Latest news with #federalpolicy
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Democratic attorneys general outline response to federal government during Seattle town hall
Jun. 2—Just over four months into President Donald Trump's second administration, the rate and frequency with which Democratic attorneys general have challenged federal policy has greatly outpaced that of his first term in office. In the past 19 weeks, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has filed 20 lawsuits against the federal government and indicated more are likely to follow soon. According to Brown, Washington had filed two lawsuits at a similar point in Trump's first term. The lawsuits have frequently been brought by multistate coalitions, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield each joining Washington in more than a dozen of the cases. Ahead of a town hall event Monday, the three attorneys general said the actions are part of a coordinated effort. "A very increased type of action being brought by the states," Brown said during a news conference Monday evening. "That is reflective of one, being extremely prepared for this moment, two, the collaboration amongst the states, and three, a level of lawlessness and recklessness by the Trump administration that was not there the first time. And we as attorneys general need to respond." The Community Impact Town Hall on Monday offered a forum for community members to voice their concerns over the loss of funding or other cuts to federal programs and ask about their state's response to the Trump administration. Audience questions included how states could ensure funds for medical research are properly distributed and what steps the states have taken to restrict local law enforcement from enforcing immigration law. Like Washington, both Oregon and California have long had state laws that limit the amount of information local authorities can provide immigration officials. California's law, Bonta said, was challenged during the first Trump administration, with the state successfully arguing "it was an unlawful violation of the tenth amendment for the Trump administration to try and conscript or commandeer our resources for our local law enforcement to be used for immigration enforcement." In recent months, the Keep Washington Working Act has frequently drawn ire from Republican lawmakers and prompted a Congressional investigation. The 2019 law restricts local law enforcement from using local resources to help federal officials enforce immigration law and prevents local law enforcement from sharing nonpublic information with federal officials, except in certain scenarios. Last month, the three states filed lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation, alleging that both agencies had recently sought to stipulate that a state must cooperate with federal immigration officials to receive federal funding. "When they try to take the funding away to compel action, we will stand in place to protect our sanctuary state laws that exist up and down the West Coast," Rayfield said. "I feel very fortunate, again, to be on the West Coast." It appears that more lawsuits challenging federal immigration efforts could come in the near future. Late last week, the Department of Homeland Security published a list of "sanctuary jurisdictions" that it claimed do not fully cooperate with federal immigration law. Trump, who ordered the publication of the list, has said those on the list risk the loss of federal funds. According to the list, qualification for the list was "determined by factors like compliance with federal law enforcement, information restrictions, and legal protections for illegal aliens." The list, however, received immediate pushback from some of those who appeared on it. On Saturday, Kieran Donahue, president of the National Sheriffs' Association, said in a statement that the list "was created without any input, criteria of compliance, or a mechanism for how to object to the designation. Sheriffs nationwide have no way to know what they must do or not do to avoid this arbitrary label." "This decision by DHS could create a vacuum of trust that may take years to overcome," Donahue said, adding the list should be taken down "immediately." While the list was taken down Sunday, an archived version shows that Washington, along with 35 counties and five cities within the state, were among the more than 500 jurisdictions it mentioned. Both California and Oregon also appeared on the list. On Monday, Brown called the list "laughable" and said it "really adds to the fact that this is arbitrary and capricious action by the Trump administration." "We as attorneys general have to take those threats seriously and reaffirm state sovereignty," Brown said. "Each of our states has adopted different policies over how local and state officials can cooperate with federal immigration enforcement officials. We do that to keep the public safe and make sure that people who are the victims of crime can cooperate fairly and freely with law enforcement without fear of immigration enforcement actions against them."
Associated Press
28-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Hospitals in the Line of Fire: Black Book Releases Urgent Federal Policy Risk Report for 2025-2026
14 Underreported Federal Changes That Could Significantly Impact Your Health System: New Data Highlights Key Vulnerabilities and Financial Risks from Trump, RFK Jr., Oz, and the DOGE Agenda NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 28, 2025 / With the stability of U.S. hospital operations increasingly threatened by a wave of underreported federal healthcare policy proposals, Black Book Market Research today released its pivotal report: 'Hospitals in the Line of Fire: Unseen Federal Changes in 2025-2026 That Could Break Your Health System.' The comprehensive 34-page analysis, now available free in the Free Reports section at delivers strategic intelligence on 14 urgent threats emerging under the Trump administration, RFK Jr., Dr. Oz, and the DOGE digital governance agenda. 'This fast-developing policy storm is leaving most hospital executives dangerously unprepared,' said Doug Brown, President of Black Book Research. 'We're providing this report for free because the financial survival and operational continuity of hospitals, especially rural, teaching, and community facilities, is at critical risk.' Urgent Federal Policy Threats and Current Status Medicare/Medicaid Payment Disruptions (Trump 2.0): Projected revenue shortfalls up to 8%, with payment cycles potentially delayed by 45-90 days due to stricter Medicaid requirements in Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill.' Federal Grant Consolidation (RFK Jr.): Consolidation of NIH, CDC, HRSA, and FDA into the 'Administration for a Healthy America' (AHA), potentially eliminating 20,000 federal jobs and disrupting grant processes. FDA Device Approval Slowdowns (RFK Jr.): Clearance times could double from 12 to 24 months following FDA layoffs, severely impacting hospital procurement schedules. ACA Rollbacks (Trump 2.0): Potential loss of enhanced subsidies for 12 million patients; community hospitals face 10-14% reductions in outpatient revenue. Medicaid Block Grants (RFK Jr.): Proposed state-level caps on funding may slash rural hospital budgets by 20-30%, threatening service viability. Blockchain Reimbursement Models (DOGE): DOGE's digital governance initiatives may replace traditional CPT codes with blockchain smart contracts, risking fines up to $500K per compliance violation. Telehealth & Mental Health Grant Cuts (Dr. Oz): Critical funding relied on by 62% of community hospitals faces uncertainty; 58% have no contingency plans. Workforce Training Fund Reductions (RFK Jr.): Proposed 20% cuts in Graduate Medical Education funding threaten residency programs; 54% of teaching hospitals are unprepared. Tariffs on Imported Medical Equipment (Trump 2.0): Medical device prices could surge by 7-12% due to tariffs, yet 78% of hospitals have not adapted supply strategies. Alternative Medicine Reimbursement Reforms (Dr. Oz): Reimbursement policies restricting coverage to traditional clinical evidence could limit Medicaid optional services. Rescission of Biden-Era Executive Orders (Trump 2.0): Executive Order 14151 eliminates federal DEI program support, potentially rolling back anti-discrimination enforcement. Capped Medicaid Per-Enrollee Payments (Congressional GOP): Proposed Medicaid reforms in Trump's legislation may reduce total Medicaid funding by $42 billion over five years. Labor Shortages Tied to Immigration Shifts (Trump Cabinet): Immigration policies worsening healthcare staffing shortages by 12-15% in states reliant on immigrant workers. Changes to Refugee/Asylum-Based Care Funding (RFK Jr.): Up to 18% of budgets for urban safety-net hospitals at risk due to broader HHS restructuring. The 2025-2026 period represents an unprecedented threat to hospital financial stability and patient care capacity. From Medicare Advantage cuts and blockchain compliance to workforce disruptions and medical equipment tariffs, Black Book's actionable report provides essential tools for rapid response: Free Download, No Barriers: Healthcare executives, strategic planners, and board members can immediately access the full, unbiased, vendor-agnostic report without subscriptions or registrations in the Free Reports section at About Black Book Market Research: Black Book Market Research LLC has surveyed over 3 million healthcare executives, professionals, clinicians, and technology users globally since 2011. Our independent, unbiased research on IT, outsourcing, policy impacts, and transformation strategies is free from vendor influence, ensuring integrity for decision-makers navigating complex challenges. Media Contact: [email protected] (800) 863-7590 Contact Information: Press Office [email protected] 8008637590 SOURCE: Black Book Research press release
CBC
20-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
How a one-off outlier is driving down Canada's inflation rate
A federal policy decision is impacting Canada's inflation rate. The CBC's Acton Clarkin breaks down what's going on.
Forbes
06-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
'Hard Decisions' Loom As Michigan State University Plans Budget Cuts
cuts as it attempts to cope with the impact of federal policy changes and funding reductions. Less getty In the face of numerous federal policy changes and large-scale cutbacks to research spending, Michigan State University is the latest major research university that's preparing to rein in its budget. In a message titled 'University Financial Health,' which was sent to the campus community on Monday, Michigan State President Kevin M. Guskiewicz warned that 'federal changes are compounding our existing financial challenges, including our ongoing efforts to balance the university's budget.' He also pointed to increased health care costs as a contributing factor to the financial difficulties. After stating that he had 'looked closely at our budget model and the state's appropriations formula and have examined stress points, available reserves and forecasted operating budget trends,' Guskiewicz wrote that 'after careful deliberation, we have reached the difficult conclusion that we must adjust our financial path.' He indicated that in the coming days MSU Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Lisa Frace and her team would share the steps the university would need to take to help get it 'back on a healthy financial track.' Guskiewicz admitted that the process 'will be demanding and difficult for some in our community, and we will need to make hard decisions that will impact people we care about.' Although no specific cuts were announced and Guskiewicz did not put a total dollar figure on the budgetary adjustments that are anticipated, he placed them on a three-prong timeline, where short-, medium- and long-term efficiencies and savings would be sought. For the first horizon, university leaders are reviewing college and unit budgets, vacant positions, nonpersonnel expenses and enrollment trends/projections. For the second horizon, it's evaluating options for the size of its annual budget this June. And for the third horizon, it will consider larger, longer-term savings that might be necessary. Michigan State University ranked 41st among all U.S. universities and colleges for total research and development expenditures in Fiscal Year 2023, according to the National Science Foundation's latest Higher Education Research and Development Survey. In FY 2023, its total extramural research funding topped $844 million. According to its website, MSU has a total student headcount in excess of 52,000, making it one of the largest institutions in the nation. It reported $932 million in 2024 research expenditures. Its total operating budget for FY 2025 was $3.653 billion. The university formally launched a $4 billion 'Uncommon Will, Far Better World' fundraising campaign on March 9. It's already raised more than $1 billion toward that goal, the largest in school history. With Monday's announcement, Michigan State joins a lengthening list of peer institutions in the Big Ten Conference that have implemented hiring freezes, spending pullbacks, limits on graduate student admissions, and other budget restrictions to try to cope with the financial challenges stemming from the cutbacks and new higher education policy demands coming from the Trump administration. In March, the University of Southern California and the University of Wisconsin-Madison both revealed plans to trim their spending, and they called upon department heads to begin planning for budget reductions going forward. The University of Washington, Northwestern University and the University of Nebraska have also taken significant steps in the past two months to control spending. In addition to the budget woes caused by the Trump administration's spending cuts, the financial headwinds have been compounded at other Big Ten institutions such as Indiana University and the University of Maryland by reductions in state appropriations for the upcoming year. Alarm bells are now sounding across Big Ten campuses, as calls intensify for administrators to support a movement to create a 'mutual defense compact' against what faculty believe are broad and escalating attacks by the Trump administration on higher education. Official faculty groups at ten Big Ten universities — more than half of the 18 institutions now in that alliance — have signed on to resolutions that call for their universities to pool their legal and financial resources in order to help defend member schools that might be targeted by the federal government. That group now includes Indiana University, Ohio State University, the University of Nebraska, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, the University of Maryland, the University of Washington, the University of Illinois and Rutgers University, where the idea for the compact was first introduced. As of yet, no Big Ten institution has officially committed to the proposed compact perhaps because administrators fear that such a stance could provoke retaliation by the administration or sanctions by conservative state legislators. Nonetheless, the financial repercussions from the mounting federal pressures have become too substantial to ignore or wish away, forcing a growing number of the nation's largest universities to adopt new austerity measures.
