Email from Vote Smart Research: Last Week Today   Subscribe to our new weekly Civic Education email, "Civic Currents" delivered every Monday! Yes, please! No, thank you. Senators Request Investigation into Defense Communication Leak: A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has formally requested that the Department of Defense’s inspector general investigate a recent leak involving a Signal group chat that included senior defense officials. The chat reportedly shared sensitive information about potential U.S. military action in Yemen, and an outside journalist was unintentionally included in the group. Lawmakers expressed concern about potential breaches of national security and are seeking clarity on how the information was shared and who was responsible. Source 1: Fox News, Source 2: Associated Press Vice President Vance’s Greenland Visit Raises International Concerns: Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit Greenland’s Pituffik Space Base to discuss Arctic security issues. The visit has drawn concern from Danish and Greenlandic officials, who have expressed apprehension about the timing and nature of the trip. It comes amid ongoing discussions about Greenland’s governance and follows past U.S. interest in the region, which has affected diplomatic relations with Denmark. Source 1: CNN, Source 2: Newsmax Executive Order Implements New Federal Election Requirements: On March 25, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order revising federal election procedures. It mandates documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration using the national mail form and requires all federal election ballots to be received by Election Day. Federal agencies are directed to help states verify voter eligibility using immigration and Social Security databases. The order instructs the Election Assistance Commission to update voting system standards to require paper records and limit barcode-based tabulation. It also prioritizes enforcement of laws barring non-citizens from voting and foreign nationals from contributing to elections. Source: 1: The White House, Source 2: NBC News   Congress Congress – House passed H Con Res 14 – Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034. House & Senate passed H J Res 35 – Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions" Senate confirmed PN 11-17 – Nomination of Jamieson Greer to be U.S. Trade Representative State Virginia (VA) – House passed and Senate Concurrence Vote passed SB 1181 – Limits the sale of assault-style firearms to individuals 21 or older House & Senate passed SB 97 – Authorizes Businesses to Obtain Additional Retail Liquor Licenses Wisconsin (WI) – House passed AB 2 – Requires School Districts to Adopt Cell Phone Ban Policies (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.     Democrat James Andrew Malone won a special election for Pennsylvania’s 36th State Senate district. The seat became vacant when Senator Ryan Aument, a Republican, took a job with U.S. Senator David McCormick. Malone then flipped the seat, becoming the first Democrat to represent this Lancaster County-area district. With this result, Republicans maintain their majority in the state senate, with 27 seats to the Democrat’s 23 seats. On Tuesday, April 1st, several elections are happening around the country. Click on the links below to view the candidates running: Florida Congressional Districts 1 and 6 Special General Elections Florida State House Districts 3 and 32 and State Senate 19 Special Primary Elections Oklahoma State Senate District 8 Special Primary Runoff Election Wisconsin Supreme Court General Election Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Education 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 big congratulations to this week’s standout participants who got all quiz questions correct! We also appreciate those who shared how civic knowledge plays a role in their daily lives. 📍 Betsy from California – "I write to my Congressman daily." 📍 John Hummel from Virginia 📍 Mary Doherty from Connecticut – "I try to stay civically informed so that I can make wise choices when I am voting for local, state, and federal officials." Thank you to everyone who participated! 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