Policy Corner: March 1, 2019

House Passes Gun Control Legislation

This week, the House of Representatives passed two bills relating to background checks with regard to purchase of firearms. The House passed H.R. 8, which requires a background check for every firearm sale. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) introduced the bill. The next vote was on H.R. 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019, sponsored by Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), which amends chapter 44 of title 18 United States Code to strengthen the background check procedures to be followed before a Federal firearms licensee may transfer a firearm to a person who is not such licensee. The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has responded with a letter to House leadership in opposition to Section 3 of H.R. 1112 with regard to the phrase “adjudicated as a mental defective,” which is currently defined to include individuals determined by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority to be a danger to themselves or others due to a mental impairment or to lack the mental capacity to contract or manage their own affairs. CCD wishes to replace the phrase with “adjudicated with mental illness, severe developmental disability, or severe emotional instability.”

Lawmakers Introduce the EMPOWER Act

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced the EMPOWER Care Act (H.R. 1342/S.548) Monday to extend and improve the Money Follows the Person program (MFP) through 2023. Since 2005, the MFP has helped individuals with brain injury and seniors who want to move out of nursing homes and back in their communities. MFP has assisted more than 88,000 individuals to voluntarily move into a setting of their choice and has helped 44 states improve access to home and community-based services (HCBS). Congress included short-term funding in the amount of $112 million in the Omnibus funding bill for the program in January 2019 (H.R. 259), which will end well before the end of the fiscal year in many states.

BIAA Signs on to Disability Principles for Inclusion of LTSS in Universal Health Care

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) signed on to the CCD’s principles stating that long-term services and supports (LTSS) must be incorporated into any universal or “For All” health care system in the United States. LTSS are an important component of service delivery for the disability community and older adults. However, there is extremely limited access to LTSS in private insurance or Medicare, and few families have the means to pay for these daily services on an ongoing basis. The Medicaid program, which is the main payer of LTSS, has several short-comings, including waitlists and restrictions, which force many people with disabilities and older adults to rely on unpaid family caregivers and other programs that ensure access to housing, nutrition, work supports, and other basic needs, if available.

BIAA Prepares for CBITF Awareness Day

BIAA joins the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force (CBITF) and other advocates in celebrating the CBITF Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill March 13 in the Rayburn House Office Building (RHOB). BIAA will exhibit at the Awareness Fair in the RHOB first floor foyer. A briefing, “Living Well with Brain Injury,” will follow in RHOB room 2043 from 2:30-4 p.m. BIAA is also one of the sponsors of the reception, which will take place 5-7 p.m. in the same room.

BIAA gratefully acknowledges the Centre for Neuro Skills and Avanir Pharmaceuticals for their support for legislative action.