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☆ The debt ceiling deal could lead to 750,000 older Americans losing SNAP benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The debt ceiling deal could lead nearly 750,000 adults to lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits. SNAP benefits, or food stamps, give monthly funds to low-income individuals and families for food purchases. CBPP noted that high denial rates and long wait times for receipt of disability benefits has made accessing SNAP benefits increasingly difficult. CBPP research noted that the existing work-reporting requirement does not increase employment or earnings but do lead thousands to lose their food benefits. Are you an older American who relies on SNAP benefits and who could be affected by this change?

Persons: —, CBPP, Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, Cori Bush, Ed Bolen Organizations: Assistance, SNAP, Service, Budget, Congressional, Office, Democratic, CNBC, American Economic Association Locations: Missouri

☆ Biden and McCarthy's plan to change SNAP work requirements in the debt-ceiling deal could actually expand benefits — but not employment
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She led some of her Democratic colleagues in introducing an amendment to remove the new SNAP work requirements from the debt-ceiling bill. "Come see me in a year, and I'll show you how much we actually saved," McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday night. How the work requirements will impact employmentDespite McCarthy and Republicans' belief that work requirements will bolster employment, some experts aren't so sure. Work requirements in SNAP have increased employment less; in Medicaid, they appear to have had little effect on employment." "I think it goes to the principle of this bureaucratic red tape that we call work requirements," Jayapal said.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Biden, McCarthy, — McCarthy, Cori Bush, Lauren Bauer, there's, Bauer, Bernard Yaros, it's, Yaros, Congressional Progressive Caucus Pramila Jayapal, Jayapal Organizations: SNAP, CBO, Service, Supplemental, Assistance, Democratic, Office, White, Economic, Brookings Institution, The, Brookings, Moody's, Congressional Progressive Caucus Locations: Missouri, TANF

☆ Meta must 'unplug the hate machine,' civil society groups say in open letter
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Tekendra Parmar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Meta faces a $1.6 billion lawsuit for allegedly failing to moderate hate speech in Ethiopia. The suit was brought by the family of a professor who was killed after Facebook posts targeted him. Insider's reporting also revealed that one of those trusted partners warned Meta about posts targeting Meareg Amare, a Tigrayan chemistry professor, in the fall of 2021. A spokesperson for Meta did not dispute the trusted partner's account, which was similar to complaints raised by five other trusted partners interviewed by Insider. The Facebook posts targeting Professor Amare falsely accused him of funneling funds and equipment to the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which was fighting a civil war against Ethiopian federal forces and allied groups.

☆ A student-loan company at the center of a lawsuit blocking Biden's debt cancellation with a 'dubious record of customer service' just got a new contract to keep servicing millions of borrowers, Cori B
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Education Department awarded five student-loan companies new contracts, including MOHELA. "No company should be profiting from the student debt crisis, especially MOHELA with their dubious record of customer service in the past," she continued. "My office will continue our work to hold student loan servicers accountable for their harm to our communities. Ultimately, there is still much work to be done to provide student debt relief, bolster college affordability, and begin the transition to a world without student debt at all." As Bush referenced, MOHELA is responsible for the whole PSLF portfolio, which forgives student debt for government and nonprofit workers after ten years of qualifying payments.

☆ A huge win in Wisconsin shows Dems how fiercely defending abortion rights can kneecap the GOP in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Expect Democrats to make abortion rights a dominant theme in 2024. The Democratic party chair there says it's "vital" that party members convey their position. Expect Democrats to make sure of that, especially after a recent Wisconsin election further demonstrated the power of abortion rights at the ballot box. Abortion rights advocates protest outside the White House in July 2022. Dems shift to talking openly about abortionThe Democratic Party has rapidly changed its views on abortion.

☆ US senators defend push to give Biden new tools to ban TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The White House and 26 senators support the Restrict Act that would apply to foreign technologies from China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba. Critics say the bill is overbroad and hurts civil liberties of Americans including the more than 150 million U.S. TikTok users. The senators denied targeting individual users or people using a virtual private network to access TikTok. Last week, Republican Senator Rand Paul blocked a bid to fast-track a separate bill to ban TikTok introduced by Senator Josh Hawley, who said the Restrict Act "doesn’t ban TikTok. Then President Donald Trump's attempts in 2020 to ban TikTok were blocked by U.S. courts.

☆ Content moderators sue Meta over alleged 'union-busting' in Kenya
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NAIROBI, March 20 (Reuters) - Facebook content moderators in Kenya are suing the social media site's parent company Meta (META.O) and two outsourcing companies for unlawful redundancy, a rights group said on Monday. The 43 applicants say they lost their jobs with Sama, a Kenya-based firm contracted to moderate Facebook content, for organising a union. They also say they were blacklisted from applying for the same roles at another outsourcing firm, Majorel, after Facebook switched contractors. The court cases could have implications for how Meta works with content moderators globally. The moderators accuse Meta of instructing Majorel not to hire any moderators previously employed by Sama, according to the court petition.

☆ 126 Democratic lawmakers reaffirm to Biden that they think his student-loan forgiveness plan is legal — and they 'expect the legal challenges to the plan will fail'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

126 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Biden expressing support for his student-debt relief plan. GOP lawmakers have continued to challenge the legality of his plan. Since Biden's debt relief plan was announced, many Republican lawmakers attacked that relief as unfair, costly, and an overreach of executive authority. Some Republicans have also recently introduced legislation to end the student-loan payment pause and block Biden from canceling student debt broadly. "The President has the legal authority to cancel student debt," Missouri Rep. Cori Bush wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

☆ Ayanna Pressley says it's not time for a student-debt relief backup plan yet, as a conservative-majority Supreme Court decides whether Biden's plan is legal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Ayanna Pressley told Insider it's not the time for a backup plan on student-debt relief. The Supreme Court concluded oral arguments on the cases challenging Biden's debt relief on Tuesday. The Supreme Court needs to apply the letter of the law, and we need to get this done." Pressley was among a group of Democratic lawmakers who voiced support for student-debt relief outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning. "Even this far-right Supreme Court should be able to recognize that these claims against student debt relief are baseless and politically-motivated.

☆ Days before the Supreme Court takes on Biden's student-loan forgiveness, Elizabeth Warren urges it to 'do its job and apply the law as it is written'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Sen. Elizabeth Warren urged the Supreme Court to uphold Biden's student-debt relief. "The Supreme Court needs to do its job and apply the law as it is written." GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn, for example, wrote on Twitter on Thursday that "canceling student debt is Biden's gift to young left-wing activists. She also led GOP senators in filing an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court urging it to strike down Biden's debt relief. This scale of student-loan forgiveness is unprecedented, so it's hard to determine which way the Supreme Court will rule.

Biden will deliver his second State of the Union address at about 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday). It will be broadcast live on major U.S. broadcast television networks and online by the White House and the House of Representatives. The speech could deliver Biden his largest television audience of the year. The White House has also invited Brandon Tsay, who disarmed a gunman responsible for a mass shooting in Monterey Park, California. Republicans have picked Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as White House press secretary under Donald Trump, to deliver their response.

Following are some of the guests expected to attend:* Brandon Tsay: Tsay was called a hero by authorities for disarming a gunman who shot dead 11 people during a celebration of the Lunar New Year in Monterey Park, California. The White House called it a "recognition of sustained U.S. support for Ukraine nearly a year after Russia launched its unprovoked attack." * The White House has also invited Paul Pelosi, husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "The attack reportedly was politically motivated, with the intruder's alleged intent to harm and kidnap the former Speaker," the White House said. The United States completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 after a 20-year war.

☆ This is why some members of Congress have been seen wearing lapel pins resembling miniature AR-15 rifles
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Some GOP lawmakers have been seen wearing lapel pins in the shape of miniature AR-15 rifles. One Democratic congressman said that wearing the pins "isn't the flex you think it is." download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyRecently, Republican members of Congress, Rep. George Santos and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna have been spotted wearing lapel pins resembling miniature AR-15 rifles. The mystery of the lapel pins has now been solved. Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde from Georgia owns a gun store and has now taken responsibility for handing them out.

☆ Amazon told lawmakers it wouldn't build storm shelters in warehouses after fatal collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Amazon said it won't build storm shelters in its warehouses after a tornado ripped through one of its Illinois facilities more than a year ago, killing six workers. OSHA guidelines say that basements, storm cellars or small interior rooms provide the best protection from a tornado. Amazon previously said it followed federal guidance to tell employees to take shelter immediately after there was a tornado warning. The families of two employees killed in the building collapse have filed wrongful death lawsuits against Amazon and the companies that built the warehouse. Reconstruction of the Edwardsville warehouse began in June, according to KSDK, the NBC affiliate in St. Louis, Missouri.

☆ Why 2 law professors who think Biden's student-loan forgiveness is illegal believe the GOP-led states that blocked the debt relief 'utterly lack standing'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Two law professors filed an amicus brief to SCOTUS regarding Biden's student-debt relief. They said they don't think the relief is legal, but the six GOP-led states who sued do not have standing. The states cannot use student-loan company MOHELA in this case, the professors said. The states "utterly lack standing for the remedy they received"Bray and Baude's central argument is that Missouri should not be bringing this lawsuit. If MOHELA will suffer revenue loss from loans it would have serviced prior to debt relief, then MOHELA is the entity that should be suing, they said.

☆ AOC says chaos in the GOP House shows that the Squad is pretty reasonable in comparison
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addressed the ongoing chaos in the Republican Party. She said it showed the group of progressives she's a member of is reasonable in comparison. The GOP has failed to elect a House speaker during three days of voting, paralyzing Congress. "The more days that this goes on the more this truly starts to have a corrosive impact on our country," Ocasio-Cortez said. The group have regularly clashed with Democratic Party leadership on issues including the Green New Deal and expanded Medicare provisions.

The group of hard-line Republicans standing firm in opposing Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s bid for speaker has coalesced around an alternative: Rep. Byron Donalds, a conservative two-term lawmaker from Florida who is considered a rising star in the GOP but is still relatively unknown nationally. Donalds said the incident inspired him to change his life and eventually emerge from businessman to politician. In 2021, Donalds was denied membership in the Congressional Black Caucus and insisted it was because of his conservative views. Donalds’ wife, Erika Donalds, with whom he has three children, is also a conservative Republican and involved in state politics. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., center right, speaks with a colleague in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol, on Wednesday.

☆ A band of immigrant tenants went to war with their $31 billion landlord. It's a sneak peek at what's to come across America.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

In Alexandria, Virginia, $31 billion landlord CIM Group bought a massive apartment complex in 2020. The group was organizing against CIM Group, the landlord they said had upended their lives. Insider spoke with 10 Southern Towers tenants. The battle between the Southern Towers tenants and CIM could presage what's to come across America. "We're not going to leave"The Southern Towers tenants aren't the only ones following the money.

☆ Why a federal court blocked Biden's student-debt cancellation even after a major loan company undermined a key argument in the GOP-led lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The 8th Circuit blocked Biden's student-debt relief in response to a lawsuit filed by six GOP-led states. It said the states' argument that the relief would hurt student-loan company MOHELA has standing. But a district judge previously dismissed that argument, and MOHELA said it wasn't involved in the case. This was in response to a lawsuit filed by Missouri and five other Republican-led states who argued the loan forgiveness would hurt the states' tax revenues, along with that of Missouri-based student-loan company MOHELA. "This unanticipated financial downturn will prevent or delay Missouri from funding higher education at its public colleges and universities."

☆ Student-loan companies are 'ready to apply' debt cancellation to borrowers' balances, Biden's Education Secretary says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Miguel Cardona said student-loan companies are "ready to apply" debt relief. But they cannot actually cancel any student debt right now because the plan continues to be stalled. That's due to a ruling from the 8th Circuit in response to a GOP-led lawsuit seeking to halt the relief. "Unfortunately, our ability to process loan forgiveness has been paused," Cardona wrote. "We believe strongly that the lawsuits are entirely meritless, and that the debt relief plan is lawful and necessary," he added.

☆ 16 million student-loan borrowers have now been approved for debt cancellation, Biden says — but they won't see relief 'in the coming days' due to a GOP lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Education Department has so far approved 16 million student-loan borrowers for debt relief, Biden said. The relief is currently on pause until the 8th Circuit makes a final decision on the legality of the relief. "That's 16 million Americans, so far, who should be seeing student debt relief in the coming days," Biden wrote. Biden's debt relief plan has been hit with at least five other lawsuits seeking to block its implementation. Still, the decision from the 8th Circuit looms, and until it comes, the Education Department cannot actually give borrowers relief.

☆ A major student-loan company just undermined the GOP-led lawsuit that temporarily halted Biden's debt cancellation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Six GOP-led states said in a lawsuit that Biden's student-debt relief will hurt loan company MOHELA. "It is unconscionable that your company—as one of the largest student loan companies in the world—would be involved in overtly political efforts to rob millions of their right to student loan debt relief," Bush wrote in her October 18 letter. Any available funds above reasonable operating needs and reserves are devoted by MOHELA to student financial aid." Even with this new information, it's unclear when the 8th Circuit will make a decision on whether the debt relief can move forward. "MOHELA has cut the single thread this frivolous lawsuit was hanging by, Braxton Brewington, spokesperson for advocacy group the Debt Collective, said in a statement.

☆ Insider asked 38 Republicans whether they're concerned about growing anti-Semitic sentiments in their party. Their responses included silence, deflection, and rehashing old statements.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Insider reached out to House Republican leaders, GOP senators auditioning for the 2024 presidential race, the Republican National Committee, retired GOP lawmakers, seasoned Republican strategists and former Donald Trump administration officials about this disturbing phenomenon. The non-respondents included RNC chair Ronna McDaniel, former Vice President Mike Pence, National Republican Senatorial Committee chair Rick Scott, House Republican Conference chair Elise Stefanik, Florida Gov. Meghan McCain, the daughter of late Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, lashed out at West, Trump and House Republican "idiots" cheering on their reprehensible behavior. "You can say that his particular words in this particular case are not antisemitic," Rosen said Tuesday during Commentary's daily podcast. Nor have they convinced House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jim Jordan to quit hailing West and Trump as personal heroes.

☆ Biden's student-loan forgiveness can move forward for now after a federal judge just threw out one of the most serious GOP lawsuits against the debt relief
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It was regarded as one of the most serious challenges to the loan forgiveness plan. The GOP-led states could still appeal the case, but for now, Biden's debt relief can move forward. The suit was regarded as one of the most serious cases challenging the debt relief plan. Autrey said that the plaintiffs failed to show concrete harm the debt relief would cause them and will no longer consider the case. "It is unconscionable that your company — as one of the largest student loan companies in the world—would be involved in overtly political efforts to rob millions of their right to student loan debt relief," Bush wrote.

☆ Student-loan companies who want to sue the government to stop Biden's student-loan forgiveness are on their own, a judge just ruled — states can't do it on their behalf
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A judge dismissed a lawsuit six GOP-led states filed against Biden's student-loan forgiveness. He said the states didn't have standing to sue on behalf of student-loan company MOHELA. The company is financially independent from the states and can sue on its own, the judge said. On Thursday evening, Republican-appointed Judge Henry Edward Autrey dismissed a lawsuit filed in Missouri by six Republican-led states who sued to stop Biden's debt relief, arguing it would hurt their states' tax revenues along with that of Missouri-based student-loan company MOHELA. Earlier this week, the Cato Institute — a Koch-backed libertarian think-tank — filed its own lawsuit against student-loan forgiveness, and next week, a federal judge is holding a hearing for a lawsuit filed by conservative group the Job Creators Network.

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