CSEA Albany County Local 801

President
Local Officer
Local Committee's
Local Information
AFSME Monthly Reports
Labor News
Your Local Units
Member's Benefits
Calendar of Events

AFSME Monthly Reports: 

Archives

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
July 11, 2008

In this issue:

• Senator Kennedy's Heroic Vote Pushes Senate to Pass AFSCME Supported Medicare Benefits Bill
• Senate Panel Take on Highway Trust Fund Shortfall
• Senate Panel Approves 3.9% Pay Increase for Federal Civilian Workers

Senator Kennedy's Heroic Vote Pushes Senate to Pass AFSCME Supported Medicare Benefits Bill
After Senate Republicans saw that Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), who is undergoing treatment for brain cancer, had arrived to vote to break their continuing filibuster blocking passage of a Medicare bill (H.R. 6331), they changed their votes.  The Senate voted 69 to 30 to cut off debate on the bill which would help 44 million Medicare beneficiaries, their families and health care providers.  The bill then passed by unanimous consent.  Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was the only senator who did not show up for the vote.  The bill would prevent a 10.6% cut in Medicare payments to physicians, improve Medicare's guaranteed benefit package with new preventative care, help seniors with limited incomes pay their medical and prescription drug bills and extends authorization for transitional medical assistance.  The House previously passed the bill by a vote of 355 to 59.   Republican senators vigorously opposed the bill because it would hold private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, which rely on taxpayer dollars for their profits, more accountable.  President Bush has threatened a veto.  AFSCME will continue to press for preserving and enhancing the guaranteed Medicare benefit package and to limit inefficient and wasteful payments to private MA plans. 
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

Senate Panel Take on Highway Trust Fund Shortfall
On July 9th, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a draft transportation spending bill that includes funding to cover the $4 billion shortfall in the federal Highway Trust Fund, rejecting House inaction on this issue.  The Highway Trust Fund funds the nation's transportation infrastructure.  The measure included a provision to transfer $8 billion from the government's general fund to the trust fund.  (Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

Senate Panel Approves 3.9% Pay Increase for Federal Civilian Workers
The fiscal year 2009 Financial Services and General Government spending bill received full committee approval on July 10th.  The bill includes a 3.9% pay increase for federal civilian employees. The House approved a similar increase last month. 
 

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
June 27, 2008

In this issue:

• AFSCME-Supported Provisions in Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill Pass Senate and Go to President
• Senate Republicans Block Bipartisan House Medicare Benefits Bill
• Spending Bills Halted in House
• House Committee Approves Homeland Security Spending
• House Appropriations Committee Approves Justice Funding
• House Panel Approves 3.9% Pay Increase For Federal Civilian Workers
• Senate Republicans Stall Housing Mortgage Bill and Threaten $4 billion For States and Localities in Neighborhood Stabilization Fund
• House Subcommittee Reviews the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act
• House Committee Passes Pre-K Bill
• House Approves Civil Rights Legislation For the Disabled
• House and Senate Vote to Extend FAA Reauthorization
• House Budget Committee Hearing Evaluates Long-Term Federal Finances and "Securing America's Future Economy (SAFE) Commission Act"
• House Financial Services Committee Votes to Exempt Small Public Housing Authorities from HUD's Asset Management Rules
• House Seeks to Increase Public Transportation Use

AFSCME-Supported Provisions in Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill Pass Senate and Go to President
On the heels of last week's House vote of 416-12, the Senate voted 92 to 6 for a funding package for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that includes AFSCME-supported domestic provisions. President Bush is expected to sign it. These provisions include urgently needed flood relief, an expanded GI bill for veterans, an extension of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for 13 additional weeks and $110 million to close a current funding shortfall in the UI program. The bill stops significant cuts in federal funding to states which would have occurred if several Administration-proposed Medicaid regulations were to take full effect. The regulations would have hurt states and localities struggling with budget shortfalls. AFSCME continues to press for congressional action to address the states' budget crisis through an increase in federal Medicaid payments to states and other state and local aid.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

Senate Republicans Block Bipartisan House Medicare Benefits Bill
By an overwhelming vote of 355 to 59, the House ignored a threatened Bush veto and passed a Medicare bill (H.R. 6331) on Tuesday, but on Thursday Senate Republicans blocked passage of the bill by refusing to cut off debate. As a result, doctors will face a 10% cut in Medicare payments next week. The bill would have averted the cut in physicians' reimbursements, improved Medicare's guaranteed benefit package, and helped seniors with limited incomes pay their medical and prescription drug bills. The President threatened to veto the bill, and Republican Senators vigorously opposed the bill because it would hold private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, which rely on taxpayer dollars for their profits, more accountable. Insurance company versions of Medicare cost more per person than the traditional program. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that the MA plans fail to deliver promised benefits and can skim off more public funds for profits. AFSCME will continue to press for preserving and enhancing the guaranteed Medicare benefit package and to limit inefficient and wasteful payments to private MA plans.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

Spending Bills Halted in House 
The House Appropriations Committee abruptly stopped consideration of two big domestic spending bills in the midst of a fierce partisan dispute. Republican members blocked action on two bills funding the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education, and Agriculture. Instead, they pressed for consideration of the bill funding the Interior Department, saying it would lead to lower fuel prices. Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-WI) called it a "political stunt," and he threatened to halt the appropriations process as he abruptly adjourned the session, adding "I'll see them in September," the end of the current fiscal year when Congress would have to approve a continuing resolution to keep the government running if lawmakers and the President cannot agree on annual spending bills. President Bush has threatened to veto any spending bills over his recommended funding level. The Labor, HHS and Education bill already exceeds President Bush's request by some $8 billion, and several programs important to AFSCME members would receive modest funding boosts under the bill.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its Labor, HHS and Education spending bill on June 26, by a vote of 26-3. It also exceeds President Bush's budget request.
(Ed Jayne- ejayne@afscme.org)

House Committee Approves Homeland Security Spending
On June 24th, a House Appropriations Committee approved Fiscal Year 2009 spending for programs in the Department of Homeland Security. Most of the first responder programs were level funded or increased. State Homeland Security grants ($950 million) and Transit Security Grants ($400 million) were funded at the same level as FY 2008. The bill also provides $1.9 billion for Disaster Relief.
(Fran Bernstein- fbernstein@afscme.org)

House Appropriations Committee Approves Justice Funding
The House Appropriations Committee approved spending for FY 2009 Justice Department programs. Overall, the bill provides $1.87 billion for Office of Justice Programs ($177 million above 2008), including the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG), State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, and other key services. This rejects President Bush's budget proposal to eliminate many state and local grant programs. Specifically, the bill funds $550 million for the JAG program ($380 million more than FY 2008); $627 million for the COPS program ($40 million more than FY 2008); and $431 million for the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention program and the Justice Accountability Block Grant program ($47.5 million more than FY 2008). No floor vote has been scheduled.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

House Panel Approves 3.9% Pay Increase For Federal Civilian Workers
The FY 2009 Financial Services and General Government spending bill received full committee approval on June 25. The bill includes a 3.9% pay increase for federal civilian employees, a one-year suspension of new privatization studies in all federal agencies, and eliminates funding for private tax collection. A floor vote is not expected until July.
(Andrea ZunigaDiBitetto- adibitetto@afscme.org)

Senate Republicans Stall Housing Mortgage Bill and Threaten $4 Billion For States and Localities in Neighborhood Stabilization Fund
The Senate's consideration of a housing bill (H.R. 3221) designed to address the subprime mortgage and foreclosure crises was delayed until after July 4th by Sen. John Ensign's (R-NV) insistence on adding an $8.2 billion package of renewable-energy expiring tax breaks that lacked revenue offsets. As the bill nears completion, the Bush Administration strongly opposes the Senate's $4 billion neighborhood stabilization fund, which would give grants, via the Community Development Block Grant program, to states and localities to buy, rehabilitate, and rent foreclosed properties. The House companion bill, sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), creates a $15 billion fund with a combination of grants and loans. AFSCME strongly supports the neighborhood stabilization fund.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

House Subcommittee Reviews the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act
A House Subcommittee convened a June 25th hearing to discuss H.R. 5267, the long-stalled Business Activity Tax Simplification Act (BATSA), which would preempt state and local taxing authority, reduce annual state tax revenues by $6 billion, and enable businesses to reorganize their operations to avoid additional taxes. The National Governors Association (NGA), the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA), and the Multi State Tax Commission (MSTC), all spoke against BATSA. AFSCME also strongly opposes H.R. 5267. The bill currently has 28 bipartisan co-sponsors. In the Senate, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) introduced related legislation (S. 1726), which has attracted only one co-sponsor.

We do not expect a full House or Senate vote on this legislation in 2008.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

House Committee Passes Pre-K Bill
On June 26th, a House committee passed H.R. 3289, which establishes a federal-state partnership for pre-kindergarten programs. Under the bill, states would receive federal funding that they could use for a variety of program improvements, including increasing the number of early childhood educators with bachelor's degrees, reducing student-teacher ratios, implementing research-based curricula, and providing vital comprehensive services such as health screenings and nutritional assistance.
Republicans expressed strong concerns that the bill would divert funding away from Head Start, which currently can not serve all eligible children. An amendment offered by Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA) was rejected 18-25 that would have required states to use their grant money for Head Start programs until those programs were fully funded.

The Senate has no companion bill, and we do not expect this bill will become law this year.
(Becky Levin- blevin@afscme.org)

House Approves Civil Rights Legislation for the Disabled
On June 25th, the House approved major civil rights legislation on behalf of disabled Americans. The legislation (H.R. 3195) clarifies the definition of "disabled" as any person who has or is perceived to have mental or physical impairments that restrict major functions, and that anyone who meets this definition is entitled to protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)."  H.R. 3195 is a response to U.S. Supreme Court decisions that narrowly defined provisions of the ADA and have resulted in the weakening of protections against discrimination for people with disabilities. The measure was approved by a vote of 402-15. (Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

House and Senate Vote to Extend FAA Reauthorization
This week, the Senate cleared a three-month Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extension by voice vote, just two days after the House approved the measure 422-0. The bill (H.R. 6327) will extend the reauthorization through Sept. 30. The current reauthorization expires on June 30. (Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

House Budget Committee Hearing Evaluates Long-Term Federal Finances and "Securing America's Future Economy (SAFE) Commission Act"
A House Budget Committee hearing considered America's long term finances, the utility of a "budget commission", and other potentially significant changes to the federal budget process. The hearing focused on H.R. 3654, which would create a commission of Congress members and Administration officials designed to develop fast track legislation to manage the federal government's current and future debt, reconsider the tax code, and address the rising costs of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The House bill has 95 bipartisan co-sponsors.

AFSCME opposes both H.R. 3654 and its companion in the Senate (S. 2063). We have expressed our opposition to legislative proposals creating an "entitlement commission," or similar entities designed to fast-track wide-ranging legislation on federal taxes and entitlements due to the potentially damaging impact such proposals could have on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other key federal safety net programs (AFSCME's letter is available at: http://www.afscme.org/legislation-politics/18359.cfm?print=1.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

House Financial Services Committee Votes to Exempt Small Public Housing Authorities from HUD's Asset Management Rules
The House Financial Services Committee approved, by voice vote, H.R. 6216, which would exempt public housing agencies (PHAs) with fewer than 500 units from HUD's public housing asset management regulations, which require PHAs to manage and budget each housing development separately rather than on a combined basis. H.R. 6216's exemption would reduce unnecessary burdensome regulations on smaller PHAs. Many observers think HUD designed these regulations to promote the eventual privatization of public housing. AFSCME supports the legislation and the Bush Administration strongly opposes it.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

House Seeks to Increase Public Transportation Use
By a vote of 322-98, the House approved legislation (H.R. 6052) to increase public transportation use across the United States. This bill authorizes $1.7 billion for transit agencies to reduce fares and expand transit services. These funds will allow transit agencies to provide incentives for commuters to choose transit options, thereby reducing transportation-related energy consumption and reliance on foreign oil, as well as decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. The bill is 100% federally funded, will be distributed under current urban and rural transit programs, and will be available for two years.
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORTAFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
June 20, 2008

In this issue:

• House Subcommittee Approves Labor, Health, Education Funding Bill
• House Passes Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill with AFSCME-Supported Provisions
• Senate Republicans Block Tax Bill
• Bush Threatens to Veto Housing Foreclosure Bill
• House Subcommittee Approves Civilian Pay Raise
• House Passes Paid Parental Leave
• State Survey Finds State Budgets Among the Worst in Three Decades
• House Panels Advances Civil Rights Legislation for the Disabled
• House Approves Airport Employee Screening Legislation
• Short Term FAA Extension in Negotiations

House Subcommittee Approves Labor, Health, Education Funding Bill
A House Appropriations subcommittee approved the Fiscal Year 2009 spending bill for programs funded through the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. However, President Bush has threatened to veto the bill because it exceeds his budget request by nearly $8 billion. As a result, there is a strong likelihood that Congress will not finish action on this bill or other domestic spending bills this year due to similar veto threats.

The $626 billion spending bill was approved by voice vote. The measure rejects the harmful Bush budget spending cuts and provides some limited increases in a number of areas. Overall, it provides $153 billion in annually-approved spending for the three departments plus some independent agencies.

In particular, the subcommittee rejected the Administration's request to eliminate funding for Wagner-Peyser Employment Service grants and, instead, approved a continuation of the current funding. Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding also is maintained at current levels. In addition, a $40 million increase was provided to help unemployed workers obtain new job skills, including $22.5 million of which is to implement "green jobs" legislation approved last year. State grants for administering the unemployment insurance program is increased by $172 million to handle the increase in unemployment claims and avoid a repeat of the funding shortfall that developed this year. The subcommittee rejected Bush's proposed $760 million Social Services Block Grant cut, instead providing level funding of $1.7 billion for FY 2009. And, the subcommittee provided a $46 million funding boost for the Community Services Block Grant, rejecting President Bush's proposed elimination of this funding which supports community-based services for 16 million people. The bill includes a $242 million increase in funding for Head Start and a $50 million in funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. The bill would provide $370 million for programs to fight pandemic flu, and includes $108 million for 9/11 workers screening and treatment.

The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to approve the bill next week, and the Senate will begin its consideration of the bill.
(Ed Jayne- ejayne@afscme.org; Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org; Becky Levin- blevin@afscme.org; Nanine Meiklejohn- nmeiklejohn@afscme.org)

House Passes Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill with AFSCME-Supported Provisions
The House voted overwhelmingly 416-12 to include AFSCME-supported domestic provisions in a bill (H.R. 2642) to provide additional funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Backing off a threatened veto, the White House and Republican leadership agreed to urgently needed vital investments of federal funding to states. The AFSCME-supported provisions which remain in the bill include: an expanded GI bill for veterans; an extension of unemployment insurance (UI) providing an additional 13 weeks of benefits; $110 million to close a current funding shortfall in the UI program; and urgently needed relief for victims of flooding in the Midwest. The bill also blocks six Administration-proposed Medicaid regulations which would impose drastic cuts in federal funding to states. A seventh regulation, cutting payments for outpatient hospital services, was not stopped by the bill.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org; Nanine Meiklejohn- nmelkejohn@afscme.org)

Senate Republicans Block Tax Bill
On June 17, the Senate voted 52-44, along party lines, to reject ending debate and start considering tax legislation recently passed by the House, which contains numerous expiring tax provisions affecting individuals and businesses and a package of renewable-energy provisions. To proceed, Democrats need another four Republican votes. The $55.5 billion revenue-neutral bill (H.R 6049) includes several provisions of importance to AFSCME, including reinstatement of the tax exclusion for group legal services plans, a new tax credit for energy conservation bonds, deduction for domestic production activities in Puerto Rico, and expansion of the refundable Child Tax Credit.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) plans to introduce a substitute bill, which would add $3.3 billion in aid for rural counties with significant amounts of federal land, which would benefit Oregon, Washington, and other states. The Child Tax Credit in the Baucus substitute is less generous than the House-passed version because it only includes taxpayers earning above $10,000 per year. Sen. Baucus offsets part of the cost of this bill by reducing corporate tax breaks.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

Bush Threatens to Veto Housing Foreclosure Bill
On June 19, the Bush Administration issued a veto threat against a new Senate bipartisan compromise that would address America's housing foreclosure and subprime mortgage crises. The bill (S. 3221) greatly expands the Federal Housing Administration's insurance programs to help strapped borrowers refinance mortgages. The compromise also contains $4 billion in community development block grants to help states and local governments purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed homes. The White House repeated its strong opposition to this assistance to states and localities.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

House Subcommittee Approves Civilian Pay Raise
A House Appropriations subcommittee approved a 3.9% pay raise for federal civilian employees as part of the FY 2009 spending bill. This increase, which would go into effect next year, is 1% higher than the increase proposed by the Bush Administration and equal to the pay raise military personnel received in the Defense Department authorization bill. The full committee will consider the pay raise next week.
(Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto- adibitetto@afscme.org)

House Passes Paid Parental Leave
On June 19, the House passed the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (H.R. 5781) by a vote of 278 to 146. The bill provides four weeks of paid leave to federal employees for the birth or adoption of a child. President Bush has already issued a veto threat. AFSCME will continue to support H.R. 5781 and fight to secure this benefit for federal employees in the hopes that it will one day be available to all working families.
(Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto- adibitetto@afscme.org)

State Survey Finds State Budgets Among the Worst in Three Decades
A field survey conducted by the National Governors Association and National Association of State Budget Officers depicts dire times, with states responding to a weakening economy and declining revenues with across-the-board spending cuts, layoffs, hiring freezes and other cuts. According to the report, state general fund spending for FY 2009, which begins on July 1 for most states, will be one of the lowest in three decades. States are struggling now to fund services for the common good but the full force of the current downturn will continue to be felt in the next few years. AFSCME is urging Congress to invest in state economies through an increase in federal Medicaid payments to states and other state aid. Additional federal Medicaid funds would reduce the pressure on states to cut health and other public services. In 2003, a similar temporary package of increased Medicaid funds to states and grants helped revive state economies, supported community hospitals and protected the health and well-being of millions of citizens.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)  

House Panels Advances Civil Rights Legislation for the Disabled
This week, the House Judiciary Committee and Education and Labor Committee approved major civil rights legislation on behalf of the disability community. The Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Restoration Act (H.R. 3195) clarifies the definition of "disabled" to include any person who has, or is perceived to have, mental or physical impairments that restrict major functions and is thus entitled to protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act. H.R. 3195 is in response to recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that narrowly defined ADA provisions. Republican Tom Price of Georgia was the only member of either committee to vote against the bill.
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

House Approves Airport Employee Screening Legislation
The House approved legislation (H.R. 5982) that requires the Department of Homeland Security to study using biometric identification systems for employees who work beyond airport security checkpoints. AFSCME represents airport employees who enter and leave secure sections of the airport on a regular basis. This legislation would make it easier for these employees to be identified as they pass through secure areas performing their jobs while avoiding standing in passenger lines.
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

Short Term FAA Extension in Negotiations
Congress is considering another short-term extension of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization. The Senate Finance Committee and Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee are negotiating the details of another extension, possibly to run through September. The current short-term extension expires on June 30.
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
June 13, 3008

In this issue:

• Senate Republicans Block Medicare Benefits Bill
• House Overwhelmingly Passes Extended Unemployment Benefits Bill
• House Panel Approves Spending Increases for Environmental Programs
• House Committee Debates E-Verify System

Senate Republicans Block Medicare Benefits Bill
A majority of Senate Republicans voted in lock-step with President Bush’s priorities to kill a bipartisan Medicare bill (S. 3101) introduced by Sens. Max Baucus (D-MT) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) by a vote of 54 to 39, falling short of the 60 votes required to proceed with the bill. The bill would have improved Medicare’s guaranteed benefit package by covering new preventative services, blocked a cut in physicians’ reimbursements set for July 1, and helped seniors with limited incomes pay their medical and prescription drug bills. The bill rejected current funneling of public funds through private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, which skim off administrative costs and profits and replace Medicare’s guaranteed package of benefits. Many of the Republicans who voted to kill the bill supported a Medicare bill introduced by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) which would shield the profits of MA plans, cut federal Medicaid funds to states and place beneficiaries at risk for rapid premium hikes.

With a cut to physicians’ reimbursements looming this July 1, the Senate will revisit a Medicare bill. AFSCME will continue to press for preserving and enhancing the guaranteed Medicare benefit package and to limit inefficient and wasteful payments to private MA plans.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

House Overwhelmingly Passes Extended Unemployment Benefits Bill
Following last Friday’s announcement of the largest one month increase in unemployment in 20 years, the House this week overwhelmingly passed a bill providing for extended unemployment benefits. The legislation (H.R. 5749) would provide 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state to workers who run out of state unemployment benefits plus an additional 13 weeks to jobless workers in states with unemployment rates of 6% or more. It would help a projected 3.8 million Americans.

Reflecting the potency of concern about the deteriorating economy, over 40 Republicans joined House Democrats in supporting the legislation. It now goes to the Senate where it is unclear whether it will attract the 60 votes necessary to block a procedural effort by Senate Republicans to kill the bill. The Bush Administration has threatened to veto the bill.
(Nanine Meiklejohn- nmeiklejohn@afscme.org)

House Panel Approves Spending Increase for Environmental Programs
A House appropriations subcommittee approved a spending bill which will increase funding for important environmental programs in fiscal year 2009. The legislation provides $7.8 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a 5% increase over fiscal year 2008 levels, and $850 million for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, a 23.4% increase over FY 2008 levels. The full House Appropriations Committee will consider the bill on June 18.
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

House Committee Debates E-Verify System
On June 10, the House Judiciary Committee reviewed E-Verify, a pilot program created by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service which permits employers to electronically verify the work authorization status of employees by matching information such as names and social security numbers against information in the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Department of Homeland Security databases. It debated whether the program, set to expire in November, should be expanded nationwide, as some states have mandated employer participation. Supporters touted the program as a success, while opponents cited numerous incidents of employer misuse, hiring discrimination, and verification problems due to SSA database inaccuracies.
(Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto- adibitetto@afscme.org)

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
June 6, 2008

In this issue:

• Congress Adopts Budget for Next Year; Moves to Spending Bills
• County Payments Legislation Defeated on House Floor
• Community Health Centers Bill Passes House

Congress Adopts Budget for Next Year; Moves to Spending Bills
Congress adopted the budget resolution (S.Con.Res. 70) for fiscal year 2009. Largely on a party-line vote, the Senate adopted the budget blueprint 48-45. Maine Republican Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe voted for the package, while Indiana Democrat Evan Bayh voted against it. The House gave final approval by a vote of 214-210. No Republicans voted for it, while 14 Democrats voted against.

The non-binding budget resolution provides the parameters for Congress to consider spending and tax bills throughout the year. Congress' budget calls for $24.5 billion more in yearly-approved spending than President Bush's budget request. It also makes extensive use of reserve funds for domestic spending priorities, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), child support enforcement, 9/11 health programs, infrastructure investments, and unemployment insurance modernization. And, it rejects President Bush's proposed cuts to Medicaid and Medicare. Next week, Congress will begin to move forward on the 12 annual spending bills. Bush has vowed to veto any bill that exceeds his budget. The Democratic-led Congress will likely be forced to wait until Bush leaves office before completing work on these spending bills.
(Ed Jayne- ejayne@afscme.org)

County Payments Legislation Defeated on House Floor
This week, the House voted 218-193 to defeat legislation (H.R. 3058) that would have reauthorized the Secure Rural Schools Act. The legislation failed to garner the two-thirds majority needed to pass. The Act provides funding to rural counties to replace revenue they lose as a result of declining timber sales. The $2 billion bill would have extended county payments for four years, decreasing funding by 10 percent each year. H.R. 3058 was to be paid for by increasing fees on some existing oil and gas leases. Republicans and Democrats split along party lines during the House floor debate over the oil and gas lease fees. County payments have traditionally received bipartisan support, but this vote pitted rural schools and public services against "big oil" interests. Republicans from states that are currently suffering as a result of lost timber payments sided with "big oil." 
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

Community Health Centers Bill Passes House
The House passed legislation (H.R. 1343) to reauthorize the community health center program for five years. The bill authorizes $2.2 billion for FY 2008, increasing to $3.5 billion by FY 2012. This funding boost will allow the centers to expand to serve 30 million people in the coming years. The legislation would also extend federal protection from lawsuits to health providers who travel to emergency areas to provide care. Similar legislation (S. 901) is pending action by the Senate.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
May 23, 2008

The Congress now begins its Memorial Day recess. The next weekly report will be issued on Friday, June 6.

In this issue:

• Senate Passes Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill with AFSCME-Supported Provisions
• Federal Budget Agreement Reached
• House Passes Tax Extenders Measure
• Genetic Discrimination in Health Insurance and Employment Now Prohibited by Law
• House Committee Approves Airport Worker Legislation

Senate Passes Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill with AFSCME-Supported Provisions
The Senate voted 75 to 22 to adopt key domestic spending provisions in an emergency funding bill (H.R. 2642) to provide additional funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. AFSCME-supported provisions include: an expanded GI bill for our veterans; extended unemployment insurance (UI) benefits beyond 26 weeks plus $110 million to meet a shortfall for UI operations; a temporary moratoria on seven Administration-proposed Medicaid regulations which would cut funds to states and hospitals; delaying an Administration State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) directive which would limit funds to states; $490 million for state and local law enforcement Byrne formula grants; and $400 million for rural schools and community public services. The Senate provided, by a vote of 70-26, nearly $170 billion for the ongoing wars and voted 34 to 63 to reject a package that tied war funding with restrictions on war operations. The path to enactment still has a number of hurdles. The two chambers must resolve key funding and policy differences in their respective bills and the final bill may need to overcome a threatened veto.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org (Medicaid); nmelkejohn@afscme.org (UI); cbradley@afgscme.org (secure rural schools); brummel@afscme.org (Byrne grants)
 
Federal Budget Agreement Reached
This week, House and Senate negotiators reached agreement on a budget blueprint for fiscal year 2009 that provides an additional $21 billion over President Bush's proposed budget for spending on annually-funded domestic programs. The conference agreement on the budget resolution rejects the Administration's proposed cuts to vital programs, including many that fund state, county and city services. Among the programs saved from the Administration's ax are Medicaid, Medicare, state and local law enforcement programs, and the Community Development Block Grant. The budget agreement also expresses support for a $50 billion increase to expand SCHIP, an additional $5 billion in funding for child care, funding restoration for child support enforcement, and new infrastructure investments. Moreover, the budget agreement requires that any tax cuts be paid for to prevent unaffordable revenue losses. Both houses of Congress are expected to vote on the FY 2009 budget resolution after the Memorial Day recess.
(Fran Bernstein- fbernstein@afscme.org)

House Passes Tax Extenders Measure
On Wednesday, the House passed a tax package (H.R. 6049) that extends several tax provisions that expired last year or are due to expire. The bill includes continuation of the deductibility of state and local sales taxes, restoration of the tax exclusion for employer-provided legal assistance plans, new energy bonds to finance state and local government programs and efforts to lessen greenhouse gas emissions, extension of deductions to promote economic growth in Puerto Rico, and expansion of the refundable child tax credit. The bill is offset by tax changes to the treatment of deferred compensation paid by managers of offshore hedge funds and by a delay in the implementation of the worldwide interest allocation rule. AFSCME supports this legislation, while President Bush has threatened to veto it over the offset.
(Fran Bernstein– fbernstein@afscme.org)

Genetic Discrimination in Health Insurance and Employment Now Prohibited by Law
The President signed into law a bill (H.R. 493) that prohibits discrimination in health insurance coverage and employment based on genetic information. The new law will prevent health insurers from canceling, denying, refusing to renew or changing the terms or premiums of coverage based solely on a genetic predisposition toward a specific disease. State and local government health plans will be covered as well as Medigap insurance used by many retirees. The prohibition against employment discrimination will protect public and private sector employees.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org) 

House Committee Approves Airport Worker Screening Legislation
The House Homeland Security Committee on May 20th approved legislation (H.R. 5982) that would authorize a study on how airports could implement biometric identification systems for employees who work beyond the security checkpoints. Biometric systems use fingerprints and retina scanners to identify employees entering sensitive areas of the airport. The bill, introduced by committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS), will be folded into the Homeland Security Department's reauthorization bill that has already passed in the House.
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
May 9, 2008

In this issue:

• Congress to Consider Emergency Funding Bill
• House Approves $15 Billion for States to Buy and Redevelop Vacant Foreclosed Units
• Senator Clinton Introduces the Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act
• House Approves Bill Increasing Repayments to States and Localities for Incarcerating Undocumented Aliens
• FAA Reauthorization Stalls in the Senate
• President Signs College Loan Relief Bill
• Senate Democrats Introduce New Energy Bill
• Child Care Provider Compensation and Quality Bill Introduced
• Bulletproof Vest Bill Delayed
• Public Safety Officer Collective Bargaining Bill

Congress to Consider Emergency Funding Bill
The House announced plans to consider an emergency funding bill next week which would provide additional funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and to meet pressing domestic needs. The domestic spending portion of the bill, which will be voted on separately before a final vote on passage of the bill, extends unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, including added funding for UI administration, provides an expanded education bill for veterans and funds other critical needs. The bill would also provide a temporary stop to cuts in federal payments to states which would occur if seven Medicaid regulations proposed by the Administration were to go into full effect. The House has already passed legislation to put a moratorium on these regulations by an overwhelming bipartisan vote. The Medicaid regulations moratorium is needed to help states avoid loss of Medicaid funding that would exacerbate deteriorating fiscal conditions in the states. The Senate bill includes the domestic provisions proposed in the House bill but also includes $490 million for state and local law enforcement formula grants, $451 million for the repair of reconstruction of roads and bridges, and $400 million for rural schools.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

House Approves $15 Billion for States to Buy and Redevelop Vacant Foreclosed Units
The House voted 239-188, largely along party lines, to approve the "Neighborhood Stabilization Act" (H.R. 5818) which would create a $15 billion fund– $7.5 billion in grants and $7.5 billion in loans– to be allocated to states for the purchase, rehabilitation, sale, or operation of foreclosed units. The goal is to stabilize and occupy properties immediately by reselling or renting to qualified low– and moderate income Americans. H.R. 5818 also addresses related problems due to the skyrocketing number of foreclosures and delinquent loans, which is worsening America's credit crunch, lowering property values and consumer confidence, and reducing local government property tax and other revenues. Funds will be allocated to states taking into account the number of foreclosures over the last year and the number of subprime loans delinquent more than 90 days in each state. It requires states to allocate funds to large cities and counties. At least 50% of grant funds must be used to house families at or below 50% of area median income (AMI) and half of these funds must target families below 30% of AMI.

The Bush Administration has already threatened to veto the House bill. Recently, the Senate approved $4 billion in funding to states, through the Community Development Block Grant program, for buying or redeveloping foreclosed properties.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

Senator Clinton Introduces the Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) has introduced the Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act (S. 2944), which expands training opportunities for child welfare staff who provide family preservation and reunification services as well as those providing foster care and adoption services; removes limitations on training funds for child welfare staff employed by nonprofit agencies; and allows federal child welfare training funds to be available to staff in other fields who come in contact with children in the child welfare system, including the courts, education, and mental health. The bill also expands states' eligibility to receive federal training dollars for their child welfare staffs, as well as calls for a National Academy of Sciences study to make recommendations on appropriate caseload levels, workload, training and supervision.
(Fran Bernstein- fbernstein@afscme.org)

House Approves Bill Increasing Repayments to States and Localities for Incarcerating Undocumented Aliens
The House approved by voice vote a bill (H.R. 1512) which would broaden the conditions under which the federal government reimburses states and localities for incarcerating undocumented aliens. Many state and local governments, including California, New York, Illinois, and southern border states, are spending increasing sums of money on these incarcerations without reimbursement. The bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) restores Congress' original intent that states and localities should receive State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) reimbursements. In 2003, the Bush Administration changed the policy limiting reimbursements to states and localities. In the Senate, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has introduced a companion bill (S. 2587).
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

FAA Reauthorization Stalls in the Senate
Legislation that would set policy for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been put on hold after finally making its way to the floor of the Senate. The legislation (H.R. 2881), which has already passed the House, would reauthorize FAA programs. The Senate bill was pulled from the floor after a vote to limit debate on the bill failed 49-42, 11 votes short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster. Controversial provisions that are not related to aviation created almost two weeks of heated partisan debate. AFSCME supports language in the bill that would improve the collective bargaining process for AFSCME members who work at the FAA. If Congress fails to approve an FAA reauthorization bill, an extension of the current law would have to be approved.
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

President Signs College Loan Relief Bill
President Bush signed into law a bill (H.R. 5715) to ensure student access to federally backed loans this fall. It raises the limits on how much students can borrow, gives parents the option to defer repayment on PLUS loans until up to six months after their children leave school, provides temporary authority to the Department of Education to purchase student loans from lenders, and clarifies that the Secretary of Education has the authority to advance funds to guaranty agencies operating as lenders of last resort. 
(Becky Levin- blevin@afscme.org)

Senate Democrats Introduce New Energy Bill
Senate Democrats announced details of the "Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008," which would address high gasoline prices. The bill would take back $17 billion in tax giveaways to oil companies. In addition, the bill would require oil companies to pay a 25% windfall profits tax if they do not invest in increased capacity and renewable energy sources, which ensures they act responsibly or pay their fair share of taxes. Both tax revenues would be invested in renewable energy, stronger consumer price protections, and energy efficiency through a specific Energy Independence and Security Trust Fund. The bill also would halt government purchases of oil for the strategic petroleum reserve to reduce demand, protect consumers from price gouging, and reduce market price speculation.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

Child Care Provider Compensation and Quality Bill Introduced
Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the "Starting Early, Starting Right Act" (S. 2980) which would increase federal child care funding by $10 billion a year– tripling current funding– and improve the quality of child care. It would increase funding for training and education, improving the quality of child care, the compensation of providers, and accessibility to working families. It also encourages more states to adopt quality ratings improvement systems (QRIS), requiring child care providers who are licensed or registered to participate in an initial 40 hours of training and a subsequent 24 hours of training annually, increasing funding for grants to providers to help them meet licensing requirements and improve the quality of their settings. The bill has been endorsed by AFSCME along with the National Women's Law Center, Service Employees International Union and 25 other national organizations.
(Becky Levin- blevin@afscme.org)

Bulletproof Vest Bill Delayed
An effort by the Senate Judiciary Committee to move a bill (S. 2511) that would make it easier to reduce or waive state matching grant requirements for the purchase of bulletproof vests for public safety officers met a roadblock when Senate Republicans decided to delay consideration of the bill until next month. The Senate bill is the companion bill to the Wayne "Cotton" Morgan bill introduced in the House to honor the fallen AFSCME correctional officer.
(Blaine Rummel- brummel@afscme.org)

Public Safety Officer Collective Bargaining Bill
Senate plans to consider the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (S. 2123), which would grant collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by state and/or local governments, have been delayed, but a vote is now scheduled for Tuesday, May 13. The vote will require 60 votes to end debate. AFSCME strongly supports this measure and is working for its passage.

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
May 2, 2008

In this issue:

• Promise of Presidential Veto Kills Anti-Privatization Provision in Farm Bill
• States' Budget Deficits Grow
• Genetic Discrimination Bill Moves to President's Desk
• Senate Begins Debate on FAA Bill
• Bipartisan Senate Support for Key HUD Programs – Public Housing and Community Development Block Grant
• The REAL ID Act, A Real Burden for States
• GAO Report Finds Health Savings Accounts Benefit Wealthy Over Average Americans

Promise of Presidential Veto Kills Anti-Privatization Provision in Farm Bill
In a major disappointment to AFSCME, an anti-privatization provision in the House farm bill was excluded from the final bill during negotiations between the House and Senate. After President Bush made clear that he would veto the bill over the provision, a majority of the Senate members of the conference committee, including one Democrat – Kent Conrad (ND), voted against the provision that would have prevented the Administration from allowing states to privatize the food stamp program.

The debate over this provision was lengthy and contentious. The House Democrats on the committee all voted to include the provision in the final bill. Those who strenuously argued in favor of the anti-privatization measure, and on AFSCME's behalf, included Reps. Joe Baca (D-CA), David Scott (D-GA) , Dennis Cardozo (D-CA) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). During the debate, Rep. DeLauro, who chairs the Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee, stated that she would explore other options in her Subcommittee to rein in the Bush Administration's campaign to privatize the food stamp program.

Following the change in congressional leadership after the 2006 elections, this legislative effort was the first major campaign by AFSCME to roll back privatization. The failure to win this fight underscores the need to elect a President and additional members of Congress who will work with AFSCME to curb the drive to privatize.
(Nanine Meiklejohn- nmeiklejohn@afscme.org)

States' Budget Deficits Grow
A declining economy is pushing state tax revenues down, and 31 states are now facing budget shortfalls. For fiscal year 2009 states will face a combined total of at least $40 billion in deficits. This will lead to painful cuts at a time when demand for public services and Medicaid is increasing. Congress must act to protect Medicaid and provide relief to states. H.R. 5268 would support Medicaid coverage and help states in fiscal crisis by providing $13 billion in new temporary federal funding for Medicaid. S. 2819 would support Medicaid coverage by blocking recent Medicaid regulations that cut federal payments to states and by providing $12 billion in temporary relief to states that meet criteria of economic stress. Both bills are gaining support but need more co-sponsors.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

Urge Congress to Act Now to Save Public Services

Please call the Capitol switchboard at 1-888-460-0813 and
ask to speak to your Senators and Representative.

Tell them your state, cities, and counties are suffering painful budget problems, and that Congress needs to act now. Urge them to support a temporary increase in federal funding for your state's Medicaid program and for flexible grants to states and local governments. Let them know you are a member of AFSCME and oppose federal budget cuts that reduce public services or hurt government workers.

Urge your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 5628
and your Senators to co-sponsor S. 2819.

Genetic Discrimination Bill Moves to President's Desk
The House voted 414 to 1 for legislation (H.R. 493) to protect individuals from discrimination in health insurance coverage and employment based on genetic information. The vote, which follows the Senate's adoption of the bill last week, puts a decade-long effort to ban discrimination based on one's genetic information on a final path to changing the law. The President is expected to sign the bill which would prevent health insurers from canceling, denying, refusing to renew or changing the terms or premiums of coverage based solely on a genetic predisposition toward a specific disease. State and local government health plans would be covered as well as Medigap insurance used by many retirees. The prohibition against employment discrimination would protect state and private sector employees.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

Senate Begins Debate on FAA Bill
Two Senate committees have broken their deadlock over financing upgrades to the nation's air traffic control system, clearing the way for a long-delayed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill (H.R. 2881) to come to the Senate floor. The legislation would reform the FAA Personnel Management System. Presently, the FAA can impose work rules when contract negotiations fail. H.R. 2881 provides for binding arbitration by a panel of impartial decision-makers, bringing basic fairness to the flawed labor-management relations process at the FAA. The House has already approved the bill. Unfortunately, President Bush has threatened to veto the legislation, citing the proposed collective bargaining changes as one reason for the veto threat.
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

Bipartisan Senate Support for Key HUD Programs – Public Housing and Community Development Block Grant
On April 24, Sens. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) released a bipartisan letter requesting increased FY 2009 funding of $5.3 billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund and $3.5 billion for the Public Housing Capital Fund. The letter states that President Bush's proposed FY 2009 budget "underfunds the Operating Fund by an astonishing $1 billion, based on HUD's projection of need" and would fund only 81% of local public housing authorities' funding needs. The letter notes, "(t)his funding shortfall will force public housing authorities to make huge cuts in their operations including staffing and inspections, and result in a decreased quality of life for residents of public housing." 

On April 25, Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Norm Coleman (R-MN) released a bipartisan letter requesting increased FY 2009 funding of $4.1 billion for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) formula funds to cities and counties. The letter highlights that CDBG is "one of the most effective federal domestic programs to revitalize communities with proven results" and that President Bush's proposed FY 2009 budget "would reduce the formula funding by another 18%, cutting the formula allocation by almost 37% in just five years."  In addition to Sens. Leahy and Coleman, 61 senators cosigned the letter.
(Marc Granowitter– mgranowitter@afscme.org)

The REAL ID Act, A Real Burden for States
On Tuesday, a Senate committee reviewed the impact of implementing the REAL ID Act which requires states to adopt federal standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards. If a state fails to comply by 2010, the federal government will not accept these documents for federal purposes such as boarding an airplane or entering a federal building. Numerous states, many of which are facing budget deficits, expressed concern with the unfunded mandate estimated to cost states $4 billion. Privacy concerns and database security were also discussed.
(Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto- adibitetto@afscme.org)

GAO Report Finds Health Savings Accounts (HSA) Benefit Wealthy Over Average Americans
In a report released this week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that health savings accounts are functioning more as a tax shelter for wealthy enrollees than as a solution to the problems of spiraling health care costs and lack of coverage facing average Americans. The report found that for nonelderly adults in 2005, the average income for tax filers using HSAs was $139,000, compared with $57,000 for all other filers. "This report provides further evidence that we need to reexamine whether this is the right way to use the Government's resources to address our health care needs," noted Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) who, along with Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), requested the GAO study.

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
April 25, 2008

In this issue:

• House Defies President Bush and Votes to Block Medicaid Cuts to States
• AFSCME Continues to Press for Relief for States
• Senate Passes Genetic Discrimination Bill
• Administration Violated Law in its Effort to Reduce Children's Health Coverage
• Bill to Overturn National Labor Relations Board Decision Introduced
• House Committee Approves Housing Foreclosure Prevention Bills
• House Approves Plan to Eliminate IRS' Private Collection Agencies
• Senate Republicans Block Wage Discrimination Legislation

House Defies President Bush and Votes to Block Medicaid Cuts to States
The House passed legislation (H.R. 5613) to block implementation of seven harmful rules issued by the Bush Administration that are designed to cut federal Medicaid payments to states. The rules, which would mean cuts to states of up to $50 billion over five years, would be delayed until April 2009. The overwhelming vote (349 to 62) was a resounding victory for AFSCME and a substantial defeat for the Administration, which has threatened to veto the bill. The Senate has not yet acted on S. 2819, which not only puts a hold on the Medicaid rules, but would also provide cash-strapped states with additional temporary federal funds.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

AFSCME Continues to Press for Relief for States
Thirty states are facing budget shortfalls; for FY 2009, states will struggle to cover $39 billion in deficits. Many states, counties and cities are considering job cuts and cuts to important public services. H.R. 5268 would provide all states with $13 billion in new temporary federal funding for Medicaid. S. 2819 would provide states with key indicators of fiscal crisis with $12 billion in new temporary federal funding for Medicaid and state aid grants. 
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

Urge Congress to Act Now to Save Public Services

Please call the Capitol switchboard at 1-888-460-0813 and ask to speak to your Senators and Representative. Tell them your state, cities, and counties are suffering painful budget problems, and that Congress needs to act now. Urge them to support a temporary increase in federal funding for your state's Medicaid program and for flexible grants to states and local governments.  Let them know you are member of AFSCME and oppose federal budget cuts that reduce public services or hurt government workers.

Senate Passes Genetic Discrimination Bill
By a vote of 95 to 0, the Senate passed legislation (H.R. 493) banning genetic discrimination by insurance companies and employers. The bill would prohibit insurers, including self-insured state and local government plans, from restricting enrollment or charging higher premiums based on genetic information. It would also bar employers from discharging, refusing to hire or otherwise discriminating against employees on the basis of genetic information. The bill will return to the House, and is expected to be passed again. The Bush Administration had previously threatened to veto the bill but has more recently signaled it would be signed into law.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

Administration Violated Law in its Effort to Reduce Children's Health Coverage
The Bush Administration violated federal law last August when it issued a directive to states restricting their ability to provide health coverage to children in families with incomes that exceed 250% of the poverty line (or $42,925 for a family of three). Two nonpartisan congressional agencies, the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Research Service, issued legal opinions finding that the Administration circumvented procedures that are legally required for pursuing significant changes to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). In its directive, the Administration informed states that federal funds could not be used to help cover children at the higher income level, except under new standards that no state can meet. The policy affects 23 states that had expanded, or were planning to expand, children's health coverage.

The Administration dismissed the legal opinions and stated that it planned to enforce the new policy beginning August 2008. Legislation (S. 2819) has been introduced to reverse the SCHIP policy and maintain funding to states that expand children's coverage.
(Barbara Coufal- bcoufal@afscme.org)

Bill to Overturn National Labor Relations Board Decision Introduced
This week, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Rep. George Miller (D-CA) introduced legislation (S. 2891/H.R. 5838) to overturn the National Labor Relations Board's anti-union decision in Brown University. The bill amends the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to allow teaching and research assistants at private universities to bargain collectively. Brown University overturned a prior decision which held that graduate assistants are employees within the meaning of the NLRA and exemplifies how the current Board has chipped away at the NLRA in a systematic effort to deny workers their fundamental rights.
(Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto- adibitetto@afscme.org)

House Committee Approves Housing Foreclosure Prevention Bills
On April 23, a House committee voted to approve a $15 billion bill (H.R. 5818) to create a state loan and grant program to buy and redevelop foreclosed properties to stabilize afflicted communities. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), provides $7.5 billion for grants and $7.5 billion for loans. Under the bill, states could fund housing authorities or nonprofits to buy, rehabilitate, and sell homes, and to rehabilitate and operate rental dwellings. The full House is likely to consider H.R. 5818 the week of May 5. Recently, the Senate passed a similar bill (H.R. 3221) providing $4 billion to states and localities. The Bush Administration criticized and suggested that it would veto that plan.

Other related housing bills are being developed, and the final legislative package should include an overhaul of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), expanded FHA programs to help at-risk borrowers refinance loans, tax incentives to encourage home purchases and assist low-income renters, and other reforms.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

House Approves Plan to Eliminate IRS' Private Collection Agencies
On April 15, the House voted 238-179 to approve legislation (H.R. 5719) to ban the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from contracting out tax collections to private collection agencies. The ban would terminate the IRS' current privatization pilot program, which is more expensive and less effective than having the work done within the IRS with government employees. Rep. David Scott (D-GA) said, "personal financial information of our American people is too precious, is too confidential, to be in the hands of private contractors." Although there is bipartisan support for most of the tax package, the ban is opposed by most House Republicans and key Senate Republicans. The White House threatened to veto the bill mostly due to this anti-privatization language.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

Senate Republicans Block Wage Discrimination Legislation
Republicans in the Senate successfully blocked legislation that would have restored longstanding protections for employees facing pay discrimination. The legislation (S. 1315) would reverse the 2007 Supreme Court decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Inc. The Ledbetter case was based on a complaint filed in 1998 by Lilly Ledbetter who worked as the only female supervisor at a Goodyear tire plant. Upon learning that for 19 years her employer had been paying her male co-workers several thousands dollars more, Ledbetter sued and initially won her discrimination case. But last year, the Supreme Court ruled that she acted too late to file her case and that workers filing suit for pay discrimination must do so within 180 days of the actual decision to discriminate against them. The Ledbetter decision placed an unrealistic timetable on employees who are unknowing victims of pay discrimination, while protecting employers who discriminate from liability. The case removed an important legal remedy that was established in the 1963 Civil Rights Act.

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
April 11, 2008

In this issue:

• House Subcommittee Adopts Bill to Block Bush Regulatory Cuts to Medicaid
• Senate Panel Examines White House Efforts to Reduce Coverage Under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
• Farm Bill Moves – A Little
• Unemployment Benefits Legislation Introduced
• Speaker Pelosi Derails the Colombia Free Trade Agreement and Delivers a Devastating Blow to Fast-Track Authority
• Senate Approves Housing Foreclosure Prevention Bill and House Bill Advances
• House Ways and Means Committee Approves Plan to Eliminate IRS' Private Collection Agencies
• House Judiciary Committee Hears Testimony Regarding the Re-Opening of the 9-11 Victims Compensation Fund
• House Committee Approves Fast-Track Legislation to Provide Federal Assistance for Student Loans

House Subcommittee Adopts Bill to Block Bush Regulatory Cuts to Medicaid
The Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee adopted legislation (H.R. 5613), supported by AFSCME, which would establish a moratorium until April 2009 on seven Medicaid regulations recently issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The bill had bipartisan support and would stop implementation of CMS regulations intended to cut Medicaid and shift costs onto states already in fiscal crisis. The regulations blocked would cut funds to states by limiting federal and state Medicaid payments to public hospitals, limiting payments for targeted case management, prohibiting federal reimbursement for the costs of transporting Medicaid-eligible children to school and administering Medicaid services at schools, limiting payment for certain rehabilitative services, eliminating all federal Medicaid reimbursement to teaching hospitals for medical student education, reducing reimbursement for outpatient hospital services, and limiting state options for funding Medicaid. The bill is expected to be considered by the full committee next week. AFSCME has been lobbying for passage of H.R. 5613 and for fiscal relief for states in budgetary crisis.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

Senate Panel Examines White House Efforts to Reduce Coverage Under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing this week to examine an August 2007 directive issued by the Administration that imposes new and insurmountable hurdles for states that have expanded or want to expand health coverage to children in lower-income families. Twenty-three states now provide, or were planning to provide, coverage to children in families with incomes above 250% of poverty, or about $44,000 annual income for a family of three. While many families in this income level get affordable coverage through their jobs, many are not so lucky. And as the economy worsens, the number of uninsured children will surely grow.

As a result of the August directive, states that continue to provide coverage above this income level will be forced to do so without any federal financial assistance. In addition to the financial burden this places on the states, the directive will cause tens of thousands of children to lose coverage. Already 26,000 children in three states have lost coverage. Finance Committee member Sen. John D. Rockefeller (D-WV) has introduced legislation (S. 2819) that would prevent the Administration from implementing the new directive.
(Barbara Coufal- bcoufal@afscme.org)

Farm Bill Moves - A Little
House and Senate members appointed to a conference committee to resolve differences between the House and Senate farm bill finally met for the first time this week. For months, efforts to work out the overall cost of the bill and a way to pay for proposed increases have been unsuccessful.

This week House conferees made a bipartisan offer to the Senate which included an additional $9 billion for nutrition assistance. The Senate will consider it and likely counter with another proposal by early next week. It is still unclear whether a final agreement can actually be reached. The deadline for the current extension is April 18.

In the meantime, AFSCME has been meeting with representatives from a number of non-profit organizations to attempt to iron out some concerns they have about the impact of the anti-privatization provision in the House bill on the outreach efforts they conduct to help applicants apply for food stamp benefits.
(Nanine Meiklejohn- nmeiklejohn@afscme.org)

Unemployment Benefits Legislation Introduced
Responding to the rise in unemployment and the unusually high number of workers unemployed for more than 26 weeks, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Chairman of the House Income Security and Income Security Subcommittee, and Rep. Phil English (R-PA) introduced legislation this week to provide extended benefits.

The Emergency Extended Unemployment compensation Act (H.R. 5749) would provide all workers exhausting their regular 26 weeks of state benefits an additional 13 weeks of benefits. In addition, workers living in states with unemployment rates of 6% or more would receive an additional 13 weeks for a total of 26 weeks of federal extended benefits.

The subcommittee held a hearing on the legislation this week and plans to report the bill to the full Ways and Means Committee as soon as next week.
(Nanine Meiklejohn- nmeiklejohn@afscme.org)

Speaker Pelosi Derails the Colombia Free Trade Agreement and Delivers a Devastating Blow to Fast-Track Authority

On April 10th, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats reasserted Congress' role in trade and adopted H.Res. 1092 by a vote of 224 to 195. The resolution removed the 90 day fast-track requirement for the Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and sent a clear message to President Bush that Congress cannot be forced to fast-track another flawed trade bill. AFSCME supported the resolution and will continue to oppose the FTA until Colombia has substantially improved workers rights.
(Andrea Dibitetto- adibitetto@afscme.org)

Senate Approves Housing Foreclosure Prevention Bill and House Bill Advances
The Senate voted 84-12 to approve final passage of a controversial housing foreclosure prevention package, which includes a much needed $4 billion for states and localities to redevelop vacant or abandoned properties, gives away $6 billion of unnecessary and wasteful tax breaks to businesses, and omits some important assistance needed by overburdened homeowners at-risk of foreclosure and bankruptcy. Despite pressure from consumers, affordable housing advocates, and vocal dissent by key House and Senate leaders, the Senate voted 58-36 to reject authorizing judges to alter the terms of loans in bankruptcy proceedings. To address America's dependence on foreign energy sources, the Senate also voted 88-8 to approve an amendment to extend for one year expiring tax breaks for renewable energy and energy efficiency, which cost $6 billion. The total cost of the tax breaks is $17 billion.

The House Ways and Means Committee voted 35-5 to approve its own revenue-neutral $11 billion tax package (H.R. 5720) designed to help home buyers and low-income renters. The committee's package will be linked to separate provisions that the House Financial Services Committee is developing, which are expected to be more consumer friendly. The House and Senate packages are expected to be quite different, and President Bush is likely to disagree with key provisions in each package.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

House Ways and Means Committee Approves Plan to Eliminate IRS' Private Collection Agencies
The House Ways and Means Committee voted 23-17, on party lines, to approve a revenue-neutral tax package (H.R. 5719), including a ban on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) contracting out tax collections to private collection agencies. The measure would terminate the IRS's current outsourced pilot program, which the IRS previously testified is more expensive and less effective than doing the work within the IRS with government employees. Earlier, the committee voted 17-23, also on party lines, to reject a Republican amendment to strike the ban. AFSCME strongly supports this anti-privatization provision as part of a broader position that all inherently governmental functions, such as tax collection, should be performed by government employees. Although controversial, this provision is expected to pass the House.

H.R. 5719 would impose an employment tax for wages paid to workers of foreign subsidiaries of U.S. businesses under U.S. government contract. This harmful practice is repeatedly used by many federal contractors to avoid paying U.S. Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes by setting up their corporate headquarters overseas.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

House Judiciary Committee Hears Testimony Regarding the Re-Opening of the 9-11 Victim's Compensation Fund
The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing "Paying with their Lives: The Status of Compensation for 9/11 Health Effects."  Discussion centered on how the Victim's Compensation Fund (VCF) could be re-opened to fairly compensate disabled victims and their families and why New York City is using the $1 billion "captive insurance fund" to pay attorneys to logjam claims instead of compensating victims. There was unanimity on the committee regarding the need to compensate victims and their families.

The hearing, however, did not sufficiently address the logjam of workers' compensation claims and the failure of workers' compensation to address the enormity of the impact of 9/11. AFSCME has been discussing this key issue with Congress and working hard to move the 9/11 bill to authorize both the re-opening of the VCF and the monitoring and treatment program toward committee action.
(Becky Levin- blevin@afscme.org)

House Committee Approves Fast-Track Legislation to Provide Federal Assistance for Student Loans
The House Education and Labor Committee responded to turmoil in the U.S. credit markets affecting student loans and approved the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008 (H.R. 5715) that would provide new protections to ensure that families continue to have access to federal college loans. The bill would reduce borrowers' reliance on costlier private college loans, give parent borrowers more time to begin paying off federal PLUS college loans, help struggling homeowners pay for college, and provide the U.S. Secretary of Education with additional opportunities to assist guaranty agencies and the federal guaranteed loan program. The effective date would be July 1st. The bill is expected to move quickly to help facilitate student loans for the coming academic year.

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) also introduced student loan legislation last week, the Strengthening Student Aid for All Act (S. 2815), which also strives to reduce students' and families' reliance on high-cost private loans by increasing federal aid and strengthening the student loan program. S. 2815 protects students' eligibility for and access to loans, and provides an alternative capital source for lenders who need it to continue making federal loans at a minimal cost to taxpayers. This bill is expected to move through the Senate soon and will then be conferenced with H.R. 5715.
(Becky Levin- blevin@afscme.org)

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
March 14, 2008

In this issue:

• House and Senate Pass Strong Budget Resolution and Reject President Bush's Budget Plan
• OCSEA/AFSCME Operations Director Bruce Wyngaard Represents the AFL-CIO at House Appropriations Committee Hearing on Bush Proposals to Cut Employment Services and Job Training Programs
• Congress Approves Short-Term Extension of 2002 Farm Act
• House Committee Passes Three Bills to Tighten Safeguards Governing Federal Contractors
• Bill to Block Cost-Shifting Medicaid Regulations Introduced

House and Senate Pass Strong Budget Resolutions and Reject President Bush's Budget Plan
The House voted 212-207 with no Republican support to approve its budget and the Senate did the same, on a 51-44 vote, with only two Republican supporters. Both chambers rejected President Bush's proposed budget cuts; and compared to the discretionary spending included in Bush's proposed budget, the House adds about $25 billion and the Senate $22 billion. Earlier, the House defeated alternative budgets from the Progressive Caucus, Black Caucus, and Republican leadership. The progressive's budget increased investments for public services and funding for state fiscal relief, which AFSCME strongly supports. The Senate earlier voted 43-55 to reject Sen. Bernard Sanders' (I-VT) amendment to put children ahead of millionaires and billionaires by restoring the pre-2001 top income tax rate on individuals earning above $1 million, and transfer this revenue to significantly increase funding for key public services, including Head Start, Child Care, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), nutrition, and deficit reduction.

On taxes, the House and Senate budgets both presume some of Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts will expire in 2010 as scheduled. In a symbolic action, the Senate voted 99-1 to approve Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus' (D-MT) amendment to extend expiring middle-income tax breaks, including the lowest 10 percent tax bracket, $1,000 child tax credit and relief from the so-called "marriage penalty."  In contrast, the Senate voted 47-52 to reject a Republican amendment to extend other Bush 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, such as lower tax rates for capital gains and dividends. The Senate voted 50-50 to reject a Republican amendment to increase the estate tax's exemption per individual to $5 million and reduce the maximum tax rate to 35 percent, without offsetting the forgone revenue.

The House and Senate will soon begin to iron-out the differences between their respective bills with a vote likely on the final congressional FY 2009 Budget Resolution in early April.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

OCSEA/AFSCME Operations Director Bruce Wyngaard Represents the AFL-CIO at House Appropriations Committee Hearing on Bush Proposals to Cut Employment Services and Job Training Programs
OCSEA/AFSCME Operations Director Bruce Wyngaard testified this week in opposition to the Bush Administration's proposals to eliminate the state Employment Service (ES), to cut Workforce Investment Act (WIA) training funds for dislocated workers, youth and other unemployed workers, and to under fund Unemployment Insurance (UI) operations. He spoke on behalf of the 10 million members of the AFL-CIO.

At the hearing, Wyngaard stated that it is counterproductive to cut these programs just as the economy appears to be entering a recession and as fiscal pressures grow on state and local governments. He was joined in his critique by state officials from Texas and Pennsylvania. Together, the three witnesses effectively outlined the special role that the Wagner-Peyser program plays as a statewide system capable of addressing regional economic challenges and as the glue that holds the local One-Stop system together. Wyngaard also pointed out the important role the state job counselors play helping UI claimants, workers in the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program and veterans.

In addition, all three witnesses noted a serious problem with the resources available to run the UI program, just as claims for UI benefits are growing. This year, a $110 million gap has appeared, and the Bush budget request for FY 2009 is approximately $500 million below the amount that the states estimate they need.
(Nanine Meiklejohn- nmeiklejohn@afscme.org)

Congress Approves Short-Term Extension of 2002 Farm Act
Faced with a looming deadline and a failure to reach final agreement on the outlines of a new Farm Bill, the House has approved an extension of the existing Farm programs until April 18. The principal difficulty has been the inability of House, Senate and White House negotiators to agree on a total amount of money for the bill and a way to finance it.

Meanwhile, efforts by the private companies to prevent the House language reinforcing merit staffing requirements in the Food Stamp program from being included in the conference report provision have intensified. On February 29, a communications company sent to various professional journals a bogus and inaccurate "study" of the effect of the provision on the Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and other human services programs and on contracts that the states have with private companies. The survey implied falsely that non-profits' outreach activities and contracts for information systems would be hurt by the provision. IBM also appears to be working to get its employees to contact Senate offices in opposition to the provision.
(Nanine Meiklejohn- nmeiklejohn@afscme.org)

House Committee Passes Three Bills to Tighten Safeguards Governing Federal Contractors
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved three bills, which would tighten safeguards and strengthen administrative oversight governing federal contractors, who received the staggering amount of $420 billion of federal funding in FY 2007.

The Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2007 (H.R. 4881), introduced by Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN) would prohibit individuals or companies with major delinquent federal tax debts from receiving federal contracts. The Contractors and Federal Spending Accountability Act of 2007 (H.R. 3033), introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), would create a centralized government database on federal contractors' completed judicial actions, consent decrees, administrative agreements, terminations or settlements, such as federal suspensions and debarments and contractors' defaults. Maloney said this would help Congress ensure "taxpayer dollars are not wasted on contractors who do not have a good record of performance."  The Contractor Accountability Act of 2007 (H.R. 3928), introduced by Rep. Christopher Murphy (D-CT), would require firms receiving in excess of 80 percent of their revenues from federal contracts in a fiscal year to report their top ranking officials' names and salaries, including CEO, CFO, the three other highest compensated individuals and all directors. This applies to non-publicly traded companies receiving in excess of $5 million in annual gross revenues from federal contracts or subcontracts.

These protections would help ensure the benefits of federal contracts flow only to good actors. This would also provide a federal precedent for states and localities and union workers to consider in their efforts to curb privatization. AFSCME supports efforts to curb privatization in federal programs and halt privatization abuses.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

Bill to Block Cost-Shifting Medicaid Regulations Introduced
Reps. John Dingell (D-MI) and Timothy Murphy (R-PA) introduced the "Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008" (H.R. 5613) to impose a one-year moratorium on the seven Medicaid regulations recently issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The bill would prohibit CMS from taking action to implement these regulations until April of 2009. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the regulations would shift nearly $20 billion in federal Medicaid costs onto states and providers over the next five years. The bill would block the CMS regulations limiting Medicaid payments for public safety net institutions, coverage of rehabilitation services for people with disabilities, outreach and enrollment in schools as well as specialized medical transportation to school for children covered by Medicaid, graduate medical education payments, coverage of hospital clinic services, case management services that allow people with disabilities to remain in the community, and state provider tax laws. A Senate companion bill is also expected to be introduced.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
March 7, 2008

In this issue:

• Budget Resolutions Pass House and Senate Budget Committees
• House Passes Mental Health Insurance and Genetics Non-Discrimination Bill

Budget Resolutions Pass House and Senate Budget Committees
This week, the House and Senate Budget Committees both approved their respective Budget Resolutions, which should advance to House and Senate floor votes. Both plans reject President Bush's budget plan domestic program budget cuts. Moreover, compared to President Bush's proposed budget for domestic, annually-appropriated programs, the House plan adds $22 billion and the Senate adds $18 billion. Although the plans share similarities on spending and both project surpluses by 2012, there are differences on taxes, offsets for new spending or tax cuts (PAYGO), and additional economic stimulus.

On spending, compared to President Bush's proposed discretionary budget, the Senate plan adds $8.8 billion for education and training, $4.4 billion for health, and $3.9 billion for transportation. The Senate also adds $441 million to the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and $300 million to Head Start. The Senate rejects the President's proposed cuts of $932 million to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), $599 million to Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), and $705 million to Homeland Security state formula grants.

Neither plan raises taxes. The House plan allows Congress to pass a one-year "patch" to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and calls for full offsets to pay for it through budget reconciliation, which requires only a majority of Senate votes rather than the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. In contrast, the Senate plan assumes Congress will pass a one-year $62 billion AMT patch without offsets. The House supports offsets for extending some of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, including the lowest income tax bracket, the so-called "marriage penalty", and the child tax credit. In contrast, although Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) says he supports these goals, he intends to offer a floor amendment to use the projected surplus to extend $300 billion of these tax cuts. The House and Senate plans both assume the tax cuts expiring in 2010 will not be renewed and incorporate these post-2010 revenues. In fact, the House Budget Committee voted 21-16 to reject Ranking Republican Paul Ryan's (R-WI) amendment to reduce revenues by $683 billion over five years to cover extending the expiring tax cuts.

Although the House plan does not address additional stimulus, the Senate plan recommends $35 billion for a stimulus bill without offsets, including state fiscal relief. The Senate's plan also includes the costs of extending the moratoria on several key Medicaid regulations and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) directive of August 17, 2007. It also provides $1.325 billion in Medicare savings achieved from reducing current subsides for insurance companies to offer a private alternative to Medicare, which is more costly and erodes traditional Medicare. The combination of additional spending on stimulus, health care administrative provisions, and Medicare improvements are mutually reinforcing and could provide states and localities with some fiscal relief.

The House and Senate Budget Resolutions both create several "reserve funds" related to specific programs, which enable Congress later in the process to increase funding if the increases are fully paid for. For example, both the House and Senate created a deficit neutral $50 billion reserve fund for SCHIP. The House created 17 of these deficit-neutral funds, including Child Support Enforcement, County Payments Legislation (this timber-related funding is important to northwestern states), Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Unemployment Insurance (UI) Modernization, Medicaid (focused on Medicaid regulations and transitional medical assistance), Medicare, and infrastructure investment. The Senate created many similar funds.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

House Passes Mental Health Insurance and Genetics Non-Discrimination Bill
By a vote of 268-148, the House passed the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 (H.R. 1424), which would require most group health insurance plans to provide comparable coverage, or parity, for mental and physical illnesses. The bill would not require plans to cover mental health care, but those that already do would not be allowed to set higher co-payments or limits on the number of visits to doctors than are applicable to medical care for physical conditions. The estimated cost to the federal government is $4.3 billion over 10 years. This cost is offset by increasing the rebates that pharmaceutical companies must provide to state Medicaid programs to 20.1 percent from December 31, 2008 through January 1, 2015. The Senate passed its version of mental health parity legislation (S. 558) in September 2007. The Senate bill would allow insurers and plans to charge higher co-payments and limit visits for some mental health conditions. Both the Senate and the House bills maintain current law that allows state and local self-insured health plans for their employees to opt out of these requirements. The Bush Administration strongly opposed the House bill and supported the Senate-passed mental health parity bill.

Language from the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act of 2008 (H.R. 493), was attached to the House bill, which would prohibit companies, unions or insurers from discriminating or making business decisions using data from genetic tests.

A conference to hammer out differences between the Senate and House mental health bills faces significant obstacles, as Senate lawmakers are threatening to block a conference.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)  

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
February 29, 2008

In this issue:

• Governors Urge Congress to Stop Costly Regulations in Health Programs
• Senate Passes Indian Health Bill with Delay on Medicaid Case Management Regulation
• GAO Questions Benefit Package in Privatized Medicare Plans
• President Bush Proposes Raising Medicare Drug Premiums for Retirees
• Call Congress Tuesday, March 4th to Increase Child Care Funding!
• Comprehensive Child Welfare Reform Bill Introduced in House

Governors Urge Congress to Stop Costly Regulations in Health Programs
The House Energy and Commerce Committee's Health Subcommittee held a hearing on recent policy changes implemented or proposed by the Bush Administration in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Medicaid. Taken together, the policy changes would lead to reduced funding to the states, cuts in the number of children covered, reductions in health services provided and cuts in payments to providers. Governors Ted Strickland (D-OH), Deval Patrick (D-MA) and Christine O. Gregoire (D-WA) urged Congress to rescind a Bush directive that would reduce the number of children tha