Senate Legislation

White House Rescission Effort Could Freeze Funding

Last week, Budget Director and Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Mick Mulvaney, was again talking up a rescission package that may not get through Congress but could block the release of some spending—at least for a while. Mulvaney indicated that the package of proposed cuts to the just passed 2018 appropriations would likely

CWLA Conference Set For This Week

The CWLA National Conference starts this week. The opening takes place on Thursday, April 26, but there will be a preview event for state advocates and CWLA members going to Capitol Hill on Wednesday afternoon, April 25, the National Advocacy Leaders Convening. The Wednesday session includes a discussion with Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau

HELP Readies CARA Update And Vote Tuesday

Last week Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018. In their release they indicated that they introduced bipartisan legislation to address the urgent opioid crisis and said the Committee will markup (debate and vote on) the legislation on Tuesday, April 24. The joint statement said

Rescission Bill Fades on Hill but White House Hopes

With members returning last week, there was a lack of congressional interest in pursuing a rescission package of cuts to the just-passed 2018 appropriations but the White House appeared to be feeling just the opposite. Reports are that Budget Director—Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Mick Mulvaney is assembling a package of $60 billion

HELP Readies CARA Update After Last Week’s Hearings

Shaquita Ogletree Last Wednesday, April 11, the Senate HELP Committee held a hearing on additional legislation to deal with opioids. The legislation, The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018, has been called by some a second version of the 2016 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). The Committee released a discussion draft. The focus of

President Calls For Tougher Work Requirements

The report and briefing came at the end of the week when the President issued another executive order, Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting Opportunity and Economic Mobility. This order directs various federal Departments (Treasury, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education) to double-down and toughen work requirements.

Child Care Advocates Celebrate Big Increase

On Wednesday, April 11, child care advocates celebrated the biggest increase in child care funding history. The FY 2018 deal enacted last month increased annually appropriated child care funds by $2.3 billion raising the total to $5.2 billion for FY 2018. Advocates heard from long time Capitol Hill champions including Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) the

Combatting Food Insecurity

Shaquita Ogletree On Tuesday, April 10, the Greater Boston Food Bank and Children’s Health Watch hosted a briefing to discuss the financial cost of food insecurity and hunger. Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), co-chair of the Bipartisan Hunger Caucus, has championed the health-related cause of hunger and food insecurity and called for his colleagues to focus

Congress Returns for Three Short Stretches

Congress returns this week, but the longest work periods are over for the 115th Congress, making it less likely anything of significance will pass between now and the election. Both houses will take a week off at the start of May, with the Memorial Day and July 4th breaks cutting into the rest of summer

FY 2019 Appropriations Starts Maybe with FY 2018

Congress is behind on dealing with FY 2019 appropriations but before moving on those 12 bills, they may take a shot at cutting back on FY 2018. There were reports that Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the number two leader in the House, has had discussions with the Administration on using the President’s rescission authority to

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