Timely, non-partisan insights straight to your inbox, helping you stay informed on key political facts and developments.

Tip: Test your knowledge with the quiz at the bottom.

Federal Spending Freeze: The White House Budget Office issued a memo directing a temporary freeze on federal government spending, including loans, grants, and certain federal programs such as Medicare. Following concerns and uncertainty about the potential effects of the directive, a federal judge in the District of Columbia issued a temporary halt to allow for legal challenges from entities, including State Attorneys General. The Trump Administration has since rescinded the order.

President Trump’s Second Cabinet: Several of President Trump's cabinet nominees were confirmed by the U.S. Senate this past week, including those for Defense, Treasury, Homeland Security, the Central Intelligence Agency, and Transportation. Most received bipartisan support with supermajority votes, except for one nominee, Mr. Hegseth, who was confirmed with a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Vance. Additional Senate hearings are scheduled for nominees to lead Health and Human Services, National Intelligence, and other departments.

Executive Order on Gender Recognition: President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to recognize sex based on biological characteristics. This policy requires government-issued identification documents, such as passports, to reflect a person's biological sex at birth, discontinuing the option to update gender markers. Supporters argue that the order ensures consistency in official records, while advocacy groups have raised concerns about its impact on transgender and nonbinary individuals.

(Glossary) Supermajority: refers to a vote threshold higher than a simple majority (more than 50%). In the U.S. Senate, a supermajority often means 60 votes or more out of 100, which is the number required to overcome a filibuster and advance most legislation or confirmations without procedural delays.

(Glossary)

A: Assembly Bill (particularly in states like New York or California). Assembly Bills address state issues such as education, health care, transportation, taxation, or environmental policies.

HB: Used in State Legislatures: Refers to bills introduced in the House of Representatives or State Assembly at the state level.

HR: Used in the U.S. Congress: Refers to bills introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives at the federal level.

S: S stands for Senate, meaning the bill originated in the U.S. Senate.

SB: SB stands for Senate Bill. Meaning the bill originated in the State Senate rather than State House or Assembly.

• Republican Pete Hegseth was confirmed last Friday as the next Secretary of Defense by a vote of 51-50, with Vice President J.D. Vance breaking a tie in the U.S. Senate. A veteran and former Fox News co-host, Mr. Hegseth will now manage the largest federal agency in the world, the Department of Defense.

• Republican Larry Rhoden was sworn in as the next Governor of South Dakota following senate confirmation of former Governor Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security. 

• Democrat Mike Zimmer flipped a state senate seat in Iowa’s 35th district last Tuesday. The seat was vacated by newly-appointed Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer, who resigned the seat last December. The Iowa State Senate now stands at 34 Republicans and 16 Democrats.



Last Tuesday, January 28th, 2025, there were a set of special elections in Florida and Iowa. Click on the links below to view the results:



• 2025 Florida Congressional Special Primary: House Districts 1 and 6
• 2025 Iowa State Senate Special Election: State Senate District 35

(Glossary) Special Election: is an election scheduled outside the regular electoral calendar to address specific issues or fill vacancies in public offices. These elections are typically held when an incumbent official resigns, passes away, or is otherwise unable to continue in office. Special elections can also be called to vote on urgent matters, such as referendums or specific legislative proposals.

Each week, we’ll challenge you with a quiz to sharpen your civic skills and empower you to make a difference in your community.

((Last week, we more than doubled our quiz takers—think we can beat that record again this week?!))