Decisive Days for Federal Spending Plan and its Immigration Provisions – As President Biden’s social spending package enters its decisive weeks, Democrats are weighing how to include the immigration plan in the budget bill. They could either choose to develop a new plan if the Senate parliamentarian rejects their current one, or they could ignore her ruling. But if they choose the latter, they are unlikely to get the 50 votes needed to approve the plan. José López Zamorano brings us the details from Washington.
Latino Families Devastated by Storms in Washington Await State Assistance – Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has declared a state of emergency after an unexpected storm in recent weeks caused strong winds, torrential rains and the overflowing of the Nooksack River. The result was flooding of homes and businesses of tens of thousands of residents in 14 counties in the region bordering Canada. José Luis Buen Abad reports from the northwestern state on the damage and the emergency aid that is beginning to reach the victims.
California Has Safeguards for Workers Exposed to Smoke from Fires, But Do they Work? – California claims some of the strictest protections for farm and outdoor workers in valleys that have been filled with toxic smoke and ash from recent wildfires. But these rules are rarely enforced and few employers are inspected and sanctioned, calling into question their effectiveness. This is according to an investigation by contributor Farida Jhabvala Romero of KQED and The California Newsroom. She brings this report from Fresno.
