Month: May 2019

Trump uses 1996 welfare reform bill to go after immigrants who use public benefits

health, medicaid, News, politics

President Trump is getting serious about going after immigrants who use public benefits.

In a presidential memorandum issued Thursday, Trump announced he will direct federal agencies to enforce a longstanding rule requiring the sponsors — usually U.S. citizen family members — of immigrants to reimburse the government for any public benefits they use, including Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

“Financial sponsors who...

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Health Department announces new rule weakening nondiscrimination protections for trans people

Affordable Care Act, health care, News, politics

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new rule Friday that would seriously harm transgender people’s access to health care.

The department announced a revision to the nondiscrimination section of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), known as “Section 1557.” That provision prevented discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, and sex. Under the Obama administration, the department interpreted sex discrimination to ...

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Cory Booker would put an ‘Office of Reproductive Freedom’ in the White House

News, politics, reproductive-rights

Amid a nationwide onslaught of anti-abortion bills whose reach and cruelty seem to be, like the universe, expanding at ever-increasing rates, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced Wednesday that, if elected president, he would create a White House Office of Reproductive Freedom on his first day in the White House.

“Republican-controlled state legislatures across the country are mounting a coordinated attack on abortion access and reproductive rights,” he said in a statement.

“A ...

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Alabama Senate hopeful who authored an ACA repeal sells ‘free’ pro-life stickers — for $4 each

Affordable Care Act, News, obamacare, politics

Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL), who claims to be “pro-life” despite his repeated votes to take health insurance away from millions of people, is hoping to cash in on his state’s new unconstitutional abortion ban.

Byrne, who is seeking his party’s nomination to challenge Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) next year, is currently giving away “free” pro-life stickers with his campaign logo on them — as long as you donate $4 to his campaign.

Alabama Gov. ...

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