★ The HELP confirmation hearing for Tom Price as the nominee for the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services is scheduled for Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at 10am ET. You can livestream the Price confirmation hearing here. Note that the HELP committee hearing is technically a courtesy, and the Senate Finance Committee will ultimately vote on the nomination. The Finance Committee will also vote on the nomination of Seema Verma to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Confirmation hearings for Price and Verma have not yet been set. 

★ On January 12th, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 to begin working on repealing key provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Known as a “repeal resolution”, it is part of the ongoing budget reconciliation process. The “repeal resolution” is intended to defund certain aspects of the ACA as Republicans in Congress work to develop a replacement plan. While provisions such as the prohibition on preexisting conditions exclusions could not be addressed during budget reconciliation, Congress voted to show that they intend to defund other aspects of the law, such as Medicaid expansion and health insurance subsidies. Under the ACA, the rate of children who are uninsured has declined significantly. According to a National Health Interview Survey, the number of uninsured children reduced to 4.5% in 2015. Defunding key provisions of the ACA without an adequate replacement plan could potentially result in millions of young children, including those with disabilities, losing their access to affordable health coverage.

★ The U.S. Department of Education has “released a new resource guide for early learning educators and families as a follow-up to a 2015 Resource Guide focused on secondary students.

The resource guide includes two parts:  

The first half of the resource guide, entitled Resource Guide: Building a Bright Future for All, provides tips for educators in early learning programs and elementary schools as well as schools, districts, and states. 

The second half of the guide entitled Handbook for Parents, Guardians, & Families: Building a Bright Future for All provides tips for parents and guardians on how to promote and facilitate children’s education from birth and play an active role in helping to ensure their children’s success in school regardless of their own schooling history or context.”

★ Department of Homeland Security has released two new policies related to young children that are immigrants that may be of interest to early educators, families, and other stakeholders. Please read the Department of Education blog, “Ensuring Education for All Children”, for more information. 

Other updates, courtesy of the Council for Exceptional Children:

• U.S. Supreme Court: Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District
  
• Stakeholder Involvement in ESSA
  
• Tools for Building an Effective Education Workforce
  
• Students with Disabilities Gain SAT Accommodations
  
• The 115th Session of Congress Begins
  
• Paul Ryan Reelected as Speaker of the House
  
• Guidance on Civil Rights of Students with Disabilities
  
• King Calls on Public Education Supporters to Unite
  
• Policy Brief on Teacher Shortages
  
• Presidential Transition Resources

• Your voice on early childhood special education and intervention budget matters is needed! Please go to CEC's Legislative Action Center and send a letter to your members of Congress to tell them education cannot absorb any further funding cuts. You can also tweet your Senators or tweet your Representatives. DEC will provide more specific action alerts regarding the FY 2017 budget as the year progresses. 

• In 2017, DEC’s vision for policy and advocacy will be front and center in much of our work. Exciting changes are on the horizon. If you are a Subdivision CAN Coordinator, be on the lookout for a 2017 scheduling email soon. 

• DEC will announce the new Policy Council chair in the near future. Stay tuned!