Dear John,

Congress is careening towards a potential government shutdown next week—and the negotiations to pass a stopgap funding bill are at a standoff. Democrats are fighting to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits that make private health insurance plans more affordable. The tax credits were part of the original ACA, and were extended under Biden’s American Rescue Plan in 2021. They are set to expire at the end of 2025. 

But Trump and the Republicans are refusing to negotiate. Georgetown’s Lelaine Bigelow reports that if the tax credits expire, the number of uninsured people could increase by more than 30 million over the next decade, and the cost of health insurance premiums could rise by nearly 8 percent each year from 2026 to 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. “Without [the tax credits], a mother of two in Mississippi earning $50,000 could see her premiums increase by almost 300 percent overnight,” she notes.

This potential elimination of the tax credits comes on top of the Republican budget bill this summer that gutted Medicaid, the government-sponsored health insurance program, leaving millions without coverage and ultimately increasing the federal deficit by $3.4 trillion, according to the CBO. 

Meanwhile over at the Department of Defense, Secretary Pete Hegseth shut down a nearly 100-year-old committee intended to expand the role of women in the military. It’s an unsurprising move, coming from a man who essentially endorsed revoking women’s right to vote just last month—but disheartening nonetheless. 

This week marked the 25th anniversary of the FDA approving the medication mifepristone, which is used in combination with misoprostol to end early pregnancy. While initially saddled with burdensome restrictions, the FDA has since expanded access. Today, medication abortion accounts for over half of abortions performed in the U.S., and has been proven to be one of the most safe and effective methods for ending a pregnancy. Mifepristone itself has also proven effective at treating diseases like Cushing’s syndrome, and even has the potential to be used as a weekly contraceptive, as demonstrated in recent trials.

But as contributing editor Carrie Baker reports in Ms. this week, the Trump administration has announced a new review of the medication, at the urging of antiabortion advocates and politicians. As abortion restrictions have proliferated across the country, the numbers of medication abortions being performed have actually increased—providing a vital lifeline for women in states with bans. Learn about the advocates who helped bring mifepristone to the U.S., how clinics are standing up to attacks on abortion, and more of the latest abortion news below. 

Finally—the Epstein files have dominated the headlines lately, and as victims continue to come forward, and new evidence continues to emerge, the questions and demands for justice grow louder. George Conway joins host Dr. Michele Goodwin to unpack it all in a special Fifteen Minutes of Feminism episode this week—listen wherever you get podcasts or at MsMagazine.com. 

Onward,

Kathy Spillar

Executive Editor

Tune in for a new episode of Ms. magazine's podcast, On the Issues with Michele Goodwin on

Apple Podcasts + Spotify.

In this episode, at a time where unprecedented news stories break every day, we’re re-elevating the Jeffrey Epstein files. As victims continue to come forward, and new evidence continues to emerge, the questions and demands for justice grow louder. What can we learn from the information that has been released? What will it take for the full files to be released? And how will Trump respond?

We hope you'll listen, subscribe, rate and review today!

U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For over 50 years, Ms. has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you. We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity.

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