Disability Policy News In Brief: Special Omnibus Edition

SPECIAL OMNIBUS BUDGET EDITION

On March 22, the House approved the $1.3 trillion FY18 omnibus spending package by a vote of 256-167 (see the full text and the Labor-HHS-Ed text). The bill then moved to the Senate who passed it early this morning. President Trump signed it this afternoon, avoiding a government shutdown. The bill will fund the government through the fiscal year ending September 30.

AUCD is pleased to share that this bill includes great news and appropriation wins for the programs AUCD advocates for:

• University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) are funded at $40,619,000 (up from $38M)
• Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LENDs) are funded at  $32M (up from $31,317,485)
• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) is funded at $1.45B (up from $1.37B) this funding line includes Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRCs)

Additionally, the bill includes important support for many programs connected to AUCD's mission to advance policies and practices that improve the health, education, social, and economic well-being of all people with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and their communities by supporting our members in research, education, health, and service activities that achieve our vision:

• Projects of National Significance (PNS) are funded at $12M (up from $10M). Of this amount, not less than $1M is to fund transportation assistance activities for older adults and persons with disabilities. The transportation activities should focus on the most cost-effective and sustainable strategies that can be replicated to other communities.
• $140.56M for the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), ($3M increase)
• $3M increase for DD Councils (reaching their goal of $76M)
• $2M increase for Protection & Advocacy Agencies 
• Level funding for TIPSID programs ($11.8M)
• Assistive Technology state programs were funded at $36M ($4M increase). In addition, Medicaid funding included $2M for new competitive grants to partner with State Assistive Technology Act Programs to develop and implement reutilization.
• Inclusion of Kevin and Avonte's Law (HR 4421 and S 2070).

Congratulations to you for your continued work to around these critical programs and the communication that is needed to ensure Congress understands and supports their importance. 

Action Step

• Reach out to your Members of Congress and thank them for their support - our online email system makes it easy to send a template email or personalize your own! The system also includes a letter for Members who did not vote in favor of the bill.

For more from AUCD, follow @AUCDNews and like AUCD on Facebook.

For updates from our Executive Director Andy Imparato, follow @AndyAUCD.

For definitions of terms used in In Brief, please see AUCD's Glossary of Legislative Terms