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Budget and Appropriations
President Trump signed the FY2017 omnibus spending bill on Friday, just before the deadline for the current continuing resolution. The agreement wraps up the remaining 11 of 12 annual appropriations bills for the current fiscal year funding government programs through the end of September. AUCD is pleased to report than many federal government programs are level-funded, with some, like special education state grants receiving increases. AUCD emailed a special edition of In Brief earlier today with more details and a table comparing FY2017 final appropriations with FY2016.
Health Care
American Health Care Act - House Vote
On May 4, the House passed Republican legislation, American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628), to repeal the Affordable Care Act passed on a 217-213 vote, which now heads to the Senate Republicans have expressed reservations about it. While AUCD is disappointed by the vote (see AUCD's statement), the association will continue to work with the Congress to ensure that any final bill continues to provide comprehensive, affordable and accessible health care and community supports. Many AUCD members and allies worked diligently to educate Members of Congress about the impact of the proposal on people with disabilities; please use AUCD's action center to see how your member voted. Also see this summary by the Kaiser Family Foundation, which describes key provisions of the American Health Care Act.
Hearings
CHIP
The Senate Finance Committee (Chairman Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah) will meet on May 9 to hear testimony on "The Children's Health Insurance Program: the Path Forward." The following witnesses are scheduled to testify: Ms. Leanna George, Mother of CHIP Recipient, Johnston County, NC; Dr. Anne L. Schwartz, Executive Director, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Washington, DC; Ms. Linda Nablo, Chief Deputy Director, Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services, Richmond, VA.
Steve Gleason Enduring Voices Act
The Steve Gleason Enduring Voices Act of 2017 is scheduled to be jointly introduced on May 16, by Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-05) and John Larson (D-CT-01), and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) at a press event. AUCD will provide additional information about the event as it becomes available.
New Appointments
Pamela Hughes Patenaude, president of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Foundation for Housing America's Families, has been nominated to be deputy secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). If confirmed, Patenaude would be making a return to HUD. From 2001 to 2007, she served as assistant deputy secretary for field policy and management and later as assistant secretary for community, planning and development.
Education
Career and Technical Education
On May 4, Members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce introduced the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen and improve career and technical education (CTE). Introduced by Reps. Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-PA) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), the legislation reauthorizes the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The proposal is largely identical to legislation the House of Representatives passed in September 2016. The Education committee is expected to consider the legislation in the coming weeks, reflecting the urgent priority to improve career and technical education for today's and future generations. AUCD will work to get more attention paid to students with disabilities in the legislation as it moves its way through Congress.
Asset Development
Public Input
You're invited to participate in "The ABLE Act: A Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes," a new ePolicyWorks online dialogue hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy's (ODEP) LEAD Center in support of their efforts to explore ways that ABLE accounts can be used to advance employment and financial self-sufficiency for youth and adults with disabilities.
Through this dialogue (through May 12), ODEP is seeking ideas on ways to reach out to and educate potential ABLE account owners, what supports potential owners need to open and maintain these accounts and what advocates and service providers should know about the benefits of ABLE accounts. Register to join this dialogue.
Public Policy Committee
The AUCD Public Policy Committee meets tomorrow. Contact Christine Grosso or Kim Musheno for more information on how network members can join the call.
Tuesdays with Liz: Disability Policy for All
In this week's edition of Tuesdays with Liz: Disability Policy for All Liz interviews Rhonda Richards who is the Senior Legislative Representative on the Federal Health and Family team at AARP. In case you missed it last week, Liz interviewed Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) chair of the Disability Bipartisan Caucus about the Life Respite Care Act and the Disability Caucus.
For more from AUCD, follow @AUCDNews and like AUCD on Facebook
For updates from our Executive Director Andy Imparato, follow @AndyAUCD.
For more policy news, follow Kim on Twitter at @kmusheno
For definitions of terms used in In Brief, please see AUCD's Glossary of Legislative Terms
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