Under the Trump Administration, U.S. health leaders are proposing to weaken the Affordable Care Act’s ban against discrimination in healthcare. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) revision to ACA would erase references to protections against discrimination by health care programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability. The revision, according to Health Affairs, would remove: Certain definitions (such as terms like “on the basis of sex”);
Nondiscrimination protections based on sex, gender identity, and association;
Language-access requirements (such as translated taglines on notices and communications to consumers), affecting people with limited English proficiency
Requirements for a compliance coordinator and ...
At least one person has been killed in a traffic crash in Texas every day since Nov. 7, 2000. That’s why Vision Zero Texas has enabled advocates to push Texas leaders, including a letter-writing campaign (with Salud America! participation) and in-person advocacy, for strategies to improve road safety and set a goal to have zero deaths on state roads. The efforts are paying off. In May 2019, the Texas Transportation Commission voted to adopt a goal of reducing traffic fatalities on the state’s roadways to zero by the year 2050!
Traffic Deaths in Texas
Nearly 3,600 people died on Texas roads in 2018. Why? Human factors, like distracted driving and speeding, vehicle factors, like breaks and headlights, and roadway factors, like access points and pedestrian crossings. ...
In a seemingly coordinated effort to minimize climate change concerns, the Trump administration is reducing environmental protection rules. Now, they want to diminish scientific data that demonstrates its potential harms. Last month, James Reilly, director of the United States Geological Survey (USGS), ordered his agency’s scientists to limit climate change estimations to only predict effects until 2040. Up to now, models would assess climate change repercussions through 2100. Scientists are concerned because the worst climate harm could come after 2050, according to The New York Times. This is bad news for Latinos, who are especially impacted by pollution. “Failing to look beyond 2040 [on climate science] is like pretending a baby born today won’t live past 21,” ...
The Ohio State School Board this week approved social and emotional learning (SEL) standards to apply to students in K-12─and hundreds of Ohio educators and Salud America! members submitted comments to help refine those standards. Ohio now is one of only eight states with K-12 SEL standards. These standards aim to help students build emotional awareness, empathy, strong relationships, and responsible decision-making. How did this big change happen? What role did Salud America! and the public have?
The Growth of SEL in Ohio Schools
Students who get support for social and emotional learning in schools do better academically, socially, behaviorally, and mentally, research shows. SEL is part of a larger plan in Ohio (3.8% Latino) to prepare all students for life after high ...
In another move to reduce clean water protections, the EPA plans to enact another ruling that will make it easier for companies to remove hazardous waste through dumping. This proposed directive would limit the protections of our rivers and lakes by allowing a loophole with greater flexibility for corporations to eliminate toxic waste by polluting the groundwater, according to Clean Water Action. This plan follows in the footsteps of the agency’s recently proposed “Dirty Water Rule,” and is part of a seemingly wide-reaching effort to reduce environmental protection efforts. The EPA wants your opinion on this proposed rule by June 7, 2019!
Email a Comment Now for Clean Water!
Dear EPA Office of Wastewater Management, Access to clean water should be a foremost ...
In another attempt to roll back environmental protections, the EPA is proposing to revise the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (MATS). However, the agency received a total 473,714 comments that provide insights and opinions that largely urge against their proposed plans; 231 members of the Salud America! network also sent an email to EPA Chief Andrew Wheeler pressing for clean air quality. A large portion of these comments focuses on the EPA’s recent de-regulatory efforts, and their refusal to make policy decisions based on scientific findings or relevant data, according to The Pump Handle. Last month, a coalition of 21 attorneys general filled comments that oppose the proposed rule as well as issuing a press release that rebukes recent environmental rollbacks. “EPA blinds ...
Over the past two months, Latinos and all Americans have spoken out against the EPA’s proposal to reduce the waters that are protected by the agency. Of the 577,212 public comments submitted, 2,367 members of the Salud America! network sent EPA Chief Andrew Wheeler an email. These messages urged Wheeler’s organization to not follow through with their plan to revise the definitions of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS), or more commonly the “dirty water rule.” The EPA is reviewing the messages, but thousands of miles of rivers, lakes, and wetlands could be put in danger of pollution if the EPA enacts this rule. Risks Involved The landmark Clean Water Act was passed in 1972 as part of an effort to reduce widespread pollution. Greater requirements were added to ...
Nearly 30,000 public comments, including some from Salud America!, were submitted on Trump’s proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that would strip benefits from as many as 750,000 Americans. The public comment period ended on April 2, 2019. We asked our network members to submit statements that will go to protect Latino and all families. Over 1,500 people visited our model comments web page in February, March, and April 2019. "The comments make it clear that most Americans not only oppose but are utterly repulsed by this plan to punish the poorest among us by denying them help to feed themselves," Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group said in a statement. In New York City (28% Latino) ...
The California Department of Substance Control (DTSC) received 61 comments, 80% from Salud America! network members, that urged state regulators to remove harmful chemicals in nail-care products. The department began taking statements on February 15, asking for the public’s input on toluene — a substance linked to numerous adverse health issues. Studies and reports have shown that this chemical poses harm to those who experience long-term exposure. We asked our Salud America! network members in California to speak up for the safety of salon industry workers and consumers. The DTSC received 61 comments, 50 of which were or a variation of, Salud America! model messages. Still, the DTSC has more work to do in determining whether or not toluene should become a “priority ...
