Volume 8, Number 1
In this Issue:
--Economic Recovery Package Includes Investments in Children and Families
--Congress Acts on Legislation to Expand Children's Health Insurance
--Top Positions Confirmed for the Obama Administration, Some Delays
Economic Recovery Package Includes Investments in Children and Families
Senate Bill Includes PCAA Priority
The U.S. Congress is moving quickly on legislation to stimulate the economy through spending and tax initiatives. The House is expected to vote Wednesday on their version of the economic recovery package. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1) totals $819 billion and includes significant investments in programs for children and families, including increases to Medicaid, Child Care, and Head Start. States are facing serious budget constraints, which has put at risk funding for strategies that ensure healthy child development, like child care, education, health care, and home visiting. An infusion of funding from the federal government could relieve the pressure states are feeling, and ensure that valuable services that help prevent child abuse and neglect from occurring in the first place are protected from deep cuts.
The Senate bill (S. 1) is moving through committees this week, and includes some differences from the House bill. Significantly for prevention advocates, the Senate bill includes a $400 million increase to the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, SSBG funded prevention services for 20% of the children who received such services in 2006. Increased funding for SSBG is a priority for Prevent Child Abuse America, and we are pleased to see the inclusion of funding in the Senate bill.
The Senate will vote on their version of the bill next week, after which the House and Senate will negotiate on their differences, with a goal of sending the final bill to the President by February 13th.
Selected Funding Priorities in the House Economic Recovery Bill:
- $87 billion increase to Medicaid through increased federal matching funds to states (FMAP). The FMAP increase will also be applied to Title IV-E foster care and adoption assistance.
- $2.5 billion for a Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) emergency fund, available to states that experience an increase in their caseload. States can use the TANF funds to provide cash assistance or services.
- $2 billion increase to the Child Care Development Block Grant.
- $1 billion increase to Head Start.
- $1.1 billion increase to Early Head Start.
- $1 billion increase to the Community Services Block Grant.
- $1 billion increase to the Community Development Block Grant.
- $600 million increase for part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to provide expanded early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
- $100 million increase to the Compassion Capital Fund.
- $200 million increase to AmeriCorps programs.
- $79 billion for a “State Stabilization Fund” to fund education and other key priorities.
- $20 billion increase to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/food stamps).
Congress Acts on Legislation to Expand Children's Health Insurance
On January 14th, the House overwhelmingly voted to reauthorize a four and a half year expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) by a vote of 289 to 139. Previous SCHIP reauthorization attempts by Congress were twice vetoed by former President Bush.
This reauthorization would allow $32.3 billion in new SCHIP spending through 2013, and would give states the ability to cover children in families with income up to 300 percent of the poverty level. This expansion would cover an additional 4 million children in the program, making SCHIP coverage available to about 11 million children. The House added provisions to the bill to give states the option to waive a federal mandate barring legal immigrants who have been in the country for less than five years from participating in the program. The bill also includes improved dental and mental health care benefits for children.
The Senate is currently debating their version of the bill, which is nearly identical to the House version, and will vote on the bill later this week. President Obama is expected to sign the expansion bill.
Prevent Child Abuse America supports this investment in children’s health and we applaud Congress and the Administration for making SCHIP reauthorization a top priority. Access to health care is critical to healthy child development. Without health insurance, families are less likely to seek timely, preventive, and ultimately less costly health care. When families require health services for a child who is uninsured, those costs can contribute to the family’s economic insecurity, a significant risk factor for child maltreatment.
Top Positions Confirmed for the Obama Administration, Some Delays
The Senate has confirmed top presidential appointees in the week following the swearing-in of Barack Obama as the 44th President. Confirmations include 11 of the 15 cabinet posts, and the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Tom Daschle, Secretary-designate of Health and Human Services, has yet to be confirmed. HHS has jurisdiction over the majority of federal initiatives related to child maltreatment prevention. The Senate Finance Committee is currently reviewing tax returns, financial disclosures and other documents as part of their vetting process before moving ahead with the confirmation process. Once the appointment is confirmed, other key appointees within HHS will be named. We’ll keep you posted on appointments within HHS that are directly related to the federal government’s role in preventing child abuse and neglect.
Top post confirmations (as of January 28th):
- Hillary Rodham, Clinton Secretary of State
- Timothy F. Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury
- Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior
- Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture
- Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
- Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation
- Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy
- Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education
- Retired Army Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security
- Peter R. Orszag, Director of the Office of Management and Budget
Confirmations still pending include:
- Tom Daschle, Secretary-designate of Health and Human Services
- Eric H. Holder, Jr., Attorney General. Holder was approved by the Senate Judiciary committee, with a vote by the full Senate expected later this week.
- Hilda Solis, Secretary-designate of Labor. News reports suggest that Solis’ confirmation has been delayed by the concerns some Senators have with her views on facilitating union organizing.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates was confirmed by the Senate for his service in the previous Administration and does not need to be reconfirmed.
|
