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Representative Chellie Pingree to Launch Bipartisan 'Fix Our Food Caucus' in House

Representative Chellie Pingree to Launch Bipartisan 'Fix Our Food Caucus' in House

Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), an organic farmer and long-time advocate for food and agriculture issues, is set to launch a bipartisan 'Fix Our Food Caucus' in the House of Representatives. The caucus aims to develop policies that promote healthy, affordable food and protect individuals from chemical exposure. Pingree has been actively engaging with Democratic colleagues to emphasize that food is a primary concern for many constituents, extending beyond just cost to include health and safety. She has also met with members of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, which supported President Trump's election, to foster consensus on food policy. While a House MAHA Caucus already exists, its scope is broader than food and is exclusively Republican. Pingree is currently reaching out to lawmakers from both parties to assemble the caucus, though specific members have not yet been disclosed. Her recent legislative efforts include collaborating with Representative Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) to ch...
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Congresswoman Alma Adams and Senator Cory Booker Reintroduce Momnibus Act to Combat Maternal Mortality

Congresswoman Alma Adams and Senator Cory Booker Reintroduce Momnibus Act to Combat Maternal Mortality

Representatives Lauren Underwood and Alma Adams, co-chairs of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, along with Senator Cory Booker, have reintroduced the Momnibus Act. This legislative package aims to address the high rates of maternal mortality, morbidity, and disparities affecting mothers across all backgrounds in the United States. The Momnibus comprises 14 distinct pieces of legislation designed to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce mortality rates. Key provisions include critical investments in social determinants of health for pregnant individuals and new mothers, extending WIC eligibility during postpartum and breastfeeding periods, and funding for community-based organizations focused on maternal health. It also allocates funding for maternal healthcare for veterans, invests in a culturally competent perinatal workforce, and seeks to improve data collection processes and quality measures to better understand the causes of the maternal health crisis. Additionally, the act supports maternal ment...
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Representative Sanford Bishop Co-Sponsors Resolution to Close 13th Amendment Slavery Loophole

Representative Sanford Bishop Co-Sponsors Resolution to Close 13th Amendment Slavery Loophole

U.S. Representative Sanford Bishop Jr. (GA-02) is a co-sponsor of the bicameral 'End the Exception Amendment,' a resolution aimed at striking the 'Slavery Clause' from the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This clause currently permits slavery 'as a punishment for crime.' The resolution was reintroduced by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), U.S. Representative Nikema Williams (GA-05), and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). Proponents argue that this loophole has historically allowed for forced labor, particularly impacting Black Americans, through practices like 'Black Codes' enacted after 1865. These codes led to mass arrests for minor offenses, with imprisoned individuals then leased out for labor, sometimes on the same plantations where they had been enslaved. By 1898, 73% of Alabama's state revenue reportedly came from such forced labor. The resolution seeks to eliminate this exception, ensuring a complete ban on slavery without any qualifications.
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Rep. Paul Gosar Engages with Constituent on Cancer Research Funding and Clinical Trial Accessibility

Rep. Paul Gosar Engages with Constituent on Cancer Research Funding and Clinical Trial Accessibility

Rep. Paul Gosar, a Republican from Arizona, met with Buckeye resident Stephanie Alvarez to discuss increasing funding for cancer research and prevention. The meeting, which took place on September 15, was part of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's (ACS CAN) annual Leadership Summit and Lobby Day in Washington. Alvarez, who began advocating after her grandmother's death from cervical cancer, urged Gosar to support significant increases in cancer research and prevention funding. She also requested his co-sponsorship of the Clinical Trial Modernization Act. This proposed legislation aims to make clinical trials more accessible by allowing trial sponsors to cover patient participation costs, including copays, travel, parking, meals, and lodging. It also suggests providing technology for remote participation, which could benefit rural residents, older adults, and individuals with limited incomes. Arizona advocates, including Alvarez, also sought funding for the National Institutes of Health, th...
USA TodayUSA Today
El-Sayed, Andrews are right to run. We need doctors in politics. | Opinion

El-Sayed, Andrews are right to run. We need doctors in politics. | Opinion

Doctors, nurses and public health professionals are running for office at every level. We should welcome that – across the political spectrum.
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House Committee Passes Bipartisan Aviation Medication Transparency Act to Improve Pilot and Air Traffic Controller Healthcare Access

House Committee Passes Bipartisan Aviation Medication Transparency Act to Improve Pilot and Air Traffic Controller Healthcare Access

The Aviation Medication Transparency Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Congressmen Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and Pete Stauber (R-MN-08), has successfully passed out of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure by a voice vote. The legislation is now slated for a full House vote. This bill mandates that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) publicly list medications deemed safe for use by pilots, flight instructors, flight attendants, and other aviation professionals, alongside those that are not. Furthermore, it requires the FAA to provide guidance on the duration for which airmen may need to limit their duties while adjusting to specific medications. Currently, the FAA provides this critical information to Aviation Medical Examiners but not directly to pilots, non-aeromedical physicians, or air traffic controllers. This lack of accessibility can lead to aviators unknowingly taking prescription medications that could jeopardize their careers. The Act aims to rectify this by ensuring ...
The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch
Joyce Beatty describes Trump 'tantrum' at Kennedy Center board meeting

Joyce Beatty describes Trump 'tantrum' at Kennedy Center board meeting

Rep. Joyce Beatty says President Donald Trump 'picked the wrong person' for throwdown at Kennedy Center meeting.
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Representative Lateefah Simon Introduces H.R. 10352, the 504 Program Level Flexibility Act, to Expand Small Business Financing

Representative Lateefah Simon Introduces H.R. 10352, the 504 Program Level Flexibility Act, to Expand Small Business Financing

Representative Lateefah Simon Introduces H.R. 10352, the 504 Program Level Flexibility Act, to Expand Small Business Financing
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Representative Michelle Fischbach Introduces 'Empowering Moms Act' to Centralize Maternal Resources

Representative Michelle Fischbach Introduces 'Empowering Moms Act' to Centralize Maternal Resources

Representative Michelle Fischbach introduced H.R. 10356, known as the 'Empowering Moms Act,' on September 14, 2026. This bill mandates the Department of Health and Human Services to update and maintain a federal website, moms.gov, within one year. The website is intended to serve as a comprehensive directory of resources for pregnant women, new mothers, and those raising young children. Key features of the site would include a searchable clearinghouse of resources, the ability for users to generate tailored resource lists based on their ZIP code, and options to filter resources by distance. The platform would also support multiple languages to enhance accessibility and allow users to consent to follow-up communications for additional resource sharing. The bill invites states to recommend resources and provides grants to help states build or support systems for collecting and organizing these resources. The types of resources covered are broad, encompassing medical, financial, educational, mental health, an...
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Chairman Griffith Leads Health Subcommittee Hearing on Medicare Payment Reform and Cybersecurity

Chairman Griffith Leads Health Subcommittee Hearing on Medicare Payment Reform and Cybersecurity

Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered an opening statement at a hearing titled 'Examining Legislative Proposals to Reform Medicare Provider Payment and Bolster Health Care Cybersecurity.' The hearing focused on several bills aimed at addressing challenges within the Medicare physician fee schedule and enhancing cybersecurity in the healthcare sector. Griffith emphasized the need to improve the Medicare payment system to provide greater stability for healthcare providers, particularly independent and rural practices facing payment uncertainty and regulatory complexity. Key legislative proposals discussed included the 'Patients First Act' to modernize physician payment, the 'Provider Reimbursement Stability Act' to improve payment predictability, and the 'Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act' to expand Medicare coverage for pharmacist services. Additionally, bills like the 'Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention Act' and the 'Rural Obstetrics Rea...
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Nevada Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Aid Human Trafficking Survivors with Air Travel

Nevada Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Aid Human Trafficking Survivors with Air Travel

U.S. Representatives Susie Lee (D-Nev.) and Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) have reintroduced the Jimmy Deal Trafficking Survivors Assistance Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to help survivors of human trafficking access air travel to escape their traffickers and receive care. A companion bill was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). The bill is named after James 'Jimmy' Deal, a late Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer who worked to raise awareness of human trafficking at Reno-Tahoe International Airport and assisted victims. Many survivors lack the necessary identification documents for air travel, as traffickers often control these documents. The proposed act seeks to facilitate air travel for these individuals, enabling them to return to their families and communities. This legislation was initially proposed in 2023 but did not pass during that congressional term.
Rochester Democrat and ChronicleRochester Democrat and Chronicle
Do clocks fall back this weekend? When daylight saving time ends in 2026

Do clocks fall back this weekend? When daylight saving time ends in 2026

Most Americans will turn their clocks back one hour when daylight saving time ends. Here's when the time change happens and what to know.