Friday, July 25, 2025
All civic learning topics for this day
Today's Topics
Senate Judiciary splits as Collins opposes Second Circuit nominee
GOP Senator Susan Collins announced July 25, 2025, she will vote against controversial judicial nominee Emil Bove, breaking with her party after initially voting to advance his nomination past a Democratic filibuster. Collins' opposition highlights growing concerns about Trump nominating personal lawyers and loyalists to lifetime federal judgeships rather than qualified jurists.
OSTP directive bans algorithmic bias reviews for federal AI systems
President Donald Trump announced his AI Action Plan on July 23, 2025, signing three executive orders to accelerate U.S. AI leadership, ease tech exports, expand data infrastructure, and ban “woke” AI in federal contracts. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy processed 8,755 public comments by the March 15 deadline, but critics say the final plan prioritizes Big Tech interests over consumer safeguards and environmental concerns.
State Department silent on Scotland protests during presidential visit
On July 25, 2025, the Stop Trump Coalition announced plans for up to 5,000 protesters to demonstrate during former President Donald Trump’s private Scotland visit and his informal July 28 meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Edinburgh. Organizers will stage rallies outside Holyrood and Bute House, focusing on immigration and climate policy. Police set up security perimeters as transport disruptions loom in the city center.
USDA Secretary Rollins orders relocation or resignation for 2,600 employees
On July 24, 2025, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced she will move about 2,600 of USDA’s 4,600 Washington, D.C., employees to five regional hubs in Salt Lake City, Fort Collins, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Raleigh. She says the reorganization will cut costs, reduce a $1.3 billion maintenance backlog, and bring staff closer to farmers. Federal unions and lawmakers warn the plan could disrupt research, food safety inspections, and forest management.