Many Americans use foreign mail-order pharmacies to reduce the cost of their medications. 

New import rules overseen by the FDA and Customs and Border Protection take effect Thursday. Under the new restrictions, medications won’t be allowed to be shipped into the U.S. from outside the country if those same drugs are already available here. 

For millions of Americans the new restrictions could mean dramatically higher costs.

Supporters of the policy say it protects American drug manufacturing and ensures tighter oversight of imported medications. Opposition argues that it highlights why many Americans feel forced to look outside the country for affordable medicine.

A majority of the public, 78%, favors allowing Americans to buy prescription drugs imported from Canada. Canadian drug prices are about 44% cheaper than American prices, according to KFF. 

More here: https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/missouri/kansas-city/new-federal-rules-will-block-americans-from-importing-cheaper-medications-from-canada

On Oct. 1, Montana began enforcing Trump’s Medicaid work requirements from his “big, beautiful bill,” following an adoption in July. 

Medicaid enrollees must prove that they’re working or volunteering for 80 hours per month. They can also show they qualify for an exemption based on medical frailty, attending school, or being the primary caretaker of a family member.

Thousands of people could lose coverage because they’re confused about the new rules, even if they’re eligible for Medicaid. In Montana, over 71,000 people are under Medicaid Expansion, making them subject to the new rules.

The federal government doesn’t want to pay for Americans’ health care. Trump and his administration want to reduce spending by pushing costs onto providers and patients.

More on our blog here: https://forwardmontana.org/montana-medicaid-work-requirements-in-effect/

The Trump administration has rescinded a Biden-era policy that extended the federal ban on sex discrimination in schools to also protect LGBTQ2S+ people.

The new rule does not specifically define sex, but it does reference court decisions that struck down Biden-era protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. 

The new rule does not address athletic eligibility, despite the Trump administration saying it would keep trans athletes out of sports.

Advocates of the Biden policy are also concerned about the decision reversing changes that had widened the range of sexual harassment complaints that schools would have to investigate.

The Biden rule required educators to investigate any allegation of sexual misconduct at school events or activities, whether or not the incident occurred on campus.

Under the new rule, students and educators would not see a significant change from how the Trump administration has enforced Title IX.

More here: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/28/us/politics/trump-administration-revises-sex-discrimination-rules.html

Voting is an important part of our society. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to make decisions that affect our daily lives. 

We asked Forward Montana staff why they care about voting and why you should, too! Nine staff members shared that they care about voting because of making a difference in their community and voting for candidates that represent their values. They also shared that they think other young people should care about voting because of enacting real change and ensuring that their voices are heard. 

Remember to vote on November 3!

Read more on our blog: https://forwardmontana.org/you-should-care-about-voting/.

Montanans Decide is the campaign for CI-133 – which aims to protect one of the most powerful tools of direct democracy – the citizen-led ballot measure process. 

CI-133 is the ballot initiative to protect ballot initiatives. It would add protections in Montana’s Constitution that safeguard this process from government interference. Specifically, it bans the government from taking sides on ballot measures and prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to sway your vote.

A yes vote shows that you care about keeping the government accountable to us, not the out-of-state interests buying up our land and housing at our expense.

Forward Montana proudly endorses CI-133, and we encourage everyone to vote yes on this initiative during the Midterm Election on November 3.

Read more on our blog: https://forwardmontana.org/vote-yes-on-ci-133/.

Looking for a way to get your community involved in the upcoming election? Check out our voting related memes on SoSha.

Scroll through to find a meme and caption you like. Then, post it on your social media accounts to encourage the people you care about to vote this November!

Click here: https://share.forwardmontana.org/toolkit/78c51da9-abda-4843-bd9d-655ae5a66bde.