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Legislation & Politics | ||
Week Ending April 3, 2009House and Senate approve President Obama's budget. House and Senate Approve Obama BudgetThe House and the Senate approved somewhat different versions of the fiscal year 2010 budget President Obama sent to Congress, however both plans keep alive the President's ambitious agenda on health care, climate change and reinvesting in top domestic priorities. The House approved its $3.6 trillion budget blueprint (H.Con.Res. 85) by a vote of 233-196: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll192.xml, with 20 Democrats joining all Republicans who voted against the package. In the Senate, its $3.53 trillion budget (S.Con.Res.13) was approved with no Republicans voting for it and two Democrats defecting: Sens. Evan Bayh (IN) and Ben Nelson (NE): Approval by both chambers sets the stage for a joint House-Senate conference committee to resolve differences between the two approved plans. The conference committee will meet after the two-week Easter recess. One major issue to be resolved is whether to include filibuster-proof "reconciliation" instructions that would require action on health care reform and other top priorities this year and ensure that it needs a simple majority vote instead of 60 votes to pass in the Senate. Reconciliation instructions were included in the House-passed plan, but left out of the Senate version of the budget. Another key difference is the higher level of funding allocated for domestic programs which govern the important appropriations spending process for the next fiscal year. The House bill came in roughly $8 billion more than the Senate plan. The Senate and House include the use of "reserve funds" as place-holders for moving legislation on health care, climate change, and education reforms without adding to the deficit. Republican substitute budgets and most other amendments were soundly defeated in both the House and Senate. The GOP substitutes which sought to make Bush tax cuts for the wealthy permanent and balance the budget by cutting spending in important anti-recession programs, including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, were roundly criticized as the wrong economic policy in the economic down-turn. One troubling amendment to modify the estate tax was adopted in the Senate by a vote of 51-48, with 10 Democrats supporting it. Offered by Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ), it would lock in a higher exemption and lower tax rates than the President's budget assumes. Obama called for maintaining the existing $3.5 million per person exemption level with a top rate of 45%, thus exempting nearly 99% of estates. Sens. Lincoln and Kyl want a lower 35% tax rate and an even higher exemption of $5 million, allowing the super wealthy to pass on even more of their estates to future generations tax free. The House plan assumes the Obama estate tax levels, setting up another conference decision, although whatever is agreed to will still have to be acted upon through the normal legislative process. The Senate also adopted several noteworthy amendments related to health care. An amendment by Sen. Michael Bennett (D-CO) to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to address inequities in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement that leads to an inadequate supply of providers was adopted by unanimous consent. Also adopted was an amendment by Sen. Robert Bennett (R-UT) which would prohibit changing tax law regarding charitable contributions to help pay for health care reform. The Senate rejected, by a vote of 38-59, an amendment from Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) to require some Medicare beneficiaries to pay higher premiums for Medicare's prescription drug benefit. An amendment by Sen. Jon Kyl, which would have required health care coverage to pay for procedures that are ineffective and possibly harmful, was rejected by 44-54. Workers Come to Washington, D.C. to Build Support for Employee Free Choice ActAsela Espiritu, a registered nurse and member of AFSCME affiliate United Nurses Associations of California (UNAC), participated in this week's "Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act" event. She shared her positive story of a harassment- and intimidation-free organizing drive at Kaiser Permanente and explained the benefits of union representation. Cast members of the "West Wing" joined Asela and additional workers for a press conference and lobby day on Capitol Hill. Asela and other "Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act" will be pictured in banners and billboards across the country to show lawmakers exactly who will be affected by their vote. AFSCME Testifies on WIA ReauthorizationAFSCME legislative representative Nanine Meiklejohn testified at a March 23 House subcommittee hearing considering reforms of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The testimony recommended a stronger federal policy-making role in the WIA system, an end to the sequence of core, intensive and training services requirement, and a new requirement that training services receive a minimum percent of WIA funds. It stressed the need for a more robust role for the statewide public employment service in the workforce system and also supported recommendations made by the AFL-CIO in previous testimony for the elimination of the business majority requirement for local workforce boards and a stronger role for organized labor, including in sector and regional partnerships. Congress Sends Major Expansion of National Service Programs to the White HouseThis week Congress cleared and sent to the White House a massive expansion of the National and Community Service Act and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act. The legislation establishes many new service programs. Among them is a new program of grants to higher education institutions to develop service-learning projects that encourage students to pursue public service careers. The law also would fund programs that address unmet educational, health and environmental needs, increase community access to technology, mentor youth, support the needs of veterans and create pilot programs to better serve displaced workers. The National Service educational awards for full-time participants will increase to the maximum Pell Grant amendment. House Hearing on 9/11 Health and Compensation ActThis week, the House Judiciary Committee heard testimony from physicians, labor, contractors, New York City, and the former Special Master of the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund on the James Zadrovga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009 (H.R. 847), introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY). Testimony included the story of James Heyworth, whose death was ruled a homicide caused by inhaling World Trade Center dust, yet New York City has refused his worker's compensation claims. Members of both parties agreed that H.R. 847 is the right step to ensure health care and compensation for 9/11 rescue workers, victims and residents. We expect a hearing and consideration in the Energy and Commerce Committee in the next few months and the introduction of a companion bill by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY). Republicans Boycott Obama Nominee's HearingAs a sign of protest, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee boycotted the Committee's hearing this week on President Obama's first judicial nominee. The President nominated David F. Hamilton for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit last month. Republicans insist that they need more time to review Hamilton's decisions and other documents. Hamilton is currently a well-respected federal district judge in Indiana. Both Indiana senators are supporting his nomination, including Republican Senator Richard Lugar. Economic Recovery Funds Continue to Flow to States and Local GovernmentsThe Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that Head Start and Early Head Start programs will receive funding and be eligible to apply for grants worth $2.1 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Head Start will receive $1 billion, while $1.1 billion will benefit Early Head Start. Head Start will also receive a separate $235 million increase for FY 2009, bringing the total funding increase for Head Start and Early Head Start to more than $2.3 billion. These new funds will improve centers, serve tens of thousands more children and families, and create jobs. The "quality" funds include a 4.9% cost-of-living adjustment to increase staff salaries and fringe benefits. For more details, see: Head Start, Early Head Start Programs to Receive Over $2 Billion in Recovery Act Funding. 1,128 Health Centers Receive New Funds, 2 Million More People Will Receive Care The Department of Education announced this week that $44 billion provided for education in this year's economic stimulus law has begun to flow to states and local school districts. This funding is intended to spare school budgets from deep cuts during the economic recession, averting layoffs and increases in class size. It also can be used for new school construction. The Department's guidance on key ARRA programs has been posted at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/index.html. The Department has also updated its state allocation tables for three programs: Title I, Impact Aid and Educational Technology State grants at: HUD is also sending nearly $3 billion to public housing authorities for capital improvements: Sign Up to Receive the Weekly Report and Action Alerts via Email and Become an AFSCME e-Activist!!In an effort to move toward electronic transmission which will allow us to put important federal legislative updates in your hands sooner, we urge you to sign up to receive the Federal Legislative Report via your email address. Please go to http://www.unionvoice.org/afscme/join.html and check the "Federal Legislative Report" box under Subscriptions on the bottom of the page. |
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