What changes in health care could mean for you.

The Takeaway

Coming up on today’s show: 

  • Republicans in the House and Senate have been working for months to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but this week Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell failed to get enough support to confidently bring the Senate’s bill to a vote. We talk to individuals who are currently covered under the Affordable Care Act about what they want to see changed in their coverage and the questions they have about the proposed replacement plan.
  • A 1,007-page report of letters and diplomatic cables outlining the U.S.-backed 1953 coup in Iran has been published, but historians say it has been heavily redacted and is missing key portions of American involvement. Malcolm Byrne, director of research for the National Security Archive at George Washington University, discusses the significance of these documents.
  • Illinois is about to enter its third year without a budget, this time with more than $14.6 billion in unpaid bills. The crisis has already impacted public universities and social service providers. If the state’s BBB-rated debt is downgraded to junk status, it would be a first for any U.S. state. We turn to WBEZ reporter Tony Arnold, who has been following the crisis closely.
  • Every Friday, Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday and The Takeaway, drops by to review the new releases hitting the box office. This week, he takes a look at “Baby Driver” and “Despicable Me 3.” 

  • Two anti-illegal immigration bills are making their way through Congress: Kate’s Law, which would raise the maximum prison penalties for immigrants caught repeatedly entering the U.S. illegally, with escalating penalties for the number of repeat offenses; and the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, which would block federal grants for so-called sanctuary cities. We hear from Randy Capps, director of research for U.S. Programs at the Migration Policy Institute, about how these measures would prevent crimes from occurring.
  • In a new book out this week, Becky Aikman tells the story of the making of the 1991 classic “Thelma & Louise,” and how it shaped the trajectory of women in Hollywood, with a young female screenwriter and two female leads. 

This episode is hosted by Todd Zwillich.

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