Lobbyist Connection Newsletter 11/24/25

Welcome back. With Washington just emerging from the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history and the 2026 election cycle already taking shape, this week’s edition focuses on funding fallout, redistricting fights, regulatory whiplash, and where the legal industry is pointing its antennas.

Top Lines

• Shutdown over, CR clock starts. Congress ended the 43-day shutdown with a continuing resolution funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, plus full-year funding for Agriculture, MilCon/VA, and the Legislative Branch. Expect another funding crunch in late January as policy riders re-emerge. (H.R. 5371 text)
• Supreme Court steps into Texas map fight. Justice Alito temporarily reinstated Texas’ GOP-leaning congressional map while the full Court considers an appeal of a lower-court ruling that found likely racial gerrymandering. (Case overview)
• Wetlands protections rolled back again. A new EPA rule would sharply narrow which wetlands and waterways qualify for federal protection under the Clean Water Act, leaning heavily on the Court’s Sackett precedent and drawing fire from environmental groups and blue-state AGs. (Rule summary)
• Student loan & nursing controversy. Implementation of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (H.R. 1) is colliding with a new policy reclassifying nursing and certain allied-health degrees as non-“professional” for loan purposes, prompting intense pushback from nursing associations. (Coverage)
• Early signal on AI preemption. A draft Executive Order reportedly in the works would seek to preempt state AI regulation by threatening litigation and selective federal funding cuts—a major potential shift for tech, HR, and privacy advocates. (Client alert)
• States keep moving. New Mexico has now switched on universal free childcare, California closed its session by locking in an ambitious climate & energy package, and 2025 saw a notable uptick in restrictive state voting laws compared with access-expanding measures. (NM childcare, CA climate recap, Voting laws roundup)

Legislation to Watch

1. Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026 (H.R. 5371) — Ends the shutdown, extends funding for most agencies through Jan. 30, 2026, and fully funds Agriculture, MilCon/VA, and the Legislative Branch. Watch for:
   • Late-January cliffs for non-covered departments (e.g., HHS, DHS, DOJ).
   • Implementation questions around hiring freezes and back pay for furloughed staff.
   Bill details: Congress.gov
2. One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) — Now public law and still being unpacked by agencies. Beyond tax and debt-limit headlines, implementation is reshaping higher-ed finance, including loan caps and program classifications that affect nursing, PA, and PT programs.
   Statute: H.R. 1 text
3. Upcoming fiscal policy deadlines — The new CR simply pushes, rather than solves, fights over domestic discretionary caps, SNAP, and select health extenders. Advocacy teams should have January scenarios drafted now.
   Background: CRFB deadline tracker
4. Financial services & derivatives agenda — The Senate Agriculture Committee has advanced Michael Selig’s nomination to chair the CFTC, with implications for derivatives market oversight and digital assets.
   More: Gibson Dunn weekly update

Regulatory Moves

• EPA’s narrowed waterways rule. New rulemaking would focus federal oversight on permanent water bodies, leaving many wetlands and intermittent streams outside Clean Water Act jurisdiction.
  Summary: Washington Post
• Fed shifts bank supervision posture. Updated guidance tells supervisors to emphasize “material financial risks” over procedural compliance, with more room for bank self-certification and heavier reliance on other regulators.
  Overview: AP coverage
• CFPB: scaled-back but not dismantled. After months of speculation that the consumer bureau might be effectively shuttered, current plans point to a leaner agency with narrower oversight priorities and ongoing labor disputes.
  Context: Reuters
• Executive Orders & climate reversals. The White House continues issuing a high volume of EOs, including actions expanding fossil-fuel production and rolling back prior climate directives.
  Tracker: Federal Register EO list  |  Presidential actions page
• Education Department “bureaucracy-breaking” IAAs. ED announced six new interagency agreements aimed at shifting federal education functions and returning more control to states—a key theme for K-12 and higher-ed advocates.
  Details: ED press release

Legal Industry & Judiciary

• Courts climb out of shutdown mode. The federal judiciary is restoring operations after running on limited funding and “excepted” activities for weeks. Backlogs in civil and criminal dockets will shape litigation strategy well into 2026. (Judiciary statement)
• Defender Services under intense strain. CJA panel attorneys and support staff are still catching up after months without pay, with some districts pausing new appointments and warning of speedy-trial and Sixth Amendment concerns. (AP deep dive)
• SEC guidance for post-shutdown filings. CorpFin issued guidance on how it will process the backlog of more than 900 registration statements filed during the shutdown, and how issuers should think about updating disclosures. (Goodwin summary)
• Law firm demand hits records. Thomson Reuters’ latest Law Firm Financial Index shows record-high demand and increased investment in technology, even as clients seek cost control and alternative fee arrangements. (TRI report)
• SCOTUS workplace docket worth tracking. Employment-law specialists are watching a slate of 2025–26 Supreme Court cases that could reset standards on discrimination, arbitration, and collective actions. (Fisher Phillips overview)

Supreme Court Watch

• Texas redistricting emergency stay. The Court allowed Texas’ latest congressional map to remain in place for now while it reviews a ruling that found the map likely discriminates against Latino voters. (Case coverage)
• Trump tariff case argued. The Court recently heard arguments in a challenge to broad presidential tariff authority—a case with implications for trade, national security justifications, and separation-of-powers doctrine. (SCOTUSblog term coverage)
• Civil rights & executive power. Trump v. CASA, Inc. and related litigation over Executive Order 14160 are drawing attention as tests of executive latitude on immigration and benefits restrictions. (2025 opinions list)
• Orders to watch. Miscellaneous orders (stays, emergency applications) continue to reshape policy between full merits decisions. (Orders of the Court)

Statehouse Watch

• New Mexico’s universal childcare. New Mexico is now offering free childcare for all families, funded by its land-grant permanent fund—a major model for advocates in other states. (Story)
• California’s climate & energy mega-package. A suite of new laws extends California’s cap-and-invest system to 2045, supports carbon-capture pipelines (SB 614), and seeks to stabilize energy costs while staying on aggressive emissions-reduction targets. (Governor’s release, Session recap)
• Election law trends. Nationally, 2025 saw more restrictive than expansive voting laws for the first time since many groups began systematic tracking, with changes spanning voter ID, absentee documentation, and list maintenance. (Brennan Center, NCSL enactments)
• 2026 state sessions are queued up. Most legislatures gavel in between January and April. Now is the time to lock down state-level agendas, sponsors, and coalition alignments. (Ballotpedia schedule update, MultiState session dates)

Action Items for Lobbyists & Government Affairs Teams

• Update shutdown impact memos. Refresh client guidance on federal operations, grantmaking, and enforcement posture now that agencies are reopening under a short-term CR.
• Map January funding leverage points. Identify which of your clients’ programs are exposed in the next round of appropriations and which committees/offices have the most influence over those slices.
• Engage early on EPA’s wetlands rule. For regulated entities and local governments, begin drafting comments and coalition talking points targeting the rule’s practical effects on permitting and flood resilience.
• Prepare for AI preemption fights. If you work in tech, employment, or privacy, sketch out scenarios for a federal AI preemption order and how it would interact with emerging state AI bills in 2026 sessions.
• Scan state agendas now. Lock meetings with key chairs/members before state houses convene; in many capitals, your January calendar will be full by mid-December.

Calendar & Deadlines

• EPA wetlands rule comment period. The proposed rule includes a 45-day comment period from publication. Check the Federal Register entry and calendar drafting time for technical feedback.
• California climate risk disclosures. Initial climate-risk reports under SB 261 are due by January 1, 2026 for covered companies operating in California. (Compliance explainer)
• Federal fiscal deadlines. Watch House and Senate calendars for next steps on FY 2026 bills and any “mini-bus” packages as Jan. 30 approaches. (Appropriations Watch)
• Webinars & briefings. BigLaw and trade groups continue to host shutdown and Trump-administration “Year in Review” programs that can double as client-development touchpoints. (Latham Washington series, Holland & Knight shutdown briefings)
• State session openings. Many legislatures gavel in right after New Year’s; confirm your priority states’ opening days and filing deadlines now. (Session dates quick-ref)

Careers & Openings (Federal & States)

A quick sampling of current government affairs, lobbying, and public-policy roles. Always confirm details and posting dates before applying.

• Director, Government Affairs — Bunge (Washington, DC)
  Lead federal advocacy for a major global ag company; heavy focus on trade, commodities, and food policy. Job posting
• Senior Director, U.S. Government Affairs (DC, various employers)
  Multiple senior-level roles driving federal legislative and regulatory strategy for large corporates and tech firms. Daybook listing
• Associate / Lobbyist — Boutique lobbying firm (Washington, DC)
  Hill-facing outreach role at an independent firm; ideal for 1–3+ years’ experience looking to deepen lobbying chops. Daybook listing
• Outreach Associate (Contract) — Venn Strategies (Washington, DC)
  Contract outreach slot at a fast-paced public affairs firm; strong fit for early-career advocates. See posting
• US State Government Affairs Manager — Cisco (Remote/US-based)
  Manage a multi-state government affairs portfolio, coordinate with contract lobbyists, and represent the company at state capitols. Job description
• Government Affairs Program Manager — CORE (Denver, CO)
  Lead federal and state government affairs, manage consultants, and testify at the Capitol on priority legislation. Job listing