Podcast

Episode 9: Ketanji Brown Jackson Supreme Court Nomination

March 21, 2022

Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden’s nominee to succeed Justice Stephen Breyer upon his retirement, will begin nomination hearings March 21. She’d be the first Black woman and the first former public defender on the nation’s highest court. I talk with national security reporter Caty Buchaniec about Jackson’s experience defending Guantanamo Bay detainees and why Guantanamo Bay is a Supreme Court issue.

Episode 8: Daylight Saving Time and the Sunshine Protection Act

March 11, 2022

Clocks will spring forward one hour this Sunday. But some states are tired of the shift. The Sunshine Protection Act aims to federally dissolve the biannual clock change, but has stalled in Congress. As the time keeps changing, experts say the twice-yearly shift will continue to affect peoples’ sleep and their behavior.

Episode 7: Biden’s State of the Union and the Ukraine Conflict

March 4, 2022

It was a busy week on Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden gave his first State of the Union address as he grapples with responding to crises at home and abroad. The speech marked a moment of bipartisan support around Ukraine among lawmakers, but it may not hold as the conflict continues.

Episode 6 PREVIEW: Native Nutrition

March 1, 2022

Two weeks ago, the Medill News Service traveled to Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis to report on Native American health care. Now that reporters have returned home, I’m happy to announce a new audio experience from the Medill News Service based on reporting from the Milwaukee trip. It’s a deeper look at one nutrition and exercise program, called WOLFE, at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center. Check out the Medill News Service website to hear the full piece. To learn more about WOLFE, check out the program’s website: https://gliihc.net/anwc/wolfe/

Episode 5: Election Integrity and the Mueller Investigation

February 18, 2022

This week, the Medill News Service is on the road in Chicago, Minneapolis and Milwaukee reporting on Native American health care. So instead of looking at current headlines, let’s take a look back at the Mueller investigation and how it continues to influence public opinion on elections.

Info about how voter fraud is rare: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/debunking-voter-fraud-myth

Cybersecurity infrastructure security agency on election security rumor vs reality: https://www.cisa.gov/rumorcontrol

More about election regulation as it shows up in the constitution https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/interpretation/article-i/clauses/750

Episode 4: Food insecurity during the Pandemic

February 11, 2022

This week we discuss how the pandemic has presented new challenges and trajectories for food insecurity, and how the SNAP Second Chance Act could help.

More information on the show’s opening statement on disparities in food access can be found from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

The statistics on food insecurity in 2020 come from data collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

You can read the full text of the SNAP Second Chance Act here.

Episode 3: Semiconductors

February 4, 2022

The House on Friday passed the America COMPETES Act, a bill that aims to address a computer chip shortage and boost America’s competitiveness with China. But the legislation is not an immediate fix and must clear additional hurdles before becoming law.

Episode 2: Mask Guidance

January 28, 2022

Masks have sparked debate among politicians and the public throughout the pandemic. With the omicron coronavirus variant still driving up case counts in some parts of the U.S., experts are continuing their months-long call for people to upgrade their face coverings.

For more information on the latest CDC masking guidance, visit their website:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html

For more information on the difference between masks and respirators, click here:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/types-of-masks.html

Episode 1: Voting Rights Legislation

January 21, 2022

Senate Democrats brought new voting rights legislation to the floor on Wednesday. But the party did not have the votes and fell short of passing the bills. The unsuccessful push to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act could have consequences for the 2022 midterms in November.

Week in Congress: Preview

January 14, 2022

Medill News Service’s Week in Congress is the news you need to keep up with Washington. One big story each week, with reporting by Medill News Service reporters and analysis from issue experts – all in under 10 minutes. It’s a deep-dive into the news coming from Capitol Hill. Our team breaks down why it matters to you. Available Fridays by 6:00 p.m. ET, with host Cristobella Durrette. Listen in on the Medill News Service website at medilldc.net.