Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s belief that vaccines or Tylenol cause autism is resonating with a slice of voters who feel abandoned by the medical establishment.
Why it matters: The Trump administration's allies in Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" movement think Kennedy's autism agenda will help rally MAHA voters to turn out in the midterm elections and vote for Republican candidates.
The U.S. could see an unprecedented 15,000 churches shut their doors this year, far more than the few thousand expected to open, according to denominational reports and church consultants.
Why it matters: The unprecedented contraction, expected to continue over the next decade, risks leaving gaps in communities nationwide — particularly rural ones, where churches often are crucial providers of food aid, child care and disaster relief.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved another generic version of the abortion drug mifepristone, drawing outrage from anti-abortion groups and lawmakers.
Why it matters: The decision adds to conservative scrutiny of the agency and Commissioner Marty Makaryamid a push to impose new limits on dispensing the abortion pill.
Government food assistance programs may be at risk if Congress is unable to reach a funding agreement to stop the shutdown in the coming weeks.
Why it matters: Millions of mothers, infants and low-income families who rely on WIC and SNAP — programs commonly known as food stamps — could lose that support in a long-term shutdown.
More women are leaving the workforce, pushed out by a lack of child care support and stricter return-to-office policies, a new analysis from KPMG finds.
Why it matters: The exodus translates to less income and financial stability for households, as well as fewer career growth opportunities for women.
There's fallout for the overall economy, too: Businesses lose productive and experienced workers, and growth slows.
Hospitals in rural and underserved areas could lose out on billions of dollars in federal funding if the government shutdown drags on.
Why it matters: Many hospitals already run on tight margins and are bracing for fallout from Medicaid cuts and other changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
