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Dozens of CA events this weekend honor Latino Conservation Week; Kamala Harris joins Oprah Winfrey in emotional campaign event; Report finds poor working conditions in Texas clean energy industry; AI puts on a lab coat, heads to technical schools.

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Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

ND Groups Push Congress to Move Faster on Pandemic Relief Bill

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Monday, August 3, 2020   

BISMARCK, N.D. - As COVID-19 cases continue to spike in North Dakota, social service support groups are asking the U.S. Senate to act quickly before its August recess and approve more emergency assistance.

Many North Dakotans are on the brink of hunger and homelessness because of COVID-19-related shutdowns, according to Cheryl Ann Kary - executive director of the Sacred Pipe Resource Center, which provides services to Native American families in the Bismarck area.

She said many of the people her group assists are in the service and retail industries, and need extended unemployment benefits, rental assistance and health care to survive.

"We have people who are no longer able to keep their heads above water," said Kary. "They're sinking. And I think that just, with a little more assistance, we can help people, you know, at least keep afloat."

Unemployment in North Dakota was just over 9% in April and just over 6% in June. That's almost triple what it was in June 2019, at 2.4%.

Kary said the need seems more critical among Native Americans who don't live on reservations, as the reservations received some CARES Act funding this year. She said those living in urban areas are more likely to have seen job losses and evictions.

"Of course, we still have a lot of racial tensions here, remaining from the Dakota Access Pipeline protests," said Kary. "And I think that definitely plays into the choices - whether someone gets evicted, or whether someone gets hired or not."

Deborah Weinstein, executive director of the nonprofit Coalition on Human Needs, said Congress needs to move fast now that federal unemployment benefits have run out, and before the extended eviction moratorium ends in October.

"We have not experienced anything like this for 100 years," said Weinstein. "We've got a stubborn disease that is keeping our economy from functioning the way it should. We cannot let our families suffer in this way. The consequences to children are so grave."

She also urged lawmakers to approve an additional $1 trillion in aid to state and local governments to avoid funding cuts to critical health, education and social service programs.

Disclosure: Coalition on Human Needs contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Census, Children's Issues, Poverty Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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