LEGISLATIVE CALLS TO ACTION -- July 22, 2025

This week we highlight bills we need to keep an eye on and get loud about.

The SAVE ACT  

Some constituents have asked about the SAVE Act. (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act). This bill would require all voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship, like a passport or birth certificate, when registering to vote or updating their voter registration - which voting rights activists say could potentially disenfranchise missions of American voter due to many women not having a passport or a birth certificate with their married name. The bill is now up for review in the Senate, which has not yet scheduled a vote. This bill was received in the Senate on 4/10/2025.

K-12 Funding 

( From 5Calls)

The Trump administration’s Education Department is blocking the distribution of nearly $7 billion in congressionally-approved k-12 program funding. Under a normally functioning government, the Education Department grants state educational agencies access to federal funding by July 1, allowing states to fund critical summer programs and plan for the coming school year. This year, however, the Department has withheld funds without justification, leaving programs facing critical funding shortfalls and creating chaos for schools and families. Meanwhile, Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought is threatening to use a maneuver called pocket rescission to claw back these congressionally-approved funds permanently. Services affected by the funding impoundment include:

• After-school and summer programming, particularly for children in underserved and low-performing schools

• A program to help children of migrant farmworkers succeed academically and graduate from high school

• A professional development program for educators

• Language acquisition programming for non-English speaking children

• A program to improve school conditions and access to classroom technology

The withheld grant dollars constitute 10% or more of all states’ and territories’ total federal K-12 funding. America’s children, families, and educators deserve better. Urge Congress and state attorneys general to demand the immediate release of these impounded and essential funds.

Camp Atterbury to hold ICE detainees

(From The Indiana Chronicle)

Indiana’s Camp Atterbury will be used to detain immigrant detainees under a new federal plan revealed this week by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth outlined the move in a July 15 letter to Congressional members, naming Camp Atterbury and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey as two sites available “for temporary use by the Department of Homeland Security to house illegal aliens.” 

Here is how your Congressmen responded to the letter:

Republican U.S. Rep. Jefferson Shreve, whose congressional district includes Camp Atterbury, said in statement that he “support(s) the use of Camp Atterbury as part of our national effort to detain and remove criminal aliens who entered our country illegally.”

“Hoosiers voted for secure borders and safer neighborhoods last November,” Shreve said. “The influx of illegal aliens under the Biden Administration’s lax border policy left many of our communities less safe.”

Staff in Republican U.S. Sen. Todd Young’s office told the Capital Chronicle they received the letter Friday and “have asked the Trump Administration for more information about its plans for possible detention operations at Camp Atterbury.”

Democratic U.S. Rep. André Carson earlier demanded answers from federal officials about the potential use of the base for detentions. He said the use of Camp Atterbury for immigration purposes raises “serious questions” and flagged concerns about legal rights, humane treatment and national security. 

DHS had not responded publicly to the letter as of Friday, according to Carson’s office.

“I remain concerned on this use of Camp Atterbury given the deplorable and inhumane conditions at other ICE detention facilities nationwide,” the congressman said in a Friday statement. He emphasized that both the number of detainees and deaths in ICE custody have risen since former President Donald Trump returned to office.

Carson added that expanding detention space in Indiana is “disturbing,” and said Camp Atterbury should not be used to facilitate what he called “unlawful actions.” “ICE is ripping families apart for offenses as minor as traffic tickets, and others are detained without having committed any crime at all,” he said. “Without due process, anyone and everyone is at risk, including U.S. citizens.”

For the full article: Defense letter confirms Indiana's Camp Atterbury to be used for immigrant detention • Indiana Capital Chronicle

Nomination of Emil Bove to the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals

“Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Thursday to advance the nomination of Emil Bove, President Trump’s former personal attorney, to a federal judgeship. The decision came over the loud protests of Democrats who walked out of the committee proceedings. Bove’s nomination has been contentious. Earlier this week, more than 75 former federal and state judges called on the panel to reject Bove, saying his “egregious record of mistreating law enforcement officers, abusing power, and disregarding the law itself disqualifies him for this position.” In June, a whistleblower letter from a terminated DOJ employee alleged that Bove and other top officials intended to ignore court orders and mislead federal judges… If he is ultimately confirmed by the Senate, Bove, a senior Justice Department official, will hold a lifetime appointment to the bench for the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals…

A BREAK!

This is the House’s last scheduled week in session before the August recess. Members are set to leave Thursday until Sept. 2. The Senate is scheduled to begin its August recess on July 31. 

Appropriations on tap. Senate Majority Leader Thune’s more immediate moves include a key FY2026 funding vote this week and possible consideration of the annual defense policy bill next week.

Thune has teed up a vote on the MilCon-VA funding bill, which was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee via a 26-3 vote. It’s possible that the bill could be packaged with other funding measures that have come out of the Appropriations panel on similar bipartisan margins.

This will be a key test vote for the prospects of a government shutdown. Senate Democrats have said they want a bipartisan process but that Republicans’ support for Trump’s $9 billion rescissions package blew up any chance of a deal.

It’s unclear how Senate Democrats will handle this week’s vote, but they aren’t likely to say so until GOP leaders decide whether to package it with other funding bills.

Passing the bills would achieve what Senate Democrats say they want — a bipartisan appropriations process. Many Democrats have noted that the Senate bills call for more spending than the House GOP-drafted bills.

But top Democrats are casting doubt on the notion of helping Republicans pass any of them, citing rescissions and the White House’s hostility toward Congress’ power of the purse. To read more: Congress inches toward August recess (Punchbowl News)