Global Warming Funds in Spending Bill in the Crosshairs- With the infrastructure spending bill passed by Congress, the focus now moves to the social spending package that includes record investments to fight global warming. In the Senate, the debate is between a pair of fiscally conservative Democrats who want to cut spending at all costs and activists demanding that environmental justice funding match the severity of the climate crisis. José López Zamorano brings us the details from Washington.
Democrats Seek Middle Ground on Immigration Reform – Congressional Democrats working on an immigration plan to be included in the budget reconciliation package are now focused on a proposal that does not include a path to citizenship. The plan by Democrats, which would protect more than 7 million immigrants from deportation, includes work and travel permits for 10 years was designed to win the approval of the Senate’s parliamentarian. This compromise has generated mixed reactions among immigrants’ rights advocates. Veteran organizer Oscar Chacon analyzes the diminished plan and speaks with our news director, Samuel Orozco. You can listen to the full interview in the archives of Línea Abierta for Tuesday, November 9 at radiobilingue.org.
Drought Continues in California, Hitting Small Farmers Hard – Despite the heavy rains of the atmospheric river that flooded California in recent weeks, the drought that has afflicted the state for years is still going. According to forecasts, there will not be much more rain for the rest of the season and water shortages will continue. In the Central Valley, a major agricultural region, the recent rainfall was not enough to replenish the region’s depleted aquifers. The lack of water is keeping small farmers in the area on the verge of going under. Madi Bolaños, a reporter for KVPR public radio and the Central Valley News Collaborative in Fresno, California, has this report.
