Last week, CWLA’s members urged Congress to pass another emergency supplemental bill that expands the current level of federal support for state and territorial Medicaid and child welfare programs. In the Families First COVID-19 emergency supplemental bill, Congress acted swiftly to provide a much-needed 6.2 percentage increase in the FMAP. As the pandemic increases the
The Senate will formally return to Washington this week after the Memorial Day break, joining their House of Representatives counterparts. The House returned last week under rules that allow members to vote under a new proxy voting process. The House passed their HEROES ACT (HR 6800) before the Memorial Day break. Senate Majority Leader Mitch
On Tuesday, May 26, 2020, the House Education and Labor Committee held a virtual briefing on the impact of COVID-19 on America’s Child Care System. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the child care sector with over half of child care providers having closed and as many as 4.5 million child care slots could be
Last week, bills were introduced in both houses with bipartisan support that would provide state and local governments with $500 billion in additional fiscal relief despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) saying he wants to wait on any additional help. S 3752 is sponsored by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) along with Senator Bill Cassidy
The National Women’s Law Center released a new report on child care during this COVID-19 pandemic. The survey of states called, Child Care’s Struggle to Survive COVID-19: State Impacts and Response, released on May 12, 2020, says that, with the shutdown of many jobs and the economy, many child care programs have been forced to
Last week, CWLA endorsed the Work Opportunities and Resources to Keep Nonprofits Organizations Well, the WORK NOW Act. The legislation, S 3747 is sponsored by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Brian Schatz (D-HA), Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) would provide a relief fund that states could use to fortify vital nonprofit
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, the House of Representatives leadership introduced new legislation they called “The Heroes Act (H.R.6800).” The legislation provides approximately $3 trillion in appropriations and other funding for state and local governments and offers direct support to individuals. Despite the various names of the coronavirus relief legislation, this bill represents the fifth
Two areas addressed in the House bill and supported by CWLA include the FMAP increase for state Medicaid and Title IV-E programs and an increase in funding of $9.6 billion for the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). The second COVID-19 bill increased each state’s Medicaid matching rate (FMAP—the federal medical assistance percentage) by 6.2 percent,
On Friday, May 8, 2020, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced legislation that would provide $10 billion in emergency TANF funding. CWLA has endorsed the legislation. The TANF funding increase of $10 billion would be paid out until the end of the fiscal year 2021 (September 30, 2021) and it could be used for current services
On Monday, May 11, 2020, the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (AAICAMA) and CWLA sent a joint letter to Elizabeth Darling, Associate Commissioner Administration on Children, Youth and Families and Jerry Milner, Commissioner, Children’s Bureau asking for guidance to states encouraging them to review assistance agreements that, unlike
