Administration

Administration To Release FY 2021 Budget Today

The President is scheduled to release his proposed budget for FY 2021 on Monday, February 10, 2020. The release of the proposed budget by the Trump Administration will be just one week behind the official required release date for annual budgets, so it becomes the most timely release for this Administration. Last summer the Congress

“Did You See Him?”: Poverty in America

Series of Hearings on Administration Actions that Threaten the Welfare of Children On February 5 and 6, 2020, four subcommittees of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform held four hearings to examine the negative effects of regulations proposed by the Trump Administration relating to children including child poverty, housing, hunger, and health. On Wednesday,

A Threat to America’s Children: The Trump Administration’s Proposed Changes to SNAP

On Thursday, February 6, 2020, the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, held a hearing entitled A Threat to America’s Children: The Trump Administration’s Proposed Changes to Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Five witnesses gave testimony: Lisa Davis, Senior Vice President of the No Kid Hungry Campaign, Zach Pethan, Principal of

Administration Moves on Optional Medicaid Block Grant

On Thursday, January 30, the Trump Administration followed up on last week’s reports with their Medicaid Healthy Adult Opportunity proposal. The announcement came through CMS Administrator Seem Verma with careful avoidance of using the term block grant. The Administration is attempting to use their waiver authority to allow a more limited Medicaid block grant. In

MACPAC report on IMDs

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) produced a report to Congress on the oversight of Institutions of Mental Diseases (IMDs). “MACPAC serves as a non-partisan legislative branch agency and independent source of information for Medicaid and CHIP and are responsible for reporting to Congress.” Federal definition for IMD are a “hospital, nursing

ACA Path to Full Coverage Outlined

Last week, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a key Obama Administration advisor on health care reform, described how several states, using the ACA, have achieved near-universal coverage. At the same time, the Trump Administration moved forward on a proposal that would turn the Medicaid program into a partial state block grant. Emanuel writing in Politico said that

Maternal and Infant Health Crisis in America

On Tuesday, January 28, two subcommittees of the House Committee on Education and Labor, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and the Subcommittee on Pensions and Workforce Protections conducted a hearing entitled Expecting More: Addressing America’s Maternal and Infant Health Crisis. Testimony was given by three witnesses: Stacey Stewart, CEO of March of Dimes, Nikia

Trump Administration ‘Public Charge’ Immigration Rule Goes Into Effect

On Monday, January 21, the Supreme Court Justices voted 5-4 to allow the Trump Administration to start enforcing a rule that would make it harder for immigrants to obtain green cards and access government aid by ending the nationwide injunction. The Supreme Court’s decision is temporary as lawsuits in the lower courts stand over the

HHS Seeking Advice: Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

The Administration for Community Living is seeking input by Friday, February 7, 2020. The Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, passed in 2018, established an Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. That Council is seeking public input. They are particularly interested in opinions from former and current grandparent(s) or other older relative raising children, or

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