LEGISLATIVE CALLS TO ACTION -- August 21, 2025

Education News (from Mad Voters and Chalkbeat Indiana)

The state plans to submit a waiver request to the U.S. Department of Education in the coming months seeking to consolidate the money it receives under the Every Student Succeeds Act, commonly known as Title funding. This money supports specific programs related to professional development, after-school care, English learner education, and tracking of students’ progress. Indiana is requesting to redirect funds away from programs including state assessments, education of migrant children, prevention and intervention programs for at-risk youth, English language Acquisition instruction and academic enrichment programs.

Under the state’s request, the specific federal program requirements associated with each grant would be eliminated, both for the state and local school districts. That essentially means schools would be able to use any funding they receive to support any of the Title programs, rather than following current requirements for specific Title funds to serve specific students and purposes. A common concern about consolidating federal funding in this way has been that it would direct money away from groups of students who need extra support.

A summary of the impact of this waiver is:

• Turn the federal education program funds into “block grants”.

• Redirect $25 million in school improvement funds FROM “low performing” public schools.

• Give districts flexibility in how they are spending this money.

• No longer be required to use federal accountability.

• Potentially move money away from public schools.

  
  

CALL TO ACTION:

• Attend the public hearing on the first draft of this waiver on Friday August 22^nd at 10:00 a.m. at the Indiana Government Center South, Conference Room C or online.

• Public comments can be sent to: https://idoe.jotform.com/251525933524962

Stop the EPA’s Repeal of the Endangerment Finding (From 5 Calls)

On July 29th, Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposal to repeal the 2009 “Endangerment Finding”, the legal and scientific foundation for the government’s ability to combat climate change. After a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that the EPA can only regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act if it’s proven that pollutants threaten human health and welfare, the 2009 science-backed Endangerment Finding concluded that they do, forming the legal basis for emissions regulation.

A repeal of the Endangerment Finding bucks decades of scientific research and would completely strip the EPA of its legal authority, leading to widespread deregulation of fossil fuel use, power plant and vehicle emissions, and other major sources of pollution. To justify claims that the Endangerment Finding should be revoked, the EPA has cited a report commissioned by the Energy Department, from well known climate science deniers, using cherry-picked data and false citations to reach their conclusions that greenhouse gas emissions do not contribute to climate change; they instead assert that vehicle price increases are more harmful to the public.

This proposal must now go through a required public comment period before it can be finalized. In addition to calling your representatives to pressure the EPA to stop this highly consequential repeal, you can leave a public comment here.

Redistricting Scheme in Indiana

Contact Gov Mike Braun at 317-232-4567

Prompted by the Trump administration’s call for more Republicans in the House of Representatives, the Texas legislature is beginning a redistricting process. Texas Republicans are proposing a new Congressional district map. Their proposal redraws districts that are currently majority racial and ethnic minorities in order to gain five new House seats for Congressional Republicans. Every decade since the 1965 Voting Rights Act, courts have found that Texas’ district maps illegally diluted the voting power of minorities, a problem Texas Republicans now seek to worsen. What happens in Texas will affect redistricting plans across the country and affect the balance of Congressional power after the 2026 midterm elections.

States typically redistrict once each decade, after a US Census. Rather than continue to use the 2021 district map, drawn by Republicans after the 2020 census, Texas Republicans are attempting a mid-decade redistricting process. Texas Republicans in the legislature and executive branches have argued in sworn testimony that the current maps are legal, and those same Republicans are now arguing that the same maps are illegal and urgently in need of redrawing. (5Calls)

Indiana is at the forefront in the fight for democracy. Pressure is mounting on Indiana Republicans as the White House invites state lawmakers for a visit, and a poll in the field assesses the political risk of a mid-cycle redistricting.

The moves come after Vice President JD Vance visited the Hoosier State Aug. 7 and met with Gov. Mike Braun and legislative leaders to push for new congressional maps in Indiana. President Donald Trump hopes to pick up GOP seats in a handful of states to keep a slim Republican majority in the U.S. House in 2026.

Hoosier lawmakers redraw districts after each decennial census, as per the Indiana Constitution. They last did so in 2021. Congressional Republicans have a 7-2 advantage.

A move in Indiana would likely focus on the 1st District in northwest Indiana, which is held by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, a Democrat. But it could also include 7th District U.S. Rep. André Carson, whose district includes much of heavily Democratic Indianapolis.

Rank-and-file GOP lawmakers slowly have been coming out against the maneuver.

National political newsletter Punchbowl News reported Friday morning that all Indiana GOP state lawmakers have been invited to the White House Aug. 26. It is not yet known who will attend.

The Indiana Capital Chronicle obtained an email invitation that was sent July 28 for this meeting — before Vance came to Indiana but after the Texas special session started where redistricting is a major issue. The email came from the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

“This will be an opportunity for Indiana’s elected officials to hear directly from senior White House Officials and Cabinet Secretaries to learn how to partner with the Administration to implement President Trump’s Agenda at the state and local level,” the invite said. “Also, there will be a Q&A session after each speaker, along with Intergovernmental Affairs representatives from agencies to answer questions.” (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Earlier this month, VP Vance came to Indiana to ask Gov. Braun to call a special legislative session to redraw our Congressional maps 6 years ahead of schedule. Their plan? Help rig the midterm elections for Trump and MAGA Republicans. 

Governor Mike Braun has confirmed he is considering moving ahead with Trump’s costly and corrupt gerrymandering (stealing of elections) scheme and plans to discuss a special redistricting session with legislators. (Madvoters) To learn more about how to fight this rigging of the midterm elections see this excellent source from Madvoters of Indiana:  2025 stop election rigging toolkit