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Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

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JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Congress Decides Funding for War and Domestic Programs

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Tuesday, May 27, 2008   

Albany, NY – The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan–-and the money needed to fund them–-take center stage on Capitol Hill this week. The Senate overwhelmingly passed the war finance bill just before the Memorial Day holiday weekend, and now the House takes up the measure. The proposal provides funding for the HOME-front as well as the BATTLE-front, with a major expansion of veterans' benefits and a moratorium on rules that would have cut some Medicaid payments to states.

Karen Schimke with the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy in Albany says it's good news when states don't have to foot the bill for those Medicaid costs.

"This is a really important victory, both for people with disabilities and for children. In New York state, the Legislature and the governor agreed on covering children up to 400 percent of poverty, at state expense, until action is taken in D.C."

And that action could end up being a veto override vote as President Bush opposes what he calls too much domestic spending. Twenty-five Republican senators broke away from the president and voted in favor of the bill last week.

Schimke believes keeping federal domestic investments intact means better lives for those with special needs.

"For example, children will be able to stay home with their families, so they don't need to be placed in substitute care. All of those services were in jeopardy."

Schimke notes the current Congressional action supports New York's efforts to provide health care coverage for all children, pointing out that the Bush administration has fought the states tooth and nail on the issue.

"New York State, and a number of other states, have been working to assure that children who may not be eligible for Medicaid have other health insurance through the State-Child Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP). The administration clamped down on it. Now Congress has made it unequivocal what they expect to happen with these services."




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