Senate Legislation

Vice President Harris Hosts Event for EITC/CTC Day of Action

On February 8th, 2022, Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, and American Rescue Plan Coordinator Gene Sperling hosted a press event for the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit Day of Action. Sperling opened the event by giving the history of the Child Tax Credit and an overview of

Congress Kicks Off Hearings on Mental Health and Substance Use Services

Last Tuesday and Wednesday two key congressional committees began a set of bipartisan discussions on the challenges of access to mental health and substance use services.  On Tuesday the Senate HELP Committee held their first hearings and on Wednesday the House Ways and Means Committee focused hearings on the behavioral health challenges.  The subject and

Senate HELP Committee Eyes a Bipartisan Mental Health Package

On Tuesday, February 1, 2022, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions held a hearing entitled “Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: Responding to the Growing Crisis.”    Chairwoman Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) highlighted that millions of people across the country face mental health disorders, while 130 million Americans live in areas with

FY 2022 Appropriations Update: Still Working on It

Discussions and negotiations continued between the top four appropriators on an agreement to complete action on the current federal fiscal year 2022.  Public comments were reserved but positive.  The one item that seemed certain is that there will be at least one more CR once the current one expires on February 18.  If a deal

Child Tax Credit (CTC) IRS Website Goes Live

On Monday, January 24, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) updated their live sight designed to help families get the remaining part of their 2021 CTC. There are two important live tabs: the Get Your Child Tax Credit and Check Your Eligibility. The CTC has been federal law since the mid-1990s, but last year’s expansion

Three Congressional Committee Focusing on Mental Health/Substance Use

Two Senate Committees and one House Committee are focusing on the challenges of access to mental health and substance use services in the next few weeks.  The Senate HELP Committee, the Senate Finance Committee and the full House Ways and Means Committee are all focused on the subject and what can be done. The HELP

President Opens Door to Revamped BBB

Marking the first year of his term in office, President Biden held a nearly two-hour press conference on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, that touched on everything including the possibility of a revamped Build Back Better reconciliation bill. Since last December when Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) pulled his support for the $1.7 trillion package, talks have

Appropriation Update

Discussions continued between key appropriations leaders, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX).  Not much has been revealed but Chairperson DeLauro offered some broad positive comments about progress.  Like the reconciliation, Democratic leaders including the White House would like a final deal by March 1.

Wyden-Crapo Invite Surgeon General to Discuss Youth Mental Health

Earlier this month, Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) announced this week’s hearing that will focus on shortfalls in mental health care for children and teenagers in America.  Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy will testify on a Surgeon General Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health. In issuing the advisory

CTC Kept 3.7 Million Children out of Poverty in December

On January 18th, Columbia University’s Center on Poverty and Social Policy released its newest policy brief detailing the impact of the Child Tax Credit, announcing that the sixth payment kept 3.7 million children out of poverty in the final month of 2021. Researchers at Columbia University have tracked the impact of the CTC over time

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