Health Care

NC lawmakers unanimously pass $1.7B pandemic relief package in 4 days

By Alanna Joyner / March 8, 2021 / Comments Off on NC lawmakers unanimously pass $1.7B pandemic relief package in 4 days

Last week, the Republican-led North Carolina General Assembly passed it’s COVID-19 relief package. The NC House Bill (HB) 196 appropriated the remaining $1.7 billion in federal money that was allocated to North Carolina in the Congressional relief package passed in December. In a process that lacked transparency in ensuring equitable allocation of public dollars, the…

Read More

Burr, Tillis vote against Biden’s massive COVID-19 relief package as it passes Senate

By Alanna Joyner / March 8, 2021 / Comments Off on Burr, Tillis vote against Biden’s massive COVID-19 relief package as it passes Senate

Senate Democrats passed their version of the near $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act on Saturday, but not before making some major changes from the version of the bill passed by the House last week. The bill includes $1,400 stimulus checks for many Americans, extended federal unemployment benefits, billions for K-12 schools, billions for state…

Read More

The News & Observer: Congress has a new way to push states to expand Medicaid. Will it work in NC?

By Alanna Joyner / March 1, 2021 / Comments Off on The News & Observer: Congress has a new way to push states to expand Medicaid. Will it work in NC?

President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion pandemic rescue plan, approved on Saturday by the House, includes an incentive for states to expand Medicaid by providing additional federal funding for their entire Medicaid program, not just those eligible under expansion. North Carolina is one of 12 states nationally that has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care…

Read More

School reopening: Legislative leaders are simply too cheap to do it right

By Alanna Joyner / February 16, 2021 / Comments Off on School reopening: Legislative leaders are simply too cheap to do it right

Last week, N.C. House lawmakers approved a bill for K-12 school districts to offer partial in-person instruction, but the Senate did not agree to send it to the governor due to recent changes made to the proposal. The changes included allowing educators to receive special accommodations that could allow them to continue teaching remotely if…

Read More

N.C. General Assembly Debate School Reopening, COVID-19 Relief

By Alanna Joyner / February 9, 2021 / Comments Off on N.C. General Assembly Debate School Reopening, COVID-19 Relief

Last Thursday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper laid out his budget recommendations for COVID-19 relief spending, which includes one time bonuses for teachers and school personnel, recovery for businesses and further efforts to stop the spread of the virus. Cooper’s budget recommendations for allocating federal funding comes as the Republican-led General Assembly already passed an…

Read More

Progressive Pulse: NC’s response to the COVID-19 crises: Hindered by the “The Big Lie”

By Alanna Joyner / January 27, 2021 / Comments Off on Progressive Pulse: NC’s response to the COVID-19 crises: Hindered by the “The Big Lie”

In opening remarks for the new legislative session, N.C. Speaker Tim Moore said, “And above all, we are committed to a system of government that represents justice for all North Carolinians”. What Moore failed to mention was how for decades, the N.C. General Assembly has failed to expand access to health care, housing support, increased…

Read More

Progressive Pulse: NC General Assembly can afford to go all-in to address COVID-19 harm

By Alanna Joyner / January 21, 2021 / Comments Off on Progressive Pulse: NC General Assembly can afford to go all-in to address COVID-19 harm

Last Wednesday, the North Carolina General Assembly officially began its two-year session, with COVID-19 relief spending, a two-year state budget, school spending and redistricting among the top agenda items this year.  Prior to the NCGA’s adjournment, the Republican-led legislature failed to address long standing unmet needs for struggling North Carolinians. According to the state’s latest…

Read More

Cardinal & Pine: ‘We Have to Act’: Biden Announces $1.9 Trillion Relief Package

By Alanna Joyner / January 19, 2021 / Comments Off on Cardinal & Pine: ‘We Have to Act’: Biden Announces $1.9 Trillion Relief Package

Last week, President-elect Joe Biden announced a two part, $1.9 trillion relief plan that aims to tackle the many crises COVID-19 has imposed and Trump has failed to tackle, including unemployment, financial aid to struggling families and small businesses, and vaccine production. Extending the emergency unemployment insurance program, raising the minimum wage to $15 per…

Read More

WRAL: NCGOP, elected leaders flout pandemic rules at ‘Victory Party’

By Alanna Joyner / December 14, 2020 / Comments Off on WRAL: NCGOP, elected leaders flout pandemic rules at ‘Victory Party’

Last Saturday, as North Carolina broke a record with more than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases, Republican party leaders ignored COVID-19 restrictions when they held a “Victory party” and meetings in Elkin. Despite the state Department of Health and Human Services reporting that 5,556 more people had been diagnosed with COVID-19 than the day before and…

Read More

The News & Observer: Families are struggling while billions sit unused in NC. Legislators are to blame

By Alanna Joyner / December 8, 2020 / Comments Off on The News & Observer: Families are struggling while billions sit unused in NC. Legislators are to blame

Both federal and state unemployment, protections against evictions and other key stimulus programs are set to expire in the coming weeks. Without the new aid, millions of Americans are at risk as the pandemic worsens.  After months of failed negotiations, the House and Senate have resumed stimulus amid the impending housing and economic crisis, yet…

Read More