The good news

 

Americans of Conscience Good News Special Edition for April 12, 2024   If you're like us, you want the world to be a better place, but so often the news is downright frightening. That's why we pause every other week to share what's right in the world and how our efforts are leading to the kind of changes we long for. Celebrate every small step toward progress with us!  The Biden administration cancels close to $6B in student loan debt for 78,000 public service workers. The Interior Dept. designates a 4-million-acre conservation area in Florida that will support both wildlife and recreation. The EPA bans the import and use of asbestos, making work safer for construction workers, mechanics, and firefighters, and more. The bipartisan Consolidated Appropriations Act recently signed by President Biden restores access to federal benefits to workers and residents of Compacts of Free Association territories. 20 women in total will be featured on the quarter through the national Mint’s American Women Quarters program. CT: Starting July 1, all children under 15 whose families meet certain requirements will be eligible for Medicaid regardless of immigration status. MA: Manufacturing and energy companies applying for permits in the state must determine whether pollution from production would harm communities of color or low-income areas. NE’s Sec. of State’s office proactively reaches out to the 3% of residents without photo ID ahead of changing voter requirements. WA will require public schools to incorporate LGBTQ-inclusive curricula, joining CA, CO, IL, NJ, NV, and OR. All parents in Flint, MI can access cash aid for a year. Patients in some states can now access mifepristone at CVS and Walgreens with a prescription. Solar panel recycling company Solarcycle opens a research lab to work towards a zero-waste materials refinement process. The first stadium in the world purpose-built for a women’s professional sports team opens in Kansas City. The honeybee population in the U.S. reaches an all-time high. Get more good news by signing up for the Americans of Conscience Checklist and positive actions for democracy, people, and planet. Subscribe here!