A letter that went to Capitol Hill on March 12, with more than 65 national organizations signing on in support of the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) has now been re-opened for signatures by state and local organizations, associations and governments. Sign up can be accessed here. The two budget resolutions being negotiated did not
Late Tuesday, April 7, HELP Committee Chair and Ranking Member Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released a bipartisan draft to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The law more commonly known as the “No Child Left Behind Act” since its last reauthorization in 2002, will be taken up and
When the Senate returns it is hoped that they will quickly follow up on a March 26 approval by the House of Representatives to replace the Medicare SRG “doc fix” and also extend by two years two key programs: the home visiting program, MIECHV for two years and a two year extension of the CHIP
Last week both the House and Senate passed their budget resolutions setting up a negotiation over the spring break. On Wednesday, March 25 the House of Representatives gave final approval to their version of a budget resolution (H. Con Res 27). The resolution passed with Republican votes only. It passed by a vote of 228
A letter in support of the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) is open for additional signatures. The original letter in support of SSBG was sent to Capitol Hill on March 12, with over 65 national organizations signing on to a letter that asked Congress to protect the human services funding from further budget cutting. The
On Thursday, March 26 the House of Representatives took up the SRG “doc fix” bill and passed it in overwhelming bipartisan fashion by a vote of 392 to 37. The legislation (HR 2), if enacted, will not only permanently replace what has become an almost annual ritual of supplanting the current provider payments through Medicare
The House of Representatives started the process last Tuesday when the Budget Committee unveiled its resolution. It includes more than $5.5 trillion in cuts over 10 years. It would do this by converting Medicaid into a block grant to states and reducing projected funding by $913 billion over that ten year period. It would repeal
Late last week congressional leaders from both parties announced what appear to be an agreement to eliminate the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SRG) formula, what is commonly referred to as the “Medicare Doc Fix.” It is expected that the legislation would also include an extension of some health related provisions included last year’s bill including
Last week the Senate cast more votes to overcome a filibuster on S 178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. It ran into major problems over an abortion-related issue. That became even more complicated early last week when Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) tied a delay in a vote to confirm attorney general designee
On Friday, March 12, a number of groups spearheaded by the Child Welfare League of America, Generations United, the National Association of County Human Service Directors, Zero to Three, Easter Seals and the National Adult Protective Services Association, sent a letter to all members of Congress in support of the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG).