AFSCME Legislative Report
AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
May 2, 2008
In this issue:
Promise of Presidential Veto Kills Anti-Privatization
Provision in Farm Bill
In a major disappointment to
AFSCME, an anti-privatization provision in the House farm bill was
excluded from the final bill during negotiations between the House
and Senate. After President Bush made clear that he would veto the
bill over the provision, a majority of the Senate members of the
conference committee, including one Democrat – Kent Conrad (ND),
voted against the provision that would have prevented the
Administration from allowing states to privatize the food stamp
program.
The debate over this provision was lengthy and contentious. The
House Democrats on the committee all voted to include the provision
in the final bill. Those who strenuously argued in favor of the
anti-privatization measure, and on AFSCME's behalf, included Reps.
Joe Baca (D-CA), David Scott (D-GA) , Dennis Cardozo (D-CA) and Rosa
DeLauro (D-CT). During the debate, Rep. DeLauro, who chairs the
Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee, stated that she would
explore other options in her Subcommittee to rein in the Bush
Administration's campaign to privatize the food stamp program.
Following the change in congressional leadership after the 2006
elections, this legislative effort was the first major campaign by
AFSCME to roll back privatization. The failure to win this fight
underscores the need to elect a President and additional members of
Congress who will work with AFSCME to curb the drive to privatize.
(Nanine Meiklejohn- nmeiklejohn@afscme.org)
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States' Budget Deficits Grow
A declining
economy is pushing state tax revenues down, and 31 states are now
facing budget shortfalls. For fiscal year 2009 states will face a
combined total of at least $40 billion in deficits. This will lead
to painful cuts at a time when demand for public services and
Medicaid is increasing. Congress must act to protect Medicaid and
provide relief to states. H.R. 5268 would support Medicaid coverage
and help states in fiscal crisis by providing $13 billion in new
temporary federal funding for Medicaid. S. 2819 would support
Medicaid coverage by blocking recent Medicaid regulations that cut
federal payments to states and by providing $12 billion in temporary
relief to states that meet criteria of economic stress. Both bills
are gaining support but need more co-sponsors.
(Linda Bennett-
lbennett@afscme.org)
Urge Congress to Act Now to Save Public Services
Please call the Capitol switchboard at 1-888-460-0813
and
ask to speak to your Senators and
Representative.
Tell them your state, cities, and counties are
suffering painful budget problems, and that Congress needs to act
now. Urge them to support a temporary increase in federal funding
for your state's Medicaid program and for flexible grants to states
and local governments. Let them know you are a member of AFSCME and
oppose federal budget cuts that reduce public services or hurt
government workers.
Urge your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 5628
and your Senators to co-sponsor S. 2819.
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Genetic Discrimination Bill Moves to President's
Desk
The House voted 414 to 1 for legislation (H.R.
493) to protect individuals from discrimination in health insurance
coverage and employment based on genetic information. The vote,
which follows the Senate's adoption of the bill last week, puts a
decade-long effort to ban discrimination based on one's genetic
information on a final path to changing the law. The President is
expected to sign the bill which would prevent health insurers from
canceling, denying, refusing to renew or changing the terms or
premiums of coverage based solely on a genetic predisposition toward
a specific disease. State and local government health plans would be
covered as well as Medigap insurance used by many retirees. The
prohibition against employment discrimination would protect state
and private sector employees.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)
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Senate Begins Debate on FAA Bill
Two Senate
committees have broken their deadlock over financing upgrades to the
nation's air traffic control system, clearing the way for a
long-delayed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization
bill (H.R. 2881) to come to the Senate floor. The legislation would
reform the FAA Personnel Management System. Presently, the FAA can
impose work rules when contract negotiations fail. H.R. 2881
provides for binding arbitration by a panel of impartial
decision-makers, bringing basic fairness to the flawed
labor-management relations process at the FAA. The House has already
approved the bill. Unfortunately, President Bush has threatened to
veto the legislation, citing the proposed collective bargaining
changes as one reason for the veto threat.
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)
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Bipartisan Senate Support for Key HUD Programs – Public
Housing and Community Development Block Grant
On April
24, Sens. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) released a
bipartisan letter requesting increased FY 2009 funding of $5.3
billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund and $3.5 billion for
the Public Housing Capital Fund. The letter states that President
Bush's proposed FY 2009 budget "underfunds the Operating Fund by an
astonishing $1 billion, based on HUD's projection of need" and would
fund only 81% of local public housing authorities' funding needs.
The letter notes, "(t)his funding shortfall will force public
housing authorities to make huge cuts in their operations including
staffing and inspections, and result in a decreased quality of life
for residents of public housing."
On April 25, Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Norm Coleman (R-MN)
released a bipartisan letter requesting increased FY 2009 funding of
$4.1 billion for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) formula
funds to cities and counties. The letter highlights that CDBG is
"one of the most effective federal domestic programs to revitalize
communities with proven results" and that President Bush's proposed
FY 2009 budget "would reduce the formula funding by another 18%,
cutting the formula allocation by almost 37% in just five
years." In addition to Sens. Leahy and Coleman, 61 senators
cosigned the letter.
(Marc Granowitter– mgranowitter@afscme.org)
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The REAL ID Act, A Real Burden for States
On
Tuesday, a Senate committee reviewed the impact of implementing the
REAL ID Act which requires states to adopt federal standards for
state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards. If a state
fails to comply by 2010, the federal government will not accept
these documents for federal purposes such as boarding an airplane or
entering a federal building. Numerous states, many of which are
facing budget deficits, expressed concern with the unfunded mandate
estimated to cost states $4 billion. Privacy concerns and database
security were also discussed.
(Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto- adibitetto@afscme.org)
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GAO Report Finds Health Savings Accounts (HSA) Benefit
Wealthy Over Average Americans
In a report released this
week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that health
savings accounts are functioning more as a tax shelter for wealthy
enrollees than as a solution to the problems of spiraling health
care costs and lack of coverage facing average Americans. The report
found that for nonelderly adults in 2005, the average income for tax
filers using HSAs was $139,000, compared with $57,000 for all other
filers. "This report provides further evidence that we need to
reexamine whether this is the right way to use the Government's
resources to address our health care needs," noted Rep. Henry Waxman
(D-CA) who, along with Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), requested the GAO
study.
(Fran Bernstein- fbernstein@afscme.org)
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AFSCME Department of Legislation
Phone:
202/429-5020 or 800/732-8120
Fax: 202/223-3413
E-mail:
legislation@afscme.org
Website:
http://www.afscme.org/
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