Good afternoon,
As we near the end of August, we're starting to have some September scaries. When Congress comes back to the District, artificial intelligence (AI) discussions are likely to be on the docket. The rapid advance and adoption of AI technologies - and consequent wariness of potential risks - have inspired lawmakers to begin developing an appropriate regulatory framework. OCP founder and former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp recommends that Congress maintain bipartisan commitment to combat AI disinformation, generate globally unified AI guard rails, and collaborate with local communities' perspectives on AI's risks and opportunities. <a href="[link removed]">Read the full op-ed in The Hill</a>.
CHILDCARE CLIFF
Lawmakers are getting ready to go back to work, but not all parents are doing the same. While most are sending their kids back to school, parents of younger children will have to hold on to them a little longer. On September 30, pandemic-era federal funding for childcare will expire, leaving providers peering over a financial cliff. Over <a href="[link removed].">80 percent</a> of licensed childcare providers have received aid over the past two years, caring for 9.6 million children. Without support from the subsidy, <a href="[link removed]">one-third of providers</a> will close, potentially leaving more than <a href="[link removed]">3 million children</a> without care, and requiring many of their parents to drop out of the workforce. There are no tech fixes or innovations that can skirt children's need for the human interaction and attention that helps them develop crucial social, emotional, and communication skills. If childcare centers close or become too expensive, parents - overwhelmingly mothers - will <a href="[link removed]">leave the workforce</a> to care for their kids. The loss of income will increase pressures on working families during this period of persistently high prices. At the same time, the <a href="[link removed]">labor force participation rate</a> could drop by a percentage point or more, weakening the jobs market.
MEDICAID UNWINDING
Rural residents face numerous barriers to health care: they are more likely to be <a href="[link removed]">uninsured</a>, face barriers to health care access such as <a href="[link removed]">transportation</a> and <a href="[link removed]">internet connectivity</a> challenges, and are inhibited by a provider shortage, particularly as rural hospitals close in the face of financial strain. It is also in these rural areas that Medicaid plays a critical role in filling gaps in private coverage. States in the South and Southwest have the highest Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage rates in rural areas for children and adults - making these populations most vulnerable to the unwinding of pandemic-era Medicaid provisions. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) <a href="[link removed]">required</a> that Medicaid programs keep people continuously enrolled throughout the duration of the public health emergency (PHE). Under the continuous enrollment provision, Medicaid/CHIP beneficiaries grew from 23.3 million in February 2020 to <a href="[link removed]">nearly 94 million people</a> in March 2023. Since the pandemic provision's sunset in March, over <a href="[link removed]">5.2 million</a> people have been dropped from the program, including at least <a href="[link removed]">625,000 children</a>. 74 percent of those disenrolled had their coverage terminated due to procedural reasons, which is when the state has outdated contact information for an enrollee or enrollees are not able to complete renewal packets within a certain timeframe, despite still being eligible for Medicaid coverage. The same challenges that prevent families from getting medical attention - limited broadband and transportation - are often also <a href="[link removed]">barriers</a> for families to renew their coverage. Families who lose Medicaid coverage may not be eligible for other health insurance. Rolled-back access and coverage puts entire rural health systems at risk and <a href="[link removed]">exacerbates poor health outcomes</a> for rural residents.
HOT DISH FOR A COOLER PLANET
The clean energy transition is underway, and there are big implications - and opportunities - for communities across rural America. <a href="[link removed]">This latest episode of the Hot Dish</a> feature Reuters journalist and author of the soon-to-be-released book <i>The War Below: Lithium, Copper and the Global Battle to Power our Lives</i>, <a href="[link removed]">Ernest Scheyder</a>, and <a href="[link removed]">Summit Carbon Solutions</a> Executive Vice President Wade Boeshan, who join Heidi and Joel to discuss the impact of the clean energy transition on rural America, and the ethical and environmental concerns around the mining and massive infrastructure that will be required if the U.S. wants to be the global leader of the green revolution. <a href="[link removed]">Check out the discussion here</a>.
REDISTRICTING DRAMA
Geography, geometry, civics - these are all subjects Alabama Republicans seem to be struggling with as the hunt for a Voting Rights Act-compliant congressional map continues. Plaintiffs and defendants filed findings of fact and conclusions on Saturday morning, with the plaintiffs reiterating that the new map failed to create two out of seven majority Black districts in a state where one-fourth of the residents are Black - thus "<a href="[link removed]">refus[ing] to afford its Black citizens equal access to the State's political process.</a>" Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen instructed the court to have a new map ready by October.
LOOKING AHEAD
Tomorrow, <a href="[link removed]">tune in to the first of the 2024 GOP presidential debates</a> for Republican hopefuls (sans Trump) who have been polling above 1 percent and received over 40,000 donations.
ICYMI
Alabama Public Radio: <a href="[link removed]">Advocacy groups call for Medicaid expansion as Alabama sees rise in maternal deaths</a>
NBC: <a href="[link removed]">Appeals court upholds some restrictions on abortion pill access, but drug will remain available for now</a>
Boise Dev: <a href="[link removed]">Rural housing issues show housing hardships aren't unique to Idaho's cities</a>
New York Times: <a href="[link removed]">Democratic Group Plans $10 Million Push to Protect Election Officials</a>
Axios: <a href="[link removed]">States need to pay up to secure 2024 elections, experts warn</a>
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