Political Awareness

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National Policy Roundup is a section to explain what legislation is currently being considered in Congress, the cases held by the Supreme Court, and actions taken by the Executive branch each week. The goal of this column is to break down the important legislation to help our readers better understand how current happenings in the federal government can and will affect their lives as well as what they can do to help influence their representatives’ actions. 

Bills of Note Coming to the Floor in Congress~

H.R. 1549: China Financial Threat Mitigation Act of 2025

The House Majority Leader indicated on July 15, 2025, that this bill may be considered in the week ahead.

Summary of bill: 

H.R. 1549 mandates that, within one year of enactment, the Secretary of the Treasury (consulting with the Fed Chair, SEC Chair, CFTC Chair, and Secretary of State) must deliver an unclassified report (with an optional classified annex) addressing:

• Exposure risks: Assess how vulnerabilities in China’s financial sector could impact U.S. and global financial stability.
• Policy safeguards: Describe existing U.S. government measures protecting financial stability.
• Data analysis: Evaluate the transparency and reliability of Chinese economic data.
• International coordination: Recommend actions and cooperation via international organizations to counter these risks 

The Treasury must submit this to relevant Congressional committees and publish it on its website

Sponsor:

• Roger Williams: Sponsor. Representative for Texas’s 25th congressional district. Republican.
• Rep. Josh Gottheimer: CoSponsor. Representative for New Jersey’s 5th District

H.R. 1716: Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act of 2025

The House Majority Leader indicated on July 15, 2025 that this bill may be considered in the week ahead.

Summary of bill: 

It mandates, upon a presidential determination of a Chinese threat to U.S. interests under the Taiwan Relations Act, that the Treasury Secretary must:

1. Within 90 days (and annually for three years) report on funds held by senior Chinese officials—spanning assets, account balances, and identifying financial institutions involved.
2. Provide a congressional briefing (classified or unclassified) detailing how these funds were acquired or used, including illicit or corrupt means. 

The Act also authorizes a prohibition on significant U.S. financial transactions involving these officials and their immediate families, with narrow exemptions for intelligence, law enforcement, or national security activities

Essentially, by exposing senior CCP officials’ offshore wealth and placing transaction restrictions, the bill aims to enhance U.S. leverage and dissuade aggression toward Taiwan

Sponsors: 

• Lisa McClain: Sponsor. Representative for Michigan’s 9th congressional district. Republican.
• Rep. Brad Sherman: CoSponsor Representative for California’s 32nd District

Bills Passed by Either House~

H.R. 4: Rescissions Act of 2025

This bill has been passed in the House and the Senate, but the Senate made changes and sent it back to the House on July 17, 2025.

Final House vote must occur before the 45-day deadline (Friday, July 19) or the bill dies

Summary of bill: 

The Rescissions Act of 2025 is a presidentially backed bill that cancels nearly $9.4 billion in previously approved federal spending, primarily targeting foreign aid programs and public broadcasting. Passed narrowly by both the House and Senate, the bill marks the first successful use of presidential rescission authority in decades, signaling a major shift in executive budgeting power. It cuts funding for refugee assistance, UN peacekeeping, and development aid, while also eliminating future support for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds PBS and NPR. A Senate amendment preserved some global health funding, including for PEPFAR.

Total cuts: 

Foreign Assistance Cuts (~$8.3 billion)

Programs and agencies affected include:

• USAID Disaster Assistance- $1.2B+ (Emergency aid for global crises (earthquakes, floods, etc.)
• Democracy Fund- $550M (Supports democratic governance abroad)
• Migration and Refugee Assistance- $720M (Aid for displaced persons and refugees)
• Economic Support Fund- $1.5B (Strategic assistance to allies (except Jordan, Egypt))
• International Organizations & Peacekeeping-$1.1B (UN dues and missions)
• Development Assistance (general)- $700M (Long-term global development programs)
• Clean Technology Fund-$300M (Green energy projects overseas) 
• Global Health Cuts~$500M (Excludes PEPFAR, but includes some maternal and nutrition programs (some restored in Senate amendment))

Note: After bipartisan pushback, the Senate amendment preserved $400M in PEPFAR (global HIV/AIDS), TB, malaria, and maternal health programs.

Public Broadcasting Elimination (~$1.1 billion)

• The entire FY2026–2027 appropriation for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) was rescinded.
• This affects PBS, NPR, and over 1,500 local TV and radio stations.
• No replacement or transition funding was included.

Constitutional & Policy Implications: 

• Executive Power
• Represents a significant use of presidential rescission authority to bypass full-scale budget negotiations.
• First time since the 1970s a standalone rescission request from the president has been approved.
• Congressional Appropriations Authority
• Critics argue this undercuts Congress’s constitutional power of the purse, especially when used to eliminate entire agencies’ budgets (e.g., CPB).
• Foreign Policy Impact
• Slashes funding for:
• Humanitarian response
• Democracy support
• UN peacekeeping operations
• Seen as a shift toward a more isolationist foreign aid strategy.
• Domestic Impact
• Ending CPB funding could force closures of small, rural public broadcasting stations.
• Public media warns of loss of educational programming, emergency alerts, and children’s content.

Legislation of Note from the Supreme Court~

McMahon v. New York (Emergency Stay)

Facts:

• In March, President Trump issued Executive Order 14242 directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the [Education] Department.” Over 50% of its workforce (~1,400 employees) were terminated, with critical units dismantled—such as the Offices of Civil Rights, Federal Student Aid, Special Education, and English-Language Acquisition

Questions: 

• Does the President, through an executive order and mass firings, have the unilateral power to disable or dismantle a Cabinet-level agency created by Congress?
• At what stage, and under what standard, should courts intervene in executive personnel decisions?
• Did plaintiffs (states, school districts, education groups) adequately show imminent harm tied to the layoffs?

Ruling:

The U.S. Supreme Court granted (6-3) an emergency stay of a lower court’s injunction that had temporarily blocked the Trump administration from laying off over 1,400 employees at the Department of Education. 

This means: The Court allowed the layoffs to proceed immediately while the appeal is ongoing

Impact & Significance: 

• Short-term: The Department can continue with layoffs and begin transferring key functions (e.g., student loans, civil rights, workforce grants) to other agencies like Treasury, Labor, and HHS while litigation continues.
• Long-term implications: 

• Sets a precedent for minimal judicial oversight of sweeping executive reorganizations.
• Raises fundamental separation-of-powers concerns: critics argue it gives the president de facto power to “impound” or disable legislative mandates by firing civil servants instead of halting agency operations through budgets.

• Political & educational fallout:

• Teachers’ unions and Democratic-led states condemned the ruling as premature and dangerous for public education infrastructure. 
• The Administration framed the ruling as affirming the President’s authority over federal bureaucracy and advancing state-led education
• The dissent emphasized that abolition of such an agency requires legislative action and that this move threatened the constitutional “Take Care” duty

Executive Actions of Note~

DOJ Implements “English-Only” Federal Policy (July 14)

What happened:

The Department of Justice issued guidance implementing Executive Order 14224, which designates English as the federal government’s official language. It rescinded Clinton-era language-access rules, directing agencies to suspend non-essential multilingual services, reallocate resources toward English education, and prioritize English in federal communications . 

Critics say:

Immigrant rights and civil liberties groups warn the policy will harm non-English speakers, including seniors, recent immigrants, and people with limited English proficiency. The ACLU argues it violates rights under the First Amendment and Title VI, limiting access to public services. Language rights advocates call it “anti-immigrant” and harmful to equity. 

Supporters say:

The policy promotes national unity and efficiency in government operations.

White House spokespersons called it a “return to common-sense governance”, arguing that English should be the language of public service and accountability.

Commerce Launches Section 232 Probes on Drones & Polysilicon (July 14)

What happened:

The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) opened formal investigations under Section 232 into imports of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) and polysilicon, crucial for chip sets and solar panels. The probe examines national security threats from foreign-subsidized production and seeks to determine if tariffs or quotas are warranted. 

Critics say:

Trade experts caution these probes could hurt U.S. consumers and small manufacturers that rely on affordable imports. They note there’s no guarantee tariffs will be imposed, and adding them could raise domestic prices. Broad international retaliation is also a risk, deepening trade conflicts especially with. 

Supporters say:

The Commerce Department and White House claim these probes are essential to protect U.S. manufacturing and national security, especially in defense and energy sectors.

3. “Make America Beautiful Again” National Parks Initiative

What happened:

Through two executive orders dated July 3, the Interior Department launched the “Make America Beautiful Again” (MABA) initiative and “Improving Our National Parks.” They aim to boost recreation and revenues—e.g., by raising foreign-visitor fees—while cutting regulatory red tape and diverting focus away from diversity, environmental reviews, and Endangered Species Act enforcement. 

Critics say:

Environmental groups and park advocates condemn the orders as “greenwashing”: they maintain that significant budget and staffing cuts (24% staff reduction, $267 million cut) continue unaddressed. Park professionals worry fee hikes for foreign visitors unfairly shift costs, reduce access for international tourists, and strain underfunded services.

Supporters say:

The Interior Department presented the initiative as a pro-patriotic, pro-tourism modernization of the park system.

What You Can Do

Your Voice Matters in Our Federal Government!

Crucially, democracy works best when you participate. Whether you’re passionate about climate action, education, healthcare, or civil rights, your voice has power—and it starts with getting involved.

✅ Contact Your Representatives
Call, email, or write to your senators and House representative. Share your opinions on legislation, ask questions, and urge them to act on issues that matter to you.

✅ Stay Informed
Follow Political Awareness’s newsletter, current legislation, committee hearings, and policy debates. To take it a step further, websites like Congress.gov or GovTrack make it easy to track bills and see how your representatives vote.

✅ Vote in Every Election
Federal, state, and local elections all shape the laws and policies that affect your life. To participate, register to vote, learn about the candidates, and show up on Election Day, or vote early or by mail.

✅ Join Civic Organizations
For example, whether it’s advocacy groups, nonprofits, or political organizations, joining a cause you care about can amplify your impact and connect you with others working for change.

✅ Spread the Word

By speaking up on social media, in conversations, or at community events, others will be motivated to get involved.

Take Action Today

Find your representatives at house.gov and senate.gov, and let them hear from you. Remember, democracy doesn’t end at the ballot box—it begins with you raising your voice.