Policy Corner: June 21, 2019

House Passes Four-Bill Appropriations Package

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a package of fiscal year 2020 appropriations bills Wednesday. The package consists of four bills that fund federal departments including Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Defense, State, and Energy, from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020. The House refused to reduce or eliminate programs as proposed in the President’s budget. Funding for traumatic brain injury (TBI) programs and research as previously reported remained intact. The House is now is now taking up Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs.

Meanwhile, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) and the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) jointly submitted a letter to the Senate Appropriators requesting that they support the House recommendations of an additional $1 million for the Administration for Community Living (ACL) TBI program that provides grant funding to states to improve and expand service delivery and to the state protection & advocacy systems to expand their services to include individuals with brain injury.

In addition, as a member of the Injury and Prevention Network (IVPN), BIAA signed a letter to Senate Appropriators requesting a minimum of $700 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Included in this request is:

• $10 million for primary prevention of suicide;
• $25 million for firearm injury and mortality prevention research;
• $2 million for the National Violent Death Reporting System;
• $1 million for elderly falls prevention;
• $2 million for drowning prevention; and,
• $2 million for the Injury Control Research Centers.

Senator Casey Introduces Access to Free Speech and Assistive Technology Reauthorization

As reported last week, Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.), along with co-sponsors Sens. Margaret Hassan (D-N.H.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), introduced the Access to Free Speech for All Act (AFSFA), which now has a bill number, S. 1836. This bill aims to make sure individuals get the communication devices and services they need.

Also, the 21st Century Assistive Technology Act has a bill number, S. 1835. Introduced by Sens. Casey and Susan Collins (R-Maine), the bill increases funding for state assistive technology programs to provide for greater resources to rural regions and the increasing need among older individuals, and improved efforts to ensure access to assistive technology keeps pace with advances in technology. ACL administers the State Grant for Assistive Technology Program and the Assistive Technology National Activities funded under the Assistive Technology Act.

Lawmakers Introduce Emergency Preparation and Persons with Disabilities Legislation

Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.) and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) have introduced the Real Emergency Access for Aging and Disability Inclusion for Disasters Act (REAADI), S. 1755 and H.R. 3208. REAADI aims to establish a National Commission on Disability Rights and Disasters to study the needs of individuals with disabilities, older adults, and others with access and functional needs in terms of emergency preparation and planning, disaster response, recovery, and mitigation. Additionally, it would provide financial support to develop and provide technical assistance and training to state and local emergency managers as well as disaster relief agencies.

In addition, S. 1754, introduced by Senator Casey, and H.R. 3215, introduced by Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.), would ensure that individuals eligible for Medicaid who are forced to relocate due to a disaster are able to continue to access their Medicaid-supported services. The legislation is referred to as the Disaster Relief Medicaid Act.

OMB Considers Changing Poverty Guidelines

Although the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is asking for comments on the poverty guidelines or the impact of changes to those guidelines, advocates are concerned with regard to how it will impact eligibility for public safety net programs, including Medicaid, SSI, housing subsidies, food stamps, and so forth. The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), of which BIAA is a member, has submitted concerns to OMB stating that changes may impact individuals with disabilities and other individuals needing public assistance. CCD’s letter notes that people with disabilities would be disproportionately impacted by the use of many indices to inflate the official poverty measure and any proposed change must go through the full notice and public comment process.

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