As part of the budget deal, Congress provided the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) with some small but important increases that CWLA and the National Child Abuse Coalition sees as being part of a new recognition of CAPTA’s importance. CAPTA state grants will increase by $5 million to $90 million. Far short of
CWLA submitted comments to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources, Health and Human Services Grants Regulation on the HHS notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would repeal anti-discrimination provisions as implemented during the Obama Administration before the due date of Thursday, December 19. The letter states: “We need a comprehensive national strategy
On Wednesday, December 18, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans struck down part of the Affordable Care Act provision, ruling that the requirement that people have health insurance was unconstitutional on a 2-1 decision and sent the case back to the lower court in Texas for further analysis. Several state attorneys
On Thursday, December 12, the House of Representatives adopted HR 3, Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. It passed by a vote of 230 to 192. The legislation would create new methods to control prescription drug prices. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had been guiding the package for several months with an eye toward a possible
With a second continuing resolution that extended FY 2020 funding until December 20, 2019 due to expire, late Thursday Senator Richard Shelby (D-AL) and Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) as respective chairs of the two appropriations committees announced a final deal on the 12 appropriations bills. How funding is divided should be released soon along with
On Wednesday, December 11, 2019, the House of Representatives passed an annual defense authorization bill, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA), that included landmark provision on paid family leave for federal employees. The Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (HR 1534), co-sponsored by Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and the late Chairman Elijah
On Tuesday, November 20, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed another continuing resolution that will extend FY 2020 funding until December 20, 2019. Funding was set to expire on November 21, at midnight, but the Senate adopted the CR on Thursday, November 21. The extension happened without much fanfare and changes beyond the one-month
Following up on a Friday, November 1, press announcement, on Tuesday, November 19, HHS published both their notice of non-enforcement of anti-discrimination provisions implemented during the Obama Administration and a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the Obama nondiscrimination regulation regarding federal funding under HHS programs including child welfare funding under Title IV-E and Title IV-E.
On Tuesday, November 13, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on whether the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) should be upheld. Some Supreme Court observers were guessing that the Court may be leaning toward supporting the Trump Administration’s efforts to shut down the program. It can be difficult to judge how the Court will
On Tuesday, November 12, Vice President Mike Pence delivered remarks at the 2019 HHS National Adoption Month Celebration. He exclaimed that the Trump Administration is the most pro-adoption (and pro-life) Administration in American history and that today’s celebration is for the many families that have opened their hearts and homes to forever families. The 2019