Action Needed: Demand That Your Senators Protect Our Vote

The right to vote is under siege, with extremist state legislatures passing dozens of laws to try to keep people from voting. On Tuesday this week, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore key aspects of the Voting Rights Act that were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013.

“The 2022 midterm elections will be here before we know it,” said Richard Fiesta, the Executive Director of the Alliance. “There is so much at stake and we need the House and Senate to protect the right to vote.”

You can help by taking a few minutes to call your senators and urge them to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Dial 855-930-3131 to be connected, and tell them:

• Our Democracy depends on them
• The Senate MUST pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act so everyone’s voice is heard.

To stay up to date about this important issue please visit https://fightingforourvote.org.

Growing Number of Public Health Experts Recommend Upgrading Masks

Cloth masks may have protected you during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, but with the rise of the Delta variant many public health officials are now advising people to use higher-quality masks. Americans are advised to use the best masks available to them as the Delta variant spreads, students head back into schools and the public resumes other high-risk activities.

Using higher quality masks does not mean just going to the pharmacy and buying another box of surgical masks. Several local health departments say the best options available are N95 and KN95 disposable masks, followed by a good-fitting surgical mask, and finally, a double-layered cloth mask. However, the age of the mask and how it fits are also important. For example, if your glasses fog up while you are wearing your mask, it does not fit properly. 

“We urge our members to protect themselves and others against this deadly virus,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “More than a year into this pandemic, it is probably time to invest in new masks, and consider upgrading them.”

Medicare Advantage Plans Cost Federal Government $7 Billion in 2019

A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that the private Medicare Advantage plans that some beneficiaries choose are costing the Medicare trust fund $7 billion, or $321 more per beneficiary than traditional Medicare for the same benefits.

In its 2022 budget, the Biden Administration expressed support for reforming payments to Medicare Advantage plans to help extend the solvency of the Medicare Trust fund and ensure that coverage is affordable for beneficiaries.

“Private insurance companies are making billions already, they should not be overcharging the government,” said Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance. “Medicare Advantage plans were supposed to deliver services at a lower cost; the federal government should hold them to that commitment.”

Alliance Leader Jo Etta Brown Re-Appointed Chair of Nevada Commission for Women

Governor Steve Sisolak has re-appointed Alliance Executive Vice President Jo Etta Brown as Chair of the Nevada Commission for Women. Ms. Brown has served on the commission since 2016 and has been the Chair since 2020. The commission works to study the changing and developing roles of women in society and recommend proposed legislation.

“I am honored to have been re-appointed Chair to the Commission,” said Vice President Brown. “These are trying and difficult times, with many challenges. I look forward to working together as a team with my fellow Commissioners as we address the issues that affect women.”

 Executive Vice President

Jo Etta Brown

“The Nevada Legislature empowered the Commission to be proactive,” she continued. “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected women. The pandemic has had a negative impact on millions of working women, causing them to consider leaving the workforce or shutting down their careers. While all women have been impacted, according to McKinsey and Company, the women challenged the most are working mothers, women in senior management positions and Black women.”

Ms. Brown concluded, “Working together in partnership with other women's organizations we can find some of the answers to address these issues. Our work can truly make a difference for women in Nevada, the nation and the world.”

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