The Republican-led House of Representatives voted to defund the Affordable Care Act, sparking a battle that could shut down the federal government. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) followed up with a marathon filibuster speech against “Obamacare” in the Senate. Still, the Senate agreed to consider a bill that will keep the government temporarily open. Current funding for all federal agencies expires on October 1st and the clock is ticking for lawmakers. This segment explores the politics behind this new battle. Plus, a prerecorded interview with the highest-ranking Latina in the White House on the topic, and the upcoming launch of the health insurance marketplaces.
Guests: Cecilia Muñoz, Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council, White House, Washington, DC, http://www.whitehouse.gov ; Israel Ortega, Spokesperson, The Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC, http://www.heritage.org/ ; Alicia Criado, Policy Associate, Economic and Employment Policy Project, National Council of La Raza, Washington, DC, http://www.nclr.org
ALSO, FOOD STAMPS IN PERIL. Most of the 48 million Americans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program are children, the elderly and the disabled. But funding for this safety net is being threatened. The question is, how much? The Senate voted to slash about $4 billion and the House recently approved a staggering $40 billion in cuts. This program takes a look at the negotiations in Washington, DC, and the impact on regular citizens of the new cuts to the main feeding program in the nation.
Guest: Dulce Gamboa, Associate for Latino Relations, Bread for the World, Washington, DC, www.bread.org
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