Tick tock on the clock, the party might stop soon – if you can call the 118 th Congress a party. “Fiasco” might be a more accurate descriptor. Republican infighting has plagued government functionality since January, from the fifteen votes to elect Rep. Kevin McCarthy Speaker of the House to debt default brinksmanship, and now to the precipice of a government shutdown [[link removed]] . The Senate put forward a stopgap bill [[link removed]] to fund the government through November 17, but whether the House will pass it is unclear. If no solution is reached by September 30 th (five days away), federal employees will go on furlough [[link removed]] – with some continuing to work without pay – and households will struggle under persistently high costs to pay the bills. Members of Congress, however, will continue to receive their paychecks, regardless of whether they’re doing their job to earn them. OCP founder and former U.S. Heidi Heitkamp appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box [[link removed]] to discuss what comes next.
PAID FAMILY LEAVE
*
While
Republicans
in
Congress
are
playing
politics,
Americans
across
the
country
are
working
hard
to
make
ends
meet.
When
a
family
welcomes
a
new
baby
or
a
loved
one
falls
ill,
workers
often
are
forced
to
choose
between
caring
for
their
family
member
or
keeping
their
job.
*
A
national
paid
family
and
medical
leave
(PFML)
policy
could
help
workers
support
their
families,
keep
their
jobs,
and
boost
employee
morale,
helping
businesses
retain
workers.
*
OCP
surveyed
[[link removed]]
Wisconsin
voters
and
found
that
over
three-fourths
(78
percent)
of
voters
across
party
lines
support
creating
a
national
PFML
program.
A
majority
(61
percent)
of
voters
would
be
more
likely
to
vote
for
a
candidate
who
supports
a
national
PFML
policy.
See
the
full
findings
here
[[link removed]]
.
HHS REINSTATES MEDICAID AND CHIP COVERAGE
*
Children
and
families
in
at
least
30
states
were
inappropriately
disenrolled
from
Medicaid
and
Children’s
Health
Insurance
(CHIP),
despite
being
eligible
for
coverage,
due
to
a
system
issue.
*
States
experiencing
the
issue
were
required
to
pause
procedural
disenrollments,
and
the
U.S.
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services
(HHS)
took
swift
action
to
reinstate
coverage
[[link removed]]
for
nearly
half
a
million
children
and
families.
*
A
lack
of
coverage
can
have
critical
consequences,
particularly
for
those
with
chronic
conditions
who
may
not
be
able
to
access
treatments
if
they
become
uninsured.
The
systems
issue
dealt
a
blow
to
American
health
care
coverage
that
exacerbated
the
impact
of
Medicaid
unwinding,
which
began
earlier
this
year
when
a
pandemic-era
provision
that
prevented
people
from
losing
Medicaid
coverage
expired
[[link removed]]
,
putting
up
to
15
million
[[link removed]]
Americans’
health
insurance
at
risk.
*
Rural
Americans
are
particularly
at
risk
from
this
error.
Rural
residents
experience
higher
rates
of
complex
health
issues
that
require
greater
medical
attention
and
are
more
likely
to
experience
employment
insecurity,
often
working
in
lower-income
jobs
that
do
not
offer
full
health
insurance
coverage.
Medicaid
plays
a
vital
role
in
opening
access
to
care
for
rural
populations
–
access
that
many
residents
may
have
permanently
lost
if
not
for
HHS’
intervention.
Read
more
about
rural
health
outcomes
here.
[[link removed]]
*
If
the
government
shuts
down,
there
will
be
further
implications
for
children
and
families
throughout
the
country.
See
how
a
shutdown
could
impact
your
state
here
[[link removed]]
.
Each week, this newsletter highlights what's going on in rural states, counties, communities, and what One Country Project is up to around the country. If you value this content, please consider donating to One Country Project. Your contribution supports our efforts to connect with rural voters and to promote greater opportunities for rural communities.
Donate Now [[link removed]]
SUPREME COURT REBUKES ALABAMA – AGAIN
*
Today,
the
Supreme
Court
rejected
[[link removed]]
the
Alabama
legislature’s
congressional
map,
the
second
time
in
four
months
the
Court
has
found
that
the
Republican
supermajority
has
violated
the
Voting
Rights
Act
by
failing
to
create
a
second
majority
Black
congressional
district.
*
Currently,
only
one
out
of
seven
of
Alabama’s
districts
is
majority
Black
in
a
state
whose
voting
population
is
27
percent
Black.
*
OCP
board
member
and
Alabama
House
Minority
Leader
Anthony
Daniels
issued
a
statement
in
support
[[link removed]]
of
the
new
Congressional
district
maps
proposed
by
the
Special
Master.
“
Fair
elections
begin
with
fair
maps
[[link removed]]
,”
Daniels
said.
“I
pray
that
these
proceedings
will
be
recounted
as
another
step
on
the
path
toward
fair
representation.
In Case You Missed It
*
Agri-Pulse:
Vilsack
warns
of
shutdown’s
impact
on
rural
America
[[link removed]]
*
The
Washington
Post:
Why
Biden’s
allies
are
scrambling
to
elevate
his
landmark
climate
law
[[link removed]]
*
Milwaukee
Independent:
Why
a
lack
of
affordable
child
care
is
pushing
the
American
Dream
farther
from
reach
for
most
families
[[link removed]]
*
Kansas
Reflector:
Anti-democratic
moves
by
state
lawmakers
raise
fears
for
2024
election
[[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]]
Be sure to follow the One Country Project on Twitter [[link removed]] and Facebook [[link removed]] , and check out The Hot Dish [[link removed]] podcast.
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