Latest news with #7thCongressionalDistrict
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's manufacturing vision meets hard reality in Pennsylvania
On this installment of 'All Over the Map,' CNN's John King visits the 7th Congressional district of Pennsylvania, a political bellwether and manufacturing powerhouse, to hear from Trump voters who are facing the reality of Trump's trade policies in their own lives.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Colorado Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen says treatment for substance use disorders would take a big hit under Republican budget bill
Treatment for substance use disorders would take hit under budget bill, Colorado Congresswoman says Treatment for substance use disorders would take hit under budget bill, Colorado Congresswoman says Treatment for substance use disorders would take hit under budget bill, Colorado Congresswoman says For Rep. Brittany Pettersen, the debate happening in D.C. over Medicaid isn't political, it's personal. If not for the government health care program, she says, her mom wouldn't be alive. Stacy Pettersen struggled with opioid addition for years, a struggle that became the catalyst for far-reaching legislation by her daughter, including a law that expanded Medicaid to cover in-patient treatment for substance use disorders. Rep. Brittany Pettersen CBS Pettersen says the law has saved lives and money. "When you're denying them care and churning in and out ER, the federal and state government spent over a million keeping her alive in ICU instead of giving her access to the care she needed," Pettersen said. Pettersen, the Democrat who represents Colorado's 7th Congressional District, was working on the bill with stakeholders, including Emergency Room Doctor Don Stader, when her mom overdosed and ended up in the ER. Stader was on duty that night. "It was one of the most surreal moments and patients of my life and it made ... (it) so clear what we are fighting for and what the stakes are," he said. With Stader's help, Pettersen has passed a number of transformative laws to help those like her mom, who is now 8 years in recovery. But she says the Republican budget bill puts all that progress at risk. "My mom is an example of what's possible when we give people the help they need," she said. "All of this is going away with this bill." The bill strips Medicaid funding for in-patient addiction treatment, repeals a law providing Naloxone for rural first responders, creates new work and cost-sharing requirements for recipients, and implements twice yearly eligibility reviews. "It's created to purge people off of actually qualifying for these benefits while paying tens of millions of dollars by increasing bureaucracy," said Pettersen. The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which administers Medicaid, estimated the administrative burden alone would cost up to $57 million. The Congressional Budget Office says more than 100,000 Coloradans could lose their coverage. "This is going to fundamentally shift health care in many communities across the country," said Stader. "We are going to take our health care back a quantum leap for something that is far less effective, far less compassionate and far less efficient than what we have now." Last year, Colorado saw a 35% reduction in opioid deaths. Pettersen worries the downward trend will reverse course. "We had the biggest reduction of overdose deaths, and it's because of this work. It's because of access to Naloxone. It's because of increasing access to treatment. And they're actually taking that option away for states like Colorado," Pettersen said. President Trump wants the House to pass the bill by Memorial Day. He met with GOP hardliners Tuesday. They are refusing to pass the measure without deeper cuts. The bill would cut taxes by $4 trillion and reduce federal spending by $1.6 trillion, including a $700 billion reduction in Medicaid spending. It is expected to raise the national debt by about $3 trillion over the next 10 years.
CBS News
10-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Colorado moms share concerns over Medicaid cuts in Mother's Day roundtable
Mother's Day is this Sunday, and U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen from Colorado's 7th congressional district is using the day to send a message. She said for many Colorado moms, the day might be filled with some angst over cuts to federal spending. At Jeffco Head Start on Friday, Pettersen met with community advocates and mothers who rely on federal programs like Medicaid, Head Start and SNAP; programs that may be at risk due to proposed budget cuts. CBS "I know that this is some of the most irresponsible proposals that you could bring for our kids, for our families, (with) devastating consequences," Pettersen said. Medicaid, Head Start and SNAP might be on the chopping block next week as Republicans look to cut $1.5 trillion in federal spending over a 10 year period. The Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid and Medicare, plans to meet on Tuesday. It's been tasked with finding about $880 billion in savings over 10 years. One in five Coloradans is on Medicaid, including many moms who said cuts to the program would be devastating. "I can't imagine what it would be like. One of my husband's medications, he's on seven, one is $16,000 a month. We would have to choose between feeding my family or my husband backsliding and starting to have seizures and memory loss again," said one participant. "And that doesn't even touch on the therapies my son's receiving that are, in my opinion, life changing." CBS In a release, Pettersen said, "In April, a leaked FY26 HHS budget proposal included eliminating the Head Start program, which promotes school readiness for infants, toddlers, and pre-school aged children. In Colorado, over 11,600 children and 5,000 jobs would be impacted by that proposal. While the administration has since rolled back their previous statements on Head Start funding, the program remains in limbo." President Trump has repeatedly said he will not sign any bill that cuts Medicaid. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the Energy and Commerce Committee cannot save $880 billion without making some cuts to Medicaid. Medicaid accounts for 93% of all remaining non-Medicare mandatory spending under the jurisdiction of the committee. Two Colorado representatives sit on that committee, Republican Gabe Evans and Democrat Diana DeGette. In March, Evans co-introduced a bill with Democratic Rep. Scott Peters of California to address fraud concerns in the Medicare and Medicaid system. An audit by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that Colorado Medicaid made $7.3 million in unallowable payments for deceased enrollees between 2018-2020. "The bill requires states to regularly check the Social Security Administration's death file for deceased physicians. If deceased physicians remain in the program, their National Provider Identifier can be used by hackers to bill Medicaid or Medicare under the guise of the deceased physician. This is a commonsense bill that addresses a major problem in providing quality healthcare to Coloradans," said Evans. Although this measure could potentially help the program save millions, further action would be needed to reach the committee's $880 billion goal.
Axios
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Dems prepare for CD7 special election
It'll be a fast and furious race to fill the congressional seat formerly held by the late Raúl Grijalva. The big picture: Grijalva, who was first elected to the U.S. House in 2002, died earlier this month after 22 years in office. His death triggered a special election for the vacant seat representing the 7th Congressional District, which covers parts of Tucson and southwestern Arizona, and juts into the West Valley. The primary will be July 15 and the general election on Sept.23. What we're watching: Grijalva's daughter, Adelita, is widely expected to run but said she won't make any announcements about the race until after her father's funeral on Wednesday. Former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez already announced his candidacy, while Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said last week he's "strongly considering" it. Why it matters: CD7 is a majority Latino, overwhelmingly Democratic district, so whoever wins can hold the seat for a long time if they want, providing they don't do anything to earn the wrath of primary voters. The field isn't set yet, but three major candidates are expected to vie for the Democratic nomination. The deadline to file nominating petitions is April 14. Adelita Grijalva has long been viewed as a potential successor to her father. She serves on the Pima County Board of Supervisors, to which she was first elected in 2020. Before the end of 2022, she'd served 20 years on the Tucson Unified School District governing board. Fontes was elected Maricopa County recorder in 2016, ousting longtime Republican incumbent Helen Purcell. He lost his re-election in 2020 but was elected two years later to be secretary of state. As Arizona's top election official, he's been an outspoken and at times pugnacious advocate for voting rights. Daniel Hernandez, a member of a Tucson political family, served three terms in the Arizona House from 2017 to 2022. In 2022, he ran for the Tucson-based 6th Congressional District, losing the Democratic primary to Kirsten Engel. Hernandez first achieved prominence in 2011 when he provided critical first aid to then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords after the mass shooting that killed six people and gravely wounded her. What they're saying: Grijalva has "kind of got the best of both worlds," former Tucson lawmaker Steve Farley told Axios. She's done a good job of stepping out of her father's shadow, he said, and establishing her political personality, but will still be able to leverage the support of her father's political machine. Between the lines: Fontes is charismatic and many people in Tucson like his fight, Farley said. Hernandez has a base of support in Tucson, which he represented for years in the Legislature and has experience as a congressional candidate. He announced that he'd raised more than $100,000 in the first 24 hours of his campaign. Though Raul Grijalva had many supporters, there's also anti-Grijalva sentiment that Farley said Hernandez and Fontes will be able to tap into.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Harris senior adviser to join Baltimore mayor's office
Kamau Marshall, a senior adviser to former Vice President Kamala Harris's 2024 campaign, will soon embark on a new journey in Maryland. Marshall has accepted a position in the office of Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, taking on the title of head of communications. 'I had the honor and privilege of working in Baltimore for the late Congressman Elijah E. Cummings a decade ago. Today, I find myself embarking on a third chapter in my journey: first as a young child, then serving the 7th Congressional District under the late Rep. Cummings, and now joining Mayor Brandon M. Scott's administration, whose significant visionary leadership has sparked and fostered meaningful progress for the City of Baltimore,' Marshall, a former White House aide, said in a statement to The Hill. 'I bring the skills and experience, and I am committed to delivering real, impactful results. I will strive to do so with unwavering dedication,' he added. Scott, the first mayor in Baltimore to win reelection in two decades, is widely known for his implementation of the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, which led to a decrease in nonfatal and fatal shootings. 'Kamau has returned home to be a part of a team writing a chapter of the Baltimore Renaissance,' Scott told The Hill. 'I think that we're just lucky to have him on board with us.' 'I met Kamau many years ago when he worked for Baltimore's forever Congressman, Elijah Cummings, a well-trusted and great-grand steward to me,' he added. 'Also, I've always connected with Mr. Marshall through his work, having worked within two presidential administrations, including the most recent.' Marshall's new role comes after Harris made one of her first post-White House moves: signing on with the Creative Artists Agency, which will represent the former vice president on 'all areas, focusing on speaking engagements and publishing.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
