Pentagon: National Guard in DC to cost another $1.43 billion

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s planned deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., through the end of his presidential term will cost $1.43 billion, or $51 million a month, in addition to the amount spent so far, according to a new Pentagon estimate.

The new estimate of the costs going forward, first reported by The Washington Post and viewed by CQ Roll Call, was contained in a written response by Jules “Jay” W. Hurst III, the nominee for Pentagon comptroller, to a question for the record from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a member of the Armed Services Committee.

Hurst’s estimate covers the period beginning with the Oct. 1 start of fiscal 2027 and ending in January 2029. The Congressional Budget Office projected in January that the D.C. deployments, which began one year ago this month, were costing about $55 million per month.

If CBO’s estimate was accurate, that would put the cost from August 2025 through this September above $700 million.

—CQ-Roll Call

Report says bill allowing California workers to telework could save state millions

SACAMENTO, Calif. — A new analysis from the Senate Committee on Appropriations shows a bill supporting telework for state workers could save California hundreds of millions of dollars, even after accounting for its implementation costs.

Assembly Bill 1729, spearheaded by Assembly member Alex Lee, D-San Jose, would require the Department of General Services to establish a telework dashboard that displays the cost-effectiveness of work from home policies and require each agency to evaluate such policies every 10 years. It would also encourage telework for state employees.

Lee’s proposal comes as state workers have returned to the office following a mandate from Gov. Gavin Newsom that went into effect July 1. The policy requires many state workers to be in office four days a week. Newsom has said that the RTO order aims to boost creativity and foster relationships among the thousands of people who work for the state.

The order is opposed by unions representing state workers, who argue employees will foot the cost of Newsom’s mandate, through expenses like gas and parking. Some state workers have said that they commute to the office just to perform tasks they could perform just as well remotely.

—The Sacramento Bee

Professors sue Texas A&M System to block restrictions on race, gender teachings

DALLAS — A group of professors filed a federal lawsuit Monday to block the Texas A&M University System from implementing its policies that limit how faculty members can discuss race, gender and sexual orientation in the classroom.

Under the policy, Texas A&M professors cannot teach courses that "advocate race or gender ideology, or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity" without prior approval.

Four professors and the national American Association of University Professors argue the policies, first introduced in November by the Texas A&M Board of Regents, are unconstitutional and violate their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. They want a federal judge to order system leaders reinstate any canceled classes and roll back the policies.

—The Dallas Morning News

EU to tackle migrant smuggling, disinformation after Ceuta crisis

BRUSSELS — European Union interior ministers agreed on Tuesday to step up efforts to combat migrant smuggling networks, including through better social media monitoring, following a video conference on the recent migrant surge in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta.

The meeting was convened after tens of thousands of migrants reached the North African territory from Morocco last week, triggering a rift between Spain and several other E.U. member states.

"There was a common understanding of the need to continue relentlessly fighting migrant smuggling networks, to reinforce returns, to strengthen E.U. borders, to build deep partnerships with third countries, and to improve foresight," a news release said.

The ministers also agreed on the "need to improve shared situational awareness," including better social media monitoring. Ministers also "pointed out that communication during moments of crisis could further be reinforced through timely coordination and should be more coherent, especially to counter malicious external actors engaged in foreign information manipulation and interference," the statement said.

—dpa