NBCDI: Federal Updates & Opportunities for Action
To keep our Village Network informed about the implications of federal policies, executive actions, and other proposed agency changes as well as opportunities for action that could impact our collective work, NBCDI creates a monthly Federal Update.
In addition, NBCDI remains available to assist should you have questions regarding information in this federal update and/or questions about policy shifts occurring in your state and local area. To contact us, please submit the Policy and Research Team Training & Technical Assistance Request Form on the Village Portal.
The “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Act H.R. 1
As initially promised by Republicans, on July 4, President Trump signed his Administration’s first significant domestic policy bill, H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The budget reconciliation bill previously passed the House on July 3 in a final vote of 218-214, with two Republicans voting against the measure. The Senate then voted 51-50 to approve the bill, where three Senate Republicans voted against the partisan measure – Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) – and Vice President J.D. Vance casted the tie-breaking vote. The far from beautiful bill represents significant changes to a wide range of domestic policies, education systems, and institutions that will impact Black
children and families.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act masquerades as a sweeping reconciliation effort—promising order, efficiency, and reform. But we must ask, for whom?
For Black families, this bill demands a cost too heavy to carry. Beneath the emboldened headlines and bipartisan consent lies deep cuts to Medicaid, abandoned investments in care and community, and silent—but violent—slashes to the very systems our communities depend on to thrive and raise our children in love, joy, and abundance. This isn’t reform. It’s a reclamation — a turning back of the clock to a time of deep systemic inequity and sanctioned abuse. A return to a dangerous past that many of us remember too well. Undeniably, this bill doesn’t just “trim fat”, instead it really cuts into the muscle of programs Black families rely on to live, work, and raise families. It is a deeply regressive move masked as fiscal responsibility, and it will disproportionately harm Black children, mothers, caregivers, families and communities already navigating systemic inequities.
Behind the Language: What the Bill Actually Means
| Implications of the Bill | Impact on Black Families |
|---|---|
| Stricter Eligibility Requirements = Medicaid Coverage Loss | |
|
Administrative burden increases racial disparities, as Black Medicaid recipients already face higher procedural denials and disenrollment. |
| Black Maternal & Child Health Under Threat | |
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| Early Education Childcare | |
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The bill regresses key child care and early learning investments made in earlier COVID-era legislation. |
|
| Affordable Housing: A Missed Opportunity | |
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Eliminates several housing affordability provisions. No significant expansion of housing vouchers or public housing repair. |
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| Community Disempowerment | |
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Medicaid & SNAP
The reconciliation bill includes nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts over the next decade—primarily by restructuring the program into block grants (where a limited amount of money is set aside for services, regardless of the number of people who are eligible or need services) and imposing stricter work requirements within the next decade that will cause extreme harms to children and families (state by state factsheets on impacts). The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates the work requirements could cause 100,000 to 400,000 people to lose coverage. With this, it is vital to know that Black American families make up 22% of Medicaid enrollees. By 2034, the bill could lead to 11.8 million more uninsured people. Moreover, rural hospitals may lose up to $84 billion in revenue over ten years. It is expected that rural states with large Black populations—like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia—are expected to see the greatest losses in coverage.
Eligibility checks would be required every six months instead of annually, increasing the likelihood that families could lose coverage due to administrative hurdles. Additionally, states would face reduced flexibility in managing their Medicaid programs, particularly in areas such as provider payments. The bill also includes penalties for states that choose to use their own funds to provide coverage for undocumented immigrants.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) faces $300 billion in cuts over three years—the deepest reduction ever proposed. With this bill, states will have a share in the administrative costs of SNAP, causing these cuts to have a domino effect: hurting families, straining state systems, and severely limiting flexibility.
Recent Executive Orders, Actions, & Federal Rulings
Since our previous June federal update, President Trump’s number of executive orders (EO) continues to grow; currently sitting at 170 from 157 since we last reported. While aimed at dismantling previously held regulations and orders, executive orders cannot create new laws, appropriate funding, or override existing legislation. In addition, they are subject to
July 2025 judicial review and interpretation, and they cannot enact powers that go outside the existing constitutional authority of the executive branch.
Below is a review of a few federal rulings, actions, and executive orders that aim to significantly change education and equity initiatives across the country.
Supreme Court Permits Mass Layoffs at the Department of Education Aiding in Trump’s Initiative to Close the Agency
On July 14th, the Supreme Court officially paved the way for the Department of Education to dismiss nearly 40 percent of its employees, following President Donald Trump’s directive In February to begin shutting down the agency.
In a 6-3 decision, the justices overturned an injunction issued in May by a federal judge in Boston, who had blocked the layoffs. The judge had ruled that the proposed staffing cuts were so severe they would undermine the department’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities as mandated by Congress. He also noted that the mass terminations seemed aligned with Trump’s broader effort to dismantle the department without congressional approval.
Supreme Court Provides Parents a Right to Opt Out of Public School Lessons for Religious Reasons
On June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in Mahmoud v. Taylor that parents have a First Amendment right to receive advance notice and opt their children out of public school lessons that conflict with their religious beliefs. The case involved parents in Montgomery County, MD, objecting to LGBTQ+-themed storybooks.
Writing for the majority, Justice Alito emphasized that the ruling does not give parents control over school curricula, nor does it endorse or reject the educational content in question. In dissent, Justice Sotomayor warned the ruling could create heavy administrative burdens for schools and may lead to self-censorship of curriculum to avoid religious objections.
Trump Administration Withholding Federal Education Funds
On June 30, 2025, media sources reported that the U.S. Department of Education (USED) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) are withholding nearly $6.9 billion in federal education funds scheduled for July 1 disbursement. These funds, from FY 2025 appropriations, were intended for the 2025–2026 school year and are as follows:
- $2.19B for Title II-A (teacher support)
July 2025 - $1.38B for Title IV-A (student support and academic achievement)
- $1.33B for Title IV-B (after-school programs)
- $890M for Title III-A (English learners)
- $715M for adult education
- $376M for Title I-C (migrant education)
These are formula-funded programs, not competitive grants, which means states and districts rely on them in their annual budgets. Now, public schools must adjust by cutting valuable programs, staff, or finding alternative funding. Of course, legal challenges are expected, and it’s very unclear if even more funds will be withheld.
USED Issues Guidance on Utilizing Title I School Improvement Funds to Expand School Choice
On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) issued new guidance on using ESEA Sec. 1003(a) school improvement funds to support school choice initiatives. The Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) encourages states that award these funds competitively (rather than by formula) to prioritize proposals from districts offering school choice options to students in schools identified for improvement—such as comprehensive support and improvement (CSI), targeted support and improvement due to consistently underperforming subgroups (TSI), and additional targeted support and improvement ATSI schools. This is the third DCL tied to an executive order on expanding school choice, following earlier letters from March 31 and May 21, 2025. The guidance does not change existing law but does highlight the Administration’s ongoing push to promote school choice through existing funding systems.
Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media
This executive order aims to eliminate federal funding for both the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio.
*Update: A lawsuit has been filed against the Trump Administration over federal funding cuts to National Public Radio.
Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy
No updates on this executive order since June 2025 Federal Memo
Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies
No updates on this executive order since June 2025 Federal Memo
Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling
No updates on this executive order since June 2025 Federal Memo
Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families
No updates on this executive order since June 2025 Federal Memo
Opportunities for Action & Other Sources of Information
Organizations and individuals across the country are informing, acting, and organizing to fight against funding cuts and additional changes to existing programs. Below are some examples of actions that Villages and individuals can take and sources of information that will be periodically updated.
NBCDI Takes a Stand Against President Trump’s Deregulatory Initiatives
- NBCDI would like to thank each and every BCDI village that submitted Public Comments against the current administration’s harmful deregulation efforts. Please take a moment to complete this survey so that we can track which villages helped in this effort
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF)
- Get Informed: read the Project 2025 fact sheet, explore the Black Civic Engagement Hub, and check back regularly for updates.
- Review and Share the CBCF Executive Order Tracker
- Help ensure you and your network understand what is at stake for Black children and families here.
