Policy Corner: March 9, 2018

Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Resigns 

Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) recently announced that he will resign from the Senate effective April 1 due to health reasons. As such, he will be resigning as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. It is expected that Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) will be appointed to that position. The House of Representatives and the Senate are just now winding up appropriations for fiscal year 2018 after a series of short-term continuing resolutions (CR) to keep federal government running. The current CR expires March 23. Both the House and Senate appropriators have indicated that they will not talk about fiscal year 2019 spending until fiscal year 2018 appropriation bills are done. That will leave just six months to agree to spending for fiscal year 2019 federal programs beginning Oct. 1.

CBITF Circulates Dear Colleague Letter for TBI Programs

The Congressional Brain Injury Task Force (CBITF) Co-Chairs Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-N.J.) and Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) are circulating a “Dear Colleague” letter asking other members to sign in support of additional funding for TBI Act programs. These include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Administration for Community Living (ACL) grant programs for states and protection and advocacy, as well as additional funding for the ACL National Institute of Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) TBI Model Systems. The CBITF co-chairs are also circulating a separate letter for Department of Defense TBI programs. The deadline for obtaining signatures is March 14. Advocates are encouraged to contact their representatives to request that they sign the letters. 

The Brain Injury Association of America has created a sample letter for you to use when you email your member of Congress. When you send your email, make sure to attach this TBI Programs Appropriations letter and this TBI DOD Appropriations letter. To see if your representative supported appropriations last year, click here.

 

Senators to Introduce Bill on Sexual Assault of People with Disabilities 

Sens. Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.) and Margaret Hassan (D-N.H.) have announced their plans to introduce a bill to address sexual assault of people with disabilities on university campuses. The bill, named the Safe Equitable Campus Resources and Education (SECuRE) Act, will address the needs of individuals with disabilities within the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) is going to introduce the House companion bill. The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) supports the legislation.

BIAA Signs Letter on Association Health Plans

BIAA joined other members of the Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation (CPR) in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Labor Secretary, R. Alexander Acosta, regarding the department’s proposed rule, Definition of “Employer” under Section 3(5) of ERISA – Association Health Plans. As the propose rule may potentially impact existing individual and small group markets, CPR is concerned with the expected effect this rule will have on access to essential health benefits, particularly rehabilitation services and devices. The letter conveyed the belief that insurance coverage, whether through an employer, a plan purchased on the exchange, or an association health plan (AHP), must ensure access to timely, affordable, high-quality health care that meets the needs of individuals with disabilities.

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