Rural Caucus Newsletter June 26th 2026

Jun 29

You may have seen the reporting this week that Stephen Miller was behind the Justice Department memo giving states permission to institutionalize people with disabilities Stephen Miller memo exposes plan to punish Americans with disabilities instead of supporting community‑based care. And what does this shiny new interpretation do, Rural Democrats?

It gives states a big ol’ green light to shove people back into institutions - nursing homes, psych facilities, you name it - instead of funding the services that actually let people live independently. After decades of using the Americans with Disabilities Act to guarantee community‑based care, the Justice Department is now saying states don’t have to help disabled folks stay in their own homes, even when they absolutely could: New Justice Department memo questions decades of protections for people with disabilities | PBS News.

And here’s the kicker: institutional care costs taxpayers far more than home and community‑based services. Home and Community-Based Services Improve Outcomes While Reducing Costs So congratulations...the DOJ wants you to pay more money for worse outcomes for our most vulnerable citizens, all so they can take a swing at disability rights. That’s the same community‑based care the ADA has protected for decades, the same care that keeps people connected to their communities instead of warehoused in institutions. The Senate Democrats are fighting back. Led by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), they will introduce a resolution calling for the Department of Justice to rescind the memo: Senate Democrats Rally Against Pro-Institutionalization DOJ Memo – Mother Jones

Rural Caucus Friendly Reminders:

The next virtual informational workshop with Amy Blouin, President and CEO of the Missouri Budget Project is Monday, June 29, at 7 PM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86501717003?pwd=cnYSH7meUmRSqoUDLeqTY7sKzOndiu.1 Because the same Zoom link is for both workshops, the recording of the meetings won't be available until after the 29th meeting.
Help us with our future messaging: The Rural Caucus "What Issues are Important To YOU" - Google Forms. Our only goal here is to hear from you about what issues matter most. Be sure to share with friends, family and on your social media!
Volunteer: State Fair Booth Sign-Up - 2026 - Google Sheets and give what you can: Missouri Democratic Party - Non-Federal — Donate via ActBlue or mail a check to: Missouri Democratic Party, 407 Jefferson St., Jefferson City, MO 65101. Please note on your check that it's for the State Fair tent.

Missouri News

The hypocrisy is so thick you could slice it with a butter knife. It’s the kind of two‑faced routine that’s become standard issue for the Republican Party: Missouri’s governor is opposed to out-of-state funding, but not for his own ballot measure | STLPR. The minute Kehoe’s pet constitutional amendment needs a boost, suddenly out‑of‑state money is just fine - including cash from a Delaware nonprofit that won’t even disclose its donors. Turns out “protecting the constitution” hits different when the secret money is landing in his lap.

A federal judge ruled the feds’ voter‑info database was illegal and couldn’t be used, but Hoskins still shipped over Missourians’ driver‑license numbers and birth years: Despite earlier pledge, Missouri SOS sent voter info to feds. Hoskins basically said ‘Up yours. I'm doing it anyway' - thumbin' his nose at the rule of law. But on the flip side, Hoskins wants the court's help to hide how his office handled those disputed petition signatures on the new congressional map: Missouri secretary of state sues to close records on redistricting referendum signatures • Missouri Independent. This sure makes it look like he’s terrified someone might see what he’s trying to hide.

RFK, Jr. is yanking millions from teen‑pregnancy prevention, which sure makes it look like Trump’s plan is… more teen pregnancies: RFK Jr.'s HHS to Divert Funds From Teen Pregnancy Grant Program. Missouri teens will have fewer prevention resources - especially in rural areas. The article notes that cutting the funding denies young people the “high-quality sexual health education” they need. That’s especially significant in Missouri, which already has one of the highest teen birth rates in the Midwest Teen Births | Stats of the States | CDC with limited access to reproductive health services and no rural local providers.

Does Hawley really think you can keep a rural ER open after the hospital shuts down? Hawley proposes federal funding stream to keep rural hospital ERs open. So that's Hawley’s big idea...ERs without hospitals? Next...tractors without engines. All kidding aside - watching him pretend he didn’t vote for Trump’s Big Bad Bill is its own kind of comedy.

Ads over Amendments 4 and 5 are beginning to flood the state Millions already pouring into Missouri ballot fights over taxes and majority rule • Missouri Independent and Missouri parent groups are organizing against Amendment 5: Parents for Missouri Public Schools. Here's more ammo: No Everything Tax | No on Amendment 5.

Missouri AG Hanaway is leading the Republican charge to tell the EPA to classify mifepristone as a “water contaminant” and it somehow violates the Safe Drinking Water Act: Missouri attorney general urges EPA to classify abortion drug as a water contaminant | KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR. Meanwhile, real contaminants? Farm runoff? Lead pipes? Industrial waste? Nah, apparently the real threat is women making their own medical decisions.

National News

Another win from a total abuse of power! PRESS RELEASE: Federal Judge Shuts Down Trump-Vance Voter Purge Database – EPIC – Electronic Privacy Information Center

The Supreme Court just handed Bayer‑Monsanto a big ol’ “We got you covered” by making it harder to hold pesticide giants accountable: Supreme Court hands Bayer a win that rattles MAHA - POLITICO If you get sick from corporations actions, that’s your problem.

Trump abruptly canceled signing the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, Trump cancels housing affordability bill signing until SAVE Act is passed demanding Congress pass the SAVE America Act first. And the housing bill is desperately needed for Missouri homebuyers: Missourians struggle to find affordable homes as Trump holds out on signing housing bill. It’s blackmail aimed at Congress & using struggling families as bargaining chips. The problem for him? Under the Constitution, if he refuses to sign it and Congress stays in session for 10 days, it becomes law automatically. No signature. No ceremony. No hostage‑taking.

Pentagon wants another $88 billion for the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran, and they’re tossing in U.S. farmers and Ebola like a garnish so the price tag goes down easier and the gag reflex doesn’t kick in. White House seeks $87.6B from Congress for Iran war costs, U.S. farmers and Ebola response | PBS News. And there's a little thing called the Farm Bill which still misses the mark for - you guessed it - America’s farmers. Among other things, it gives bigger payouts to Big Ag: BREAKING: Senate Farm Bill Declines to Delay SNAP Funding Shift For States | Civil Eats AND Farm Bill Draft Updates Farm Programs, Leaves Out Prop 12, E15. Folks...It’s the same tired scam: hand the military a bottomless tab, then turn around and swear there’s “just no money” for social programs, health care, or anything that actually helps people.

Ah yes, nothing says “strong economy” when inflation hits a 3-year high: Inflation jumps again with gas prices running higher than in past years | AP News. Trumpcession continues to worsen, with no end in sight.

Other News

Good article - Democrats are smashing down‑ballot recruitment records, running more candidates in more races than they have in decades: Downballot Democrats Are Smashing Recruitment Records – Mother Jones

A group of former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees who had been fired by Elon Musk's DOGE have launched a new climate science website documenting global climate change: Climate.us Home. The new site is effectively a copy of climate.gov, the website that was removed by the Trump last June. With the website's launch, experienced climate scientists and experts will now have a place to share insights on hurricanes and other significant weather events happening because of climate change.

One year after the enactment of the One Big BAD Bill Act, millions of Americans are losing health care coverage and food assistance while the wealthiest households benefit from tax breaks: On the First Anniversary of the OBBBA, Millions of Americans Have Been Left Behind - Center for American Progress

As the U.S. public education system undergoes dramatic change, ProPublica’s reporters are investigating the effects on people across the country. Join their source network to help them track developments at schools and colleges in your area: Help ProPublica Report on Education — ProPublica

In closing...