Email from Vote Smart Research: Last Week Today   A note from your Vote Smart Team: Vote Smart’s research website, justfacts.votesmart.org, was temporarily disrupted by a DDoS attack originating from sources outside the U.S., which flooded the site with fake traffic to overwhelm our servers. Importantly, no personal data was ever at risk, as we do not store any user information on the targeted server. Thanks to our swift action and Cloudflare’s security protections, we successfully blocked the attacks, restored normal access, and strengthened our defenses to prevent future disruptions. We appreciate your support and remain committed to keeping our trusted, nonpartisan research accessible to all. Subscribe to our new weekly Civic Education email, "Civic Currents" delivered every Monday! Yes, please! No, thank you. Monday Civic Currents from 3/10 Here. Senate Confirms New Antitrust Division Head: On March 11, 2025, the U.S. Senate voted 78-19 to confirm Gail Slater as the leader of the Justice Department’s antitrust division. Slater, who has a background in technology and media law, highlighted a focus on corporate consolidation, including in the technology sector. Her confirmation sets the direction for policies related to competition and market oversight. Source 1: CCIA Tariff Adjustments Impact U.S.-Canada Trade and Stock Market: This week, tariffs on Canadian metal imports were raised following Ontario’s decision to add a surcharge on U.S. electricity exports. The tariff increase was reversed on March 11 after discussions with Canada. On March 10, the S&P 500 fell by 2.7% with market losses estimated at $4 trillion. These developments occurred alongside conversations about trade and economic conditions. Source 1: Wall Street Journal Federal Judge Orders Reinstatement of Terminated Employees: On March 12, 2025, a U.S. judge directed that thousands of probationary federal employees, recently let go from various government agencies, be reinstated. The ruling came after actions to decrease the number of federal workers. It involves legal considerations about the dismissal process for probationary staff and could affect plans related to government staffing levels. Source: 1: NBC News, Source 2: Breitbart   Congress House Passed HR 1968 – Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 House Passed HR 1156 – Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act Senate Confirmed PN 13-2 – Nomination of Steven Bradbury to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation State Georgia (GA): Senate passed SB 39 – Prohibits the state and its health plans from covering gender-affirming care New Hampshire (NH): House passed HB 524 – Repeals state childhood vaccine buying program Virginia (VA): House & Senate passed SB 1009 – Authorizes ranked choice voting for certain local elections (Glossary) A: Assembly Bill (particularly in states like New York or California). Assembly Bills address state issues such as education, health care, transportation, taxation, or environmental policies. Con Res: A concurrent resolution is a type of legislative measure used to address matters affecting both the House of Representatives and the Senate, express collective opinions, or make or amend rules that apply to both chambers. These resolutions do not require presidential approval and do not have the force of law. HB: Used in State Legislatures: Refers to bills introduced in the House of Representatives or State Assembly at the state level. HCR: (House Concurrent Resolution) is a legislative measure that expresses the collective opinion or intent of both chambers of a state legislature (House and Senate) but does not have the force of law and does not require the governor’s signature. HCRs are typically used to make formal requests, express positions on national or state issues, honor individuals or events, or direct internal legislative matters. HR: Used in the U.S. Congress: Refers to bills introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives at the federal level. PN: Presidential Nomination. S: S stands for Senate, meaning the bill originated in the U.S. Senate. SB: SB stands for Senate Bill. Meaning the bill originated in the State Senate rather than State House or Assembly.     Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer was confirmed Monday as the next United States Secretary of Labor. Confirmed by a vote of 67-32 Chavez-DeRemer, a former United States Representative from Oregon, will run a department that oversees the administration of federal laws governing labor policy, such as wage and compensation, unemployment, and occupational health and safety. Democrat David Gottfried won a special election Tuesday to represent District 40B in Minnesota’s State House of Representatives. Gottfried, a pro-bono specialist and litigation researcher, won a seat vacated by Curtis Johnson, whose November election was disputed after a district court judge ruled Johnson did not meet the residency requirements to take his seat in January. With Gottfried’s victory, the Minnesota State House now sits at an even 67-67 tie, with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party entering into a power-sharing agreement with the Republican Party of Minnesota. On Tuesday, March 11th, there were a set of special elections in Alabama, Iowa, and Minnesota. Click on the links below to view the results: Alabama State Senate District 5 Primary Election Iowa State House District 100 General Election Minnesota State House District 40B General Election (Glossary)  Special Election: is an election scheduled outside the regular electoral calendar to address specific issues or fill vacancies in public offices. These elections are typically held when an incumbent official resigns, passes away, or is otherwise unable to continue in office. Special elections can also be called to vote on urgent matters, such as referendums or specific legislative proposals.   🎉 This Week’s Quiz Spotlight! A special shoutout to these participants for getting all quiz questions correct! We also appreciate those who shared their thoughts on the importance of staying informed. 📍 Stephen W. from Pennsylvania – "Being informed is necessary to make important decisions when it comes to voting!" 📍 Greg from Iowa 📍 Bonnie Ross from North Carolina – "Democracy requires informed citizens." Thank you to everyone who took part! Keep learning, stay engaged, and check back next week for another chance to be featured! Quiz here!   Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email Vote Smart | 1153 24TH ST | DES MOINES, IA 50311-4308 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice