Congress

The Republican leaders overcame objections from within their own party, marking a victory in their quest to fulfill President Trump's campaign promises. All of the Republican representatives from Kansas and Missouri voted to pass the bill, while the Democrats joined their party against it.

Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas said he made changes to the Senate’s version of the Trump administration's reconciliation bill to soften the blow of Medicaid cuts on Kansas hospitals. But health care advocates say it won’t be enough.

The final Senate version of the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" contains restrictions on medical provider taxes that alarmed Missouri health experts — and Sen. Josh Hawley. But he voted for the bill anyways, after adding $50 billion in funding for rural hospitals.

The Republican megabill cuts trillions in taxes, while scaling back spending on Medicaid and other federal programs. It now heads to the House, where some GOP lawmakers are signaling major objections.

Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee pushed back against the Trump administration's bid to rescind federal funding for public broadcasting and international aid programs. Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt spoke in favor of revoking funding.

As the ceasefire between Iran and Israel went into effect, U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, a Republican from Missouri, told KCUR that he backs President Trump's decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities. Alford's district includes Whiteman Air Force Base, where the bombers were launched.

Uniting more than 200 sites across eastern Kansas and western Missouri, Freedom's Frontier preserves the story of the border war and the settlement of the western frontier. But the Trump administration has blocked funding for National Heritage Areas.

If the U.S. Senate signs off on the rescission package passed by the U.S. House on Thursday, the loss of federal funding would be an immediate hit to hundreds of public broadcasters like KCUR. "We're going to rely on this community to figure out ways so that we are not having to diminish the service we provide," says General Manager Sarah Morris.

Federal lawmakers are considering cutting billions of dollars from Medicaid funding. Experts say that would lead to an increase in hospital closures and uninsured rates in Kansas.

A narrow majority of the House voted to rescind existing funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, sending the proposal to the U.S. Senate. If approved, this bill represents an existential threat to the future of KCUR, NPR, and hundreds of local stations around the country.

The U.S. House voted Thursday on a rescission bill to claw back money for foreign aid programs, along with the next two years of funding for the public media system. The measure now goes to the Senate.

Advocates worry that tens of thousands of vulnerable Missourians will lose Medicaid and food stamps because of new administrative barriers proposed by the GOP-led Congress. Missouri has already come under fire for failing to administer benefits on time.