James Sues Trump Admin for Allowing Healthcare Discrimination
Yesterday, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) lead a coalition of 23 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop a Trump Administration rule that allows healthcare providers to discriminate against protected classes.
Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) bans discrimination by any healthcare provider based on race, color, nationality, sex, disability or age. Last month, the Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County confirmed that the prohibition on sex discrimination also prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
However, the Trump Administration’s newly proposed rule would roll back the ACA’s protections for women, LGBTQ individuals, and non-English speakers.
“Despite failing to repeal the ACA again and again, President Trump and his administration continue to unlawfully chip away at health care for Americans,” said James. “By rolling back rules that ensure the ACA protects all Americans, the president is unlawfully giving health care providers and insurers license to deny care to LGBTQ+ individuals, those who do not speak English, and women. It is never acceptable to deny health care to Americans who need it, but it is especially egregious to do so in the middle of a pandemic.”
Nadler, Maloney, Thompson Call for Investigation Into Trump’s Use of Force Against Protesters
Yesterday, U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn), Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens) and Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) condemned the Trump Administration for its brutal measures against protesters in Washington, D.C. and Portland.
The letter came on the heels of several reports of federal officers in unmarked vans abducting protesters off the streets in Portland. The representatives called such measures “irresponsible and dangerous”, as well as unconstitutional.
“The legal basis for this use of force has never been explained—and, frankly, it is not at all clear
that the Attorney General and the Acting Secretary are authorized to deploy federal law enforcement officers in this manner,” they wrote. “The Attorney General of the United States does not have
unfettered authority to direct thousands of federal law enforcement personnel to arrest and detain
American citizens exercising their First Amendment rights. The Acting Secretary appears to be
relying on an ill-conceived executive order meant to protect historic statues and monuments as
justification for arresting American citizens in the dead of night.”
Read the full letter here.
De Blasio Celebrates 100 Millionth Citi Bike Ride
Yesterday, Mayor Bill de Blasio (D), the Department of Transportation (DoT) and Lyft announced that Citi Bike has recently achieved its 100 millionth ride.
The ridesharing program, first launched in 2013, is currently expanding through Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, adding thousands of ebikes throughout the city. Last year, it recorded more than 100,000 rides in a single day, and it expects to break that record later this year.
““Rebuilding a fairer, better city means giving New Yorkers more ways than ever to move around,” said de Blasio. “In just seven years, Citi Bike has become a New York institution. I’m proud to stand with them in celebrating this milestone, and I look forward to working with them to expand cycling options even further in the months and years to come.”
