Politics

Congress is set to force America’s armed services to keep better track of their guns and explosives, imposing new rules in response to an Associated Press investigation that showed firearms stolen from U.S. bases have resurfaced in violent crimes.

To help pay for his big economic and social agenda, President Joe Biden is looking to go where the big money is: billionaires. Biden never endorsed an outright “wealth tax” when campaigning last year. But his more conventional proposed rate hikes on the income of large corporations and the wealthiest Americans have hit a roadblock.

The Biden-Harris Administration is ensuring that 144 million people enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have access to COVID-19 treatments.  Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to states about the statutory requirement for states to cover COVID-19-related treatment without cost-sharing in Medicaid and CHIP for many seniors, low-income adults, pregnant women, children, and people with disabilities who receive health coverage through these programs.

The United States must rapidly implement an all-encompassing, evidence-informed response to climate change that prioritizes and optimizes health and equity, according to new research released by an international research collaboration of 40 academic institutions, United Nations agencies from every continent, and a diverse group of health experts from over 70 leading U.S. institutions, organizations, and centers. 

This year’s legislative session officially ended with Governor Newsom signing the last batch of bills over the weekend. The COVID-19 pandemic was still challenging for the California Legislature, but that didn’t stop it from sending several hundred bills to the Governor, many of which impact California employers. Here’s a quick look at some of the new employment laws that employers should be aware of. Unless otherwise stated, they’re effective starting January 1, 2022.