Samantha Bent Weber

Thread: Senate Republicans released initial bill language for their #Medicaid cuts. I am reading the bill now and will highlight key changes from House-passed bill. Topline is provider tax restrictions are worse, will devastate expansion state finances (1/x) www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/do...

In Georgia, Republicans Vote to Kill Green Jobs but Face Little Fallout

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/07/c...

Yes!

Shade is an essential solution for hotter cities One of the most effective ways to keep people cool is often neglected in urban planning. Cities must work to provide cover and reverse the ‘shade deserts’ common in low-income communities.

Shade is an essential solution for hotter cities - Nature www.nature.com/articles/d41...

California just debunked a big myth about renewable energy Are renewables reliable? A new study says California ran on renewables alone for a record number of days last year.

California just debunked a big myth about renewable energy.

The state went a record 98 of 116 days providing up to 10 hours of electricity with renewables alone.

grist.org/energy/calif...

#Solar #Energy #Renewable #CA #California #Climate

Congress moves to loosen toxic air pollution rules The House and Senate both voted to loosen regulations on air pollutants like dioxin and mercury, which are associated with higher cancer risk.

By @alejandrabee.bsky.social

The House and Senate both voted to loosen regulations on air pollutants like dioxin and mercury, which are associated with higher cancer risk.

Support for stricter environmental regulations outweighs opposition in a majority of states Nationally, 60% of Americans say stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost, while 38% say they cost too many jobs and hurt the economy.

More support than oppose stricter environmental laws in many states | Pew Research Center www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

US passes momentous energy milestone for first time in history: 'It is a trend we believe is irreversible' This development is welcome news and a harbinger of a new era in energy production in the United States.

US passes momentous energy milestone for first time in history in March. For the first time ever, cleaner, low-carbon energy sources generated more electricity than fossil fuels. Yahoo News - www.yahoo.com/news/us-pass... m

Justice Sotomayor’s Message to Lawyers: Stand Up, Fight and Win In an era when judges are often assessed by their commitment to democracy, Justice Sonia Sotomayor stands as a stalwart in the pro-democracy camp.

“Our job is to stand up for people who can’t do it themselves. We need trained, passionate and committed lawyers to fight this fight. With all the uncertainty [in] this moment, this is our time to stand up and be heard.”
—Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
www.democracydocket.com/opinion/just...

I respect this rule wholeheartedly...

@elainegodfrey.bsky.social - I really hope you can correct this. It is important to identify/emphasize birthright citizenship with accuracy and consistency.

There's a moment in your article where you refer to the deportation of "the Honduran child with Stage 4 cancer." Isn't that child American?

Warnock: I hear people attack poor people and act like it’s a crime to be poor, rather than to recognize it’s criminal for so many people to be poor. They do all of this in the name of Jesus… Jesus is the biggest victim of identity theft in the United States

If it's possible for you and a few others in your communities to band together now and to start planning back to school free stores, children's clothing swaps, school supply giveaways etc... definitely do it. There's going to be a lot of need.

US map via scienceimpacts.org visualization of economic loss due to IDC cuts to 15% as part of Feb 7, 2025 executive order, with shading denoting intensity of cuts.

Working with an interdisciplinary team, we have developed a website to communicate how the White House's proposed cuts to health research would cause losses of $16B and 68,500 jobs.

Find out how your community may be impacted.

Explore more at SCIMaP: scienceimpacts.org

a 🧵

Medicaid Is a Middle-Class Benefit. Here’s What to Know. (Gift Article) If you have a parent short on savings, a disabled adult child or a minor with special needs, Medicaid may be your backstop. Plenty of people are unaware.

“Talk about it. Celebrate it,” said Brittany van der Salm, who spent years working for consulting firms that helped states improve their Medicaid programs. “It’s something to be proud of. You’ve made a great decision for yourself in seeking and getting care.” www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/y...

Some good news!

"FEMA has removed all [info] regarding the Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZs) from its website. [The CDRZ Act] requires the President to 'maintain a natural hazard assessment program that develops and maintains products ... available to the public[.]'” eelp.law.harvard.edu/tracker/fema...

I am no longer there, just in anguish over friends and colleagues still trying to navigate these challenging times. And feeling frustration in knowing that every person I worked with across the agency was deeply committed to their work and to serving the public - the whole public.

Big small world! Long time. Life is good...except for [insert frantic gesticulating/arm-waving].

@nateela.bsky.social hey!

This is worth a revisit.

Haven't read this yet but looking forward to it.

Speechless

#EpiSky #OBGYNsky

Helpful resource for being in community:

Daisy Gatson Bates: Black History Month profile She helped the Little Rock Nine integrate a high school

When the Little Rock Nine walked into Central High School in 1957, the country was watching. What Americans didn’t see was the woman who organized those students: Daisy Gatson Bates. She planned the strategy for desegregation in the state. She selected the nine students.
www.cnn.com/interactive/...

I love the cheekiness of this...too bad we're too obtuse to get the picture...

Medicaid’s Role in Small Towns and Rural Areas Key Findings Non-elderly adults and children in small towns and rural areas are more likely than those living in metro areas to rely on Medicaid/CHIP for their health insurance. As a consequence, r…

In rural America, Medicaid is more than health insurance—it’s a bridge to care and stability for millions.

To get a better sense of the role #Medicaid plays in rural communities—and the stakes if funding is cut--see this piece by @joanalker1.bsky.social and @edwincpark.bsky.social.

Found ya!