Legislative News InBrief
December 11, 2006
Kim E. Musheno
Director of Public Policy
301-588-8252
[email protected]
Vol VI, Issue 45
Congressional Schedule and Appropriations
Congress ended the 109th Congress Saturday without completing most
of the FY 2007 appropriations bills. Only the defense and homeland
security spending bills have been enacted. Congress passed a continuing
resolution (CR) to keep the remaining federal agencies operating
through February 15, 2007. Agency and program funding levels under
the CR depend upon whether the House and Senate passed an appropriations
bill for the agency. In cases where neither House nor Senate passed
a bill, such as Labor, HHS and Education, the CR level is the 2006
prior year level. In cases where only the House passed a bill, the
CR level is lower of the House or 2006 level. In cases where both
the House and Senate passed a bill, the CR level is lower of the
House, Senate or 2006 level.
The new Democratically-controlled Congress will convene on January 4, 2007, and it is currently uncertain how the Democrats plan to complete the 2007 appropriations bills. Options include extending the continuing resolution for the remainder of the fiscal year which terminates on September 30, 2007, or originating all new appropriations bills. The President will submit his proposed FY 2008 budget to Congress on February 5, 2007. Democrats may be writing 2007 and 2008 spending bills at almost the same time.
Lifespan Respite Care Act
The Lifespan Respite Care Act (HR3248), sponsored by Reps. Ferguson
(R-NJ) and Langevin (D-RI), passed the House of Representatives
on December 6. The Senate passed the billon Dec. 8 after some last
minute negotiating with one senator threatening to filibuster the
bill. Lead sponsors in the Senate are Sens. Warner (R-VA) and Clinton
(D-NY). The Lifespan Respite Care Act authorizes $30 million for
FY07 (increasing to $94.8 million by FY11) in competitive grants
to states (including the territories) to develop or coordinate lifespan
respite care programs for families providing care for an adult or
child with a special need. The final compromise bill authorizes
the Aging and Disability Resource Centers recently authorized in
every state through the Older Americans Act as the lead agency eligible
for these funds. AUCD has been working in coalition with the Lifespan
Respite Coalition for over five years to develop and pass this important
bill! President Bush is expected to sign the legislation. Please
take a moment to thank your Members who sponsored this important
bill. AUCD will prepare a summary of the final bill soon.
Combating Autism Act
The Combating Autism Act, sponsored by Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA),
passed the House of Representatives on Dec. 6 followed by the Senate
on Dec. 7. The Act provides almost $1billion over five years for
autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities research,
screening, treatment and education. The legislation significantly
expands research activities at the NIH as well as surveillance programs
run by CDC. The legislation also provides competitive grants to
"expand existing or develop new maternal and child health interdisciplinary
leadership education in neurodevelopmental and related disabilities
programs" (LEND) in states that do not have such program. See
summary on AUCD's website.
AUCD Teleconference on Appropriations, Elections, and Medicaid
AUCD's Legislative Affairs Committee is hosting a teleconference
on the recent elections, appropriations, Deficit Reduction Act implementation
and Medicaid reform in the 110th Congress. This is an opportunity
to gain expert, insider information that will enhance the work of
your UCEDD in 2007. Mark Mioduski and Amy Souders from Cornerstone
Governmental Affairs will provide an outlook on appropriations and
on what we can expect from the newly-elected democratic congress.
Jeffrey S. Crowley, a widely recognized expert in health policy,
is the Project Director at the Health Policy Institute at Georgetown
University. He will speak on implementation of the Deficit Reduction
Act in the states and provide an outlook for Medicaid reform issues
in 2007. An email with the toll-free number was emailed last Friday.
Please contact Kim with any questions at [email protected].
Disability Policy Seminar
Online registration is now open for the 2007 Disability Policy Seminar
(March 4-6 at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill). The seminar theme
is New Congress, New Opportunities: https://www.aucd.org/meetings/gaseminar.cfm
Reservations must be made directly with the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill. Call 1-800-233-1234 and indicate the reservation is for the "Disability Policy Seminar" to receive the Seminar hotel rate of $239 per night. The deadline to register for the seminar and hotel is Feb. 8. A brochure, preliminary program and a hard copy of the Seminar registration form will be posted on AUCD Web site in both Word and PDF formats this week.
For questions about the Seminar registration, please contact AAMR/AAIDD at 202-387-1968. For questions about the Seminar program, please contact Kim Musheno at AUCD at 301-588-8252; [email protected].
Emergency Management and Disabilities
The CCD Rights Task Force has been meeting with Hill Staff on the
implementation of emergency preparedness provisions in the Homeland
Security Appropriations bill. The compliance of FEMA with the new
disability provisions is central to their successful implementation.
The Task Force has identified three major issues to press in working
with FEMA to ensure compliance: 1) establish a Disability Coordinator's
office which consults with the disability advocacy community, 2)
establish accessibility standards and 3) establish a properly functioning
grant program to implement preparedness standards in state and local-level
emergency management.
Restraints and Seclusion Rules
CMS published new regulations in today's Federal Register regarding
the use of restraints and seclusion. The patients' rights regulations
set forth, as a condition of participation (CoP) in the Medicare
and Medicaid programs, the expectation that health care facilities
will protect the rights of patients. The requirements apply to all
participating hospitals including short-term, psychiatric, rehabilitation,
long-term, children's and alcohol/drug treatment facilities.
Under the new regulations, hospitals must provide the patient or family member with a formal notice of their rights at the time of admission. These rights include freedom from restraints and seclusion in any form when used as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience for the staff, or retaliation. Stricter standards for when a healthcare facility must report the death of a patient associated with the use of restraints and seclusion have also been adopted with this rule. The new rules will become effective on February 06, 2007.
Health/SCHIP
Congress passed legislation to prevent early 2007 shortfalls for
the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). SCHIP provides
health insurance to more than four million children, including children
with disabilities, in low-income families. Unspent SCHIP funds from
fiscal years 2004 and 2005 will be redistributed to states expected
to run out of SCHIP funds in the 2007. The redistributed funds should
defer shortfalls in those states' SCHIP programs through early May
2007. SCHIP is due to be authorized in the new Congress.
AUCD Legislative Affairs
The Legislative Affairs Committee meets today by conference call
at 4 p.m. ET. An agenda and call-in information was emailed to the
Committee earlier today. Contact Kim Musheno for more information
301-588-8252; [email protected].
