Michigan Advance

Education experts and advocates criticized recent federal student loan changes, warning they push borrowers to private lenders and disrupt higher education plans. Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia highlighted the transfer of student aid functions to the Treasury Department and regulations from the GOP’s tax and spending law as compounding issues for borrowers.

The U.S. House GOP passed a budget resolution allocating $95 billion for Iran war funding, farm aid, and other programs, with a 216-214 party-line vote. The plan includes $60 billion for military, $13 billion for intelligence, $12 billion for agriculture, and $10 billion for state voter ID grants, but requires Senate approval to proceed.

Advocates and public health experts urge Republicans in Congress to delay a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act requiring states to share costs of SNAP benefits starting October 2027. The law, signed by President Donald Trump in 2026, could result in over 4.5 million people losing food assistance, including 1.5 million children, as states take on financial responsibility for SNAP error rates.

A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general has joined a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s halt of onshore wind projects, citing over 155 stalled projects due to the Department of Defense’s refusal to conduct required national security reviews. The states argue the sudden policy shift lacks justification and impedes renewable energy development.

The U.S. federal government has frozen over $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota due to fraud concerns, with the Trump administration citing the need for more documentation on high-risk claims. The move is part of a broader crackdown targeting Medicaid fraud in Democratic-led states, including previous actions against other states.

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee advanced the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 with bipartisan support, a bill introduced by Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Bernie Moreno to ban Chinese vehicles with wireless communication capabilities from the U.S. due to data security and economic concerns. The legislation, supported by the United Auto Workers, would restrict connected vehicle software by 2027 and hardware by 2030, imposing penalties for non-compliance.

Perry Johnson's 'Trump Tailgate' event has drawn criticism from the Trump campaign, which labels him a 'never-Trumper' for running against Trump in 2024 and hosting an event with Trump's name without endorsement. Johnson defends his support for Trump and criticizes the endorsement of John James as based on 'bad advice' from Trump's advisors.

A federal appeals court covering Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas issued a stay on three court rulings that had freed immigrants without criminal records, supporting the Trump administration's mandatory detention policy. The policy, part of a July 2025 memo, requires immigrants entering the U.S. illegally to be detained without bond while awaiting removal proceedings.

Cameron Hamilton, previously fired as acting FEMA chief by President Trump in May 2025, is advancing toward confirmation as the agency’s administrator after a Senate committee approved his nomination. Trump has sought to reduce FEMA’s federal role, but Hamilton pledged to improve the agency’s disaster declaration process and customer service during his confirmation hearing.

A Deloitte-managed Medicaid eligibility system in Michigan incorrectly denied benefits to disabled individuals, including Marie Noon, who faced out-of-pocket costs for medications. Similar issues have occurred in Tennessee and Texas, with Deloitte stating no system anomalies cause routine denials, attributing errors to state-owned systems.

LaTrice McClendon and Corletta Vaughn, chair and vice chair of Detroit's school board, will not seek reelection in November. Their candidacies were disqualified due to unpaid fees, though McClendon's fee was later paid. Five board seats are up for election, with three other board members also running for re-election.

Over 200 U.S. mayors are urging the federal government to reverse changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which imposes new eligibility and work requirements and shifts some funding responsibility to states starting in 2027. The mayors argue these changes exacerbate a food security crisis, with 4 million Americans already losing benefits and increased pressure on food banks.

The U.S. House approved a stopgap spending bill to prevent a government shutdown before the November midterm elections, passing it along party lines. The bill extends government funding to December 4 but faces Senate revisions, with Democrats criticizing its provisions on Border Patrol funding and lack of emergency program adjustments requested by the White House.

The Trump administration is shifting federal teen pregnancy prevention funding toward programs emphasizing abstinence, marriage, and fertility awareness methods. Critics argue this approach prioritizes pregnancy planning over prevention and diverges from evidence-based strategies that reduced teen birth rates by 72% over 16 years.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified that the Iran war has cost $37.5 billion, urging Congress for additional funding to address critical shortfalls. Senate Appropriations Committee members debated funding needs, with Democrats like Patty Murray opposing further military spending due to safety concerns and resource depletion.

The number of women running for governor in the 2026 elections has reached an all-time high, with 85 candidates across 36 states. The number of women seeking U.S. House seats is near a record, according to data from the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP).

A Democrat seeking the nomination in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District refunded a $3,500 campaign contribution from a Palantir Technologies executive. Palantir, which has faced criticism for contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was involved in a $30 million contract to upgrade a Department of Homeland Security platform used for deportation processes.

The Brennan Center for Justice warns that mass voter challenges are likely in the 2026 midterm elections, citing over 185,000 challenges filed in 2024. The report highlights concerns that such challenges could undermine democratic processes and disproportionately affect vulnerable voters, with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party accused of promoting 'election integrity' as a pretext for voter suppression.

Immigration arrests in the U.S. reached record levels in June 2020 with over 43,000 arrests, and daily rates in early July exceeded 1,593. Two immigrants were killed during ICE traffic stops in Texas and Maine, prompting body camera mandates, while legal challenges question the policy of mandatory detention for non-criminal immigration violations.

Democrats in Congress oppose a Trump administration proposal to alter federal grant administration by granting political appointees authority to decide grant recipients. The draft rule, titled 'Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance,' could affect hundreds of billions in funding and restrict the use of grants for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.