Budget Policy & Priorities / Public News Service

The Medicaid safety net program covers more than 70 million low-income and disabled Americans. (Singh/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

NM's outsized reliance on Medicaid has advocates prepping for worst-case

Unprecedented cuts to Medicaid under consideration by lawmakers in Congress would be a heavy blow to New Mexico, where more than one-third of the …

On a single day in 2024, Ohio domestic violence hotlines received 636 contacts, or nearly 27 per hour. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Hundreds turned away as OH domestic violence shelters face budget pressures

A new report showed programs serving domestic violence survivors in Ohio are stretched thin, with hundreds of people who need help being turned away …

Women of childbearing age make up nearly 20% of Alaska's population. Many live in areas not accessible by road, leaving them vulnerable to a loss of critical medical care under proposed cuts to federal social service programs, such as Medicaid. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Report: Medicaid cuts would hobble rural Alaska health care

Proposed cuts to Medicaid would put hospitals in jeopardy in rural states, where health care services are already scarce, according to new research …

According to the Pew Research Center, the Black immigrant population will account for roughly one-third of the U.S. Black population's growth through 2060. (pressmaster/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Black immigrant population grows throughout Arkansas, nation

Studies show one in 10 Black people in the U.S. is an immigrant and immigrants' advocates said they face significant challenges blending into the …

According to the Argonne National Laboratory, consumers can save more than $6000 in lifetime repair and maintenance costs from an EV compared to a gas-fueled vehicle. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

IN electric vehicle owners may lose 4-figure tax credit

Supporters of electric vehicle ownership said there are a number of advantages to owning one. Studies show EVs can convert 85% to 90% of their …

More than 50 protesters rallied on the steps of the Capitol Building in Sacramento to fight proposed cuts to Medi-Cal, which would affect more than 350,000 undocumented Californians. (California Immigrant Policy Center)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Groups rally against proposed Medi-Cal cuts for undocumented people

Groups fighting for immigrants' rights and health care access asked lawmakers in Sacramento on Tuesday to reject proposed cuts to Medi-Cal for undocum…

On average, more than 23% of rural women of childbearing age receive health care coverage through Medicaid. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Report: Rural women of childbearing age more often rely on Medicaid

A new report found women of childbearing age in rural areas rely more on Medicaid for health care coverage than their urban counterparts and cuts to M…

On average, women who live in rural Illinois will travel more than 17 miles for care. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Report: Medicaid cuts risk maternity care for rural Illinois

In Illinois, more than one in five rural women of childbearing age rely on Medicaid for health coverage, according to the Georgetown University …

Housing policy experts said the U.S. has a shortage of 7.1 million rental homes affordable and available to people with extremely low incomes. They worry more people will experience homelessness based on HUD changes taking shape under the Trump administration. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Housing aid, discrimination enforcement face disruptions in ND

North Dakota housing assistance offices helping with rent vouchers and discrimination cases are having to do more with less as federal changes take sh…

The 2025 Florida hurricane season, from June 1 to Nov. 30, is predicted to be above average with 17 named storms. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

FL emergency managers prep for hurricane season amid FEMA uncertainty

As Florida emergency response officials conduct their annual statewide hurricane preparedness exercise this week, emergency managers are grappling …

A report from the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University showed 23.3% of women of childbearing age in rural areas are covered by Medicaid. (pressmaster/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

TX health care advocates say changes to Medicaid could affect expectant mothers

As members of Congress debate changes to Medicaid, advocates in Texas who work with people covered by the plan are concerned about potential …

In 2022, children accounted for about 40% of all SNAP participants. (Natalie Kiyah, Oregon Food Bank)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

SNAP cuts would hit Oregon's wallet hard

SNAP, the federal program which helps feed 42 million Americans, including 700,000 Oregonians, faces cuts under the Trump Administration's huge …

Colorado's Bent and Crowley counties are among 20 counties nationwide where approximately half of women of childbearing age are covered by Medicaid. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Report: Medicaid critical for maternal and infant health in rural Colorado

Medicaid coverage is essential for the health of women and babies and efforts in Congress to curtail the program could disproportionately affect peopl…

Nearly 20% of Washington's labor force is foreign-born. (DisobeyArt/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Fear of detention prevents some WA migrants from getting food

Immigrants' rights advocates are voicing concerns that migrant communities in Washington may be avoiding visiting food banks or getting food assistanc…

Nationally, more than 23% of women of childbearing age in rural areas are covered by Medicaid, compared to 20.5% of women in metro areas. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Medicaid cuts could restrict access to rural Utah maternity care

Congressional leaders are looking at major cuts to Medicaid and health care advocates said the proposed changes would be keenly felt by rural Utahns w…

Medicaid covered more than 40% of births nationwide and nearly half of all births in rural areas, in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Report: Medicaid cuts would affect AZ rural maternity care

President Donald Trump is urging some of his colleagues to "not mess with Medicaid," even as hard-liners call for steeper cuts to the health care prog…

In 2022, one in three SNAP participants in Ohio was a child, and more than 250,000 were seniors. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Ohio leaders warn SNAP cuts could overwhelm state budget, food banks

Ohio advocates said proposed federal cuts to SNAP could force the state to absorb hundreds of millions in costs, threatening food access for families…

More than two-thirds of producers surveyed by the National Wildlife Federation believe allocating federal funds specifically to support farmers in adopting climate-smart agriculture practices is a worthwhile investment. (Dusan Kostic/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

PA farmers back boost in long-term funding for conservation programs

A recent poll from the National Wildlife Federation showed Pennsylvania farmers and ranchers benefit from voluntary conservation programs from the U.S…

Oregon and California have created prescribed burn liability funds to help reduce the risk for landowners and contractors. (David Elkins/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

WA to see more prescribed burns thanks to new liability fund

Washington lawmakers have created a new Prescribed Burn Liability Fund to help make controlled burns less risky on public, private and tribal lands …

Rising insurance costs are adding another wrinkle to Minnesota's housing crisis. The Minnesota Housing Partnership said costs driven by increased weather risks and rebuilding expenses have pushed <br />insurance premiums in Minnesota to 12th highest in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Despite budget constraints, MN gives affordable housing a bump

Minnesota's legislative session is hovering around its endpoint and lawmakers found extra room in the budget to expand affordable housing. Those …

According to a report from the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University, labor and delivery is the top reason for a hospital stay nationwide. (Rido/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Report: Proposed Medicaid changes could hurt AR expectant mothers

Changes to Medicaid being proposed by members of Congress could have a significant effect on women in Arkansas who are of childbearing age, according …

Gallup, New Mexico, has a disproportionately high number of

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

FBI promises missing Indigenous investigations but deletes historical data

The FBI has said it will add resources in 10 states including New Mexico to tackle unresolved crimes, with a focus on those related to missing and …

In 2022, U.S. subsidies for fossil-fuel companies totaled $757 billion, according to the International Monetary Fund. The figure included uncompensated costs of negative health effects and environmental degradation. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

IRA cuts would remove $1.58 billion from two Republican-led CO districts

Congress is set to claw back $6.5 billion in climate-related Inflation Reduction Act investments to help pay for the Trump administration's priorities…

Last week, patients, providers and advocates rallied against Medicaid cuts in front of Dignity Health Mercy Hospital in Folsom, Calif. (CCHI)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Advocates warn proposed Medi-Cal cuts could harm rural maternity care

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is hashing out last-minute details of a huge funding bill which could come to a floor vote this wee…

In 2022, the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Report: Kentucky among highest in nation for rural women on Medicaid

Congress is considering a proposal to slash $880 billion in Medicaid funding and experts said the cuts would be devastating for maternal and infant he…

Virginia's rate of workplace deaths has dipped year over year, with 2.7 per 100,000 workers dying on the job in 2023, compared to 3.4 in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Virginia ranks in top 10 for lowest rates of deaths on the job

More than 5,000 workers nationwide died from traumatic injuries while on the job in 2023 and 135,000 more died from occupational diseases, according …

Federal investments in clean energy via the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act grew 17-fold between 2022 and 2024, with a total of $11.5 billion in federal investments coming to four Appalachian States, according to ReImagine Appalachia. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Monday, May 19, 2025

Federal budget bill could stall growth and investment in Appalachia

A new report highlights record-breaking investments in the Appalachian region, driven largely by federal climate and infrastructure funding over the …

According to the South Dakota Department of Health, 65% of EMS agencies in the state serve populations of 3,000 or fewer. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 19, 2025

SD rural ambulance providers still in need of lifeline

National EMS Week is underway, and South Dakota ambulance providers serving smaller towns and cities say they're barely getting by, with aging crews …

The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families says 20 counties nationwide have approximately half of women of child-bearing age covered by Medicaid. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 19, 2025

Report: Nearly a quarter of rural pregnant women in MN rely on Medicaid

Minnesota is in the top half of states when linking Medicaid coverage with needs for maternal care in rural areas. That's according to a new report …

Incentive programs such as Double Up food bucks, which allow SNAP participants to purchase more fresh produce and other healthy foods at farmers' markets, have improved family diets. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 19, 2025

Colorado seeks SNAP waiver to restrict purchase of soda, not food

As Colorado moves to bar Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants from using benefits to buy soda and other sugar sweetened beverages…

Monday, May 19, 2025

Congress considers the sale of public lands in UT, conservationists raise concerns

Hunters and anglers are voicing concerns about the possible sale of hundreds of thousands of acres of public land in Utah and Nevada. U.S. Rep…

Families that took part in a guaranteed income program in Oakland reported lower psychological distress and reduced rates of depression. (UpTogether)<br />

Monday, May 19, 2025

Report: CA guaranteed income program recipients made progress

A guaranteed income pilot program in Oakland improved housing stability and employment among its recipients, according to a new report from the …

Monday, May 19, 2025

Experts: Medicaid cuts could worsen WV’s maternal mortality rate

Congress is considering a proposal to slash $880 billion in Medicaid funding and experts warn the cuts would be devastating for West Virginia women…

Some patients in rural Louisiana live 45 minutes to an hour away from the nearest hospital with an obstetrics department, a long way to drive in an emergency situation. (Adobe Stock/AI)

Monday, May 19, 2025

Expert: Medicaid cuts could cripple health care in rural Louisiana

As Congress debates the federal budget, House Republicans are looking to make deep cuts in the Medicaid program, which some experts warn could …

Workplace safety for rural Americans is among a host of topics addressed at the Rural Democracy Initiative's 2025 Action Policy Summit in Des Moines, Iowa. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 19, 2025

Rural Nebraskans want safer workplaces, higher child care wages

Health care wages, the consolidation of nursing homes, and clean water for Nebraska were among the priorities for attendees of this month's Rural …

At the Rural Policy Action Summit, leaders like Julie Bomar, executive director of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, called for urgent federal action.

Monday, May 19, 2025

WI leaders join national call to protect rural services, shape policy

More than 60 rural leaders, including advocates from Wisconsin, met in Des Moines, Iowa, at the Rural Policy Action Summit to share solutions and …

Rural communities around the country often struggle with higher poverty rates, fewer job opportunities, and a reliance on declining industries like agriculture or manufacturing. <br />(Yvonne/Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 19, 2025

Missouri leaders join nationwide fight to protect rural communities

With nearly a third of Missourians living in rural areas, state leaders are speaking out against federal proposals they said threaten rural …

Monday, May 19, 2025

NV hunters, anglers react to possible sale of western public lands

Hunters and anglers are voicing concerns regarding the possible sale of hundreds of thousands of acres in Nevada and Utah. U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei…

Opponents of a proof-of-citizenship bill before Texas lawmakers say many women in rural areas, who could get targeted by the bill, do not have a birth certificate matching their current last name. (Golib Tolibov/Adobe Stock AI)

Monday, May 19, 2025

Proposed proof-of-citizenship bill could impact all registered voters in Texas

Voting rights advocates in Texas are speaking out against a proof-of-citizenship bill before lawmakers. Senate Bill 16 would require new registrants …

The district level mapping tool shows how farmers and ranchers in every state have benefited from the voluntary Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program. (kegfire/Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 19, 2025

AR farmers, ranchers tout benefits of federal conservation programs

A new poll shows Arkansas farmers and ranchers believe they benefit from voluntary conservation programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture…

More than half of Tennessee children receive health care through the state's Medicaid program, TennCare. (N Lawrenson/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Budget cuts to Medicaid, SNAP would 'devastate' TN communities

As Congress debates a host of federal budget cuts, groups advocating for lower-income Tennessee families said the state will not be able to handle …

Nearly one in five rural public schools in Ohio serve high-poverty student populations, yet receive less state funding per student than suburban schools. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio voices call for rural support over school shutdowns

Ohioans were among dozens of rural leaders who gathered in Iowa this month, urging lawmakers to protect public education, small businesses, and …

Montanans paid $213 million more in residential property taxes in 2023 than 2022, a median increase of 21% per property. (Adobe Stock)

Leaders from Montana, rural U.S. talk taxes at policy summit

As the Trump administration restructures the nation's economy, rural leaders said they fear things are moving in the wrong direction for their …

A National Wildlife Federation poll showed Texas producers support increased funding for a voluntary, incentive-based program to help farmers and ranchers conserve grasslands. (cherryandbees/Adobe Stock)

TX farmers and ranchers benefit from federal conservation funds

A recent poll by the National Wildlife Federation showed Texas farmers and ranchers benefit from voluntary conservation programs from the U.S…

The peninsular bighorn sheep is federally listed as an endangered species. (Chrismr/Adobe Stock)

On Endangered Species Day, expert warns of 'destructive' federal policies

Today, on the 20th anniversary of Endangered Species Day, conservation advocates warn polices of President Donald Trump's administration are …

The Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return Initiative compared and evaluated 22 on-farm interventions, 12 of which were nature-based and 10 tech-based, and found the nature-based solutions provided superior results. (Adobe Stock/AI)

Investment group touts nature-based agriculture solutions to climate change

By Dawn Attride for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Arkansas News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborati…

Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has served nearly 40 million children and their families. (Save the Children)

Head Start supports WA parents, celebrates 60 years

This Sunday is the 60th anniversary of Head Start, the federally funded preschool program supporting more than 12,000 children, up to age four…

Throughout the summer, families can find Summer Food Service Program locations through the Site Finder Map or through the Hunger Hotline. (Adobe stock)

Indiana skips summer food funds for kids

By Reyna Revelle for WISH-TV.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service …

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