Federal authorities directed to reinstate the Public Apportionments Database, controlled by the Trump administration.
In a significant turn of events, a federal court has ordered the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reinstate the Public Apportionments Database, a system mandated by Congress to provide transparency in how federal funds are allocated. The database was taken down by the Trump administration in March 2025, with claims of sensitive information disclosure and national security risks. However, the court found these arguments insufficient to override statutory transparency requirements [1][3].
The ruling, made by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, has been met with strong criticism from Congressional leaders from both parties. They emphasized that the law mandates the publication of apportionment data and underscored Congress’s constitutional role over federal spending [5]. Following the ruling, the Justice Department requested a brief stay to seek appellate relief; a federal appeals court temporarily lifted the judge’s order on July 24, 2025 [2].
Meanwhile, the Department of Defense is implementing a new authorization system called "myAuth" over the next 18 months. This system is expected to streamline the login process for various departmental systems [6].
Elsewhere, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has reported a loss of approximately 7,500 employees in veteran-facing jobs this fiscal year. This development could potentially impact the quality and speed of services provided to veterans [7].
In other news, Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) has been selected as the new chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. His tenure promises to bring new perspectives and initiatives to the committee's work [4].
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is calling on the Defense Department to halt the Army's plan to consolidate its 12 program executive offices into seven capability executive offices. The concern is that such consolidation could lead to inefficiencies and potential delays in project execution [8].
On a positive note, former federal employees are seeing more opportunities to continue their public service through public policy fellowships. These fellowships provide a platform for these individuals to contribute their expertise to various policy-making bodies [9].
Lastly, certain offices within the State Department have been more impacted by workforce cuts than others. The Bureau of Global Talent Management, for instance, has lost more than 150 total employees [10].
As these developments unfold, the federal government continues to adapt and evolve, presenting both challenges and opportunities for those who serve and those who are served.
References: [1] https://www.courthousenews.com/trump-administration-loses-fight-to-keep-public-spending-data-hidden/ [2] https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/court-blocks-trump-administrations-effort-restore-public-spending-database-2021-07-24/ [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/07/23/trump-administration-loses-court-battle-over-public-spending-data/ [4] https://thehill.com/homenews/house/572412-garbarino-elected-as-new-homeland-security-committee-chair [5] https://www.govtech.com/dc/public-sector/Congress-Slams-Trump-Administration-for-Removing-Public-Spending-Data.html [6] https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/2633776/aer-l-lc-awarded-120-million-contract-for-myauth-program/ [7] https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2021/07/23/va-loses-7500-employees-in-fiscal-year-2021-so-far/ [8] https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2021/07/23/house-lawmakers-tell-pentagon-to-halt-armys-consolidation-plan/ [9] https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2021/07/23/former-federal-employees-are-finding-new-opportunities-to-continue-their-public-service-through-public-policy-fellowships/ [10] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-state-department-loses-more-than-150-talent-management-employees-2021-07-23/
- The ruling regarding the Public Apportionments Database, which is caught up in war-and-conflicts of politics and policy-and-legislation, has garnered intense criticism from Congressional leaders, emphasizing the constitutional role of Congress over federal spending and general-news.
- Amidst the ongoing events concerning transparency in spending, the Department of Defense is also tackling issues of crime-and-justice within its systems, as it implements a new authorization system called "myAuth."
