AUCD Legislative News In Brief
February 9, 2009
Economic Recovery
Last week President Obama and Senate Democratic leaders worked hard to find the 60 votes needed to ensure passage of its economic stimulus package in the Senate. With all Democrats favoring the package, two Republicans are needed to help move the bill forward. However, Senate Republicans objected to the size and structure of the package. Senators Collins (R-ME) and Nelson (D-NE) negotiated a bipartisan amendment to cut approximately $100 billion from the nearly $940 billion stimulus package that had been under consideration. The final Nelson/Collins amendment negotiated over the weekend would cut $83 billion from the package. The largest cut is a $40 billion decrease in a $79 billion state fiscal stabilization fund, much of which would have gone to education. In a huge blow to the CDC, $5.8 billion was completely eliminated from the Senate bill for prevention and wellness programs. AUCD had been working on targeting some of this money to disability initiatives. The House bill also includes a moratorium on Medicaid regulations that is not included in the Senate. However, Senator Schumer (D-NY) was successful in passing a "Sense of the Senate" resolution to show support for including the moratorium in the final bill.
The Senate will vote today to end debate on the bill paving the way for a final vote on the bill tomorrow. Conference negotiations are expected to be difficult given how different the two bills are in numbers and structure. However, Congressional leaders are still aiming for Monday, Feb. 13 to have the bill to President Obama's desk for signature. AUCD emailed targeted action alerts throughout the week to urge AUCD network members to educate Members of Congress about how the stimulus package will impact people with disabilities. AUCD will continue work to achieve the highest possible levels of funding for disability programs as the bill is being finalized.
House and Senate Economic Recovery bills Compared
|
|
House |
Senate Mark |
Amended Senate |
|
Education |
|
|
|
|
IDEA Part B state grants |
$13 billion |
$13 billion |
$13 billion |
|
Part C Early Intervention |
$600 million |
$500 million |
$500 million |
|
Preschool grants |
$0.0 |
15% of the Part B funds |
15% of the Part B funds |
|
Title I of ESEA |
$13 billion |
$13 billion |
$12.4 billion |
|
Pell Grants |
$15.6 billion |
$13.9 billion |
$13.9 billion |
|
College work study |
$490 million |
$0 |
|
|
Teacher Quality grants |
$300 million |
$100 million |
$50 million |
|
Institute of Education Sciences |
$250 million |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Higher education modernization |
$6 billion |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Modernization and repair |
$14 billion |
$16 billion |
$0 |
|
State Fiscal Stabilization Fund |
$79 billion |
$79 billion |
$39 billion |
|
Head Start |
$2 billion |
$2 billion |
$1 billion |
|
Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps) |
$200 million |
$200 million |
$200 million |
|
Health Care |
|
|
|
|
Medicaid FMAP increase |
$87 billion |
$87 billion |
$87 billion |
|
Moratorium of Medicaid Regs |
Extends thru Oct. 1 |
No Moratorium |
Sense of Senate passed |
|
HRSA (community health centers) |
1.5 billion |
$1.8 billion |
$1.8 billion |
|
HRSA (health workforce) |
$600 million |
$0 |
$0 |
|
NIH |
|
|
|
|
Nat'l Center for Research Resources |
$1.5 billion |
$3 billion |
$3 billion |
|
Office of Director |
$1.5 billion |
$2.7 billion |
$2.7 billion |
|
Buildings & facilities |
$500 million |
$500 million |
$500 million |
|
AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Research |
$1.1 billion |
$1.1 billion |
$1.1 billion |
|
CDC |
|
|
|
|
CDC Facilities modernization/renovations |
$462 million |
$412 million |
$412 million |
|
CDC Prevention and wellness |
$3 billion |
$5.8 billion |
$0 |
|
Employment |
|
|
|
|
VR State Grants |
$500 million |
$500 million |
$500 million |
|
WIA Training and employment services grants |
$4 billion |
$3.3 billion |
$3.3 billion |
|
Centers for Independent Living |
$200 million |
$110 million |
$110 million |
|
Social Security |
|
|
|
|
SSA Computer update |
$400 million |
$750 million |
$750 million |
|
SSA backlog and claims |
$500 million |
$0 |
$0 |
|
SS and Vet payment (one time) |
$4.2 billion |
$17 billion |
$17 billion |
|
SSA information technology |
$0 |
$140 million |
$140 million |
|
SSA Office of Inspector General |
$2 million |
$3 million |
$3 million |
|
Human Services |
|
|
|
|
Child Care Development BG |
$2 billion |
$2 billion |
$2 billion |
|
Social Services Block Grant |
$0 |
$400 million |
$400 million |
|
TANF welfare block grant |
$2.5 billion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Housing |
|
|
|
|
Public Assisted Housing Stability |
$2.5 billion |
$3.5 billion |
$2.5 billion |
|
Community Dev. Block Grant |
$1 billion |
$0 |
$0 |
|
HOME |
$1.5 billion |
$2.25 billion |
$2.25 billio |
Children's Health Insurance Program
After clearing the Senate and House, President Obama signed a reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program into law on February 5 (P.L. 111-3. The Children's Health Insurance Program is intended for children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but too little to afford private health insurance. This bill, which was vetoed twice by President Bush during the previous Congress, increases health care coverage for legal immigrants as well as providing additional dental care and mental health parity. The bill will provide health insurance to 4 million additional children. President Obama also issued a memorandum last week that removed restrictions put in place by the Bush (known as the August, 17 Directive) that made it more difficult for states to provide coverage to children above 250% of the federal poverty level.
Long-Term Services and Supports
Aging and disability organizations are working in coalition with the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) and the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO) to urge the inclusion of long-term services and supports in comprehensive health care reform. AUCD is playing a leadership role in these efforts. Grassroots coalitions are being organized in key states. A hearing on long-term services and supports is being scheduled for March 4 in the Senate Special Aging Committee. Prior to this hearing will be a national call-in day to urge Senators to include long-term services in health care reform. Grassroots op ed pieces on long-term services are also being encouraged. In addition, CCD and LCAO are scheduling a number of visits over the next month with Senate Finance Committee and leadership staff.
Employment Bureaus of Labor Statistics (BLS)
On February 6, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released statistics on unemployment that are based on new questions added to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to identify individuals with disabilities. The unemployment rate of individuals with disabilities was 13.2 percent, compared with 8.3 percent for the general population. These data have been gathered since June, 2008 when six questions about disability were permanently added to the CPS, a monthly survey the federal government uses to estimate the unemployment level and rate. It is important to interpret these new statistics accurately. AUCD, in partnership with CCD, issued a press release explaining the change to accompany the announcement: http://www.aucd.org/template/news.cfm?news_id=3551&id=39&parent=39
Cabinet Nominations
The Senate confirmed Eric H. Holder, Jr. as Attorney General on Feb. 2 and he was sworn in the following day. Tom Daschle, the former Senate Majority Leader, pulled out of the nomination process for Secretary of Health and Human Services amid questions over his failure to pay back taxes and interest. There has been no official announcement of an alternative. The Senate HELP Committee postponed a vote on Hilda Solis' nomination as Secretary of Labor minutes before it was scheduled to take place following reports that Solis' husband had recently settled outstanding tax liens against his auto repair business.
Child Abuse and Neglect
A markup session is scheduled for February 11th for the "Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2009" sponsored by Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee George Miller. AUCD has written a letter in support of this legislation that seeks to regulate quality programs grounded in best-practices in order to ensure the safety of children as well as provide grants to states to prevent child abuse and neglect at residential programs.
Disability Policy Seminar
A New Era: Embracing Opportunities In The Face Of Grave Challenges, the 2009 Disability Policy Seminar theme, will explore the unique challenges and opportunities facing the new 111th Congress and Obama Administration brought about by the 2008 election results and the economic crisis. At the 2009 Seminar, hundreds of disability advocates from around the country will gather to discuss a wide range of public policy issues affecting people with disabilities and their families. We expect the following public policy issues will take center stage: Budget and Appropriations, Entitlements (Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security), Health Care and Long Term Services Reform, Developmental Disabilities Act, and Employment, among others. The seminar will be held on April 27-29, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This seminar is sponsored by AUCD in partnership with The Arc, UCP, AAIDD, NACDD and our newest partner, Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE). Please register online before April 3 to avoid any penalties. The Hotel will also fill up fast. All of the information you need is on our Events page.
For copies of this and previous issues of Legislative News In Brief please visit the Public Policy Page of the AUCD website: http://www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id=27
