescissions bill while carving out a $400 million restoration for PEPFAR HIV/AIDS programs. Debate over releasing Jeffrey Epstein documents overshadowed the vote, leading to a nonbinding resolution urging transparency. This illustrates how legislative negotiations can redirect funding even amid broad cutbacks.
Financial Services Committee passes GENIUS Act for stablecoin oversight
On July 17, 2025, President Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law, creating the first comprehensive federal framework for U.S. dollar–pegged stablecoins. The law mandates reserve disclosures, annual audits for large issuers, and sets new dual-supervision rules for banks and fintech firms. It aims to boost consumer confidence but shifts oversight dynamics between the Treasury, Federal Reserve, and private issuers.
Speaker Johnson delivers narrow 216-213 rescission victory
On July 18, 2025, the House approved a rescissions package 216–213 to reclaim $9 billion from existing federal appropriations—the first presidential-requested cut in decades. The measure transfers greater budgetary authority to the executive branch and sets a precedent for future unilateral spending adjustments. Local broadcasters and aid recipients face funding losses unless the president vetoes or modifies the request.
Federal Reserve warns GENIUS Act threatens $3 trillion bank exodus
After the House passed the GENIUS Act on July 17, 2025, major banks cautioned that stablecoins could siphon off trillions in uninsured deposits, threatening traditional lending models. The new law’s reserve and dual-supervision rules may give nonbank issuers access to Federal Reserve facilities, altering liquidity flows. These shifts could reshape deposit insurance frameworks and monetary policy transmission.