Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Tax Relief in the States for 2026
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 [Category: Business] -- The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council issued the following news release:
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Tax Relief in the States for 2026
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by Raymond J. Keating -
Pro-growth tax changes are coming at the start of 2026 in 11 states. Those states are providing either personal income and individual capital gains tax rate reductions, and/or corporate tax rate relief.
Georgia, Nebraska and North Carolina are notable for individual and corporate tax rate cuts.
Georgia will see its top individual and corporate tax rates decline from 5.19 percent to 5.09 percent.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 [Category: Business] -- The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council issued the following news release:
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Tax Relief in the States for 2026
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by Raymond J. Keating -
Pro-growth tax changes are coming at the start of 2026 in 11 states. Those states are providing either personal income and individual capital gains tax rate reductions, and/or corporate tax rate relief.
Georgia, Nebraska and North Carolina are notable for individual and corporate tax rate cuts.
Georgia will see its top individual and corporate tax rates decline from 5.19 percent to 5.09 percent.
Nebraska's personal income and individual capital gains tax rate will be reduced from 5.2 percent to 4.55 percent, as will the state's corporate income tax (again, from 5.2 percent to 4.55 percent).
In North Carolina, the top individual income and capital tax rate declines from 4.25 percent to 3.99 percent. And the corporate income tax rate drops from 2.25 percent to 2 percent.
On the individual income and capital gains tax fronts, top marginal rates will decline at the start of 2026 from:
* 3.0 percent to 2.95 percent in Indiana
* 4.0 percent to 3.5 percent in Kentucky
* 4.4 percent to 4.0 percent in Mississippi
* 5.9 percent to 5.65 percent in Montana
* 3.125 percent to 2.75 percent in Ohio (and becoming a flat tax)
* 4.75 percent to 4.5 percent in Oklahoma.
The state corporate income tax rate also will be reduced in 2026 from 7.99 percent to 7.49 percent in Pennsylvania.
For good measure, it's positive news that no states are directly increasing income tax rates.
Of course, there are still many state lawmakers who fail to understand the ills of high taxes. For example, while New York elected officials have implemented a tiny tax cut for middle-income earners (0.1 percentage point declines in the state's lowest personal income tax brackets in 2026 and 2027), lawmakers also extended some of the nation's highest state tax rates on upper income earners through 2032 - with the top rate registering 10.9 percent.
In the end, low personal income, capital gains and corporate income tax rates boost returns on entrepreneurship, investing, doing business and working, and enhance incentives for entrepreneurs, businesses and individuals to locate in a state.
Raymond J. Keating is chief economist for the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council. He is the author of " The Weekly Economist " book series, and 10 Points from Walt Disney on Entrepreneurship.
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Original text here: https://sbecouncil.org/2025/12/30/tax-relief-in-the-states-for-2026/
Six Reproductive Freedom Storylines to Watch in 2026
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 [Category: Political] -- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly the NARAL Pro-Choice America) posted the following news release:
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Six Reproductive Freedom Storylines to Watch in 2026
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TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Reproductive Freedom for All
RE:
DATE: December 29, 2025
2025 affirmed critical truths that will be at the forefront of our fight in 2026voters continue to reject abortion bans and support reproductive freedom champions at the ballot box; anti-abortion actors are escalating, not retreating, despite their proven unpopularity; and the human cost of
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 [Category: Political] -- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly the NARAL Pro-Choice America) posted the following news release:
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Six Reproductive Freedom Storylines to Watch in 2026
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TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Reproductive Freedom for All
RE:
DATE: December 29, 2025
2025 affirmed critical truths that will be at the forefront of our fight in 2026voters continue to reject abortion bans and support reproductive freedom champions at the ballot box; anti-abortion actors are escalating, not retreating, despite their proven unpopularity; and the human cost ofabortion bans is mounting while the full damage is still untold.
Here are the topics that shaped 2025and how we're expecting them to play out in 2026:
1: GOP Attacks on Medication Abortion as Proxy for a National Ban
Trump and his allies spent this year mounting coordinated attacks on mifepristone, making clear that restricting medication abortion is the most immediate path to a national abortion ban. By targeting mifepristone through courts, federal agencies, and obscure laws, anti-abortion extremists are attempting to override state protections, medical consensus, and public opinionand we expect them to double down in 2026. But the reality remains: Medication abortion is safe, effective, and widely used. While abortion bans have devastated access in many states, care persists thanks to telehealth and shield laws, and medication abortion is on the rise.
Key Moments in 2025:
* This year marked 25 years since the FDA approved mifepristone, which has been rigorously studied and used by more than 7.5 million people.
* Trump and his MAGA allies are using every branch and level of government, including the courts, Congress, and administrative agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to block access to mifepristone.
* Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced a bill in the Senate to ban the mailing of mifepristone, and House Republicans have introduced similar legislation.
What We're Watching in 2026:
* The FDA's baseless, politically motivated "review" of mifepristone now delayed until after the 2026 midterms. (Coincidental timing, we're sure.)
* Renewed litigation as states like Florida, Texas, and Missouri aim to further restrict mifepristone.
* Movement in Missouri v. FDA GOP-led states' attempt to revive a dismissed challenge and restrict mifepristone access. This comes after federal district Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk (in Texas) transferred the case to the Eastern District of Missouri, which is conveniently stacked with Trump-appointed, anti-abortion judges.
* Continued reliance on junk science as anti-abortion groups ramp up their outlandish, unscientific claims to stigmatize and surveil medication abortion.
* Quiet groundwork by the Trump administration to misuse the Comstock Act to ban the mailing of mifepristone.
2: "Leave It Up to the States": Shield Laws vs. Criminalizing Abortion Care
2025 revealed a direct and growing clash between states protecting abortion care and states attempting to criminalize care within and beyond their borders. Shield laws protected patients and providers from extraterritorial legal actions by states that have banned abortion. This prompted aggressive backlash from anti-abortion extremists who have made it crystal clear that they never actually intended to leave abortion access up to individual states.
Key Moments in 2025:
* Sixteen Republican attorneys general urged Congress to override state shield laws.
* Texas enacted HB 7, yet another bounty-hunter abortion ban that encourages private individuals to sue manufacturers, distributors, and providers of medication abortion to receive a minimum of $100,000 in damages.
* States like Texas and Louisiana attempted to bypass other states' shield laws, while California, New York, Vermont and other blue states strengthened and expanded protections for abortion providers and patients.
* New data from the Society of Family Planning showed an increase in telehealth-provided medication abortion care in the first half of 2025, including from legal shield-state providers.
What We're Watching in 2026:
* Escalating interstate legal conflicts and congressional efforts to preempt shield laws as the GOP continues to pursue a national abortion ban.
* Copy-cat legislation as anti-abortion lawmakers in state legislatures across the country seek to replicate Texas's HB 7, the new bounty-hunter ban targeting manufacturers, distributors, and providers of medication abortion. Some states will go even further and attempt to target people who help others access medication abortion care.
3: The GOP-Manufactured Health Care Crisis
Republicans used 2025 to advance a broader assault on health care accessgutting coverage, defunding providers, and driving up costs to push care even further out of reach. As we head into 2026, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits are set to expire, threatening coverage for more than 22 million people, and more health care clinics and rural hospitals across the country are at risk of closing.
Key Moments in 2025:
* In July, Trump and his allies in Congress passed a deeply unpopular budget bill that defunds Planned Parenthood, decimates Medicaid, and ultimately strips health coverage from 15 million people.
* In September, Congressional Republicans shut down the federal government for 43 daysthe longest in history. While ignoring calls for a bipartisan spending bill to mitigate their manufactured health care crisis, they did find plenty of time to keep attacking abortion.
* Anti-abortion Republicans slashed funding for Title X, the nation's only federal funding program dedicated to family planning.
What We're Watching in 2026:
* An expected January vote on House Democrats' clean three-year extension of the ACA enhanced premium tax credits. As the ACA fight continues, expect Republicans to keep pushing anti-abortion misinformation to distract from skyrocketing health care costs and their refusal to extend the tax credits.
* The Supreme Court potentially taking up Planned Parenthood Federation of America v. Kennedy yet another case that threatens Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood and other providers that offer abortion care.
* Intensifying scrutiny of increased public funding for anti-abortion centers, especially as legitimate medical providers lose critical resources.
* More empty health care proposals from anti-abortion lawmakers that contain harmful abortion provisions.
4: So-Called "Personhood" and Expanding Attacks Beyond Abortion
Republicans accelerated efforts to codify harmful "personhood" ideologygranting legal rights to zygotes, embryos, or fetusesconfirming what reproductive freedom advocates have long warned: Anti-abortion extremists were never going to stop at abortion. "Personhood" ideology lays the groundwork to restrict in vitro fertilization (IVF), contraception, stem cell research, and pregnancy management. Trump and his allies want these threats to fly under the radar because they know just how extreme and unpopular they are. While these laws are often framed as technical changes or isolated incidents, the policies are part of an insidious strategy to launder these unpopular and unworkable ideas, assert even more control over our bodies, and redefine reproductive health care out of existence.
Key Moments in 2025:
* Trump signed an executive order that targeted trans people and defined life as beginning at conception, inserting "personhood" ideology into official administrative policy.
* The self-proclaimed "father of IVF," Trump confirmed he does not plan to require health insurers to provide coverage for IVFafter campaigning on making these services free.
* House Speaker Mike Johnson quietly worked to successfully remove IVF coverage for active duty military members from the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
* At least 38 bills attempting to codify "personhood" ideology were introduced across 24 states a sharp increase from last year.
* Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo vetoed SB 217, which would have expanded access to fertility care by lowering costs and protecting access amid GOP efforts to ban IVF.
* The South Carolina Legislature seriously considered SB 323, a total abortion ban that would have treated abortion as homicide and set the foundation to restrict birth control, IVF, and emergency contraception.
* The Trump administration destroyed $10 million worth of contraceptives, justifying it by falsely categorizing birth control as an "abortifacient."
What We're Watching in 2026:
* Renewed domestic gag rule threats (Trump already revived the global gag rule from his first term) that extend anti-abortion ideology into broader domestic health systems.
* The federal government's continued attacks on birth control, including threats to falsely conflate IUDs and other forms of contraception as abortion care.
* Expanded criminalization efforts as states use laws based on "personhood" ideology to prosecute miscarriage and other pregnancy outcomes.
* Anti-abortion groups' increased reliance on junk science to vilify IVF and providers who offer a full range of fertility care as part of their broader efforts to sow distrust in legitimate medical institutions and providers while pushing people toward the anti-abortion centers they fund.
5: Rigging the System from the Courts to the Ballot Box
Knowing 8 in 10 Americans support the legal right to abortion care, anti-abortion extremists have doubled down on consolidating powerstacking courts, rewriting rules, and manipulating democratic systemsto impose an unpopular agenda voters repeatedly reject. This strategy targets reproductive freedom alongside voting rights and democracy itself, even as voters continue to push back and are poised to do so again in 2026.
Key Moments in 2025:
* Abortion was a galvanizing issue that drove turnout and victories from coast to coast during the 2025 elections.
* After retaking office, Trump moved quickly to completely overhaul the federal governmentstacking every level and branch with extremists ready to advance Project 2025's priorities.
* The Trump administration also confirmed dozens of judicial nominees to the federal benchincluding 13 that have extreme anti-abortion records. These confirmations have set the stage for judges to rubber-stamp Trump's anti-abortion agenda in the courts.
* Californians overwhelmingly passed Prop 50 to push back against Trump's redistricting in Texas and other attacks on democracy.
* In response to successful state abortion ballot measures, including in his home state of Missouri, Sen. Josh Hawley and his wife, Erin Hawleyan attorney and key figure in overturning Roe v. Wade launched a dark money group to promote anti-abortion ballot measures across the country. The move reportedly sparked backlash even within the White House, underscoring just how politically toxic these efforts are.
* Anti-abortion lawmakers in Missouri passed legislation that puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot that, if approved by voters, would remove the abortion protections Missouri voters approved last year. Anti-abortion extremists in Arizona tried to do the same thing, but after advocacy led by Reproductive Freedom for All, this bill was defeated.
What We're Watching in 2026:
* The 2026 midterms as a referendum on abortion bans and government overreach.
* Nevada's Question 6, which aims to protect abortion rights in the state constitution, returning to the ballot for final voter approval after a decisive victory in 2024.
* Massive spending by anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which pledged millions to buy the Georgia and Michigan Senate seats.
* High-stakes redistricting and voting rights cases, including Louisiana v. Callais before the Supreme Court, with major implications for representation and democracy.
6: Maternal Mortality and the Human Cost of Abortion Bans
The consequences of abortion bans became even more visible in 2025 as investigative reporting documented more heartbreaking and preventable deaths of pregnant people denied care. Maternal mortality rates are on the rise in states with abortion bans, yet those same states are making it harder to investigate by obfuscating and suppressing data.
Key Moments in 2025:
* Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old Black mother and nurse from Atlanta, was kept on life support for more than 90 daysagainst her family's wishes, and long after being declared brain deadbecause of Georgia's extreme abortion ban and so-called fetal personhood ideology.
* Tierra Walker, a 37-year-old Black mother from San Antonio, died from preeclampsia after being denied an abortion during a high-risk pregnancydespite repeatedly asking for careunder Texas' extreme abortion ban.
* After Georgia dismissed all members of its Maternal Mortality Commission last year, the state is now keeping the new members secret.
* The Trump administration rescinded the 2022 Biden-era guidance that affirmed federal law protects emergency abortion careputting lives at risk and creating confusion for providers who still have a legal obligation to provide this care.
What we're watching in 2026:
* Continued erosion of emergency care protections.
* Ongoing suppression of maternal mortality data by anti-abortion extremists.
* More dangerous miscarriage and pregnancy outcomes in ban states, where emergency interventions and complications are rising.
The storylines that unfolded in 2025 have set the stage for 2026, and the stakes are clear: An extremist minority is escalating authoritarian efforts through every level of powerand our rights and freedoms are at risk. This next year will test whether democracy and science prevail over coordinated and escalating attacks, with control of Congress and the future of reproductive freedom on the line.
For over 55 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levelsincluding access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leavefor every body. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.
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Original text here: https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/six-reproductive-freedom-storylines-to-watch-in-2026/
Protect Our Care: Statement - Republicans' Pity Fund Fails to Stop Hospitals From Bleeding Out Due to GOP Cuts
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Protect Our Care issued the following news on Dec. 29, 2025:
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STATEMENT: Republicans' Pity Fund Fails to Stop Hospitals From Bleeding Out Due to GOP Cuts
600+ Hospitals, Clinics, and Nursing Homes Are Facing Closure or Cutting Services in the Wake of GOP Cuts
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Today, Donald Trump and Republicans announced the recipients of their rural hospital fund -- a small, short-term payout that highlights how Republicans created a nationwide crisis and are now offering little more than a patch to fix it. The announcement comes as rural hospitals across the country face closures,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Protect Our Care issued the following news on Dec. 29, 2025:
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STATEMENT: Republicans' Pity Fund Fails to Stop Hospitals From Bleeding Out Due to GOP Cuts
600+ Hospitals, Clinics, and Nursing Homes Are Facing Closure or Cutting Services in the Wake of GOP Cuts
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Today, Donald Trump and Republicans announced the recipients of their rural hospital fund -- a small, short-term payout that highlights how Republicans created a nationwide crisis and are now offering little more than a patch to fix it. The announcement comes as rural hospitals across the country face closures,service cuts, layoffs, and a growing strain on their budget after Republicans gutted over $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, including $660 billion in hospital funding. Entire communities are finding themselves without nearby care. Patients are driving hours for basic doctor visits and prescriptions. Local economies are suffering as health care jobs vanish. But the rural hospital fund falls far short of what rural communities need, leaving families stranded without access to life-saving care.
"Republicans are trying to fix a bullet hole with a bandaid," said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. "This is a woefully inadequate response to a crisis that Republicans themselves set in motion. After pulling the trigger on policies that are sending shockwaves through rural communities, Republicans want credit for a short-term fund that does nothing to stop the bleeding. It won't stabilize rural hospitals and it won't protect access to care. Until Republicans stop attacking American health care and start fixing the damage they created, no amount of political spin will turn a bandaid into a solution."
Background
* Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress made the largest health care cuts in history: shuttering hospitals, closing emergency rooms, and devastating maternity wards -- all to give tax breaks to billionaires and corporations.
* The grants announced today will do little to nothing to help rural health care providers facing over $130 billion in cuts, and provide zero assistance to the urban hospitals that make up 56 percent of those most at risk from cuts.
* The consequences of the GOP's Big, Ugly bill are already happening and will only get worse as deeper cuts to hospitals take effect in 2027 and 2028 and the GOP pity fund will fail to stop the bleeding.
* Their $50 billion pity fund already failed to scratch the surface of the hundreds of billions in cuts to hospitals, before the Trump administration dictated no more than 15 percent of the meager funds can be used to help rural health providers stay afloat.
* For more on how hospital closures impact patients and communities: What Hospital Closures Mean For You Fact Sheet.
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Original text here: https://www.protectourcare.org/statement-republicans-pity-fund-fails-to-stop-hospitals-from-bleeding-out-due-to-gop-cuts/
[Category: Health Care]
Evidence-Based Recommendations Empower Clinicians to Manage Epilepsy in Pregnancy
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, Dec. 30 -- The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center issued the following news release:
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Evidence-Based Recommendations Empower Clinicians to Manage Epilepsy in Pregnancy
MONEAD study guides neurologists in epilepsy care for pregnant patients to improve outcomes and reduce risk of seizures
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For the first time, clinicians have access to a clear, evidence-based roadmap for adjusting antiseizure medication doses during pregnancy and after childbirth.
The strategies, practiced by a group of leading women's neurology experts in the nationwide landmark Maternal
... Show Full Article
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, Dec. 30 -- The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center issued the following news release:
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Evidence-Based Recommendations Empower Clinicians to Manage Epilepsy in Pregnancy
MONEAD study guides neurologists in epilepsy care for pregnant patients to improve outcomes and reduce risk of seizures
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For the first time, clinicians have access to a clear, evidence-based roadmap for adjusting antiseizure medication doses during pregnancy and after childbirth.
The strategies, practiced by a group of leading women's neurology experts in the nationwide landmark MaternalOutcomes and Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs (MONEAD) study, were published today in Neurology. They are expected to inform clinical practice and help ensure healthy pregnancies for women with epilepsy.
"Our goal was to generate practical evidence that empowers clinicians everywhere--from rural hospitals to urban subspecialty centers--to provide the best possible care for women with epilepsy during pregnancy," said Page Pennell, M.D., senior author of the study and chair of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "These strategies are based on real-world data from hundreds of successful pregnancies and can be applied in the clinic immediately."
Epilepsy affects more than one million American women of childbearing age, but for decades, both patients and physicians have faced uncertainty about how to safely manage antiseizure medications during pregnancy. While some modern antiseizure medications are safer than older drugs, pregnancy changes how the body processes these medications, often necessitating careful dose adjustments to maintain seizure control and protect both mother and baby.
The MONEAD study followed women with epilepsy and their children from pregnancy through age six years. Researchers at 20 academic medical centers, including UPMC as a key clinical partner to Pitt, recorded real-world epilepsy care during pregnancy and postpartum and analyzed the patterns that led to healthy deliveries.
Leading up to the analysis for this new publication, Pennell and her research collaborators were the first to show that blood levels of epilepsy medications often drop early in pregnancy, requiring proactive dose adjustments to prevent breakthrough seizures. A prior MONEAD study report published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that pregnant women with epilepsy experienced the same degree of seizure stability as non-pregnant women with epilepsy, but had their medication doses adjusted significantly more often. The MONEAD research also provided critical evidence that children born to women with epilepsy and who were exposed to antiseizure medications in utero reach neurodevelopmental milestones on par with their peers.
Despite these advances, translating knowledge into everyday clinical practice remains challenging. Research conducted by UPMC pediatric neurologist Laura Kirkpatrick, M.D., found that a significant percentage of healthcare providers report low confidence in managing epilepsy during pregnancy--a gap compounded by historical misconceptions and stigma, which contribute to lower birth rates among women with epilepsy.
The new study builds upon this earlier work and offers a detailed and practical week-by-week playbook for dose adjustments during pregnancy and postpartum, filling a longstanding gap in clinical care.
"As a practicing physician who specializes in women's neurology and pregnancy, I see first hand how critical timely dose adjustments are for protecting both mother and baby," said Denise Li, M.D., lead author of the study and assistant professor of neurology at Pitt. "This guidance gives clinicians the confidence to adjust antiseizure medication doses precisely at every stage of pregnancy and postpartum."
Ongoing studies at UPMC and partner sites continue to refine medication management strategies for pregnant women with epilepsy to further improve outcomes and support raising awareness of best practices through initiatives such as the Epilepsy and Pregnancy Medical Consortium website.
Other authors of this research are Wesley Kerr, M.D., Ph.D., and Katherine McFarlane, M.S., of Pitt; Alison Pack, M.D., of Columbia University; Jacqueline French, M.D., of NYU Langone; Elizabeth Gerard, M.D., of Northwestern University; Angela Birnbaum, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota; and Kimford Meador, M.D., of Stanford University.
This research was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (grants U01-NS038455, U01-NS050659 and R01-HD105305).
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To learn more or explore the research behind these guidelines, visit:
* Antiseizure Medication Dosing Strategy During Pregnancy and Early Postpartum in Women With Epilepsy in MONEAD | Neurology(R) Journals
* 2024 AAN, AES, And SMFM Practice Guidelines for Epilepsy Management During Pregnancy
* MONEAD Study - NIH
* UPMC Epilepsy Center
* UPMC Physician Resources - Epilepsy & Pregnancy
* Epilepsy and Pregnancy Medical Consortium
* American Academy of Neurology
* American Epilepsy Society
* Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
* Early Drop in Antiseizure Drug Levels During Pregnancy - UPMC
* Neurodevelopmental Milestones in Children Exposed to Epilepsy Meds - UPMC
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Original text here: https://www.upmc.com/media/news/122925-epilepsy-in-pregnancy
[Category: Health Care]
CAIR-Austin Welcomes City Policy Change After Religious Harassment Incident Targeting Muslims at Park Potluck
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR-Austin Welcomes City Policy Change After Religious Harassment Incident Targeting Muslims at Park Potluck
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The Austin, Texas, chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Austin) today welcomed a decision by city and police officials to review an incident of religious harassment targeting members of the Muslim community at a park potluck and change the policy of how this type of incidents are handled in the future.
SEE: Austin Muslim group urges
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR-Austin Welcomes City Policy Change After Religious Harassment Incident Targeting Muslims at Park Potluck
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The Austin, Texas, chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Austin) today welcomed a decision by city and police officials to review an incident of religious harassment targeting members of the Muslim community at a park potluck and change the policy of how this type of incidents are handled in the future.
SEE: Austin Muslim group urgesstate leaders to denounce park harassment - Austin American-Statesman
Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax said that while the incident may involve free speech protected under the First Amendment:
"However, after reviewing the video, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis is making immediate changes in how these types of incidents are handled, including that in the event of an apparent hate speech occurrence, officers will call a supervisor on scene. In many instances, while hate speech is not illegal, individuals may be cited for other violations, such as causing a disturbance.
"The City of Austin will also be reviewing policy to ensure the provision of safe spaces on City properties and at City facilities for community members to gather free of harassment or intimidation."
READ: City of Austin Full Response
SEE: APD changes hate speech incident response, after group of Muslims harassed in park - KXAN
In a statement, CAIR-Austin Operations Manager Shaimaa Zayan said:
"We welcome and applaud the City of Austin's review of this incident, its recognition that the rhetoric used by this extremist was abhorrent, and its decision to ensure that law enforcement responds to harassment like this by bringing a supervisor to the scene. This new policy will benefit not only the Muslim community but all vulnerable communities facing similar harassment based on their identity."
Yesterday, CAIR-Austin called on Governor Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) to condemn the harassment and stop fomenting anti-Muslim hate across the state and called on APD to review the incident for potential law violation.
In a statement, Council Member and Civil Rights Attorney Mike Siegel, representing D7 where the incident happened, said:
"I'm alarmed by the hateful incident that occurred Saturday morning in Walnut Creek Park, when two individuals chose to target Muslim community members with hate speech. I commend those who stood up against this religiously-motivated harassment and reported it to APD and the City. I also appreciate the City's swift response and Chief Davis's commitment to use this moment to strengthen our approach to such incidents. We all deserve to enjoy our parks and public spaces free from harassment and discrimination."
WATCH VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT
CAIR Op-Ed: Abbott's attacks on Muslims draw on an old religious bigotry playbook
CAIR: Texas, Florida lead GOP battle against Muslim advocacy groups - The Hill
The incident occurred just days before the Austin Muslim community began its celebration of January 2026 as the city's first Austin Muslim Heritage Month (AMHM). The month will include a series of city-sponsored events highlighting the contributions and talents of Austin's Muslim community, aimed at fostering belonging and unity among Austinites."
Earlier this year, CAIR released its 2025 Civil Rights Report, Unconstitutional Crackdowns, which reveals that Islamophobia remains at record-high levels nationwide.
CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La mision de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprension del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
END
CONTACT : Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR-Austin Operations Manager, (512) 785-7105, szayan@cair.com; CAIR-DFW Executive Director Mustafaa Carroll, (832) 549-1042, mcarroll@cair.com; CAIR-Texas Austin Chapter Civic Engagement Organizer Sameeha Rizvi, 512-893-1371, srizvi@cair.com; Imran Ghani, Executive Director, CAIR-Houston, ighani@cair.com, 713-922-5270; John T. Floyd, CAIR National Board Member, CAIR-Texas Houston, 713-254-2016, jfloyd@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-austin-welcomes-city-policy-change-after-religious-harassment-incident-targeting-muslims-at-park-potluck/
Big Court Victory for CFPB and Main Street Americans
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 [Category: Financial Services] -- Better Markets, an organization that says it promotes pro-market, pro-business and pro-growth policies to help build a better financial system, posted the following news release:
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Big Court Victory for CFPB and Main Street Americans
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Dennis Kelleher, Co-Founder, President & CEO of Better Markets, issued the following statement on the D.C. District Court ruling that the Trump administration cannot shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
"We applaud the court's rejection today of the Trump Administration's illegal
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 [Category: Financial Services] -- Better Markets, an organization that says it promotes pro-market, pro-business and pro-growth policies to help build a better financial system, posted the following news release:
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Big Court Victory for CFPB and Main Street Americans
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Dennis Kelleher, Co-Founder, President & CEO of Better Markets, issued the following statement on the D.C. District Court ruling that the Trump administration cannot shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
"We applaud the court's rejection today of the Trump Administration's illegalattempt to kill the CFPB by defunding it, which the court prohibited before the resolution of the pending lawsuit on the merits. The CFPB is the most successful consumer protection agency in the history of the United States and has returned more than $21 billion to tens of millions of Americans who were ripped off by big banks, credit card companies, and other financial firms.
"If President Trump and his administration were serious about standing up for hard-working Main Street Americans, they would fully fund the CFPB and help protect them from getting ripped off by Wall Street's giant firms. Protecting the American people, not big bank profits, should be the priority."
Better Markets is a non-profit, non-partisan, and independent organization founded in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis to promote the public interest in the financial markets, support the financial reform of Wall Street and make our financial system work for all Americans again. Better Markets works with alliesincluding many in financeto promote pro-market, pro-business and pro-growth policies that help build a stronger, safer financial system that protects and promotes Americans' jobs, savings, retirements and more. To learn more, visit www.bettermarkets.org.
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Original text here: https://bettermarkets.org/newsroom/big-court-victory-for-cfpb-and-main-street-america/
Big Court Victory for CFPB and Main Street America
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 [Category: Financial Services] -- Better Markets, an organization that says it promotes pro-market, pro-business and pro-growth policies to help build a better financial system, posted the following news release:
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Big Court Victory for CFPB and Main Street America
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WASHINGTON, D.C. Dennis Kelleher, Co-Founder, President & CEO of Better Markets, issued the following statement on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals rebuking the Trump administration's efforts to defund and shutter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB.)
"We applaud today's appeal court rejection
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 [Category: Financial Services] -- Better Markets, an organization that says it promotes pro-market, pro-business and pro-growth policies to help build a better financial system, posted the following news release:
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Big Court Victory for CFPB and Main Street America
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WASHINGTON, D.C. Dennis Kelleher, Co-Founder, President & CEO of Better Markets, issued the following statement on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals rebuking the Trump administration's efforts to defund and shutter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB.)
"We applaud today's appeal court rejectionof the Trump Administration's illegal attempt to kill the most successful consumer protection agency in the history of the United States. The CFPB has returned more than $21 billion to tens of millions of Americans who were ripped off by big banks, credit card companies, and other financial firms.
"If President Trump and his administration were serious about standing up for hard-working Main Street Americans, they would fully fund the CFPB and help protect them from getting ripped off by Wall Street giant firms. Protecting the American people, not big bank profits, should be the priority."
Better Markets is a non-profit, non-partisan, and independent organization founded in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis to promote the public interest in the financial markets, support the financial reform of Wall Street and make our financial system work for all Americans again. Better Markets works with alliesincluding many in financeto promote pro-market, pro-business and pro-growth policies that help build a stronger, safer financial system that protects and promotes Americans' jobs, savings, retirements and more. To learn more, visit www.bettermarkets.org.
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Original text here: https://bettermarkets.org/newsroom/big-court-victory-for-cfpb-and-main-street-america/
