Action Alerts

Ongoing: None.

Major Events Last Week

Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Resolution

Without a single Republican vote, the House and Senate adopted their separate versions of the FY 2010 Budget Resolution (BR). The House vote was 233-196, with 20 Democrats voting in the negative. The Senate vote was 55-43, with two Democratic defections (Nelson (D-NE) and Bayh (D-IN)). The non binding BR establishes a blueprint for the Congress to follow in making adjustments to tax and entitlement policy and setting limits on discretionary spending in the FY 2010 appropriations process. Both houses made some cuts from the Obama Administration FY 2010 budget request. The House lowered spending from the request by $8 billion while the Senate cuts totaled $15 billion. Still, the vast majority of the President's $3.6 trillion budget request remained intact.

House and Senate conferees will meet in late April to resolve the differences between the two versions. The main sticking point will center on how the Congress would approach health care reform later this year. In an interesting twist, the House BR would prohibit the use of a filibuster in the Senate by adding reconciliation instructions to the BR. The Senate BR does not contain any provision related to reconciliation. Without reconciliation instructions, it will be easier for any Senator to block health care reform legislation by launching a filibuster (endless debate) that will require a 60 vote majority, rather than a 51 vote majority, to end the debate. All Senate Republicans and some Democrats oppose the House reconciliation language. It is possible that the upcoming votes on this procedure could well simplify or jeopardize health care reform later this year, especially if a bipartisan agreement cannot be reached.

Education

Disability Policy Collaboration (DPC) staff participated in two extensive briefings on how the U.S. Department of Education continues to set policy and procedures for states and local school systems to receive the approximately $100 billion in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus package. Guidelines were also published regarding the new funding availability for the Rehabilitation Act State Grant and the Independent Living programs. All of this information is available on the education section of the ARRA website:
www.recovery.gov.

Victimization

Representative John Conyers (D-MI) introduced the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (H.R. 1913). This legislation would provide assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies and amend federal law to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of violent, bias-motivated crimes including disability. During the last Congress, this legislation passed the House with bipartisan support by a vote of 237-180, and bipartisan majorities have also voted in favor of hate crimes legislation for the last three consecutive Congresses. President Obama has voiced strong support for this legislation.

Employment/National Service

The House passed the Edward M. Kennedy National Service Act (H.R. 1388) last Tuesday by a vote of 275-149. President Obama is expected to sign the bill upon his return from Europe later this week. The Act increases the number of volunteers from 75,000 to 250,000 and offers incentives for those committing time in any of the established or newly created service corps programs. The Act will double existing resources for youth with disabilities participating in volunteer activities and create two competitive funds for organizations to launch or enhance local volunteer opportunities. Within the next week more detailed information will follow in the form of a special report to chapters of The Arc and affiliates of United Cerebral Palsy.

Long Term Services and Supports

Leaders of the disability and aging communities, the insurance industry, and provider organizations participated in a closed door meeting with Democratic Senators to address long term services and supports. Representing the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, the DPC's Marty Ford participated in the discussion.

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Major Events Ahead

U.S. Congress

Both Houses of Congress start their two week spring recess today. They will return on April 20.

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Announcements

Disability Policy Seminar

The deadline for registering for the Disability Policy Seminar at the regular registration rate passed on Friday. Over 400 Seminar participants are already registered for the April 27-29 Seminar. Attendees must now register on site at the increased rate. The Seminar site hotel, the Hyatt Regency, is sold out. However, rooms are still available at nearby hotels. For information on alternate hotels, see:
http://www.ucp.org/document.cfm/9118
For a list of registrants to date by state, see:
http://www.aucd.org/docs/policy/disability_policy_seminar_2009/registration_by_state.pdf

National Council on Disability Reports

The National Council on Disability (NCD) released two reports last week:

• The annual "progress report" to the President and Congress calls for a new integrated approach to disability policy within the Federal Government. The report focuses on the current quality of life of people with disabilities in America and the emerging trends that should be factored into both the design and evaluation of the Federal Government's disability policies and programs in the coming years including affordable, accessible housing, employment, poor access to health care, the institutional bias in Medicaid, access barriers to technology, and negative public attitudes about people with disabilities. The Disability Policy Collaboration will be releasing a special report for chapters of The Arc and affiliates of UCP outlining key findings and how they related specifically to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. See:
  http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2009/Progress_Report.doc
• "Federal Employment of People with Disabilities" finds that current efforts to employ people with disabilities in the Federal Government have not worked well, but makes several recommendations to improve the situation. See:
  http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/news/2009/r09-582.htm

Lifespan Respite Summits

Statewide Lifespan Respite Summits are taking place across the country. All events are free and open to the public. Reservations are necessary.

• Indiana: Wednesday, April 8, 2009. http://www.in.gov/fssa/ddrs/3893.htm
• Illinois: Thursday, April 23, 2009. http://arch.memberlodge.org/Default.aspx?pageId=220089
• Oregon: Tuesday, May 5, 2009 http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/respite/respite-summit.shtml
• New York: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 info@coalitionforaging.org
• Maine: Thursday, June 11, 2009 www.ucpofmaine.org
• California: Wednesday, September 23, 2009, one day prior to the National Respite and Crisis Care Conference, being held Sept. 24-25. http://arch.memberlodge.org/Default.aspx?pageId=220089

Children's Health Care Webcast

The US Department of Health and Human Services will host an interactive Webcast on Friday, April 3, 2009 from 2:00 - 3:00 pm EST. The Webcast will be an opportunity to share your experiences and ideas about how to help millions of uninsured children get the health coverage they need. Special guests will include Rima Cohen, Counselor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for Health Policy; Mary Wakefield, Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); and Jackie Garner, Acting Director, Centers for Medicaid and State Operations, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Connect to the Webcast at
http://www.hhs.gov/childrenshealthinsurance

Questions and comments for the panel will be accepted in advance of and during the Webcast at:
http://www.hhs.gov/childrenshealthinsurance/questions

Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Web Site

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities has launched a redesigned web site. The updated website serves as a resource for further information on child development, disability and a variety of related issues. The Center's mission is to promote the health of babies, children and adults and enhance the potential for full, productive living. See:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/index.html

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Please note that you can view previous issues of the Capitol Insider, at UCP.org anytime by choosing "Capitol Insider" under "Public Policy."

Read previous Capitol Insider issues now.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at acosta@thedpc.org.

Sincerely,

Annie Acosta
Director of Communications and Grassroots
Disability Policy Collaboration