The House passed a resolution expressing disapproval of the Trump administration's harmful actions towards Medicaid (H Res 826). This is in response to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services announcement of a recent block grant proposal.
Plain Language:
The House of Representatives does not like how the federal government is giving states a chance to change how Medicaid is paid for.
What this means to you:
The waivers would directly hurt people with Medicaid by taking away coverage and access to needed care by cutting federal funding. People with disabilities, children, and older adults will be affected.
Contact your state legislature, state Medicaid Directors, and Governors to share your concern on the impact this would have on people's to access healthcare.
Territories
The House passed the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief and Puerto Rico Disaster Tax Relief Act (HR 5687) on Friday, February 8th. The package includes tax provisions directed at Puerto Rico and other territories that are estimated to cost $16.1 billion in annual deficits over the coming decade. Those include expanded earned income and child tax credits.
The White House, which has been slow to release existing aid to Puerto Rico, issued a veto threat this week. Republican opposition in the Senate and the White House likely mean it won't go much further.
Plain Language:
A bill to provide money to help with disasters in our Territories passed the House but probably will not pass the Senate or become law.
What this means to you:
People living in Territories will not have access to additional disaster relief.
Action Steps:
Contact your Senators to share your concern on the impact this would have on people in the territories.
Family Medical Leave
This Tuesday, February 11, the House Education & Labor Committee's Workforce Protections Subcommittee is holding a hearing on "Balancing Work, Health, and Family: The Case for Expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act." Witnesses and members are expected to discuss both the need for a strong national paid leave program and the need to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act's (FMLA) eligibility rules. The focus of this hearing will be the Family Medical Leave Modernization Act (HR 5456) and the FAMILY Act (HR 1185).
Plain Language:
The House of Representatives is having a hearing to help families be able to take time off work.
What this means to you:
The proposed legislation would create a national paid leave insurance program, wage replacement and protections helping to support individuals in caring for family members with disabilities.
The Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020builds upon both the House-passed Dignity in Aging Act(H.R. 4334) and the Senate-introduced Modernization of the Older Americans Act Amendments(S. 3057). Consideration on the Senate floor is likely this year, needing final approval from the House. This would reauthorize and update the Older Americans Act. There are parts that improve caregiver supports for older caregivers (55+) of adults with disabilities and extend the RAISE Act for one year.
Plain language:
This bill would help Americans and people with disabilities as they get older and support caregivers.
What this means to you:
Improvements to the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) including a caregiver assessment will improve the support provided to caregivers of aging Americans and people with disabilities.
Action Steps:
Contact your Senators to sign on as co-sponsors: United States Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121.
Food Assistance
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy met last week to revisit the changes proposed by the Trump administration to the nutritional assistance program known as SNAP. A final rule was issued in December to limit states' ability to expand SNAP eligibility, a move that could adversely affect nearly 700,000 households with children.
Plain Language:
The House of Representatives had a hearing on a new rule that will hurt people of color, people with disabilities, and poor people who need help buying food.
What this means to you:
Thirty-six states currently have waivers in place for SNAP time limits for areas where unemployment is high. The effects of the new rule will fall hardest on people of color, people without higher education, and people living in rural areas.
Last week, two House committees held hearings on the economic impact of parents without access to quality child care. The Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship held, "Taking Care of Business: How Childcare is Important for Regional Economies" and the Education and Labor Committee held "Solving America's Child Care Crisis: Supporting Parents, Children, and the Economy."
Plain Language:
The House of Representatives had hearings to help families take care of children.
What this means to you:
Parents of kids with disabilities and parents with disabilities have greater difficulty finding child care options.
Former Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh has ended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination after winning just 1% of the vote in Iowa's GOP caucuses.
Disability Policy Seminar
Registration is now open for the Disability Policy Seminar and the AUCD Emerging Leaders Policy Forum. Learn more information about the events.
You do need to register for both events if you plan to attend the Sunday AUCD Policy Forum before DPS.
Check out AUCD's new policy resource, a one-page fact sheet to help explain AUCD's policy efforts, and engage with us today!
AUCD Disability Policy Fellowship
Applications are open for the full year (June 2020-May 2021) AUCD Disability Policy Fellowship. Persons with disabilities or family members, and persons from culturally diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Tuesdays With Liz
Congressman Joe Kennedy (D-MA) tells Liz why therapy should be treated the same as going to any other doctor. Mental health parity matters! Learn more about the Behavior Health Coverage Transparency Act (HR 2874, S 1576). Did you know? AUCD has a Mental Health Aspects of Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Special Interest Group! Learn more and join today https://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=1014.
A network of interdisciplinary centers advancing policy and practice for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and communities.
Territories
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Food Assistance 
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Disability Policy Seminar
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Tuesdays With Liz
