Policy Corner: October 20, 2023
Categories: Policy Corner Archives
House Republicans Fail to Elect a Speaker of the House
The Republican Conference failed to elect a Speaker of the House this week after holding three votes for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) who was unable to obtain the needed amount to be elected. He received 199 votes on Wednesday, which was 18 short of what is needed, and by this morning, the number of supporters dropped to 194. After the third loss, Rep. Jordan held a private secret ballot among Republicans and has since withdrawn his candidacy. The House of Representatives has been without a speaker for more than two weeks, paralyzing its ability to conduct business.
The House is facing a crisis with several crucial issues that need to be taken up, including the FY 2024 appropriation bills to fund government after Nov. 17. This week, the President submitted a supplemental request for military assistance to Israel and Ukraine to help with the defense of their countries; $10 billion in humanitarian aid across Israel, Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere in the world as necessary; and $13.6 billion for security and counter-drug trafficking measures along the U.S. southern border with Mexico, among other measures. Also of concern, is the need for Congress to pass the farm bill to replace the 2018 law which expired Sept. 30. The legislation authorizes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps. The Republican proposal for appropriations to fund SNAP is significantly less than what was agreed to in the debt ceiling bill and they are pushing to add work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents. Nearly 14 million people with disabilities receive vital nutrition assistance through SNAP, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Lawmakers Introduced Resolution for National Fall Prevention Awareness Week
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), along with several co-sponsors, introduced H. Con. Res. 67 last month supporting the designation of the week of September 17 through September 23, 2023, as “National Fall Prevention Awareness Week” to raise awareness about, and encourage the prevention of, falls among older adults. The resolution noted:
- Falls result in approximately 3,000,000 emergency room visits each year;
- Falls by adults aged 65 and older cause 39,000 largely preventable deaths annually;
- More than 1 out of 4 adults aged 65 and older in the United States fall each year; and
- Falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related deaths among adults aged 65 and older.
The resolution supports the work of federal, state, and local governments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), other federal agencies, local community-based organizations, the public health community, health care providers, businesses, and individuals working collaboratively to address risk factors that contribute to falls among older adults in the United States.
Senate Finance Committee to Hold Hearing on Paid Leave
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, (D-Ore.) will convene a committee hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, titled “Exploring Paid Leave: Policy, Practice, and Impact on the Workforce.” The Committee hearing will examine the benefits of paid leave for businesses and workers and the need for federal action to close existing policy gaps. Many companies offer leave benefits that allow employees to take time off from work for various reasons and are generally an agreement between the employer and employee, or employees representative, such as a union. Nearly half of Americans do not have the benefit of paid leave.
Currently, the only federal policy that ensures access to time off to care for others is the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which passed in 1993 to guarantee eligible workers access to unpaid leave for up to 12 weeks in a 12-month period. Eligibility for leave through the FMLA is dependent on how many hours an individual worked in the past year and the size of the employer they work for. Senator Wyden supported FMLS and believes that it is not fair to ask employees to choose between their job and their health or family. In January, Senators Wyden and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) joined colleagues in urging the Biden administration to advance a national paid family and medical leave program in the FY2024 budget. Comprehensive paid family and medical leave is critical to workers who care for their families.
HHS Agency Awards Grants to Expand Access to Care for People with Long COVID
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded nine grants of $1 million each for up to five years to support existing Long COVID clinics across the country. The Long COVID clinics supported by these awards will focus on increasing access to care, improving person-centered care coordination, expanding multidisciplinary networks and behavioral health support, and expanding social support services, particularly for underserved, rural, vulnerable, and minority populations that are disproportionately impacted by the effects of Long COVID. Long COVID can include a wide range of ongoing health problems, which can last weeks, months, or years and can sometimes result in disability. Some people have reported difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”), dizziness, fatigue, neurological symptoms, and problems with sleeping.