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. The Senate put forward a stopgap bill 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 – 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 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 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.

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 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, putting up to 15 million 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.

• 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.

SUPREME COURT REBUKES ALABAMA – AGAIN

• Today, the Supreme Court rejected 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 of the new Congressional district maps proposed by the Special Master. “Fair elections begin with fair maps,” Daniels said. “I pray that these proceedings will be recounted as another step on the path toward fair representation.

• Agri-Pulse: Vilsack warns of shutdown’s impact on rural America
• The Washington Post: Why Biden’s allies are scrambling to elevate his landmark climate law
• Milwaukee Independent: Why a lack of affordable child care is pushing the American Dream farther from reach for most families
• Kansas Reflector: Anti-democratic moves by state lawmakers raise fears for 2024 election

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