Democracy by Mail - CD346
Congressional Dish
This episode looks at two very different questions surrounding the U.S. Postal Service: how the Trump administration tried to use it to impose new requirements on mail-in voting, and whether the Postal Service itself is financially sustainable. We examine the new election-mail rule and the court fight that stopped it for 2026, then dig into what’s actually driving USPS’s financial problems—and whether they can be fixed. [View the show notes on our website at Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via ...
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The Slippery Slope from 9/11 - CD345
Congressional Dish
Twenty-five years after 9/11, America is still sliding down the slippery slope created by the War on Terror. This episode traces how the George W. Bush, Obama, and Biden administrations built, expanded, and preserved extraordinary presidential powers in the name of fighting terrorism—and how the Trump administration is now using those powers to deprive people of liberty and protections in ways that once seemed unthinkable. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: ...
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Housing for the 21st Century Act - CD344
Congressional Dish
Congress passed a new housing law, including an attempt to limit corporate ownership of homes. We’ll also examine the Senate’s summer confirmations, including Todd Blanche as Attorney General, and preview troubling provisions in the NDAA—including one that would deepen U.S.-Israeli military cooperation and another that would override California to benefit a private oil pipeline. View the show notes on our website at Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to:...
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The National Weather Service Under Fire - CD343
Congressional Dish
The National Weather Service is one of the few government agencies that affects every American every single day. Every weather app, television forecast, hurricane warning, tornado alert, and flood prediction depends on it. In this episode, we examine what has happened to the National Weather Service under the Trump administration, from staffing cuts and delayed weather balloon launches to contract bottlenecks, AI-driven forecasting, and growing concerns about privatization. Using congressional hearings, testimony from emergency managers, and government officials’ own words, we’ll separate...
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Mapped to Flood - CD342
Congressional Dish
The Texas Hill Country flood that killed 139 people was described as a natural disaster. But after digging through state legislative hearings and Congress’s oversight of FEMA, I found something else: many of the deadliest consequences weren’t just caused by the weather. They were the result of policy choices. This episode follows the disaster from the storm itself to the way Congress prepares—or fails to prepare—the United States for the floods to come. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations...
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Land Grabs and Cages - CD341
Congressional Dish
June brought a massive expansion of ICE and immigrant detention, failed efforts to rein in the unauthorized war with Iran, a debate over U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Lebanon, and the confirmation of two controversial lifetime judges. We examine what passed, what failed, and what comes next. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Use your bank’s online bill pay...
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CD340: No More Iran War
Congressional Dish
In CD340: No More Iran War, Congress finally pushes back against President Trump’s unauthorized war with Iran as Republicans join Democrats to pass War Powers resolutions rejecting the conflict. Jen breaks down those historic votes, the few laws Congress passed in May, and the Trump administration officials confirmed to powerful positions overseeing public lands, environmental policy, prosecutions, and the courts. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send...
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CD339: Raising Screen Zombies
Congressional Dish
Children are spending more time on screens than ever before, but what is all that screen time actually doing to them? In a recent hearing, Congress heard testimony from experts who argue that social media, educational technology, and AI are reshaping childhood in ways many parents don’t fully understand. This episode explores the evidence and the growing concern that we’re raising a generation of screen zombies. View the show notes on our website at Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per...
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CD338: April 2026 — Bulldozing the Rules
Congressional Dish
April 2026 gave us a Congress that took a two-week vacation, came back to vote on war powers, Israel weapons sales, FISA surveillance, DHS funding, and whether Minnesota’s clean water should be protected from mining. This episode tracks what Congress actually did — including the votes, scandals, resignations, deaths, new members, and laws that tell you far more than campaign ads ever will. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send Venmo payments to:...
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CD337: March 2026 — At War, On Vacation
Congressional Dish
Congress took multiple vacations during a DHS shutdown, failed to check an unauthorized war with Iran, and passed just two bills—both honoring the dead. Meanwhile, a bipartisan majority voted to keep misconduct investigations against themselves secret. This episode exposes a month of dysfunction—and the real consequences of a Congress that isn’t doing its job. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App...
info_outlineThe Women’s Health Protection Act is a bill written by Democrats that would guarantee access to abortion services in the United States. While this bill is unlikely to become law, learning what exactly the Democrats are proposing is instructive, as many of us will be voting with abortion in mind later this year. Now that the Supreme Court is poised to overturn previous decisions that guaranteed access to abortion services for the past 50 years, what do Democrats hope to do in response?
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Links to We’re Not Wrong
We’re Not Wrong on Apple Podcasts
We’re Not Wrong on Podcast Addict
Executive Producer Recommended Episode
CD190: A Coup for Capitalism
Follow up reading: Tom Phillips, Patrick Wintour and Julian Borger. May 19, 2022. “Maduro glimpses political lifeline as US rethinks Venezuela policy.” The Guardian.
Background Sources
Recommended Congressional Dish Episode
CD032: The Abortion Bill
Abortion Background
Laura Temme. May 12, 2022. “Roe v. Wade Case Summary: What You Need to Know” FindLaw.
Grace Panetta, Shayanne Gal, and Taylor Tyson. Updated May 9, 2022. “The latest point in pregnancy you can get an abortion in all 50 states.” Business Insider.
Jon O. Shimabukuro. Feb 25, 2022. “Abortion: Judicial History and Legislative Response.” [RL33467] Congressional Research Service.
Katherine Kortsmit et. al. Nov 27, 2020. “Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2018.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
United Kingdom National Health Service. “Week-by-week guide to pregnancy” Start for Life.
A. Pawlowski. Nov 9, 2017. “'Miracle baby': Born at 21 weeks, she may be the most premature surviving infant.” Today.
Supreme Court of the United States. Jun 29, 1992. “Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pa. v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833.” Justia.
The Draft Decision
Adeel Hassan. May 6, 2022. “What to Know About the Mississippi Abortion Law Challenging Roe v. Wade.” The New York Times.
Supreme Court of the United States. Feb 10, 2022. “1st Draft: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization”
Bills
H.R.3755 (117th): Women's Health Protection Act of 2021
Sponsor: Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA)
S.4132 (177th): Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022
Sponsor: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Bill Outline
- Gives health care providers the right to provide abortion services and gives patients the right to receive abortion services "without any of the following limitations or requirements":
- Requirements to perform specific tests or medical procedures prior to an abortion
- Requirements that direct health providers to provide medically inaccurate information before or during abortion services
- Limitations on the health care provider's ability to provide drugs to the patient
- Limitations preventing the health care provider from performing abortion services via telemedicine
- Limitations placed on abortion providing facilities that are not placed on hospitals and other facilities where similar procedures are performed
- Requirements that the patient attend medically unnecessary pre-abortion in-person office visits
- Limitations on abortions "at any point or points in time prior to fetal viability"
- Limitations on abortions "after fetal viability when, in the good-faith medical judgement of the treating health care provider, continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the pregnant patient's life or health."
- Requirements that patients disclose the reason they want an abortion prior to fetal viability.
- Allows the courts to consider the following in determining if a requirement illegally impedes access to abortion services:
- If the requirement interferes with a health care providers ability to provide care and services or poses a risk to the patient's health or safety
- If the requirement would likely delay or deter some patients from accessing abortion services
- If the requirement is likely to increase the financial costs of providing or obtaining abortion services
- If the requirement would likely limit the availability of abortion services in a State or geographic region
- If the requirement imposes penalties on health care providers that are not imposed on or are more severe than penalties imposed on other health care providers for comparable conduct or failures to act
Section 4: Applicability and Preemption
- This law would apply to the Federal Government and "each State government" and no State government can implement and enforce any law or regulation that conflicts with this law.
- The law would not govern physical access to clinic entrances, insurance coverage for abortions, contracts, or bans on partial birth abortions.
- Immediately upon enactment.
- Allows the Attorney General to sue any State or government official who implements or enforcement limitations or requirements that would be prohibited by this law.
- Allows individuals, "entities", and health care providers adversely affected by violations of the law to also sue the State that violates the law with illegal limitations and requirements
- The costs of the trial and attorney's fees would be paid by the State if the State loses the case. The person suing could not be forced to pay for attorney's fees if the claim was judged to be "non-frivolous" even if they lose.
H.R. 1797 (113th): Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
Sponsor: Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Status: Died in 113th Congress
Audio Sources
Senate Session
May 10, 2022
View Clip Transcripts in Jen’s Highlighted PDF
House Session
September 24, 2021
View Clip Transcripts in Jen’s Highlighted PDF
Cover Art
Design by Only Child Imaginations