Policy Corner: September 24, 2021

House Passes Senate Havana Syndrome Bill
This U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Havana Act of 2021, S. 1828, authorizing additional support for U.S. officials who were injured from mysterious episodes that caused traumatic brain injuries, referred to as the “Havana Syndrome.” Introduced by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the bill establishes criteria for treatment and compensation. Officials believe that more than 200 people, primarily diplomats and other officials from the State Department and intelligence agencies, have been affected by symptoms that were initially reported in Cuba, hence the name, “Havana Syndrome.” Although the cause has not been verified, some have speculated that microwave energy could be the culprit.

House Passes CR to Extend Federal Funding Past the Current Fiscal Year
The House of Representatives passed a temporary continuing resolution (CR) Tuesday night to avoid a government shut down by extending federal funding for governmental agencies through Dec. 3. Funding is needed to continue federal government operations after Oct. 1 when the new fiscal year starts. The Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, H.R. 5305, also provides $28.6 billion in disaster relief and $6.3 billion to support Afghanistan evacuees with temporary housing, security screenings, and resettlement. It also allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to transfer existing funds for the purposes of handling an anticipated increase in disability claims due to three new presumptive eligibility conditions, such as Agent Orange for veterans who served in southwest Asia and other areas. The CR also raises the debt ceiling to pay for spending and tax cuts that have already been incurred in the past years. The Senate Republicans are opposed to including the provision to raise the debt ceiling and are proposing their own CR without raising the debt ceiling.

House Budget Committee to Markup Build Back Better Act
The House Budget Committee will markup the concurrent resolution on the budget for FY 2022, S.Con.Res.14 – the full Build Back Better Act, this weekend. The 2022 budget resolution and reconciliation will include provisions to support the president’s vision of the “Build Back Better” plan to support child care, health care, education, climate change, affordable housing, family medical leave, home and community supports for individuals with disabilities, among other issues. The budget resolution’s reconciliation framework was allocated among 13 House committees. The reconciliation instructions gave the House Ways and Means Committee, the chief tax-writing committee in the House, the flexibility to craft comprehensive legislation. The resolution instructed these committees to report legislation consistent with these budgetary targets to the Budget Committee by Sept. 15, 2021. The deadline for markup was extended until tomorrow. The Budget Committee will combine the legislation from the committees – without substantive revision – and prepare it for floor consideration.

Senator Hosts News Conference on SSI
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chair of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy, hosted a news conference call this week in his home state of Ohio on his efforts to improve and reform Supplemental Security Income (SSI). His suggested reforms will allow Americans to work and save for the future without facing government penalties. Sen. Brown is the author and lead sponsor of the “SSI Restoration Act.” He called attention to SSI that provides financial assistance to nearly 8 million seniors and Americans who are blind or living with disabilities. The current program deters these Americans from working, saving for the future, and being married. Many parts of the SSI program, such as eligibility and benefits, haven’t been updated since the 1980s.

The SSI Restoration Act would increase SSI benefit levels, which currently, the average monthly benefit is just $585 per month, topping out at $794 per month, or about 75% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The proposed legislation would increase benefit levels to 100% of the FPL. The proposed bill would also update asset limits and income rules to compensate for inflation. Currently, a single person can save $2,000, and a married couple can save $3,000 before they lose benefits. The legislation would raise those limits to $10,000 for an individual and $20,000 for a married couple.

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.