Legislative News InBrief
February 12, 2007
Volume VII, Issue 7
FY 2007 Continuing
Resolution
The Senate is expected to vote this week on the FY 2007
Continuing Resolution (HJ Res. 20). The Continuing Resolution (CR) deals with
the nine unresolved FY 2007 appropriation bills. The CR that passed the House
on January 31 contains slight increases in some major programs, including No
Child Left Behind (+$125 million), IDEA State Grant (+$200 million), Head Start
(+$104 million), NIH (+$619.5 million), and transit programs (+$470 million).
This was accomplished through removing earmarks to free up additional money.
All other programs were held at FY 2006 levels. The Senate must pass the CR by
February 15 or extend the current stopgap CR again. Senate Majority Leader Reid
(D-NV) employed a parliamentary measure known as "filling an amendment tree" to
prevent other members from offering amendments. While this has upset some
Republican members, he is expected to limit debate and hold a vote early this
week.
President's FY 2008
Budget
Last week's In
Brief highlighted major impacts of the President's FY 2008 Budget on
programs affecting people with disabilities and the AUCD network. Overall, the
budget would have a devastating impact on individuals with disabilities. The
$2.9 trillion budget seeks large increases in military spending, continuation of
tax cuts, and cuts in human services spending. Democrats last week voiced a
great deal of criticism over the budget. Many of the cuts were proposed in
previous years and were unable to pass under Republican-controlled congresses.
The budget proposes to eliminate or cut funding for 141 discretionary spending
programs, saving $12 billion. In fact, 62 of the 91 terminations and 22 of the
50 reductions were proposed last year. AUCD helped lead an effort to create and
distribute a CCD press release concerning the impact of the budget on people
with disabilities.
Below are some additional details concerning the President's FY 2008 budget:
SCHIP
One of the major health care battles this
year will concern the reauthorization of the SCHIP program. AUCD legislative
staff attended briefings last week with members of the Senate Finance
committee. The President's budget requests only a $5 billion increase in
SCHIP. Estimates indicate that at least $15 billion would be needed to continue
the program at current levels through 2012. The President proposes to cover
only children below 200% of poverty at the enhanced SCHIP match. However, 17
states currently cover children up to 350% of poverty. Some states have also
covered limited numbers of adults and have used SCHIP as a vehicle for broader
reforms to address uninsured children. Another issue that could surface during
reauthorization concerns EPST services. One of the major differences between
SCHIP and Medicaid is that SCHIP does not cover EPSDT. Senator Rockefeller
expressed concern over this, particularly within the context of children with
Autism.
Housing
Overall, the President is requesting $36.2
billion in funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for
FY 2008, nearly $2 billion below the amount that Congress is soon expected to
approve for the agency for Fiscal Year 2007 in the Continuing Resolution. For
the third consecutive year the President's budget seeks a deep cut for the
Section 811 Supportive Housing for
Persons with Disabilities program, the only federal program that produces
affordable and accessible housing for low-income people with severe
disabilities. The President's budget would cut Section 811 nearly in half,
dropping funding down to $125 million from its expected FY 2007 level of $237
million. Nearly all of the remaining funding would be utilized for maintaining
existing housing. Furthermore, the President's budget is seeking $16 billion
for the Section 8 tenant-based rental voucher program for FY 2008. The Section
8 tenant-based rental assistance program funds vouchers that pay the difference
between rental costs and a percentage of tenant income. There is no funding for
new vouchers.
Department of
Labor
The President proposed a 17% reduction from 2006 in the employment and training programs at the Department of
Labor (DOL) from $5.2 billion in FY 2006 to a proposed $4.3 billion in FY 2008.
Once again the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is slated for a
large reduction ($27.7 in FY 2006 to $18.6 in FY 2008). ODEP is also the only
department within DOL scheduled for any reduction in staff size. The budget
proposed shrinking ODEP by 19 staff positions. The President has again proposed
eliminating the work incentive grant program ($19.5 million in FY 2006).
Lifespan Respite Care
Act
The President's FY 2008 budget contains no funding for
the Lifespan Respite Care Act. Senators Clinton (D-NY) and Warner (R-VA) are
circulating a "Dear Colleague" letter to the Budget Committee [pdf] in attempt to
secure funding.
So far, the following Senators have signed on: Lincoln, Snowe, Stabenow, Mikulski, Bingaman, Schumer, Bayh, Lieberman, Collins, Cantwell, and Menendez. AUCD sent out an action alert last week. The deadline for signatures is Tuesday, February 13.
CDC Autism Prevalence
Study
Last Friday, CDC released a new study indicating an
Autism prevalence rate of 1 in every 150 children in the United
States. This is an increased rate over that
proposed just a year ago. AUCD prepared a press release concerning the new
study, underscoring the need for additional funding for research, services, and
supports. The President's proposed FY 2008 contains no funding for the
Combating Autism Act at the end of the 109th
Congress.
Policy
Seminar
The Disability Policy Seminar,
co-sponsored by AUCD along with The Arc, UCP, NACDD, and AAIDD will be held
March 4-6, 2007, in Washington, DC. Issues that will be addressed include the NCLB, Higher Education Act,
Rehab Act, DD Act, Family Support,
ADA, and
appropriations for all disability programs. A special panel is being planned at
this year's Disability Policy Seminar to discuss legislation addressing autism
spectrum disorder, including the Combating Autism Act passed last year and new
legislation currently in development. You can register here.
The deadline for online registration is February 23. Also, if you are planning
on attending please remember to schedule visits with your members of congress
prior to arrival. You can coordinate visits with others attending the seminar
from your state. See you there!
