Most of January was occupied by the government shutdown and reorganization of a new Congress but as a result of the government shutdown initial legislative action including committee meetings and oversight were delayed. That began to change last week. Both houses began to hold hearings on key health care issues. The House Ways and Means
Kylie Hunter On January 29, the Committee for Children, Futures Without Violence, and the National Children’s Alliance held a congressional briefing to discuss strategies to prevent child sexual abuse. Panelist consisted of Delegate C.T. Wilson, Maryland; Deborah Chosewood, Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services; Dr. James Mercy, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC);
Last week the House Budget Committee held their first hearing and opportunity to look at the FY 2020 horizon. The Administration has formally announced it will delay the release of the proposed Fiscal Year 2020 budget beyond this Monday’s required deadline. They have not given a date but the government shutdown of last month means
On January 22, Senate Finance Committee Chair, Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) sent a letter to the head of the United States Olympic Committee, Sarah Hirshland asking what actions the Committee has taken to prevent future instances of sexual abuse of Olympic athletes. The letter is a follow up to last year’s congressional action in response
While there was a slowdown in action on health care in Washington due to the shutdown there were some debates taking place in some states as far as the Affordable Care Act. In Idaho opponents to expanding Medicaid coverage under the ACA went to the state Supreme Court to overturn a 2018 voter initiative that
On Wednesday, January 23, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a long-delayed decision that grants a child welfare agency in the state of South Carolina a waiver from anti-discrimination requirements under Title IV-E foster care and adoption assistance. The action permits one child welfare agency, Miracle Hill, to continue restricting their recruitment practices
Late Friday, the parts of government that were unfunded were extended through February 15. The continuing resolution (CR) maintains funding at 2018 levels so there are really two issues to be resolved: what level of final funding for the seven appropriations bills in question and the fate of the wall/security issues. There has been a
It looks as if the third year of the Trump Presidency will start out for the third time with a delayed budget and appropriations process. The government shutdown means that the budget will not be released in the first week of February as required. When it does come out it will likely include a hodgepodge
The President has signed an extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. The action was on track before the temporary reprieve from the government shutdown was agreed to last Friday. On Tuesday, January 22, the Senate passed the short term extension, HR 430. The bill extends the block grant through June
The House Democrats and Republicans announced appointments to various subcommittees last week. Friend and advocate for children’s issues, Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL)—past recipient of a CWLA Congressional Advocate of the Year—has been named the chair of the re-named Worker and Family Support Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee. The Subcommittee (formerly the Human Resources