Zach Schermele
@zachschermele.bsky.social
📤 805
📥 471
📝 343
congressional reporter
@usatoday.com
tips? email me:
[email protected]
reposts ≠ endorsements 🏳🌈
reposted by
Zach Schermele
USA TODAY
2 days ago
Federal employees bore the brunt of the longest-ever government shutdown. One blind woman still hasn't fully recovered.
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A blind woman, a 'dream job,' and the toll of the government shutdown
Federal employees bore the brunt of the longest-ever government shutdown. One blind woman still hasn't fully recovered.
https://bit.ly/4inLcIo
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
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A blind woman, a 'dream job,' and the toll of the government shutdown
Federal employees bore the brunt of the longest-ever government shutdown. One blind woman still hasn't fully recovered.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/26/blind-woman-government-shutdown-toll/86948892007/
1 day ago
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reposted by
Zach Schermele
James S. Murphy
1 day ago
NCES appears to be back up.
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reposted by
Zach Schermele
USA TODAY
17 days ago
BREAKING: Senate votes to end longest-ever government shutdown. It must now go to the House, where passage is expected by Wednesday.
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Government shutdown live updates. Senate passes deal to end funding fight
On a 60-40 vote, the Senate sent the legislation to the other chamber, where it will likely pass.
https://bit.ly/3WKMfIt
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reposted by
Zach Schermele
USA TODAY
23 days ago
BREAKING: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that there will be a 10% reduction in flights at 40 major airports if the government shutdown continues.
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Air traffic cuts coming to major airports if shutdown continues, Duffy says
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that there will be a 10% reduction in flights at 40 major airports if the government shutdown continues.
https://bit.ly/3WGZLN5
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I joined USA TODAY’s podcast The Excerpt today for a special episode about where things stand with the shutdown on the Hill, where the vibes are shifting ever so slightly as several pain points are putting increasing pressure on lawmakers to turn the lights back on.
youtu.be/Ya-wkeGxpT4?...
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Government shutdown enters week five with no end in sight | The Excerpt
YouTube video by USA TODAY
https://youtu.be/Ya-wkeGxpT4?si=NVfoWVXgFYweAOsF
29 days ago
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New -> In response to the impending expiration of SNAP funding, the Blackfeet Nation in MT says it’s culling 18 bison from the reservation’s herd: “The processed meat will be distributed directly to community members to help sustain food access during this period of uncertainty.”
about 1 month ago
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NEW: Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton was scammed out of more than $4,300 in a credit card fraud incident at her D.C. home yesterday, per a police report.
about 1 month ago
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"I want to untie my shoelace because standing in one place for this much time, well, made my shoes a little tight," Merkley said at 2:45 a.m. "That feels a little better. I don't recommend standing through the night and talking. Not a healthy pursuit."
www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
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Oregon Democrat speaks on the Senate floor all night long to protest Trump
Oregon's Jeff Merkley spoke on the Senate floor all night long to protest the Trump administration. His speech has lasted 16 hours (and counting).
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/22/jeff-merkley-senator-protests-trump-marathon-floor-speech/86832504007/
about 1 month ago
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reposted by
Zach Schermele
Daniel Espinas
about 1 month ago
@zachschermele.bsky.social
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How thieves stole treasures worth millions from the Louvre Museum in just seven minutes
www.usatoday.com/story/graphi...
about 1 month ago
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Today's A1:
about 1 month ago
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Today’s A1:
about 1 month ago
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
about 1 month ago
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NEW: A federal judge today temporarily paused the Education Department's layoffs of nearly everyone in its special ed division. Judge Susan Illston in the Northern District of California issued the ruling, which applies to thousands of other RIFs, too. Read more:
www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
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Judge temporarily reverses Trump's special education layoffs
The firings were part of a broad swath of shutdown-related terminations issued by the White House on Friday, Oct. 10.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/10/15/special-education-layoffs-temporarily-reversed-judge/86711718007/
about 1 month ago
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NEW: In a court hearing in California happening now, District Judge Susan Illston said she's likely to temporarily pause the mass layoffs of more than 4,000 federal employees that the White House started Friday. "What's being done here is both illegal and is an excess of authority," she said.
about 1 month ago
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Read her full statement here:
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 month ago
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NEW: Linda McMahon breaks her silence after wiping out her agency's special ed division with layoffs. "No education funding is impacted by the RIF, including funding for special education," she said in a statement. Yet almost all the people who historically oversaw that funding have been fired.
about 1 month ago
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Today's A1:
about 1 month ago
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We've got a comprehensive look this morning at seven key pieces of the shutdown puzzle, and whether they could get us any closer to an end. Check it out here:
www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
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7 things to watch for signs of the government shutdown ending
As the shutdown stretches into its third week, no single off-ramp seems certain. But many factors could shift lawmakers' calculus over time.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/15/government-shutdown-end-what-to-watch/86628962007/?tbref=hp
about 1 month ago
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
about 1 month ago
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I hopped on today’s episode of USA TODAY’s podcast The Excerpt to break down our recent reporting on the government shutdown and how it intersects with the latest Education Department layoffs. Listen here:
art19.com/shows/5-thin...
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A triumphant Trump basks in Mideast praise
USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page puts President Donald Trump's role in recent Israel-Hamas peace proceedings in context. USA TODAY Congressional Reporter Zach Schermele has the government...
https://art19.com/shows/5-things/episodes/b065a1ac-c6f8-49d0-a10a-d683bcbbcf7f
about 1 month ago
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NEW: Check out this explainer on the Education Dept.'s layoffs of special ed staff -> TLDR, as one person put it: "This is a time when parents have to really saddle up & be ready to be the most aggressive advocate for their child that they've ever been."
www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
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Education Dept. layoffs threaten special ed system, advocates warn
The Education Department laid off almost everyone in its special education division. From 504 plans to IEPs, here's how the firings could impact you.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/10/13/education-layoffs-special-ed-504-plans-ieps/86671524007/
about 2 months ago
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"This is a time when parents have to really saddle up and be ready to be the most aggressive advocate for their child that they've ever been." —Katy Neas, former deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
about 2 months ago
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reposted by
Zach Schermele
Dominique Baker
about 2 months ago
Posting with alt text
add a skeleton here at some point
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NEW: These are all the Education Dept. offices that staffers and managers say have been impacted by layoffs since Friday, according to the union for the agency’s employees. They include workers that supported HBCUs, tribal colleges, charter schools, civil rights reviews, special ed & more.
about 2 months ago
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
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Education Department wipes out special ed office in shutdown layoffs, union says
The Education Department laid off nearly everyone at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/10/11/education-department-special-ed-office-layoffs-shutdown/86646104007/
about 2 months ago
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
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How long will the government shutdown last? Lawmakers don't have an answer.
Even members of Congress aren't sure what it's going to take to open the government back up.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/01/how-long-will-government-shutdown-last/86455672007/
about 2 months ago
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reposted by
Zach Schermele
USA TODAY
about 2 months ago
Photos capture some of the early effects after the federal government went into a partial shutdown at midnight on Oct. 1.
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See the impacts of a government shutdown in photos
Photos capture some of the early effects after the federal government went into a partial shutdown at midnight on Oct. 1.
https://bit.ly/476oujS
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
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Trump leaves town, lawmakers aren't talking as government shutdown deadline nears
President Trump is out of town and key lawmakers are not talking as the deadline for a shutdown approaches on Oct. 1.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/09/26/government-shutdown-clock-ticking-likely-trump/86367489007/
2 months ago
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Is the government about to shut down? Republicans and Democrats far apart in talks.
Republicans just proposed a seven-week funding extension. Here's what's in it.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/09/16/will-the-government-shut-down/86181928007/
2 months ago
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WASHINGTON – With each passing day on Capitol Hill, a government shutdown is looking more likely. Time is running out for Democrats and Republicans in Congress to strike a compromise, and neither side appears to be budging. Read more in USA TODAY:
www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
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As shutdown deadline nears, Democrats have rare leverage over Trump. They're digging in.
As Congress braces for another government shutdown, Democrats and Republicans are still at odds.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/09/16/democrats-trump-at-odds-shutdown-nears/86056802007/
2 months ago
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Chatted about our back-to-school guide on "Connecting America" this morning. Watch here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-og...
3 months ago
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From anti-DEI mandates to vaccine skepticism, back-to-school looks quite different this year. I talk through some of the issues on today's episode of USA TODAY's podcast The Excerpt.
art19.com/shows/5-thin...
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Judge temporarily blocks Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation
A judge Monday temporarily blocked Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen breaks down President Donald Trump's Monday executive orders on flag burning, an...
https://art19.com/shows/5-things/episodes/4c18ccae-8634-4418-8c46-80178c6c2da4
3 months ago
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www.usatoday.com/story/life/h...
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DEI crackdown, vaccine backlash: Why back-to-school looks so different this year
Parents are opting out of vaccines, the Education Department is targeting diversity programs and new school meal regulations just took effect.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/08/25/back-to-school-guide-2025-vaccines-meals-dei/85757375007/
3 months ago
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reposted by
Zach Schermele
James S. Murphy
3 months ago
The Department of Education wants to end the requirement that states collect & report data on racial disparities in special education. This a week after they announced that they are going to ask almost 2,000 colleges to vastly expand their data collection around race, admissions, & financial aid.
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Many 79-year-old men aren't exactly eager to show off what they're working with below the knee. Donald Trump, per usual, is an exception.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
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Trump says he looks 'extremely good' in shorts
The president joked about participating in the FIFA World Cup draw when it comes to the Kennedy Center in December.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/08/22/trump-i-look-good-shorts-fifa-world-cup/85780826007/
3 months ago
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
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Education Department delays are putting parenting college students in a bind
Applications for millions of dollars in federal childcare funding are in limbo, threatening the education of college students with young kids.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/08/15/education-department-delays-ccampis-grants-parenting-students/85646748007/
3 months ago
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
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The clock is ticking for Trump's Education Department
The Education Department has less than a year to implement big changes to student loans and college oversight.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/08/07/education-department-trump-big-beautiful-bill-student-loans/85561282007/
4 months ago
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reposted by
Zach Schermele
Robert Kelchen
4 months ago
I like better IPEDS data, but ED is already behind schedule on reporting data and has laid off most relevant employees and contractors. So I'm not sure how this will work.
add a skeleton here at some point
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
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Trump preps memo ordering colleges to hand over more admissions data
President Donald Trump will sign a memorandum ordering colleges to be more transparent about their admissions data.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/08/07/trump-college-admissions-data-memo/85557929007/
4 months ago
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
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UCLA in talks with Trump administration to end $584M freeze
"If these funds remain suspended, it will be devastating for UCLA and for Americans across the nation," UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk said.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/08/06/trump-administration-freezes-millions-ucla/85530203007/
4 months ago
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Not a heck of a lot of new info in today's joint status report in the SAVE litigation (which a lot of borrowers seemed to be anxious about)
4 months ago
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
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Has Trump made it harder to become a doctor or lawyer?
Trump's signature spending law makes major changes to funding options for graduate school.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/08/02/why-its-harder-to-become-doctor-lawyer/85408986007/
4 months ago
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/i...
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‘They control everything’: How the Dallas Stars monopolized Texas youth hockey
Ice is power in the lucrative world of youth hockey. In North Texas, the Dallas Stars hold almost all of it.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2025/08/01/nhl-dallas-stars-texas-youth-hockey-monopoly/84289184007/
4 months ago
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NEW: Penny Schwinn, the former TN commissioner of education & Trump's pick to serve as deputy education secretary, just withdrew her nomination (she did not give a specific reason). She will instead serve as a senior advisor/chief strategist at the Education Department.
4 months ago
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I'm on today's episode of
@usatoday.com
's podcast The Excerpt breaking down the Brown-Trump admin agreement announced yesterday, why it's important and what comes next. Listen here:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...
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US to set 15% tariff on South Korean imports under new deal
Podcast Episode · The Excerpt · 07/31/2025 · 13m
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/us-to-set-15-tariff-on-south-korean-imports-under-new-deal/id975311694?i=1000719997695
4 months ago
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NEW -> Brown just reached an agreement with the Trump admin to restore its federal funding. Unlike at Columbia, though, Brown won't pay a fine to the feds. Instead, it will donate $50 million over 10 years to workforce development groups in Rhode Island. More here:
www.brown.edu/sites/defaul...
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https://www.brown.edu/sites/default/files/brown-and-united-states-resolution-agreement_July-30-2025.pdf
4 months ago
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www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
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Portrait of a Young DOGE Coder Dismantling America’s Institutions
Luke Farritor could have been an artist, or a builder, or someone dedicated to seeing a great historical mystery through. Instead he wound up at the Department of Government Efficiency, slashing, dism...
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2025-luke-farritor-doge/?srnd=undefined
4 months ago
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The Trump administration sent a letter to Duke University this week notifying the school of $109 million in frozen funding, a White House official tells me (confirming NYT reporting).
4 months ago
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