Policy Corner: March 12, 2021

President Signs COVID-19 Relief Bill

President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package into law. The relief package will provide federal aid to families, small businesses, and state and federal governments to help with the economy; testing and treating the virus; vaccine distribution; and other assistance. Referred to as the American Rescue Plan, the bill provides $1,400 direct payments to individuals making up to $75,000 annually, $350 billion in aid to state and local governments, and $14 billion for vaccine distribution. It also provides $130 billion for schools to assist with safe reopening.

BIAA Supports Appropriations for Falls Prevention

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) joined other national organizations in writing a letter to House and Senate Appropriations. The letter requests request that they allocate a minimum of $10 million for Fiscal Year 2022 to support the Administration for Community Living’s efforts to implement and sustain evidence-based falls prevention programs and $4 million for the CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control programming and research to prevent older adult falls. Older adults are at high risk for sustaining a traumatic brain injury due to a fall, along with young children who are also a high risk for a fall-related TBI.

Sen. Casey Introduces the Disability Employment Incentive Act

Sen. Robert Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.) introduced the Disability Incentive Act, S. 630, to increase the tax benefits to employers that hire and retain qualified individuals with disabilities. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to include individuals receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits under the work opportunity credit; increases the work opportunity credit for vocational rehabilitation referrals, qualified SSI recipients, and qualified SSDI recipients; expands the disabled access credit; and enhances the deduction for expenditures to remove architectural and transportation barriers to the elderly and people with disabilities.

House Passes Bills Relating to Gun Sales

The House of Representatives passed two bills relating to gun sales. The House passed the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 to require universal background checks on all commercial gun sales. The bill was introduced by Rep. Mike Thompson, (D-Calif.), chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, along with three Republican co-sponsors. The House also voted this week to extend the waiting period for background checks to 10 days, a bill introduced by Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.). Both bills have been sent to the Senate.

BIAA gratefully acknowledges the Centre for Neuro Skills and Avanir Pharmaceuticals for their support for legislative action. Click here to read past issues of Policy Corner.