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National Legislative Updates
In early June, President Biden signed a debt ceiling bill preventing the US from default. It will raise the debt ceiling through January 1, 2025. It does not cut Medicaid or add work requirements as had been discussed. It does however cap federal spending for 2 years at the 2023 level, meaning that it will not keep pace with inflation, and we will likely see a reduction in services.
It also expands work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) recipients.
The House Appropriations Committee approved subcommittee funding for 2024 at much lower levels than the bipartisan approved debt limit agreement. Funding for crucial programs that support autistic individuals is at risk of over 25% cuts from federal departments such as Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development. You can read more about the implications of these funding cuts and the Autism Society of America’s planned response letter HERE.
Keeping All Students Safe Act (H.R 3470/S. 1750) has been reintroduced. This bill bans schools that receive federal funding from secluding students and limits the use of restraint, including banning prone and supine restraint which can restrict breathing.
If you would like to contact your members of Congress to urge them to support this bill you can use the Autism Society of Americas Action Page HERE:
Condition of Education 2023
The annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics released their report which is mandated by Congress. In public schools seeking to hire special education teachers in 2020-21, 40% expressed difficulty compared to 17% in 2011-12. Also, out of all children served by IDEA, 15% of those are now under the autism category, compared with 13% in 2010-11.
Read more about national legislation and updates in the Autism Society Capitol Connection: HERE
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