The House of Representatives joined the Senate in a Spring break this past Wednesday with a great deal of uncertainty on how Congress will move forward on appropriations. There still is no agreement between Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WS) and the Freedom Caucus on a plan to move a budget resolution and that means delay for
On March 17, the Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities (CECANF) released its final report, “Within Our Reach: A National Strategy to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities.” Of key emphasis the commission report highlights: Infants and toddlers are at high risk of an abuse or neglect fatality compared to other age groups.
After the ICPC vote, the House Ways and Means Committee approved a bill HR 4724 that would eliminate the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). The vote and the bill was part of a strategy to get a budget resolution adopted (see below). Members of the Republican conservative caucus (Freedom Caucus) have told Speaker Paul Ryan
While the Senate HELP Committee was debating mental health legislations and amendments to CAPTA, on Tuesday, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce used testimony from Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell to raise questions in regard to enforcement of the same CAPTA provisions. In his opening remarks Chairman John Kelley
The Senate finished its work on S 524, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), when it approved the legislation on Thursday by a vote of 94 to 1. The bill was introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) with the bipartisan co-sponsorship of Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Kelley Ayotte (R-NH),
On Wednesday, March 16 the Senate HELP Committee will take up a major draft bill to strengthen mental health services in the United States. The committee will also address other legislation, including an amendment to CAPTA, building on that body’s recent attempts to address substance abuse. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)
In an effort to garner enough conservative Republican votes, House leadership is pushing a strategy this week that would enact cuts to mandatory and entitlement programs including the elimination of SSBG through legislation by the House Ways and Means Committee. The House was not in session last week but Senate leaders indicated that they may
The criticism of SSBG leveled by some members of Congress and even a few advocates in recent years has been that it lacks accountability and outcomes. One legislative committee report described it as “no-strings-attached slush fund for states with no accountability…Ending this program …continues efforts to focus limited taxpayers’ dollars on outcomes, not inputs, of
By Dusty Murphy On Tuesday, March 8, the Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) and the National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) held a briefing to highlight the importance of their two programs and the need for full appropriations in FY 2017. The briefing, cosponsored by Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX) and Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA), co-chairs of
Last week there was no breakthrough on how leadership will move a budget resolution. The public optimism of House leadership has not won over enough conservatives who still want to lower the budget caps agreed to last December. Budget Chairman Congressman Tom Price R-GA) has not been able to convince members to stick with the