- Department of Health and Human Services reclassifies Head Start. This week, HHS reclassified Head Start as a welfare program instead of an educational program. This reverses the legal precedent of Plyler v. Doe that all children in the US have a right to education.
The reclassification allows HHS to restrict children’s access to Head Start programming on the basis of immigration, income, other other statuses, (if the program continues–the administration’s current budget bill also cuts funding).
Head Start provides early education, family support, health and nutritional services, with a focus on children 0-5 and pregnant women. - Appeals Court erodes Voting Rights Act protections for disabled and ELL voters. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals held that neither voters nor private organizations can sue under Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act. This statute is supposed to protect the rights of disabled voters, English language learners, and those with other language barriers who need assistance at the polls.
The ruling says only the Department of Justice can enforce the law, and also upheld an Arkansas law that allows for criminal charges against anyone who helps more than six voters at the polls. - Jobs report and economic indicators paint a grim picture. A dismal July jobs report shows that only 106,000 jobs were added over the past three months, a quarter million fewer than previously reported. These are some of the worst Labor statistics to come out since early pandemic.
Unhappy with the poor numbers, President Trump then fired the Labor Statistics Chief via a post on Truth Social, prompting concerns about whether any government data can be trusted going forward.
A new Executive Order announced another round of tariffs on dozens of countries, prompting stock market drops and companies announcing price hikes, including Proctor and Gamble’s 25% raise on diapers, soap, detergent, toothpaste, and more. - Administration launches new health tracking program using private data. Officials are asking Americans to share their private medical and personal health data to be incorporated into a new government tracking system that officials say will “broaden access to health records” and “monitor wellness.”
More than 60 Big Tech and Healthcare companies, including Google, Apple, Amazon, CVS, United and others have agreed to share data. Medicaid and Medicare data will also be included, on an “opt-in” basis for now.
This is concerning to all data privacy advocates, especially in the hands of an administration that has openly embraced eugenic policy. - Good news? Senate Appropriations Committee pushes back for 2026. This week, the bipartisan Senate Committee on Appropriations released their Fiscal Year 2026 bill, pushing back on Trump’s Budget, including:
Provides $116.6 billion increase in discretionary funding for HHS
$48.7 billion increase for NIH and rejection of the 15% indirect cost cap
$85 million increase for Childcare Development Block Grant and Head Start. Rejects cuts to SAMHSA programs for substance abuse and mental health programs
It remains to be seen if the Senate at large will accept the committee’s proposal.
Action items:
Share this info! Disability is often lost in mainstream coverage.
Hit the streets if you are able. It’s past due.
Protect your neighbors. Warn and record in the presence of ICE. Push your local officials not to collaborate.
Donate to your local food pantry, library, clinics, cash bail funds, or other mutual aid if you can. Or volunteer your time.
Encourage your Senator to support the Appropriations Committee’s proposals to push back on budget cuts.
Make sure you’re up to date on your vaccines. Ditch the wearable tech when possible.
Consider running for local office or getting involved to support a local candidate through organizing or phone banking–especially progressive primary challengers.
Think about ways to spread information offline. Make flyers and stickers. Make art.