July 10

FEMA Administrator Absent as Stafford Act Response Fails Texas Flood Victims

FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton failed to appear at the Texas flood disaster zone on July 10, 2025, as victims waited for Stafford Act federal disaster relief following floods that killed 27 people. FEMA regional offices, operating with skeleton crews after earlier layoffs, could not process disaster declarations within statutory timelines. Congressional Democrats called for Hamilton's resignation and an Inspector General investigation into FEMA's response capacity.

DC Court Forces Exxon and Shell Into Discovery in Climate Fraud Lawsuit

A DC Superior Court judge ruled on July 10, 2025, that ExxonMobil and Shell must proceed to discovery in a consumer protection lawsuit alleging the companies deceived the public about fossil fuels and climate change. The court rejected the companies'' motion to dismiss, finding that the District of Columbia had standing to pursue fraud claims under its consumer protection statute. The ruling marked a significant procedural victory for state-level climate accountability litigation.

Senate appropriators debate rescinding Ukraine security assistance funds

The Senate Appropriations Committee held a contentious markup over a White House-backed rescission package targeting the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and other foreign aid accounts. Republicans argued the funds duplicated other Ukraine aid streams, while Democrats warned that clawing back the money would undermine U.S. credibility with NATO allies. The committee advanced the package on a party-line vote.

Biden finalizes SAVE income-driven repayment plan most affordable student loan repayment option

The Biden administration finalizes the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, a new income-driven repayment plan that replaces the Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) plan. SAVE cuts monthly payments for undergraduate borrowers in half compared to REPAYE, from 10% to 5% of discretionary income. It eliminates negative amortization by waiving accrued monthly interest for borrowers who make their full payments, even if those payments do not cover the full interest. Borrowers with original loan balances of $12,000 or less receive forgiveness after just 10 years of payments. Within months, Biden announces that SAVE cancels nearly $1.2 billion in debt for low-balance borrowers. Republican-led states sue to block SAVE, and courts later issue injunctions halting portions of the plan.

Bush signs the FISA Amendments Act, creating Section 702 warrantless collection

President George W. Bush signed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 on July 10, retroactively immunizing telecoms that had cooperated with the warrantless Stellar Wind program and creating Section 702, which authorized the NSA to collect the communications of foreign targets through U.S. internet and telecom companies without individual warrants. The law passed 293-129 in the House and 69-28 in the Senate after a filibuster by Sens. Russ Feingold and Chris Dodd failed. Section 702 required no warrant for collection itself, only certification by the Attorney General and Director of National Intelligence that targets were foreign.

FISA Amendments Act adds Section 702 warrantless collection authority