U.S. raises minimum wage for federal employees to $15
The directive will impact almost 70,000 federal employees most of whom work at the Departments of Defense, Agriculture and Veteran Affairs.
United States
This archive gathers more than 1,500 solutions-journalism stories tied to the United States — covering policy wins, community efforts, scientific advances, and social progress reported from across the country. Each article highlights what is working, who is driving change, and what results have followed.
California becomes first U.S. state to require insurance to cover the cost of at-home STD tests
In addition to requiring coverage of costs for at-home test kits, the new legislation calls for increasing the number of health care providers that can offer STI tests.
New Orleans to rename Robert E. Lee Blvd. for legendary musician Allen Toussaint
The New Orleans City Council voted unanimously to change the name last week. Toussaint was a New Orleans music legend who died in 2015.
World’s first pig-to-human heart transplant performed in U.S.
The patient is currently still alive, has not rejected the pig organ and is being carefully monitored at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
NASA fully deploys world’s most powerful space telescope
NASA partnered with the European and Canadian space agencies to build and launch the new 7-ton telescope, with thousands of people from 29 countries working on it since the 1990s.
New York City votes to electrify new buildings, ban natural gas
The legislation, which Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign, requires electricity-powered heat and hot water in most new buildings under seven stories by 2024 and all other buildings in 2027.
Pittsburgh will become a dark sky city in 2022
Pittsburgh will follow the International Dark Sky Association’s new values-centered outdoor lighting guidelines and switch to lower wattage LED bulbs in streetlights, bridges, and other public spaces.
Oklahoma caps monthly insulin co-pay at $30
Over 450,000 Oklahomans suffer from diabetes, while the American Diabetes Association says that over 1 million in the state are on the verge of it.
Developers cancel Oregon pipeline and natural gas export terminal
The $8 billion, three-foot-wide, 229-mile-long pipeline would have carried methane-based gas from Canada to the Oregon facility where it would have been shipped to international markets.
Nevada becomes first U.S. state to recognize gay marriage in state constitution
Nevada voters overturned an 18-year-old ban on same-sex marriage, making the state the first to enshrine gay couples’ right to marry in its constitution.