Public health remains one of this country’s most politically charged issues. Six years after the COVID pandemic upended everyday life, Americans are still divided over vaccines, scientific expertise, and the role of our nation's top health agencies. Meanwhile, the U.S. is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in decades, underscoring just how high the stakes remain. Few senators have spent more time thinking about these issues than Bill Cassidy. The Louisiana Republican is not only a physician, but has spent much of his life improving public health for the residents of his state. He is chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and one of the key lawmakers overseeing the nation's health agencies during this particularly turbulent time. In this wide ranging conversation, Katie speaks with him about the measles outbreak, the challenge of rebuilding trust in public health, his ideas for lowering healthcare costs, and why he believes Congress still has time to save Social Security.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than 30 years after taking on Pacific Gas & Electric—and winning—Erin Brockovich is still fighting for communities. This time, her focus is on one of the fastest-growing parts of the AI boom: data centers.

In this episode of Next Question with Katie Couric, Erin explains why she's sounding the alarm about the rapid expansion of AI data centers across the country. Since April, Erin says she’s received thousands of reports from people across the country describing rising water bills, land acquisitions, and large-scale projects moving forward without their knowledge. She calls it "Hinkley on steroids."

Katie and Erin discuss water use, energy demand, local opposition, and why Erin believes communities deserve more transparency, accountability, and oversight as the AI infrastructure boom accelerates.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.