May 2

Trump budget cuts HUD rental assistance by 44%, shifting the burden to states

The Trump administration's 2026 budget proposed cutting HUD rental assistance programs by 44%, including deep reductions to Section 8 housing vouchers and public housing operating funds. The proposal converted multiple programs into block grants, effectively shifting the cost of housing low-income families to states with far fewer federal requirements.

Trump budget proposes 54.5% EPA cut and $15B clean-energy clawback

The White House released a fiscal-year 2026 budget proposal cutting EPA funding from $9.1 billion to $4.2 billion, a 54.5% reduction. The budget canceled more than $15 billion in carbon capture and renewable-energy funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, cut the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by $2.5 billion, and proposed eliminating NOAA''s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. OMB Director Russell Vought said funding had been "tilted toward funding niche non-governmental organizations and institutions of higher education committed to radical gender and climate ideologies."

Trump budget would eliminate 21st CCLC and cut K-12 grants by $4.5B

President Trump released his FY2026 "skinny" budget proposing to consolidate 18 federal K-12 grant programs into a single $2 billion block grant — cutting combined funding from $6.5 billion to $2 billion. The proposal eliminates the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program entirely, zeroing out the $1.329 billion grant that funds afterschool and summer learning programs serving roughly 1.4 million students. Education Secretary Linda McMahon framed the consolidation as giving states flexibility while reducing federal oversight.

Trump FY2026 budget proposes cutting $491 million from CISA

The Trump administration sent its FY2026 "skinny budget" to Congress, proposing roughly $491 million in cuts to CISA — about a 17 percent reduction against the agency's $3 billion baseline. OMB justified the cut by labeling CISA's misinformation and election-security work part of a "Censorship Industrial Complex." Full budget documents released in June 2025 detailed elimination of 1,083 positions.

Trump budget cuts $1.5B in mental health funding as RFK Jr. dissolves SAMHSA

The Trump administration's 2026 budget proposed $1.5 billion in cuts to mental health and substance abuse programs while RFK Jr. announced plans to dissolve SAMHSA into a new unbuilt agency. Critics warned the restructuring would eliminate grants to states, disrupt addiction treatment services, and leave millions without access to crisis support during a national mental health emergency.

Politico publishes leaked Alito draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade first SCOTUS draft leak

Politico publishes a full draft majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization written by Justice Samuel Alito, showing the Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. The leak, the first of a full draft Supreme Court opinion in the institution's modern history, triggers immediate political shockwaves. Chief Justice John Roberts confirms the draft is authentic but calls the leak "a singular and egregious breach of trust." The final ruling, released June 24, is substantially the same as the leaked draft. The source of the leak is never publicly identified.

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Politico publishes leaked Dobbs draft opinion first Supreme Court draft leak in modern history

Politico publishes a complete draft of Justice Samuel Alito's majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, revealing the Supreme Court's intent to fully overturn Roe v. Wade, an unprecedented leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion. The leak triggers immediate national protests at courthouses and state capitols. Republicans call the leak a "desecration." Chief Justice Roberts orders an investigation. The leak is eventually traced to a conservative law clerk whose wife had ties to anti-abortion groups. The publication of the draft accelerates Democratic fundraising and galvanizes abortion rights supporters, boosting Democratic election performance in 2022. Biden calls the draft "a radical decision."