I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. WELCOME TO MATTER OF FACT, CLIMATE CHANGE IS STRESSING PEOPLE OUT. WILDFIRES, DROUGHTS, DOWNPOURS. IT’S GOING TO REQUIRE PERSISTENCE. MEET A THERAPIST WHO’S HELPING PEOPLE TURN ANXIETY INTO ACTION TO HELP THE PLANET. PLUS, HE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO BE A CHIEF SPEECHWRITER FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. THE SPEECHWRITER BRINGS LIVED EXPERIENCE TO TO THE TABLE. THE IMPORTANCE OF HEARING DIVERSE VOICES AND A DECISION FROM THE NATION’S HIGHEST COURT IS CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OF THIS MIDWEST CITY. CARBONDALE IS ONLY THREE HOURS BY CAR FROM MEMPHIS AND NASHVILLE. HOW THE DOBBS RULING IS IMPACTING COMMUNITIES IN ABORTION SAFE HAVENS. THOSE STORIES RIGHT NOW ON MATTER OF FACT. IT’S HARD NOT TO NOTICE THE WEEKLY ONSLAUGHT OF EXTREME WEATHER HEADLINES. JULY WAS EARTH’S WARMEST MONTH ON RECORD. WILDFIRES ARE RAPIDLY GROWING IN FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY. BETWEEN THE HEAT WAVES AND THE HURRICANES, LIFE IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR MANY OF US. BUT WHAT’S IT DOING TO OUR MENTAL HEALTH? THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION REPORTS MORE THAN HALF OF AMERICANS FEEL VERY REAL ANXIETY DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. OUR CORRESPONDENT DINA DEMETRIUS IS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TALKING TO CLIMATE ACTIVISTS WHO ARE TRYING TO CARE FOR BOTH THE PLANET AND THEIR OWN MENTAL HEALTH. THE ANGER OF A MOTHER FOR HER CHILD’S FUTURE. THERE NEEDS TO BE PEOPLE WHO, LIKE, GIVE A LIKE US TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION. UNCERTAINTY AROUND EVER HAVING KIDS. WE’RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT GENERATION WILL HAVE TO FACE, THE HOPELESSNESS OF BEING ONE PERSON, FIGHTING A GLOBAL CRISIS. IT’S FROM THIS LIKE VERY HEADY, LIKE HOT HEADED, LIKE WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE WORLD. HOW AM I GOING TO DO IT? LIKE, HOW AM I GOING TO HOW AM I GOING TO STOP THE OIL INDUSTRY? LIKE BY MYSELF. GRIEF AND ANXIETY ABOUT THE HEALTH OF MOTHER EARTH ARE ON THE RISE, AND SO ARE INFORMAL CLIMATE CAFES LIKE THIS ONE IN LOS ANGELES. ALREADY IN 49 COUNTRIES HERE, PEOPLE CAN EXPRESS EVEN EMBRACE THEIR EMOTIONS AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE. WE’RE PROCESSING OUR EMOTIONS IN COMMUNITY RATHER THAN ISOLATION ALONE. DOOMSCROLLING IN OUR BEDROOMS. THIS GROUP’S DIRECTOR, 26 YEAR OLD CLIMATE ACTIVIST MAKSIM BATUYEV, SAYS WHILE IT’S NOT ACTUALLY THERAPY, IT IS THERAPEUTIC. WHAT WE’RE MISSING IS A SORT OF CONTAINER FOR FOR ALL OF THE STUFF THAT IS MESSY, IS UNCERTAIN, SAYS LIKE, HEY, WE ARE ACTUALLY REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THIS, THAT WE DON’T GET A CHANCE TO EXPRESS IN OUR DAY TO DAY LIFE BECAUSE, HEY, WE GOT BILLS TO PAY. IT’S A PUNCH IN THE GUT. AND YET, SOMETIMES I GET FULL OF DESPAIR. CRAIG PRESTON HAS BEEN AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST FOR 12 YEARS. WE’RE GOING TO LOWER THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF A WHOLE CITY. HE’S A CHAIRPERSON WITH THE GLOBAL BIPARTISAN GROUP CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY, TASKED WITH BRINGING OTHER CONSERVATIVES LIKE HIMSELF INTO THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE. THAT WEARS ON ME OF MY LIFE FEELS A LITTLE BIT ON HOLD. I DON’T FLY AS MUCH AS I WOULD NORMALLY FLY. I’M EATING DIFFERENTLY. I’M BUYING DIFFERENTLY, TRYING TO LOWER MY OWN PERSONAL CARBON FOOTPRINT. BUT UNLESS WE CHANGE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF BILLIONS OF PEOPLE, IT’S NOT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THE SCOPE OF THAT REALIZATION LED TO AN EMOTIONAL RECKONING ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I JUST DIDN’T HAVE THE ENERGY TO GO ON AND WAILED FOR 25 MINUTES. WAS IT SURPRISING TO YOU? IT WASN’T SURPRISING. IT WAS MORE SHOCKING. THE LEVEL AND THE AND THE STRENGTH OF IT. THE MOVEMENT HAS NOT BEEN WHAT I WANTED, AND HAVING TO DAILY GRIEVE AND ADDRESS THAT AND ACCEPT IT’S NOT WHERE I WANT TO GET TO. BUT WE’RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS. CAN I GET OUT OF BED ANOTHER DAY AND GO DO IT AGAIN? YEAH. CRAIG EVENTUALLY DECIDED TO SEEK THE HELP OF A THERAPIST. SOMETHING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE DOING COLLECTIVELY. I WOULD SAY OUR OUR NERVES ARE SHOT. THIS IDEA THAT THE CLIMATE BEING IN DISTRESS, UM, THAT WE CAN HIVE OURSELVES OFF FROM THAT SOMEHOW. IT’S CRAZY ACTUALLY. WE ARE CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM THAT. AND WE WILL FEEL IT. MAUREEN DONLEY IS A THERAPIST IN LOS ANGELES, ONE OF MANY PROVIDED AS A RESOURCE BY CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY TO HELP PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY NAVIGATE CLIMATE ANXIETY. THE YOUNGER THE CLIENT, THE THE MORE THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN THIS. LIKE, HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPENING? RIGHT. I’M SEEING SOMETHING RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE, AND YET I’M WATCHING EVERYBODY AROUND ME CARRY ON. LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT’S ANOTHER WEDNESDAY AND AND I DON’T GET IT. FOR ALL GENERATIONS FACING FEAR OR FEELING LIKE THEIR EFFORTS ARE FUTILE. DONLEY SAYS THE PAIN CAN BE PRODUCTIVE. SO THE CLASSIC ANTIDOTE TO ANXIETY IS ACTION. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE MONUMENTAL. IT’S GOING TO REQUIRE PERSISTENCE TO KEEP GOING EVEN WHEN YOU CAN’T NECESSARILY SEE THE END POINT. IT’S TOUGH. IT’S A HARD ROW TO HOE. AND YET I’M DEDICATED TO KEEP TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER ON CLIMATE ACTIONS THAT WOULD WORK FOR THE MASSES AND WORK QUICKLY ENOUGH. THERE IS FORWARD MOMENTUM BEING MADE ON ANY NUMBER OF ISSUES. IT’S NOT AT THE SCALE IT NEEDS TO BE AT YET, BUT THERE IS HOPE. THERE IS BRAVERY. THINGS LIKE BRAVERY. THINGS LIKE COURAGE. YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW, ALL SEEM LIKE OTHER FEELINGS TO ADD TO THE TOOLKIT THAT LIKE, YEAH, MAYBE WHEN WE USE THOSE WE, WE SORT OF EARN OUR HOPE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I’M DINA DEMETRIUS FOR MATTER OF FACT. NEXT ON MATTER OF FACT, HE WAS A DEBATE STAR IN COLLEGE. MEMBERS OF HOWARD’S SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM WERE INVITED TO THE PROFESSIONAL SPEECHWRITERS ASSOCIATION’S MENTORSHIP MIXER, AND IT WAS LIKE, THERE’S NOT FOLKS THAT LOOK LIKE ME IN THIS ROOM. HOW HE’S NOW ENSURING DIVERSE VOICES ARE SHAPING OUR LEADERS MESSAGES. PLUS, PEOPLE WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE REPORT A HIGHER OVERALL STRESS LEVEL. WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE MOST UNINSURED AMERICANS LIVE. AND WITH ABORTION BANNED IN MORE THAN A DOZEN STATES, MORE WOMEN ARE TRAVELING FURTHER FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT. WE HEAD TO ILLINOIS TO SHOW HOW ONE MIDWESTERN CITY IS DEALING WITH AN INFLUX OF PATIENTS. YOU’RE WATCHING. MATTER OF FACT, AMERICA’S NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS MAGAZINE. THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION IS ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY WITH KAMALA HARRIS, NOW THE FIRST WOMAN OF COLOR TO WIN A MAJOR PARTY’S NOMINATION. EVENTS LIKE THE DNC AND THE RNC ARE A CHANCE FOR ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING POLITICIANS TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO A NATIONAL AUDIENCE. MY NEXT GUEST EMPHASIZED THAT WHILE IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE DIVERSE LEADERS, IT’S CRUCIAL THAT THE PEOPLE HELPING SHAPE THE NARRATIVE, THE ACTUAL SPEECHWRITERS ALSO NEED TO REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY OF AMERICA. TERRY EDMONDS IS A LONGTIME SPEECHWRITER FOR FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, ALSO MEMBERS OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. MICHAEL FRANKLIN IS THE FOUNDER OF THE ORGANIZATION SPEECHWRITERS OF COLOR. GENTLEMEN, SO NICE TO HAVE YOU IN STUDIO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US. WHY DOES THE SPEECHWRITERS RACE OR GENDER OR ETHNICITY EVEN MATTER? THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF A SPEECHWRITER IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU BRING, BECAUSE WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SPEECHWRITERS AND SPEECHWRITING, WE’RE LOOKING TO BRING FOLKS WHO REFLECT THE AUDIENCES THAT YOU’RE TRYING TO REACH. LIKE FOR ME, I’M A BLACK QUEER KID WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN KANSAS CITY, KANSAS. AND LIKE OUTSIDE OF YOUR REGULAR WIZARD OF OZ JOKE, I ALWAYS GET FOLKS WHO ARE JUST LIKE, WOW, I DIDN’T KNOW THERE WERE BLACK PEOPLE IN KANSAS. BUT BEING ABLE TO BRING THAT PERSPECTIVE TO THE LEADERS THAT I SERVE AND WRITE WITH ABOUT WHAT POTENTIAL AUDIENCES LOOK LIKE CAN BUILD A COMPLETE NEW TREK FOR WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE’RE TALKING TO SOMEBODY. SO THEN IS THE GOAL TO SAY THERE ARE POTHOLES OUT THERE? MR. OR MISS CANDIDATE? AND IF YOU GO INTO THE SPEECH NOT REALIZING THAT GAY QUEER PEOPLE FROM MIDDLE AMERICA EXIST, YOU COULD BE TRIPPING OVER YOURSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS IMPORTANT SPEECH. ABSOLUTELY. PRETTY SOON, AMERICA IS GOING TO BE A MAJORITY MINORITY COUNTRY. AND WHEN I STARTED IN SPEECHWRITING IN 1993 WITH BILL CLINTON, THERE WERE NO OTHER REALLY AFRICAN AMERICAN SPEECHWRITERS. AND AT THAT TIME, THE RACE ISSUE WAS REALLY HOT IN AMERICA. AND BILL CLINTON WAS DETERMINED THAT HE WAS GOING TO RESPOND TO IT. AND SO HE NEEDED SOMEONE TO HELP HIM CRAFT MESSAGES THAT SPOKE DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUE AND SPOKE DIRECTLY TO THOSE PEOPLE. BUT IT’S NOT JUST RACE THAT MATTERS. AFRICAN AMERICANS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE INTERESTED IN EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT’S GOING ON. THE ECONOMY, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, EVERYTHING. SO YOU NEED SPEECHWRITERS WHO CAN CRAFT MESSAGES THAT RESONATE WITH THOSE AUDIENCES. YOU REALLY WERE THE BREAKTHROUGH IN A LOT OF WAYS. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? WELL, IT WAS IT WAS DAUNTING WHEN I FIRST ENTERED THE WHITE HOUSE IN 1995, I WAS SURROUNDED BY YALE AND HARVARD GRADUATES, BUT I HAD A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF AND THE TRAINING THAT I GOT AT HBCU MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. I WAS PRETTY CONFIDENT IN MY SKILLS, BUT IT WAS THE CULTURAL SORT OF ASSIMILATION THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT DAUNTING. BUT WHAT HELPED MOST WAS THE FACT THAT I HAD A REAL CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRESIDENT AND HE ALSO I MEAN, HE REALLY CARED ABOUT RACIAL RECONCILIATION AND BUILDING AN ADMINISTRATION THAT LOOKED LIKE AMERICA. MICHAEL, YOU ALSO HBCU BECAUSE YOU WERE AT HOWARD, YOU KNOW, REALLY HOWARD OBVIOUSLY KILLS IT WHEN IT COMES TO DEBATE. WHAT SIMILARITIES HAVE YOU SEEN IN DEBATE AND SPEECHWRITING? I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS THAT, LIKE, DEBATE SHOULD BE THE CLEAR PIPELINE FOR SPEECHWRITERS AND COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONALS. I WAS WRITING SPEECHES FOR MYSELF. I WAS THE PERSON GIVING THE PERFORMANCES, WHETHER IT WAS PERSUASIVE SPEAKING OR INFORMATIVE SPEAKING, AND IT WASN’T UNTIL MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF COLLEGE WHERE MEMBERS OF HOWARD’S SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM WERE INVITED TO THE PROFESSIONAL SPEECHWRITERS ASSOCIATION’S MENTORSHIP MIXER AND WHILE THERE, I WAS LIKE, WOW, THIS IS HOW I GO PRO AND DEBATE. BUT ALSO ON TOP OF THAT, IT WAS LIKE, THERE’S NOT FOLKS THAT LOOK LIKE ME IN THIS ROOM, AND FOLKS TOLD ME, OH, I CAN ONLY COUNT ON ONE HAND THE NUMBER OF BLACK SPEECHWRITERS I KNOW. AND I WAS LIKE, GIVEN LIKE, THEY’RE LITERALLY BLACK KIDS AND BROWN KIDS WINNING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT EVERY LEVEL THROUGHOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT EVENTS AND SPEECH AND DEBATE AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE GIVING SPEECHES ALL THE TIME. CORRECT. I’M LIKE YOU KNOW, GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE ME TO THAT ONE HANDFUL, AND I’M SURE I’M GOING TO FIND LIKE TEN TIMES THAT. AND THAT WAS JUST SOME OF THE PRE-WORK BEFORE EVEN GOING INTO SPEECHWRITERS OF COLOR, LET’S SAY A BLACK WOMAN OF INDIAN DESCENT HAPPENS TO RISE TO THE TOP OF A NATIONAL POLITICAL PARTY. AND IS ELECTED SHOULD SHE BE HAVING SPEECHWRITERS WHO ARE LIKE, HEY, THE WHITE GUYS ARE GOING TO WRITE FOR THE WHITE GUYS I’M TALKING TO? AND THE BLACK GUYS ARE GOING TO WRITE FOR THE BLACK PEOPLE I’M TALKING TO, AND THAT YOU’RE BOTH SHAKING YOUR HEAD. NO, VEHEMENTLY. NO. I THINK IT’S NOT ABOUT TRYING TO LIKE SILO THE WAY THAT SPEECHES ARE ORGANIZED. THE BROADER GOAL IN TERMS OF BUILDING NARRATIVE POWER, WHEN YOU’RE WORKING WITH THE PRINCIPAL, IS TELLING THE STORY OF WHO WE ARE AND THE STORY OF WHO WE CAN BE. AND IT’S SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU MIGHT MISS SOMETHING IF YOU’RE TRYING TO TALK TO SOMEONE IN MIDDLE AMERICA VERSUS TALKING TO SOMEONE ON THE COAST, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A DIVERSE TEAM THAT HAVE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT LIVED EXPERIENCES, THEN IT MAKES A FULLER AND MORE COMPREHENSIVE MESSAGE THAT IS LIKELIER TO RESONATE WITH MORE FOLKS. TERRY EDMONDS AND MICHAEL FRANKLIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. YOU BET. COMING UP, SHE’S A DOULA WHO HELPS PREPARE FOR BIRTH, AND SHE’S A DRIVER WHO HELPS WOMEN CHOOSING ABORTION MAKE IT SAFELY TO THEIR APPOINTMENTS. IF I CAN PROVIDE HELP TO OTHERS, THAT’S JUST WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING. A LOOK AT LIFE IN A MIDWEST CITY WHERE ABORTION RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED. PLUS, HOW HEALTH CARE COSTS ARE CHANGING AND WHAT IT MEANS WHEN WE GET SICK. A NEW STUDY FINDS MORE WOMEN GOT ABORTIONS IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD IN 2022, MEANING MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING ABORTIONS NOW THAN WHEN ROE V WADE WAS IN EFFECT. THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE HASHTAG. WE COUNT REPORT. IT SAYS THIS INCREASE WAS DRIVEN BY ABORTIONS PROVIDED VIA TELEHEALTH, WHERE MEDICATIONS WERE PRESCRIBED. THAT MADE UP 20% OF ALL ABORTIONS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR. THE OTHER 80% WERE PROVIDED VIA IN-PERSON CARE. AS MORE STATES RESTRICT AND BAN ABORTION, CITIES AND TOWNS AND STATES THAT ALLOW THEM ARE SEEING AN INFLUX OF PATIENTS, THIS INCLUDES CARBONDALE IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. OUR CORRESPONDENT JESSICA GOMEZ TRAVELED TO CARBONDALE TO SEE HOW THE COMMUNITY IS GRAPPLING WITH LIFE ON THE FAULT LINE OF AMERICA’S ABORTION DEBATE. WE’RE ALL GOING TO READ TOGETHER NOW. CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS, HOME TO CHASTITY MAZE, A 47 YEAR OLD DOULA, SHE HELPS COUPLES NAVIGATE THE BIRTH PROCESS. IT’S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. IT’S A MIRACLE WE GET A TEXT. THERE’S ABOUT 20 OF US IN THE GROUP TEXT, BUT CHASTITY HAS ANOTHER ROLE. SHE’S PART OF A NETWORK OF TRAINED VOLUNTEERS WHO HELP PATIENTS COMING INTO TOWN FOR ABORTIONS, GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. CAN YOU PICK THEM UP FROM THE AIRPORT OR YOU KNOW, CAN YOU TAKE THEM TO THE TRAIN STATION? THE WOMEN WE’RE SEEING ARE PRIMARILY FROM THE SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE, ARKANSAS, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA AND KENTUCKY. JENNIFER PEPPER IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT CHOICES CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. THE CLINIC, ONE OF TWO THAT HAS OPENED IN CARBONDALE THIS PAST YEAR, PERFORMS ABOUT 20 ABORTIONS PER DAY. PATIENTS COMING FROM AS FAR AWAY AS WEST TEXAS WHEN THEY COME IN A LOT OF THEM ARE RELIEVED THAT THEY’VE GOTTEN TO A PLACE AND THEY’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS SERVICE THAT THEY SO DEEPLY WANT. SO ONCE YOU TAKE THAT, THERE’S NOTHING WE CAN GIVE YOU TO REVERSE IT. OKAY. 37 YEAR OLD AMY HERE FOR A MEDICATION ABORTION. SHE AND HER BOYFRIEND DROVE 3.5 HOURS FROM NASHVILLE. I WAS REALLY ANXIOUS ABOUT COMING AND NOT ABOUT RECEIVING THE HELP. AND THE HEALTH CARE THAT I NEED, BUT ABOUT JUST FACING A JUDGMENT FROM PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW WHO I AM AND DON’T KNOW MY STORY. BUT IN A CITY WHERE UNTIL NOW THERE HAVE BEEN NO ABORTIONS PERFORMED IN MORE THAN THREE DECADES, SOME, LIKE RESTAURANT OWNER MARILYNN MARTIN, DON’T LIKE WHAT THEY’RE SEEING. I JUST FEEL STRONGLY THAT LIFE IS PRECIOUS AND IT’S GOD SENT. I FEEL LIKE I CAN’T KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT ANYMORE. IT’S VERY EMOTIONAL TO ME. THIS ISSUE NEARBY SAINT ANNE’S CRADLE OF HOPE, A CATHOLIC NONPROFIT SETTING UP SHOP, VOLUNTEERS HANDING OUT SUPPLIES TO MOTHERS IN NEED IF THEY CAN THINK OF SAINT ANNE CRADLE OF HOPE AS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP THEM CHOOSE LIFE, AND WE WANT TO SHARE THAT MESSAGE ONE, TWO, THREE FOUR. WHAT’S RIGHT FOR CHASTITY? MAE’S HELPING WOMEN ON THEIR JOURNEY. I REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS MY JOB IN LIFE. IF I CAN PROVIDE HELP TO OTHERS, THAT’S JUST WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING. IN CARBONDALE ILLINOIS. FOR MATTER OF FACT, I’M JESSICA GOMEZ. AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, THE GOOD NEWS FEWER PEOPLE ARE GOING WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE. THE BAD NEWS THAT COULD BE CHANGING. WE EXPLAIN. PLUS, A LOOK AT THE AMAZING DISCOVERIES SCIENTISTS MADE AFTER TEAMING UP WITH SEA LIONS TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH. MATTER OF FACT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER ATWELCOME BACK TO MAT WE’RE GETTING A NEW LOOK AT THE STATE OF HEALTH INSURANCE IN THIS COUNTRY. TEXAS IS HOME TO THE MOST UNINSURED AMERICANS. THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU REPORTS 4.7 MILLION PEOPLE THERE UNDER THE AGE OF 65. DON’T HAVE INSURANCE. THAT’S ABOUT 18% OF THE STATE’S POPULATION, WHICH IS DOUBLE THE NATIONAL UNINSURED RATE OF ABOUT 9%. OVERALL, THE NUMBERS SHOW THE UNINSURED RATE IS DROPPING IN MOST COUNTIES ACROSS THE NATION. KFF, AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES HEALTH POLICY RESEARCH, CREDITS THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND COVID ERA POLICIES FOR THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF UNINSURED. BUT KEEP IN MIND, WE COULD SEE THOSE UNINSURED NUMBERS TICK BACK UP AS THESE POLICIES EXPIRE. JOINING TEXAS AS STATES WITH THE MOST UNINSURED. OKLAHOMA, WYOMING AND FLORIDA. MEANWHILE, MASSACHUSETTS, HAWAII AND WASHINGTON, D.C. HAVE THE FEWEST UNINSURED RESIDENTS. EVEN WITH INSURANCE, AMERICANS STRUGGLE WITH HEALTH CARE COSTS. A GALLUP AND WEST HEALTH SURVEY REPORT, 45% OF PEOPLE SKIPPED A MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF COST OR LACK OF ACCESS. KFF REPORTS THAT THE AVERAGE FAMILY INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE WAS $3,800 IN 2022, AND THAT’S UP FROM $2,500 IN 2013. STILL AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, HOW SEA LIONS ARE HELPING SCIENTISTS BETTER UNDERSTAND AND PROTECT MARINEFINALLY, AUSTRALIA HAVE FOUND A NOVEL WAY TO STUDY OCEAN LIFE, ATTACHING CAMERAS TO SEA LIONS. RESEARCHERS SEDATED EIGHT FEMALE SEA LIONS AND GLUED CAMERAS AND TRANSMITTERS TO THEIR BACKS AND HEADS. WHY THEM? WELL, THE EQUIPMENT COULD BE REMOVED WHEN THEY RETURN TO LAND TO NURSE THEIR PUPS. RESEARCHERS NOT ONLY DISCOVERED PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN SEAFLOOR ENVIRONMENTS, THEY ALSO LEARNED SOME VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANIMALS THEMSELVES. JUST LIKE HUMANS, INDIVIDUAL SEA LIONS HAVE DIFFERENT FOOD PREFERENCES AND CAMERAS RECORDED. THE FIRST EVIDENCE THAT SEA LION MOTHERS TEACH THEIR PUPS HOW TO FORAGE THE AUSTRALIAN SEA LION IS ENDANGERED, SO SCIENTISTS HOPE THAT THIS RESEARCH WILL ALSO HELP RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE ANIMAL. AND BACK TO THE GLUING OF THE CAMERAS ONTO SEA LION FUR. WELL, RESEARCHERS SAY THE GLUE RESIDUE SHOULD COME OFF WHEN THE ANIMALS MOLT. THAT’S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF MATTER OF FACT, I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN, AND I’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK TO WATCH MORE STORIES LIKE THIS ANYTIME, HEAD TO MATTEROFFACTTV.