Politics + Government
Half a million people in less than a dozen states have lost Medicaid coverage since April
More than 500,000 people across 11 states have lost their Medicaid coverage since the unwinding of a policy that allowed people to stay in the program throughout the pandemic. The data, reported by the states and tracked by health policy researcher KFF, shows that of the five states providing data on people who lost Medicaid […]
Where did Kansas state senators’ campaign funds come from? The answers might surprise you.
In the nonelection timeframe spanning Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2022, members of the Kansas Senate took more than $1 million from political action committees, special interest groups, large corporations or businesses, and out-of-state donors. Only 11% of all 40 senators’ campaign contributions came from individual citizens living in Kansas. As cited in legally […]
Hawkins, Kobach celebrate GOP’s political stand against Democrats at state, federal levels
Kansas' GOP attorney general, treasurer and House leaders assess 2023 legislative session in terms of grappling with Democrats at state and federal levels.
Former Kansas Senate majority leader blames failure to expand Medicaid on Catholic Church
TOPEKA — A former Senate majority leader blamed the state’s failure to expand Medicaid in 2020 on religious anti-abortion lobbyists, with the pivotal bill “single-handedly torpedoed” by a Kansas City archbishop. Jim Denning, in an interview for the Kansas Oral History Project, said Archbishop Joseph Naumann “basically stopped Medicaid expansion.” “So if you were an […]
Marshall, Moran outline clash of perspective on federal debt-limit bill
Kansas' Republican U.S. senators split on the federal debt-ceiling bill with Jerry Moran backing the bipartisan legislation and Roger Marshall opposed.
Kelly, Davids urge 120,000 Kansans to take part in post-coronavirus Medicaid renewal process
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, Gov. Laura Kelly ask Kansas Medicaid participants to take part in renewal process with end of 3-year pause in eligibility reviews.
Decarbonization ambitions ignite debate over mining, permitting
The decarbonized, electrified future envisioned by the Biden administration, state governments, automakers, utility companies and corporate sustainability goals depends to a huge degree on minerals and metals. Lots more lithium will be needed for car and truck batteries, as well as the big banks of batteries that are increasingly popping onto the electric grid to […]
Kansas primaries will select a GOP favorite again in 2024. Who will it be?
Recent presidential campaign rollouts have ranged from incompetent to lackluster. They included Twitter tech meltdowns, misleading speeches and lukewarm receptions for the candidates. Nevertheless, all of this political commotion got me interested in answering this question: Which Republican presidential candidate will Kansans vote for in the state’s 2024 primary? Lucky for you, my work in […]
U.S. Senate sends Biden debt limit legislation ahead of Monday default deadline
WASHINGTON — The bipartisan debt limit bill is on its way to President Joe Biden after the U.S. Senate voted Thursday to clear the measure for his signature. The 63-36 vote followed several amendment votes, all of which were rejected. Biden is expected to quickly sign the package, preventing a default on the debt that […]
U.S. Senate votes to block student loan relief, White House will veto
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to overturn the Biden administration’s one-time student debt relief plan that is on hold due to a pending Supreme Court decision. President Joe Biden has vowed to veto the resolution, but the 52-46 vote forced vulnerable Senate Democrats up for reelection in 2024 to take a public […]
Davids, Estes and LaTurner help carry debt ceiling bill, leave Mann alone in opposition
Three of four U.S. House members from Kansas endorsed the bipartisan compromise debt-ceiling bill sent the U.S. Senate — only Rep. Tracey Mann voted "no."
Kansas Appleseed highlights food insecurities at Topeka summit
TOPEKA — When the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, Paige Olson was struggling to provide for her Iola family of five, unsure when their next meal would come. Olson talked about her struggles as part of a Kansas Appleseed summit Wednesday at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Olson, southeast Kansas advocate for Kansas […]