Policy Corner: April 13, 2018

Lawmakers Offer Resolution Designating May as Stroke Awareness Month

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), along with 21 co-sponsors, has offered H. Res. 337 to designate May as Stroke Awareness Month. The resolution has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. According to the Centers for disease Control and Prevention, one person in the United States dies from stroke every four minutes, and stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.

House Fails to Pass Balanced Budget Amendment

Last night the House of Representatives failed to get the two-thirds vote needed to pass the constitutional balanced-budget amendment. H.J. Res. 2 was offered to require Congress to spend no more than its revenue each year, subjecting federal programs to be cut in order to meet this requirement or increasing taxes to pay for the spending. To enact the balanced budge amendment requires both the House and the Senate to approve the proposed amendment by supermajority votes and ratification from the majority of States. Currently, 28 states having passed similar resolutions to call for a constitutional convention to adopt the amendment. Only six more states of the 34 are needed to call a constitutional convention to pass a balanced budge amendment.

Democratic Senators Oppose ADA Changes

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and 42 other democratic senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) March 29 pledging to block the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Education and Reform Act, H.R. 620. The bill weakens the provisions of access to public accommodations, such as restaurants, hotels, store, medical facilities, and so forth, by placing the onus on the person with a disability to complain with regard to noncompliance with regard to accessibility. The measure has passed the House and is now in the Senate for consideration. The Brain Injury Association of America is on record opposing H.R. 620.

Speaker Paul Ryan Announces His Plans to Retire

This week, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (D-Wis.) announced his plans to not seek re-election, but does plan to remain Speaker of the House through the end of the year.

ACL Holds Feedback Forums for ACL’s TBI Federal Coordination Plan

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is in the process of holding six stakeholder feedback conference calls to help inform the development of the Federal Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Coordination Plan and make sure the perspectives of all stakeholders are incorporated. The first call was held April 5. There are two remaining calls available:

• April 18, 7-8:30 p.m. (EDT), for self-advocates
• April 19, 12-1:30 p.m. (EDT), all stakeholders welcome

Individuals interested in participating in a forum should register online to receive the call information. Please register at least 48 hours before the session. Stakeholders may listen to all calls, but may only speak at their designated session. If you sign up to speak, you will receive a confirmation email with additional information. Speakers should keep their remarks to five minutes and should only respond to any or all of the following questions:

• What is the federal government doing well with regard to TBI coordination?
• What are the areas for improved coordination?
• What are your ideas for our next steps with regard to federal coordination?

For additional questions, please contact tbi@acl.gov.

President Signs Executive Order Regarding Public Assistance and Work Requirements

President Trump signed an Executive Order, “Reducing Poverty in America,” this week calling for department secretaries to produce plans to impose work requirements on able-bodied recipients of public assistance programs, including food assistance, Medicaid, and low-income housing subsidies. The president supports these individuals to work or lose their benefits. The Secretaries of the Treasury, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education are to draft “a list of recommended regulatory and policy changes” to take recipients off these programs and into the workforce.

President Removers VA Secretary

President Trump removed David Shulkin as Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) March 28 and nominated Admiral Ronny Jackson, M.D., who serves as the president’s physician. In the interim, Honorable Robert Wilkie is serving as Acting Secretary until Dr. Jackson is confirmed by the Senate.

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