Thanks to everyone who joined us in Seattle last week for another fabulous ISM Conference. Don't forget to save the date for next year's event in Milwaukee! Now let's turn our attention to what's been going on in Washington.
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The Latest from Congress...
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The chances that the Farm Bill Conference Committee will work out a compromise, get a budget score from the Congressional Budget Office, and pass a Farm Bill by the end of the current fiscal year—September 30, 2018
—
is slim. However, because SNAP is funded through appropriations and is part of permanent law, the program can continue to operate even if the Farm Bill is not reauthorized by September 30th.
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The House and Senate have both approved the compromise spending bills package (
H.R. 6157
). Pairing the combined Defense and Labor-Health and Human Services-Education bill with a short-term continuing resolution (CR), the package will keep all other departments contained within spending bills that have yet to be signed into law running through December 7, 2018. On Wednesday, the House approved the package by a vote of 361-61, just only a week after the Senate approved it 93-7.
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Family First Prevention Services Act
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House of Representatives:
The House Ways and Means Committee released clarification on key questions posed at the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) oversight hearing on July 24, 2018. A number of frequently asked questions were addressed in the hearing and are now on the record within
this document.
The full hearing and transcript can be accessed
here
.
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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
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House of Representatives:
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing to discuss the possibility of fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Testifying witnesses included: Ann Coffey, Assistant Inspector General for the USDA; Tarren Bragdon, President and CEO of the Foundation for Government Accountability; Thomas Roth, Director of the Fraud Investigations Unit at the Maine Department of Health and Human Service; and Dr. Craig Gundersen, Professor in Agricultural Strategy at the University of Illinois.
You can access a recording of the hearing and the witnesses’ written testimonies
here
.
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House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement on a legislative package to address the opioid epidemic. The compromise package includes measures aimed at public health and law enforcement. Some of the key provisions include allowing certain nurses to prescribe anti-addiction medication for opioid addiction over the next five years and repealing a rule which prevents federal Medicaid dollars from being spent to cover inpatient substance abuse treatment for low-income people at facilities with more than 16 beds.
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House of Representatives
:
Sometime today, representatives are expected to vote on the tax reform package dubbed "Tax Reform 2.0." As previously
reported
, the package includes three bills: the
Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act of 2018
; the
Family Savings Act of 2018
; and the
American Innovation Act of 2018
. However, it is unlikely that the Senate will take up this package.
In other tax news, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) introduced a bill (
H.R. 6873
) which would extend the earned income tax credit to all taxpayers with dependents as well as qualifying students.
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House of Representatives
: On Thursday, September 27, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled “Better Data and Better Outcomes: Reducing Maternal Mortality in the U.S.” During the hearing, the Subcommittee reviewed a discussion draft of a bill,
The Preventing Maternal Deaths Act of 2018
, that would enhance efforts to support state maternal mortality review committees in order to improve data collection and reporting around maternal mortality and to develop or support surveillance systems in order to better understand the burden of maternal complications.
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The Latest from the Administration...
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Immigration: Public Charge
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Over the weekend, the administration released the text of a
draft rule
that would allow immigration authorities to consider receipt of a broader list of public benefits when making a public charge determination for immigrants legally in the United States but seeking permanent residency or an extension or change to their temporary status, or individual’s seeking lawful entry into the United States.
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Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced awards totaling more than $1 billion to address the nation’s opioid crisis. HHS Secretary Alex Azar stated, “The more than $1 billion in additional funding that we provided this week will build on progress we have seen in tackling this epidemic through empowering communities and families on the front lines.” The $1 billion in funding included awards made by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
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Medicaid Work Requirements
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Alabama has joined a growing number of states seeking Section 1115 Demonstration Waivers to require community engagement as a condition of continued Medicaid eligibility. The policy, called the
Alabama Medicaid Workforce Initiative
, would only apply to able-bodied parent or caretaker relative beneficiaries, as Alabama has not expanded Medicaid for childless, non-disabled adults. Able-bodied parent beneficiaries would be required to participate in community engagement activities for 20 or 35 hours per week, depending on the age of their youngest child.
Alabama’s 1115 Waiver application can be found
here
. Public comments are due by
October 21, 2018
, and can be submitted and viewed
here
.
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Check out
the latest newsletter brought to you by our Center for Employment and Economic Well-Being (CEEWB)!
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