Good afternoon,

Hurricane Helene has wreaked havoc across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee with more than 230 deaths. Helene has become the deadliest mainland hurricane since Katrina in 2005. Unsurprisingly, former President Donald Trump and his rightwing media allies are trying to weaponize the Hurricane Helene relief efforts to motivate his base and politicize a natural disaster.

Trump is lying about relief efforts being led by the Biden administration, claiming there is no money for relief because it was all spent on illegal immigrants. This is false and incredibly hypocritical. In the middle of the 2019 hurricane season, the Trump administration took "$271 million from DHS programs, including $155 million from the disaster fund, - without Congressional approval - to pay for immigration detention space and temporary hearing locations for asylum seekers." Add this to the never-ending list of reasons why Trump should not be in charge of our country again.

Here are a few important updates impacting rural America ...

PRIORITIZING PAID FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE

• The topic of paid family and medical leave (PFML) came up several times during the vice presidential debate last week, with Walz making his stance clearly known and Vance failing to do so. Governor Tim Walz signed a bill providing paid family and medical leave for Minnesotans into law in May of 2023. During the debate, he called for a similar plan at the federal level.

• One Country Project has consistently supported PFML because it would improve worker retention for employers, increase productivity, and provide an overall increase in workforce participation. The benefits of PFML for working families are well established. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) regularly advocates for paid family leave as a critical issue for American workers. A strong majority (78%) of Wisconsin voters support creating a national paid family and medical leave program, with strong support across parties. Through her legislative efforts, Baldwin has taken the position that no one should have to choose between their paycheck and their health.

• With the 2024 election a little under a month away, One Country Project has facilitated the running of ads in Wisconsin, amplifying Senator Tammy Baldwin's position on PFML. To join the conversation on this important issue with Senator Baldwin, sign here.

STABILITY IN THE SEPTEMBER JOBS REPORT

• The latest jobs report showed September was a month of stability for America's labor market with the addition of 254,000 jobs. On top of this growth, the unemployment rate fell to 4.1% and wages increased, up 4% from a year ago. Additionally, the healthcare and leisure and hospitality industries saw robust hiring.

• All of this data points to the fact that the Biden-Harris Administration's strong leadership has made our economy more resilient and reflects their ability to navigate a soft landing for the economy. This positive report comes at a time when all eyes are on the administration and the two presidential candidates ahead of election day. Lawmakers have the opportunity to build off job market progress and continue to foster economic growth for working families in rural America and beyond.

• Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz are launching a media blitz amid Republican criticism they're avoiding press. See below for the lineup of the Vice President's upcoming media appearances:
  • Harris will appear on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Tuesday.
  • Harris is also set to appear on "The View" and "The Howard Stern Show" on Tuesday.

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