Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
New Sierra Club Report Exposes Kentucky Lawmakers Putting Utility Profits Ahead of People
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 [Category: Environment] -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release:
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New Sierra Club Report Exposes Kentucky Lawmakers Putting Utility Profits Ahead of People
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FRANKFORT, KY A new report released today by the Sierra Club, titled Profits Over People: How Kentucky's Legislature Has Undermined Energy Affordability, reveals how Kentucky lawmakers have systematically advanced the interests of utilities, fossil fuel companies, and cryptocurrency minerswhile blocking efforts to make energy more affordable for Kentucky families.
The report examines nearly a decade
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 [Category: Environment] -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release:
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New Sierra Club Report Exposes Kentucky Lawmakers Putting Utility Profits Ahead of People
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FRANKFORT, KY A new report released today by the Sierra Club, titled Profits Over People: How Kentucky's Legislature Has Undermined Energy Affordability, reveals how Kentucky lawmakers have systematically advanced the interests of utilities, fossil fuel companies, and cryptocurrency minerswhile blocking efforts to make energy more affordable for Kentucky families.
The report examines nearly a decadeof legislative activity and finds a consistent pattern: legislation that benefits industry moves quickly through the General Assembly, while those that would lower costs for households or expand access to clean energy rarely receive a hearing.
"For too long, Kentucky's energy policy has been written by and for the utilities," said Julia Finch, Director of the Sierra Club Kentucky Chapter. "Lawmakers talk about affordability, but the record shows they've repeatedly sided with corporate profits over the needs of working families."
Among the report's findings:
Coal and fossil fuel mandates such as 2023's SB 4 and 2024's SB 349 have imposed stricter regulatory requirements that make it harder to retire uneconomic coal plants. These bills prioritize preserving coal infrastructure over more cost-effective energy alternatives, increasing costs that ultimately fall on consumers.
Crypto and data center incentives, including 2021's HB 230 and HB 775, have created tax exemptions and regulatory protections that encourage energy-intensive industries. These operations strain the grid, drive up electricity costs, and shift financial and environmental burdens onto residents and communities.
From 2019 to 2025, at least 25 bills were introduced to advance energy affordability, transparency, and access to clean energy in Kentucky. Most were never heard in committee, and not a single one passed.
The report also identifies a core group of legislators who have repeatedly sponsored or championed bills that raise costs for Kentuckians while protecting utility interests.
Sierra Club Kentucky's report urges lawmakers to reverse course by reinstating fair net metering, requiring utilities to disclose disconnection data, and holding energy-intensive industries accountable for their impact on rates and reliability.
"This is about more than politics," said Sarah Reeves, Grassroots Coordinator of the Sierra Club Kentucky Chapter. "Kentucky's energy future should serve the people who keep the lights onnot the corporations profiting from outdated policies."
The full report, Profits Over People: How Kentucky's Legislature Has Undermined Energy Affordability, is available at http://sierraclub.org/kentucky/profits-over-people-report.
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Original text here: https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2025/10/new-sierra-club-report-exposes-kentucky-lawmakers-putting-utility-profits
Food Research & Action Center: Repealing Historic SNAP Cuts, Investing in Community Eligibility Provision Are Critical to Children's Health and Learning
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 (TNSrep) -- The Food Research and Action Center issued the following news release on Oct. 31, 2025:
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Repealing Historic SNAP Cuts, Investing in Community Eligibility Provision Are Critical to Children's Health and Learning
More than 27 million children nationwide can access school meals at no charge through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), according to the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), who today released state-by-state fact sheets showing the reach of CEP in every congressional district. The organizations
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 (TNSrep) -- The Food Research and Action Center issued the following news release on Oct. 31, 2025:
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Repealing Historic SNAP Cuts, Investing in Community Eligibility Provision Are Critical to Children's Health and Learning
More than 27 million children nationwide can access school meals at no charge through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), according to the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), who today released state-by-state fact sheets showing the reach of CEP in every congressional district. The organizationswarn that the recent devastating cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the budget reconciliation law (H.R.1) could greatly undermine gains in school meal participation, which would increase food insecurity, school meal debt, and stigma, and bring back the burden of school meal applications.
CEP provides all students access to the nutritious school breakfasts and lunches they need to be well-nourished and ready to learn, while reducing the stigma often present in school cafeterias when schools have to track students' eligibility for free, reduced-price, or paid meals.
"We should be celebrating the many wins of CEP for children, families, and schools," said Crystal FitzSimons, president of FRAC. "But instead, we are deeply concerned that the devastating SNAP cuts now threaten the health, education, and overall well-being of our nation's children."
The cuts will exacerbate food insecurity and have ripple effects for the school meals programs, including threatening schools' ability to implement CEP. As children lose access to SNAP, they lose their direct certification for free school meals and federal reimbursement for meals served in CEP schools decreases, jeopardizing the program's financial viability. If CEP is no longer financially viable for schools, they will need to return to a system of collecting school meal applications and charging students different prices for the same meals.
"CEP is a proven tool to make sure children in high-poverty schools have access to nutritious meals, helping to reduce hunger," said Ty Jones Cox, vice president for Food Assistance Policy at CBPP. "Unfortunately, the Republican megabill moves in the opposite direction and will take food assistance away from millions of people already struggling to afford the high cost of food."
FRAC and CBPP urge Congress to mitigate the harmful SNAP cuts and protect and expand the reach of CEP to ensure every child in every corner of the country can access the nutrition they need to learn and thrive.
To understand the role that CEP plays in each state and see which school districts in each congressional district use CEP to offer meals to all students at no cost to families, view the fact sheets (https://frac.org/research/resource-library/cep-fact-sheets-congressional-district-2025).
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About Food Research & Action Center
The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.
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About the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is a nonpartisan research and policy institute that advances federal and state policies to help build a nation where everyone -- regardless of income, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ZIP code, immigration status, or disability status -- has the resources they need to thrive and share in the nation's prosperity.
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Original text here: https://frac.org/news/cepfactsheetsoct2025
[Category: Food/Beverage]
Food Research & Action Center Calls on President Trump to Follow Through on His Commitment to Provide November SNAP Benefits
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- The Food Research and Action Center issued the following news release on Oct. 30, 2025:
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Food Research & Action Center Calls on President Trump to Follow Through on His Commitment to Provide November SNAP Benefits
Statement attributable to Crystal FitzSimons, president, Food Research & Action Center
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We welcome President Trump's commitment to provide November SNAP benefits, as reported in Newsweek yesterday, and urge the administration to quickly utilize the mechanism available to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide the benefits in order to limit
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- The Food Research and Action Center issued the following news release on Oct. 30, 2025:
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Food Research & Action Center Calls on President Trump to Follow Through on His Commitment to Provide November SNAP Benefits
Statement attributable to Crystal FitzSimons, president, Food Research & Action Center
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We welcome President Trump's commitment to provide November SNAP benefits, as reported in Newsweek yesterday, and urge the administration to quickly utilize the mechanism available to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide the benefits in order to limitthe hunger and economic crisis that delaying benefits will cause.
USDA has a well-established mechanism, including contingency reserves and carryover funds, that the previous Trump administration, and other administrations, have used to maintain SNAP operations during budget delays.
Despite knowing that a shutdown was likely, the administration has so far chosen not to utilize these tools. During the shutdown, it also has made deliberate decisions to fund other priorities and allocate available resources elsewhere, but not to SNAP. FRAC, along with state agencies and anti-hunger advocates, has been raising the alarm about this issue since September 30. This is not an administrative oversight; it has been a direct policy choice that is delaying November benefits and placing additional strain on families, states, and retailers.
This lapse aligns with broader policy choices to scale back the program, as reflected in recent legislative changes that significantly reduced SNAP funding under the budget reconciliation law enacted last summer.
The issue at hand is not political. It is about ensuring that parents can put food on the table, older adults on fixed incomes can meet their nutritional needs, and children continue to receive the meals they rely on. SNAP is one of the most effective tools for reducing hunger and supporting local economies.
Trump's recent statement should trigger the administration to use its authority and precedent to prevent disruptions in food assistance. Swift and transparent action is needed to restore stability, maintain public confidence, and ensure that our state partners, local economies and grocers, and the millions of children, older adults, people with disabilities, and veterans who participate in SNAP are not left bearing the consequences of federal inaction.
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The Food Research & Action Center improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.
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Original text here: https://frac.org/news/novembersnapbenefitsoct2025
[Category: Food/Beverage]
Environmental Law and Policy Center: Illinois Passes Clean Energy Law to Lower Costs and Strengthen Grid
CHICAGO, Illinois, Nov. 1 -- The Environmental Law and Policy Center issued the following news release on Oct. 30, 2025:
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Illinois Passes Clean Energy Law to Lower Costs and Strengthen Grid
SPRINGFIELD, IL - Today, Illinois leaders took action to protect consumers and strengthen the state's power grid with the passage of the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act (SB25).
STATEMENT BY HOWARD LEARNER, CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & POLICY CENTER
"Illinois passed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act at a crucial moment, as energy costs and electricity demand
... Show Full Article
CHICAGO, Illinois, Nov. 1 -- The Environmental Law and Policy Center issued the following news release on Oct. 30, 2025:
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Illinois Passes Clean Energy Law to Lower Costs and Strengthen Grid
SPRINGFIELD, IL - Today, Illinois leaders took action to protect consumers and strengthen the state's power grid with the passage of the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act (SB25).
STATEMENT BY HOWARD LEARNER, CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & POLICY CENTER
"Illinois passed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act at a crucial moment, as energy costs and electricity demandincrease rapidly across the country. The CRGA Act delivers a timely response to this challenge, taking major steps toward expanding battery storage, speeding up clean energy connections, and making smart demand-side investments like virtual power plants to reduce peak energy use and system-wide costs.
"We congratulate the legislature and our partners in the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition for passing this important legislation and advancing Illinois' clean energy future."
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Original text here: https://elpc.org/news/illinois-passes-clean-energy-law-to-lower-costs-and-strengthen-grid/
[Category: Environment]
Environmental Entrepreneurs Statement: Illinois General Assembly Passes Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, Solidifies State as a Clean EnergyLeader, Bringing Billions in Benefits to Businesses & Residents
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Environmental Entrepreneurs issued the following news release:
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E2 STATEMENT: Illinois General Assembly Passes Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA Act), Solidifies State as a Clean Energy Leader, Bringing Billions in Benefits to Businesses & Residents
SPRINGFIELD - As of last night, both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly passed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, a major milestone for clean energy. The bill now awaits the signature of Governor JB Pritzker, a supporter of the legislation. The energy omnibus is expected to deliver
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Environmental Entrepreneurs issued the following news release:
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E2 STATEMENT: Illinois General Assembly Passes Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA Act), Solidifies State as a Clean Energy Leader, Bringing Billions in Benefits to Businesses & Residents
SPRINGFIELD - As of last night, both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly passed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, a major milestone for clean energy. The bill now awaits the signature of Governor JB Pritzker, a supporter of the legislation. The energy omnibus is expected to deliverbillions of dollars in energy savings to businesses and residents alike in Illinois. Businesses leaders from across the state have shown their support for CRGA Act and the role it will play in solidifying Illinois' clean energy economy.
"In light of federal rollbacks of clean energy tax credits and environmental protections, it is more important than ever that Illinois remains steadfast in its commitment to creating a clean energy economy. Businesses will feel the effects of CRGA thanks to a more reliable grid in all conditions and an environment more conducive to quickly building clean energy," said Micaela Preskill, State Advocacy Director at E2, the nonpartisan business group.
Earlier this month, E2 released its Clean Jobs Midwest report for Illinois which highlights the state as the region's clean energy jobs leader. According to E2's Clean Jobs America report - released in September - Illinois boasts the fifth most clean energy jobs in the country, trailing only California, Texas, Florida, and New York.
The following are statements from two clean energy business leaders in Illinois:
"This is a huge win for Illinois businesses and families alike. By investing in energy efficiency, battery storage, and a stronger grid, lawmakers have given companies like mine the certainty we need to keep hiring and growing in Illinois. This forward-looking policy will lower costs, create jobs, and ensure reliable power for everyone," said Jamie Johnson, Founder of Verde Energy Efficiency. Energy efficiency comprises about two-thirds of Illinois's clean energy jobs.
"Passage of the CRGA Act is a victory for clean energy, affordability, and Illinois workers. This bill gives our industry the stability to invest, expand, and create good jobs across the state. It's exactly the kind of leadership we need to keep Illinois at the forefront of the clean-energy economy," said Michelle Knox, Founder of WindSolarUSA. Renewable energy is the second largest clean energy sector in the state.
To speak with local business leaders in Illinois or to learn more about Clean Energy & Vehicle jobs in the state, please contact Daniel Baker at dbaker@e2.org.
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Original text here: https://e2.org/releases/e2-statement-illinois-general-assembly-passes-clean-and-reliable-grid-affordability-act-crga-act-solidifies-state-as-a-clean-energy-leader-bringing-billions-in-benefits-to-businesses-residents/
[Category: Environment]
Democracy Forward and Protect Borrowers Respond to Unlawful Rule to Politicize Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program: We'll See You in Court
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) issued the following news release on Oct. 30, 2025:
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Democracy Forward and Protect Borrowers Respond to Unlawful Rule to Politicize Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program: We'll See You in Court
The U.S. Department of Education today previewed a new rule that will unlawfully politicize the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and harm employees of organizations that do not align with Trump-Vance Administration priorities. The new rule, which will be published tomorrow in the Federal Register,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) issued the following news release on Oct. 30, 2025:
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Democracy Forward and Protect Borrowers Respond to Unlawful Rule to Politicize Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program: We'll See You in Court
The U.S. Department of Education today previewed a new rule that will unlawfully politicize the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and harm employees of organizations that do not align with Trump-Vance Administration priorities. The new rule, which will be published tomorrow in the Federal Register,would allow the Secretary of Education to disqualify government and nonprofit employers that disagree with the Administration's right-wing agenda from participating in the PSLF program. The rule would allow Secretary McMahon to target sanctuary jurisdictions, as well as nonprofit organizations providing support to immigrant families, gender-affirming care, diversity and equity in the workplace, and protecting the first amendment rights of protesters.
In 2007, a bipartisan Congress created the PSLF program to encourage public service and ensure that working in a public service job did not result in a lifetime of unaffordable student loan debt. The concept was simple: work for the federal, state, local, or Tribal government, or 501(c)(3) nonprofit employer for 10 years and make payments on your qualifying student loans, and the federal government will forgive the remaining debt. Congress tasked the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary of Education with administering this program. To date, more than one million workers have had their federal student loans forgiven through the PSLF program.
The new rule (https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2025-19729/william-d-ford-federal-direct-loan-program) was met with an immediate commitment to challenge the policy in federal court by Democracy Forward and Protect Borrowers, which released the following joint statement on the new rule:
"This is a direct and unlawful attack on nurses, teachers, first responders, and public service workers across the country. Congress created the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program because it is important for our democracy that we support the people who do the hard work to serve our communities. This new rule is a craven attempt to usurp the legislature's authority in an unconstitutional power grab aimed at punishing people with political views different than the Administration's. In our democracy, the president does not have the authority to overrule Congress.
"That's why we will soon see the Trump-Vance Administration in court."
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About Protect Borrowers
Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) is a nonprofit organization led by a team of experts, lawyers, and advocates fighting to build an economy where debt doesn't limit opportunity. We investigate financial abuses, take predatory companies to court, and push for policies to protect working people from debt traps. We aim to deliver immediate relief to families while building power, driving systemic change, and fighting for racial and economic justice.
Learn more at protectborrowers.org or follow us on social @BorrowerJustice.
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About Democracy Forward
Democracy Forward Foundation (Democracy Forward) is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement.
Learn more at democracyforward.org
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Original text here: https://protectborrowers.org/democracy-forward-protect-borrowers-respond-to-unlawful-rule-to-politicize-pslf-well-see-you-in-court/
[Category: Financial Services]
Campaign for Southern Equality: As Trump Administration Escalates Anti-Trans Attacks, Families of Transgender Youth Can Still Legally Access Care
ASHEVILLE, North Carolina, Nov. 1 -- The Campaign for Southern Equality issued the following news on Oct. 30, 2025:
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As Trump Administration Escalates Anti-Trans Attacks, Families of Transgender Youth Can Still Legally Access Care
It has been reported that the Trump Administration will soon finalize two federal rules, one prohibiting federal Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) reimbursement for gender-affirming care provided to transgender youth, another barring hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to youth from receiving Medicaid or Medicare funds. Despite these
... Show Full Article
ASHEVILLE, North Carolina, Nov. 1 -- The Campaign for Southern Equality issued the following news on Oct. 30, 2025:
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As Trump Administration Escalates Anti-Trans Attacks, Families of Transgender Youth Can Still Legally Access Care
It has been reported that the Trump Administration will soon finalize two federal rules, one prohibiting federal Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) reimbursement for gender-affirming care provided to transgender youth, another barring hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to youth from receiving Medicaid or Medicare funds. Despite theseattacks, the fact remains that providing gender-affirming care to youth remains legal in many states across the country. The Trans Youth Emergency Project will continue helping families of transgender youth across the country access safe, legal and medically necessary gender-affirming care.
By Emma Chinn
Today, the Trump Administration further escalated its attacks on gender-affirming care, with multiple national outlets reporting that the Department of Health and Human Services will soon propose two new rules, one blocking Medicaid and CHIP coverage of gender-affirming healthcare for youth, the other barring hospitals that receive Medicaid and Medicare funding from providing gender-affirming care to youth.
Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Executive Director of the Campaign for Southern Equality, which runs the Trans Youth Emergency Project, said today:
"Yet again, the Trump administration is advancing its cruel, discriminatory anti-trans agenda. Yet again, they are targeting trans kids. But let's be clear: As egregious as these proposed rules are, they do not constitute a national ban on gender-affirming care for trangender youth. The work ahead is clear - ensuring that every trans youth, regardless of where they live, can access the gender-affirming care they need to thrive. We will never stop having the backs of trans youth and their families. We are prepared to support trans youth and their families every step of the way, with logistical and financial support, and a hell of a lot of love."
In about half of the country and at the federal level, gender-affirming care for trans youth - medically-necessary care supported and recommended by nearly every leading medical association - is still legal. There are many providers across the country who would not be impacted by these unprecedented proposed rules. These rules are not finalized or in effect, and if they do go into effect, they will not block community-based providers from providing care, or ban gender-affirming care in states that do not have a ban in effect.
The Trans Youth Emergency Project provides families of trans youth with 1-on-1 custom navigation services to access care, travel grants - renewable every three months for those in states with bans - and more resources to support them through this crisis.
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Original text here: https://southernequality.org/federalrules/
[Category: Sociological]
