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The goal of this email is to provide a regular source of useful information to staff and faculty of the University of èapp System regarding the federal government and higher education. We have put together a list of news articles that will keep you informed of the actions taken by the executive, legislative, and judicial branch of government. These articles are meant to be informative and are not a reflection of the views or stance of the system regarding these issues.
If you would like more information regarding any of the stories we share, or if you have any suggestions, please feel free to contact Dusty Schnieders schniedersd@umsystem.edu and/or Emily Lucas el59bz@umsystem.edu.
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Federal Update
Government Funding – CR to expire December 20, 2024
Congress faces a December 20 deadline as the current continuing resolution (CR) is set to expire. Lawmakers are engaged in negotiations over a funding extension that would push the deadline into President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. Key points of debate include the length of the new CR, potential exceptions, and the allocation of disaster relief funding. House conservatives are advocating for a March deadline, adding another layer of complexity to the discussions as leaders aim to finalize an agreement before the holidays.
FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
Lawmakers aim to finalize and file the text of the FY25 NDAA by the end of this week, targeting passage before Christmas. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) expressed optimism, stating he is “hopeful we are close to beginning the process of moving a bipartisan bill through both chambers.”
Farm Bill
A one-year extension of the farm bill appears likely, focusing on agricultural disaster relief, maintaining essential operations, and addressing crop loss economic policies. This temporary measure will provide stability as broader negotiations continue.
Senate
Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune has outlined a bold 2025 agenda for Republicans, focusing on two major budget reconciliation bills. The first, targeted for early 2025, will prioritize border security, defense, and energy policies. It may include funding for the border wall, additional ICE agents, and defense spending adjustments to shield increases from bipartisan spending caps. The second bill, slated for later in the year, will address the extension of expiring tax cuts from the Trump administration.
These plans will face significant hurdles, including narrow Republican control in the House and the need for two budget resolutions to advance the reconciliation process. Thune's strategy reflects an effort to leverage party-line votes to achieve these goals quickly, with the GOP hopeful to take initial steps within the first 30 days of the new administration.
Senate GOP conference leadership:
- Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD)
- Assistant Majority Leader John Barrasso (R-WY)
- Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-AR)
- Republican Policy Committee Chair Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV)
- Republican Conference Vice Chair James Lankford (R-OK)
- National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott (R-SC)
Senate Democrat leadership:
- Minority Leader: Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
- Democratic Whip: Richard Durbin (D-IL)
- Chair of the Steering and Policy Committee: Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
- Chair of the Strategic Communications Committee: Cory Booker (D-NJ)
- Vice Chairs of the Conference: Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Mark Warner (D-VA)
- Chair of Outreach: Bernie Sanders (I-VT, caucuses with Democrats)
- Conference Secretary: Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
- Vice Chair of Outreach: Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
- Deputy Conference Secretaries: Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT)
House
Several House Republicans are positioning themselves for roles in President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet. However, Speaker Mike Johnson faces a significant dilemma: he cannot afford to lose their votes given the narrow GOP majority expected in the next Congress. Speculation includes Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers and Transportation Chairman Sam Graves as potential Cabinet appointees. Already, two congressional seats are vacant following Trump’s selections of Mike Waltz and Elise Stefanik. Additionally, Rep. Matt Gaetz’s recent resignation has created a third vacancy. If more House members are tapped for Cabinet roles, it could jeopardize Johnson’s ability to maintain control of the slim Republican majority in 2025, complicating efforts to advance legislative priorities.
House GOP conference leadership:
- Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)
- Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA)
- Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN)
- Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee Richard Hudson (R-NC)
- Lisa McClain, House GOP Conference Chair (R-MI), filling the post for Elise Stefanik when she departs the House to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
- House GOP Vice Chairman Blake Moore (R-UT)
- Chair of the House Republican Policy Committee Kevin Hern (R-OK)
- House Republican Conference Secretary Erin Houchin (R-IN)
President Trump
President-elect Donald J. Trump is swiftly assembling his Cabinet and senior leadership team for his second term. The Cabinet traditionally includes 16 key roles: the vice president and the leaders of 15 executive departments. Additionally, presidents have the flexibility to elevate other officials.
- Secretary of State: Senator Marco Rubio (FL)
- Attorney General: Pam Bondi
- Defense Secretary: Pete Hegseth
- Secretary of Homeland Security: Kristi Noem
- Secretary of Energy: Chris Wright
- Secretary of the Interior: Doug Burgum
- Secretary of Agriculture: Brooke Rollins
- Secretary of Commerce: Howard Lutnick
- Secretary of Labor: Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer
- Secretary of Education: Linda McMahon
- Treasury Secretary: Scott Bessent
- Deputy Treasury Secretary: Michael Faulkender
- Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Scott Turner
- Secretary of Transportation: Sean Duffy
- Veterans Affairs Secretary: Doug Collins
- Secretary of Health and Human Services: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- FDA Commissioner: Dr. Marty Makary
- CDC Director: Dr. Dave Weldon
- Surgeon General: Dr. Janette Nesheiwat
- NIH Director: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya
- Deputy HHS Secretary: Jim O’Neill
- Director of National Intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard
- CIA Director: John Ratcliffe
- FBI Director: Kash Patel
- National Security Advisor: Mike Waltz
- Ambassador to the United Nations: Elise Stefanik
- Ambassador to Israel: Mike Huckabee
- Ambassador to Canada: Pete Hoekstra
- Ambassador to France: Charles Kushner
- NATO Representative: Matthew G. Whitaker
- OMB Director: Russ Vought
- U.S. Trade Representative: Jamieson Greer
- EPA Administrator: Lee Zeldin
- Small Business Administrator: Kelly Loeffler
- NASA Administrator: Jared Isaacman
- SEC Chair: Paul Atkins
- IRS Commissioner: Billy Long
Capitol Hill
Roll Call – November 27, 2024
A bumper crop of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are attempting to secure open slots on the House and Senate Appropriations committees, coveted perches that will be in the center of the legislative action in the 119th Congress as part two of the Trump era begins. If House Republicans retain the same margins from this Congress, there would be four vacant positions on their side of the dais, and six open seats for Democrats following retirements and electoral defeats. Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., says he wants to bring communications skills he honed as a TV news anchor to the powerful spending panel.
Roll Call – December 4, 2024
Former Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo., who retired after losing a 2022 Senate bid, got the nod from President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday to be his nominee for IRS commissioner. Long served for six terms in the House and left Congress after placing a distant fourth in the GOP primary to succeed retiring Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., two years ago. He ultimately endorsed the winner, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. The colorful Long was one of the first GOP lawmakers to endorse Trump during his first run for the presidency in 2016, and was seen at times toting around the Capitol grounds fake $45 bills with Trump’s face — a nod to the 45th president.
Politico – December 5, 2024
A venture capitalist who was a vocal supporter of Donald Trump during the campaign — and a critic of U.S. support for Ukraine — will be joining the new administration. David Sacks will be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar” and lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Sacks “will focus on making America the clear global leader” in artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, Trump wrote on Truth Social, calling the emerging fields “two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness.”
2025 Congressional Calendar
Tentative 2025 congressional calendar, subject to change.
Reviewed 2025-02-14