Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Over 160 Organizations Call on Formula 1 to End All Tobacco Sponsorships and Stop Promoting Addiction to Kids
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids issued the following news release:
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Over 160 Organizations Call on Formula 1 to End All Tobacco Sponsorships and Stop Promoting Addiction to Kids
Groups also urge F1 Partners Disney, Lego and Hot Wheels to Demand Action
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As the Formula 1 racing season starts this week, over 160 public interest organizations from around the world today sent a letter to Formula 1 calling on the sport to update its prohibition of tobacco product sponsorships to include nicotine pouches and stop helping the tobacco industry market its products to
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids issued the following news release:
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Over 160 Organizations Call on Formula 1 to End All Tobacco Sponsorships and Stop Promoting Addiction to Kids
Groups also urge F1 Partners Disney, Lego and Hot Wheels to Demand Action
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As the Formula 1 racing season starts this week, over 160 public interest organizations from around the world today sent a letter to Formula 1 calling on the sport to update its prohibition of tobacco product sponsorships to include nicotine pouches and stop helping the tobacco industry market its products toF1's millions of young fans.
F1 ended cigarette sponsorships in 2006. However, tobacco companies Philip Morris International (PMI) and British American Tobacco (BAT) are now promoting one of their newer tobacco products, nicotine pouches, through sponsorships of F1 teams - PMI is sponsoring the Ferrari team to promote its Zyn pouches, while BAT sponsors the McLaren team with its Velo brand. Product logos are prominently featured on the cars and race suits of these teams' superstar drivers, including 2025 F1 world champion Lando Norris and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The sponsorships are also promoted on social media to hundreds of millions of followers.
Tobacco companies are sponsoring Formula 1 teams at the same time the sport has aggressively worked to expand its global youth audience, including recent partnerships with Disney, Lego and Mattel's Hot Wheels. These partnerships include appearances by Mickey & Friends at F1 races and exclusive Lego and Hot Wheels merchandise for kids. F1 has stated that more than four million children aged 8-12 actively follow the sport just in the EU and the U.S., while 54% of the sport's followers on TikTok and 40% on Instagram are now under 25 years old.
"By sponsoring Formula 1 teams, tobacco companies are seeking to reach the same young people Formula 1 has worked hard to attract. Formula 1 must not be complicit in these efforts. To protect the health of its young fans, it is imperative that Formula 1 act quickly to update its existing prohibition of cigarette sponsorships to include other types of tobacco products, including newer products like nicotine pouches," the groups wrote in the letter to Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
Separate letters to the CEOs of Disney, Lego and Mattel urged these companies to join the call for Formula 1 to prohibit all tobacco sponsorships.
"Tobacco companies want their brands on Formula 1 race cars and celebrity drivers because they know kids will see it," said Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Marketing tobacco in the same venues as Disney, Lego and Hot Wheels is part of the industry's ongoing strategy to addict kids to products that harm them, while simultaneously claiming that their products are only for adults. F1 must protect kids and immediately end its relationship with the tobacco industry and ensure it is not a vehicle for marketing harmful and addictive products to young fans."
Nicotine pouches pose serious risks to the health of young people. These products expose young people to high levels of nicotine, which is extremely addictive, can harm the developing adolescent brain, which continues to develop until about age 25, and can prime the brain for addiction to other drugs. Nicotine pouches are the only type of tobacco product to see an increase in youth use in the U.S. in recent years.
The letter to Formula 1 was signed by 162 organizations from 57 countries. Read the letters to Formula 1 and to Disney, Lego and Mattel: tobaccofreekids.org/Formula-One-partners
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Original text here: https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/press-releases/2026_03_04_over-160-organizations-call-on-formula-1-to-end-all-tobacco-sponsorships
[Category: Political]
National LGBTQ Task Force Issues Commentary: What is Affordability? How Does It Affect Us All?
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- The National LGBTQ Task Force (formerly the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force) issued the following commentary on March 5, 2026, by Policy Director Allen Morris, state policy analyst and counsel Meera Rajput and government affairs associate Kenya Whitaker:
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What is Affordability? How Does it Affect Us All?
By Allen Morris, Meera Rajput, J.D. and Kenya Whitaker, J.D.
Affordability refers to whether humans can realistically pay for essential goods and services with the income they earn.
After the Employment Act of 1946, Congress formally recognized that the federal
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- The National LGBTQ Task Force (formerly the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force) issued the following commentary on March 5, 2026, by Policy Director Allen Morris, state policy analyst and counsel Meera Rajput and government affairs associate Kenya Whitaker:
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What is Affordability? How Does it Affect Us All?
By Allen Morris, Meera Rajput, J.D. and Kenya Whitaker, J.D.
Affordability refers to whether humans can realistically pay for essential goods and services with the income they earn.
After the Employment Act of 1946, Congress formally recognized that the federalgovernment has a responsibility for maintaining economic stability and living standards for anyone "able, willing, and seeking to work." Back then the focus was establishing America's purchasing power.
Since then, affordability has been a major concern for taxpayers across all socioeconomic statuses. More importantly, modern policy regarding affordability took shape through housing policy in 1974 and 1990. More recently, the 2008 financial crisis pushed members of Congress to see affordability from a broader perspective. Due to the significant impacts, we're now seeing childcare costs, lowering prescription drugs, rising student debt, healthcare premiums, housing shortages, utility and energy subsidies, and stagnant wages consistently included in the conversation.
AFFORDABILITY IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
Nationwide
Mortgage: Average mortgage rate was 7.04% in Jan. 2025 vs. 6.01% now (Feb. 2026).
Rent: Median rent declined by 1.5% each year since... making January 2026 the 29th consecutive month of annual rent declines. Median rent is $1,672.
Utilities: In 2025, utilities requested nearly $31 billion in rent increases. Low-income households spend about 17% of their income on utilities expenses.
Groceries: As of 2025, between July and August groceries rose by 0.6%; 29% higher than before the COVID pandemic. Over the last four years, groceries have increased by 25%. Factors such as tariffs and inflation.
District of Columbia
Mortgage: 5.3% increase
Rent: Average rent is higher than the national average; 37% higher. $2, 235 per month.
Utilities: 10% more than the national average. As of January 2026, Washington Gas customers are paying about 13% more on their bills.
Groceries: "Food prices advanced 1.7 percent for the two months ending in January. Prices for food at home advanced 2.4 percent with higher prices for nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials, up 12.4 percent for the same period."
Affordability remains one of the most pressing economic issues facing households today:
Housing costs remain the single largest driver of affordability challenges nationwide and in D.C. While mortgage rates and rents show modest stabilization nationally, cumulative price increases since 2020 continue to strain household budgets.
Utility and grocery costs disproportionately affect low- and middle-income families. Groceries are 29% higher than before COVID and up 25% over four years. Even small monthly increases add up for working families.
In the District, above-average rent, utilities, and recent food price spikes intensify affordability pressures beyond national trends.
NOTE: The national landscape of health care pricing and cost of living affordability have a significant impact in individual states, especially with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA.)
Here are some potential impacts of federal changes to health care pricing and general affordability in our priority states: Florida, Texas and North Carolina.
- The OBBBA threatens the health, safety and security of many of us, especially those living at the intersections in our LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, and those who have low incomes.
- No one should have to choose between affording basic health care to live and necessities like food, housing and electricity.
- The OBBBA has an even more devastating impact for low-income LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color and transgender folk because of the drastic cuts to programs needed specifically for health care and living assistance. This includes a direct threat to LGBTQ+ health centers which offer the community all forms of health care, STI testing and mental health services.
- According to the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, an estimated 1.8 million LGBTQ+ individuals including 1 in 4 transgender adults are on Medicaid and the program is vital for those living with HIV. LGBTQ+ adults also participate in SNAP and have higher rates of food insecurity than non-LGBTQ+ adults due in part to the fact that LGBTQ+ adults have lower wages and live in poverty at a disproportionately higher rate compared to non-LGBTQ+ adults.
- In general, those in the LGBTQ+ community face a housing crisis, higher insurance rates, and general lack of affordability for health care and basic needs.
Florida
Healthcare pricing and cost of living affordability concerns continue to rise in the state of Florida.
Household Items and SNAP:
The cost of eggs on average in 2026 is $6.36, with a 57% increase due to inflation. Florida typically has higher egg prices than the national average. Although reports show that the average price of eggs has decreased nationally, the price of eggs in each specific state is still very high and leaves many people unable to afford high prices.
The cost of milk as of mid-2025 is approximately $3.47, which is slightly higher than the national average. This cost varies by type of milk and region in Florida.
Additionally, 253,000 people, and 180,000 immigrants in Florida are at immediate risk of losing some of their SNAP benefits. This will make groceries and other household items virtually impossible to afford.
Healthcare:
Florida has the highest rate in the nation for people enrolled under the ACA's health insurance marketplace at 4.6 million people.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, insurance premiums will dramatically increase by 300-400% if premium tax credits are not extended, and the uninsured rate in Florida could increase from 10.7% to 16.7%.
An estimated 16,000 people living with HIV in Florida are at risk of losing access to HIV medication needed to survive based on the Florida Department of Health's action to reduce the income eligible for assistance for the medication. This means people who make more than ~$20,500 a year, now $64,000 lower, cannot receive assistance for medication, which typically costs more than $5,000 a month.
Utilities and Rent:
Average monthly utilities in Florida typically cost between $400 and $560 per month for a standard household, covering electricity, water, gas, and internet.
Texas
Due to the OBBBA, there will be an increase in utilities to an average of $80 per year.
Healthcare pricing and cost of living affordability concerns continue to rise in the state of Texas.
Household items and SNAP:
The cost of eggs on average in 2026 is $5.43, with a 57% increase due to inflation. The cost of milk on average in 2026 is $3.99 in places like Houston, with varying costs for types of milk and region throughout the state.
275,000 people in Texas are at risk of losing some of their SNAP benefits, including 25,000 mixed status families as well. This will make groceries and other household items virtually impossible to afford.
Healthcare:
In general, Texas is the fifth most expensive state when it comes to healthcare. Medicaid: The federal spending bill is projected to reduce federal Medicaid funding by $39 billion in Texas over the next 10 years.
More than 22 million people will face significant premium cost increases, making healthcare virtually unaffordable. According to the Center for American Progress, a 55-year-old earning nearly $63,000 per year in Texas will see their annual premium costs increase by at least $4,840 on average.
Utilities and Rent:
The average monthly cost for all utilities in Texas is approximately $605, covering electricity, natural gas, water, and, in some studies, internet/phone. This is on the higher end nationally.
The national electricity rate hike will increase electricity costs in Texas by an average of $50 per year starting in 2026.
North Carolina
Healthcare pricing and cost of living affordability concerns continue to rise in the state of North Carolina.
Household items and SNAP:
The cost of eggs on average in 2026 is $5.60 with a 65% increase due to inflation. Some places even report up to an average of $7. The average cost of a gallon of milk in North Carolina is approximately $3.37, with prices ranging from $1.82 to $5.49 depending on location and retailer.
Additionally, because of new work requirements and non-citizen eligibility rules, 143,000 people in North Carolina are at risk of losing their SNAP benefits. This will make groceries and other household items virtually impossible to afford.
Healthcare:
An estimated 3 million people in North Carolina use Medicaid. Due to the OBBA and new work requirements, 520,000 North Carolinians could lose Medicaid coverage and could lead to 579 avoidable deaths per year in North Carolina.
For example, the Center for American Progress estimates that a single 28-year-old in North Carolina making about $39,000/year could see their benchmark silver premium costs nearly double from $1,565 to $2,686.
Utilities and Rent:
The average cost of utilities is around $511 in North Carolina according to 2025 data.
Electricity bills projected to increase by $200 annually due to the OBBBA.
Affordability impacts us all, especially with rising costs for basic necessities. When the cost of living rises faster than wages or income, families across the economic spectrum experience financial strain. For low-income households, affordability determines whether basic needs can be met. Like choosing groceries over paying the utility bill. For middle-income families, it shapes long-term stability, such as homeownership, education, and retirement savings.
Immigration status does not shield anyone from rising prices. Whether someone is a citizen, permanent resident, temporary visa holder, or undocumented, we all pay rent, buy groceries, pay utilities, and participate in the same economic system. The impacts and costs are universal and are a shared economic issue that influences financial security, workforce participation, and overall economic health for the country.
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Allen Morris
Policy Director
he/they
Washington, DC
Allen Morris, (he/they) serves as the Director of Policy at the National LGBTQ Task Force, where he leads national efforts to advance equity through legislative and administrative advocacy. Prior to joining the Task Force, Allen built and led the first policy team at the largest immigration nonprofit in Texas, driving forward reforms that uplift immigrant...
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Meera Rajput, J.D.
State Policy Analyst/Counsel
She/her
Silver Spring, MD
Meera Rajput (she/her) is a University of Pittsburgh double-graduate earning both a B.S. in psychology and a J.D. with a concentration in health law. She has worked in public service and non-profit spaces throughout her entire career. Prior to law school, she completed a service year at the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, an organization that works...
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Kenya Whitaker, J.D.
Government Affairs Associate
She/her
Washington, DC
Kenya Whitaker (she/her/hers) is a recent law school graduate and previous fellow at a Black-led policy advocacy nonprofit organization. Kenya is excited to bring her passion in movement lawyering to her new role as Government Affairs Associate at the National LGBTQ Task Force. Kenya's work focuses on advancing systemic change through community and organizational partnerships...
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Original text here: https://www.thetaskforce.org/news/what-is-affordability-how-does-it-affect-us-all/
[Category: Political]
FFRF Action Fund: 'Theocrat' State Rep. Introduces Death Penalty for Women Obtaining Abortions
MADISON, Wisconsin, March 6 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on March 5, 2026:
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'Theocrat' state rep. introduces death penalty for women obtaining abortions
The FFRF Action Fund castigates its "Theocrat of the Week" for leading legislation that would revise homicide statutes to include abortion.
HB 570, sponsored by "Theocrat" Tennessee state Rep. Jody Barrett, and its companion bill SB 738,
... Show Full Article
MADISON, Wisconsin, March 6 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on March 5, 2026:
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'Theocrat' state rep. introduces death penalty for women obtaining abortions
The FFRF Action Fund castigates its "Theocrat of the Week" for leading legislation that would revise homicide statutes to include abortion.
HB 570, sponsored by "Theocrat" Tennessee state Rep. Jody Barrett, and its companion bill SB 738,originally aimed to further efforts from 2018 to install a "memorial for unborn children" outside the Tennessee Capitol. This was until Barrett proposed an amendment to the bill that replaced the bill's original text with language allowing prosecutors to charge women who obtain abortion care with fetal homicide, punishable in the state by life imprisonment, life without parole or the death penalty. Barrett's amendment would specifically remove legal protections for pregnant women currently in the Tennessee statute, and would classify harm done to a fetus or embryo as equal to assault on a person "born alive."
The amendment would not apply to "a spontaneous miscarriage" or to the "unintentional death of an unborn child" after "undertaking life-saving procedures" for the pregnant person or "unborn child." No other exceptions are included.
The bill equates abortion care to "assault" and "homicide of an unborn child," furthering the anti-abortion movement's efforts to establish fetal personhood and misrepresent "equal protection" of the law. Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley celebrated the legislation on X, writing that he supports the bills because they provide "preborn children with equal protection of the laws."
Barrett has laughably argued that his bill is not "singling out women." The lawmaker remarked, "It's saying that anybody that kills a child in the womb would be subject to criminal penalty." Barrett further defended his legislation by arguing that a woman facing the death penalty in Tennessee is unlikely, although he concedes that his bill would make it possible.
"A simple examination of the death penalty in Tennessee would show that that's just not realistic," Barrett has said. "Now, do I have to admit that the death penalty is a possibility? Sure. But since the death penalty was reinstated in Tennessee in 1977, there's been less than 200 people sentenced to death, and only 16 have actually been executed -- none of them women."
Tennessee state Sen. Mark Pody, who is leading the companion bill, has stated that he is pulling his version because he no longer has the votes in the Senate due to Barrett's amendment.
Poignantly, Tennessee ranked number one in the nation for maternal mortality between 2018 and 2022. Its maternal mortality rate, 41.1 deaths per 100,000 births, was more than double the national average of 18.6. Barrett's bill does nothing to address this health care crisis. Tennessee has a near-total abortion ban, prohibiting abortion at all stages of pregnancy with only limited exceptions for medical emergencies. There are no rape or incest exceptions in the draconian ban.
Thankfully, it seems that Barrett's theocratic bill has died in the Legislature, but it signals a troubling pattern across the country. Attempting to apply the same legal standards to abortion as homicide is not a new initiative in the anti-abortion movement. Efforts to establish "fetal personhood" and to criminally punish women for obtaining abortion care are crucial to the anti-abortion playbook. In the past year alone, equal protection bills such as Barrett's have been introduced more than a dozen times nationwide -- and they need to be denounced every time they appear.
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FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/theocrat-state-rep-introduces-death-penalty-for-women-obtaining-abortions/
[Category: Sociological]
Club for Growth PAC Endorses Rep. Mike Collins in GA-Sen Race
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Club for Growth, an advocacy organization, issued the following news release:
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Club for Growth PAC Endorses Rep. Mike Collins in GA-SEN Race
Club for Growth PAC Rep. Mike Collins (CfGF Lifetime Rating: 100%) in Georgia's U.S. Senate Race. Collins is seeking the Republican nomination to face incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff (CfGF Lifetime Rating: 2%) in the general election.
"Since first being elected to Congress, Mike Collins has consistently championed legislation to cut wasteful spending, promote deregulatory efforts, and empower parents in their children's education,"
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Club for Growth, an advocacy organization, issued the following news release:
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Club for Growth PAC Endorses Rep. Mike Collins in GA-SEN Race
Club for Growth PAC Rep. Mike Collins (CfGF Lifetime Rating: 100%) in Georgia's U.S. Senate Race. Collins is seeking the Republican nomination to face incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff (CfGF Lifetime Rating: 2%) in the general election.
"Since first being elected to Congress, Mike Collins has consistently championed legislation to cut wasteful spending, promote deregulatory efforts, and empower parents in their children's education,"said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh. "Collins is the conservative fighter Georgians deserve in the U.S. Senate. Club for Growth PAC is proud to endorse him in the race."
Club for Growth PAC is affiliated with Club for Growth Action, the nation's largest conservative Super PAC. In 2024, Club for Growth PAC endorsed candidates won 79% of their elections
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Original text here: https://www.clubforgrowth.org/club-for-growth-pac-endorses-rep-mike-collins-in-ga-sen-race/
[Category: Political]
Americans for Tax Reform: LB 1124 Amendment Would Still Cost Consumers, Businesses
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on March 4, 2026, by Jack Baum:
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LB 1124 Amendment Would Still Cost Consumers, Businesses
Nebraska lawmakers are currently considering legislation that would dramatically increase taxes on cigarettes and vape products. LB 1124 would more than double the state's cigarette tax, from 64 cents per pack to $1.64, and triple the tax on vape products from 10 percent of wholesale price to 30 percent.
A recent amendment to the bill aims to strip the proposed tax increase on cigarettes yet leave in place the drastic
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on March 4, 2026, by Jack Baum:
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LB 1124 Amendment Would Still Cost Consumers, Businesses
Nebraska lawmakers are currently considering legislation that would dramatically increase taxes on cigarettes and vape products. LB 1124 would more than double the state's cigarette tax, from 64 cents per pack to $1.64, and triple the tax on vape products from 10 percent of wholesale price to 30 percent.
A recent amendment to the bill aims to strip the proposed tax increase on cigarettes yet leave in place the drastichike on vaping products. Even with this amendment, Nebraska Senators should still reject LB 1124.
This bill, even the amended version, would have serious consequences not only for consumers, but also for Nebraska businesses when they can least afford it. At a time when businesses are already struggling with rising costs and ever-higher property taxes, dramatically increasing taxes on products that small, family-owned convenience stores, vape shops, and gas stations rely on for a significant share of their revenue would place many of these businesses under even greater financial strain.
Retailers operating on thin margins would face increased competition from lower-tax jurisdictions and untaxed sources, putting jobs and local businesses at risk across the state. This pressure would be especially acute for stores near state borders, where consumers can easily cross into neighboring states to purchase the same products at lower tax rates.
Singling out vaping products also ignores the important role they play in helping smokers move away from combustible cigarettes.
Non-combustible alternatives such as vapor products expose users to far fewer toxic byproducts than traditional cigarettes, which are responsible for the vast majority of smoking-related disease and death. As a result, many adult smokers have successfully used these products to quit smoking entirely or transition away from combustible tobacco.
Taxing vape products more heavily also weakens the incentive for smokers to switch to lower-risk alternatives. A growing body of public health research has found that e-cigarettes are substantially safer than combustible cigarettes. Research from Public Health England, for example, has concluded that vaping is at least 95 percent less harmful than smoking.
Clinical studies have also found that vaping products can be more than twice as effective at helping smokers quit compared to traditional nicotine replacement therapies such as patches or gum. A large-scale analysis from Georgetown University Medical Center estimates that if most smokers switched to vaping, 6.6 million American lives could be saved, including more than 44,000 in Nebraska alone.
For all of these reasons, Nebraska lawmakers should reject LB 1124. Even if amended, the bill would still impose significant new taxes on consumers, place additional strain on small businesses, and undermine a harm-reduction tool that has helped many smokers move away from combustible cigarettes. Nebraska taxpayers and small businesses deserve better than another targeted tax increase.
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Original text here: https://atr.org/lb-1124-amendment-would-still-cost-consumers-businesses/
[Category: Political]
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Nearly a Dozen Leading Medical Organizations Oppose Effort to Undermine Women's Access to Contraception
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Democracy Forward, an organization that says it advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education and regulatory engagement, posted the following news release:
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American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Nearly a Dozen Leading Medical Organizations Oppose Effort to Undermine Women's Access to Contraception
Coalition Argues that 'Final Rules' Allowing Virtually Any Employer or Insurer to Opt Out of the ACA's Contraceptive Mandate Threaten Women's Health
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PHILADELPHIA - The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Democracy Forward, an organization that says it advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education and regulatory engagement, posted the following news release:
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American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Nearly a Dozen Leading Medical Organizations Oppose Effort to Undermine Women's Access to Contraception
Coalition Argues that 'Final Rules' Allowing Virtually Any Employer or Insurer to Opt Out of the ACA's Contraceptive Mandate Threaten Women's Health
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PHILADELPHIA - The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists(ACOG) and nearly a dozen leading medical organizations filed a friend-of-the-court brief today in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, et al. v. President United States of America, et al., which is currently before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The case is an appeal from a ruling by a Pennsylvania federal district court, which held that "Final Rules" - which undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA)'s contraceptive mandate - are arbitrary and capricious.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey challenged the first Trump administration's Religious and Moral Exemption Rules, arguing that the rules unlawfully undermined the ACA's contraceptive coverage requirement by allowing virtually any employer or health insurance issuer to exclude contraception from coverage by invoking religious or moral objections. The case is currently on remand from a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania in 2020.
As nationally-respected physician and reproductive health care organizations, the amici emphasize contraception's longstanding and robust Food and Drug Administration-approved safety profile, along with its multitude of health and societal benefits, including improving the overall health and well-being for women and their families and reducing maternal mortality.
The medical organizations filing this brief are ACOG, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, American College of Nurse-Midwives, American College of Physicians, American Gynecological & Obstetrical Society, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, American Medical Women's Association, North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Society of General Internal Medicine, and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology.
These amici state in their brief: "Women should be able to make personal decisions regarding their reproductive health -- decisions that often require sharing intimate details of their sexual history and private family planning -- in collaboration with their trusted health care providers. The patient's employer should not be part of that decision-making process, no matter their particular beliefs."
"Contraception is safe, effective, and a critical component of women's preventative health care services. The women of this country need our government's support in reducing barriers to accessing this essential health care. We should expect no less," said Molly Meegan, JD, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at ACOG.
"Contraception's safety and efficacy are beyond dispute, and for generations its health and economic benefits have been widely recognized. In fact, nearly every woman in America has used contraception at some point in their lives. But cost and access has put contraception out of reach for too many, creating sometimes dangerous circumstances," said Kaitlyn Golden, Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward. "These Trump administration rules force women into a two-tiered system of care - requiring them to either pay out-of-pocket for contraception that the law guarantees should be free, try to seek that care elsewhere, or forgo it altogether. That is cruel, unlawful, and an unacceptable intrusion of employers' personal beliefs into women's health care decisions."
The legal team at Democracy Forward includes Carrie Flaxman and Kaitlyn Golden.
The friend-of-the-court brief is here (https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/As-Filed-Amicus.pdf).
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Original text here: https://democracyforward.org/news/press-releases/american-college-of-obstetricians-and-gynecologists-nearly-a-dozen-leading-medical-organizations-oppose-effort-to-undermine-womens-access-to-contraception/
[Category: Political]
ADL Statement on Responsible Public Discourse Amid Escalating Middle East Conflict
NEW YORK, March 6 -- The Anti-Defamation League, an anti-hate organization that aims to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all, posted the following statement on March 5, 2026:
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ADL Statement on Responsible Public Discourse Amid Escalating Middle East Conflict
(ADL) the Anti-Defamation League issued the following statement in response to recent political and public discourse about the escalating conflict with the Iranian Regime.
Statement from Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO:
Since the start of hostilities with the Islamic Republic of Iran
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, March 6 -- The Anti-Defamation League, an anti-hate organization that aims to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all, posted the following statement on March 5, 2026:
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ADL Statement on Responsible Public Discourse Amid Escalating Middle East Conflict
(ADL) the Anti-Defamation League issued the following statement in response to recent political and public discourse about the escalating conflict with the Iranian Regime.
Statement from Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO:
Since the start of hostilities with the Islamic Republic of Iranlast weekend, we are witnessing an alarming pattern of escalating, inflammatory rhetoric from voices across the political and ideological spectrum. This rhetoric distorts reality and fuels dangerous antisemitic narratives.
While not everyone is guilty of this, too many voices are engaged in this dangerous game.
Let's be clear:
* Pro-Israel organizations and supporters are not 'anti-American' just because they are advocating for a strong bilateral relationship with a fellow democracy and one of our most stalwart allies in the world.
* Labeling Israel as an "apartheid state" or accusing it of "genocide" are not acts of responsible policy critique. These charges are inflammatory, factually inaccurate and play directly into efforts to delegitimize the Jewish state and inflame hatred.
* Rhetoric that solely blames the Jewish state or frames American policy as manipulated by Jewish influence is not just indisputably false, it echoes some of history's most dangerous antisemitic tropes.
It is a sad irony that an operation against the world's largest sponsor of antisemitism has prompted so much antisemitism.
Yes, our leaders and the American public can and should debate all aspects of this operation. This is essential to the democratic process. But we cannot forget that rhetoric that evokes or plays on anti-Jewish tropes - regardless of intent - does not exist in a vacuum. It adds to an environment where Jewish people face greater hostility, increased discrimination and intensifying violence.
ADL calls on all public figures - elected officials, political candidates, public commentators -to refrain from reckless statements, unfounded charges, and wild conspiracies that echo the ugliest chapters of history and place Jewish communities in real danger.
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ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913 to protect the Jewish people, ADL works to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment to all. In the face of rising antisemitism and extremism, we protect, advocate, and educate, through a mix of programs and services using the latest innovations and technology, and seek to create a world without hate. More at www.adl.org.
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Original text here: https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/adl-statement-responsible-public-discourse-amid-escalating-middle-east-0
[Category: Political]
