News Archive
The Arc continues to work to protect the significant achievements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the nondiscrimination provisions in Section 1557. We are disappointed to see the proposed rule from the Department of Health and … Continue reading →
Today, with advances in medical care, deinstitutionalization, and people working and living more productive lives, individuals with I/DD are living much longer. Mark Keeley, President and CEO of the St. Louis Arc, recognized the growing needs of this aging population … Continue reading →
From May 30-June 5, housing advocates across the country are hosting a National Housing Week of Action to promote affordable housing and educate policymakers. Advocates are encouraged to join the National Tweetstorm on Tuesday, June 4 from 2:00 to 3:00 … Continue reading →
The post Housing: Advocates Host National Housing Week of Action appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has created a national online dialogue on the use of subminimum wages under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. DOL is specifically seeking comments from people with … Continue reading →
The post Employment: DOL Seeks Comments on Subminimum Wage appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On May 22, Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act (S.1585). This bill would require institutions of higher education to accept a student’s individualized … Continue reading →
The post Education: Senators Introduce Bill to Improve Access to Accommodations in College appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On May 10, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed a rule that would prohibit “mixed status” immigrant families from living in public housing and Section 8 units. “Mixed status” families are families in which some members … Continue reading →
The post Housing: HUD Proposes Ban on Housing Assistance for Mixed Status Families appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On May 24, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released an advance copy of a proposed rule to weaken its regulations implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Section 1557 prohibits discrimination on the basis of … Continue reading →
The post Health/Rights: HHS Proposes Weakening Health Care Anti-Discrimination Rule appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On May 20, the House passed the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (H.R.2480). This bill reauthorizes the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), which provides federal funding to states to address child abuse and neglect. This bill … Continue reading →
The post Child Welfare & Adoption: House Passes CAPTA Reauthorization appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
Washington, DC – This week, reports have surfaced documenting that thousands of immigrants have been trapped in solitary confinement in immigration detention centers, often based solely on their disability status or their gender identity. “These atrocious reports of cruel confinement … Continue reading →
On May 16, the House of Representatives passed H.R.987, which reverses administrative actions weakening the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It rescinds the Department of Health and Human Services regulation expanding the use of short-term limited-duration insurance (STLDI). STLDI plans are … Continue reading →
The post Health: House Passes Bill to Improve the ACA appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On May 21, the House Committee on Financial Services will hold a hearing titled “Housing in America: Oversight of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.” Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Dr. Ben Carson will testify. As stated … Continue reading →
The post Housing: House Committee to Hold Hearing on HUD Oversight appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
May 17, 2019 marked the 65th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 Supreme Court Case that held public school segregation based on race was unconstitutional. In light of this anniversary, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a … Continue reading →
The post Education: GAO Blog Notes Disparities on 65th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
Washington, DC – This week, President Trump sent to Congress an amended budget proposal which included money for Special Olympics, reversing an attempt to cut the funding. However, many other cuts that could impact the lives of people with intellectual … Continue reading →
On May 8, the House Appropriations Committee approved its fiscal year (FY) 2020 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (L-HHS-ED) bill. The bill provides $189.9 billion in funding, a 7% increase over FY 2019. Most of The … Continue reading →
The post Budget & Appropriations: House Committee Approves L-HHS-ED Appropriations appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On May 8, the House Committee on Education and Labor approved the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (H.R.2480). This bill reauthorizes the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), which provides federal funding to states to address child … Continue reading →
The post Child Welfare & Adoption: House Committee Approves CAPTA Reauthorization appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On May 8, the House Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing titled “Paid Family and Medical Leave: Helping Workers and Employers Succeed.” Witnesses were Marisa Howard-Karp, Member, MomsRising; Anthony Sandkamp, Owner, Sandkamp Woodworking; Pronita Gupta, Director of Job … Continue reading →
The post Employment/Family Support: House Committee Holds Hearing on Paid Family and Medical Leave appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On May 7, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a notice of solicitation of comments on how to measure inflation for purposes of determining the federal poverty level. The agency currently uses the Consumer Price Index for All … Continue reading →
The post Income Support: OMB Seeking Comments on Federal Poverty Level Inflation Measures appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently issued long-awaited guidance clarifying that funds in ABLE accounts should not be included in determining a person’s eligibility for means-tested housing assistance. ABLE accounts are available to people with significant … Continue reading →
The post Tax/Housing: HUD Issues Guidance on Treatment of ABLE Accounts appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On April 18, the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) released a report titled “Protecting Students’ Civil Rights: The Federal Role in School Discipline.” The report discusses the negative impacts of zero-tolerance policies and discrimination in discipline. It notes guidance documents and … Continue reading →
The post Education: LPI Releases School Discipline Report appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
The Arc was concerned to read the Notice Statement on the reorganization of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) published in the federal register. As the “the principal agency in the department designated to lead aging and disability programs,” ACL … Continue reading →
On May 1, Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and 14 other co-sponsors introduced the Medicare for America Act (H.R.2452). The bill expands Medicare to cover all persons not covered by employer-sponsored health insurance. Additionally, it expands Medicare’s … Continue reading →
The post Health/LTSS: Representatives Introduce Medicare for America Act appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual assault and violence disproportionately affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), with findings from NPR revealing that people with I/DD are assaulted at seven times the rate of people without disabilities. The first step … Continue reading →
By Nicole Jorwic People with disabilities are being tortured by shock devices at the Judge Rotenberg Center. These devices are worn by residents of JRC, an institution in Massachusetts for children and adults with disabilities. Staff members use remote controls … Continue reading →
On April 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) which included a study of data from 2010, 2012, and 2014 on the prevalence of autism among four-year-old children across study … Continue reading →
The post Autism: CDC Releases New Autism Prevalence Data appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On April 22, the Social Security Board of Trustees released “The 2019 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds.” The 2019 report finds that at the end … Continue reading →
The post Social Security: Trustees Release 2019 Annual Report Showing Extended Solvency appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
The 43rd annual Disability Policy Seminar, held earlier this month, proved to be one of the largest ever with more than 900 people registered. The opening plenary celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Olmstead Supreme Court decision. Representative Debbie Dingell … Continue reading →
The post Disability Policy Seminar Successfully Concluded appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual assault and violence disproportionately affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), with findings from NPR revealing that people with I/DD are assaulted at seven times the rate of people without disabilities. The … Continue reading →
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual assault and violence disproportionately affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), with findings from NPR revealing that people with I/DD are assaulted at seven times the rate of people without disabilities. The … Continue reading →
On March 25, the House of Representatives approved the Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019 (H.R.1839) which adds an additional $20 million for the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program through September 30, 2019. The Senate passed H.R.1839 … Continue reading →
The post Medicaid/LTSS: House and Senate Approve MFP Extension appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On April 10, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and 14 other Senators introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2019 (S.1129) which expands Medicare to cover all residents. It also eliminates all out-of-pocket costs for all benefits except prescription drugs and … Continue reading →
The post Health/LTSS: Medicare for All Plan With LTSS Coverage Introduced in the Senate appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On April 4, the House Budget Committee reported out the Investing for the People Act (H.R.2021) to raise on defense and nondefense discretionary (NDD) spending by $88 billion each in FY 2020 and FY 2021. If the spending caps created … Continue reading →
The post Budget & Appropriations: House Committee Passes Bill to Increase Spending Caps for FY 2020 appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On April 2, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Representatives Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) introduced the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2019 (S.995, H.R.2035). This bipartisan bill reauthorizes the Lifespan Respite Care … Continue reading →
The post Family Support: Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Introduced in the House and Senate appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On April 10, the Department of Education released a guidance document titled “Parent and Educator Guide to School Climate Resources.” This document provides strategies schools can use to improve school climate, reduce disciplinary issues, and make schools safer. The document … Continue reading →
The post Education: Education Department Releases School Climate Guidance appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
Happy National Volunteer Week and Month! Every day at chapters around the country, volunteers with and without disabilities work together to serve each other and the communities. This month, we honor all volunteers who selflessly give their time to make … Continue reading →
Chris Miller, James Meadours, and Kecia Weller Every day, in every community across the U.S., people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are being sexually assaulted. Too many have a story to tell, and yet few are ever heard. The … Continue reading →
The Arc of the Central Mountains recently opened their doors to support people through advocacy, outreach, and policy in a rural area of the Colorado mountains. They immediately found themselves in court supporting some of these individuals. One of these … Continue reading →
Washington, DC – The Arc has joined an amicus brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in the case Texas v. United States. The brief supports the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care … Continue reading →
On March 26, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA), John Katko (R-NY), Joe Neguse (D-CO), David McKinley (R-WV), Dean Phillips (D-MN), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), and Glen Thompson (R-PA) introduced … Continue reading →
The post Education: IDEA Full Funding Act Reintroduced appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On March 25, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a letter to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit stating it agreed with the ruling of the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas in United … Continue reading →
The post Health: DOJ to Argue Court Should Invalidate Entire ACA appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On March 27, a judge in the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia issued two rulings striking down Medicaid work requirements in Arkansas and Kentucky. The opinions direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reconsider … Continue reading →
The post Medicaid: Federal Court Strikes Down Medicaid Work Requirements appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On April 3, the National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) will host a webinar titled Person and Family-Centered Planning for Respite. The webinar will focus on the importance of person and family-centered planning for caregivers. NCAPPS is … Continue reading →
The post Family Support: NCAPPS to Host Webinar on Person and Family-Centered Planning for Respite appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
Washington, DC – It’s budget season in Washington, DC, and there’s a lot at stake in the proposals for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). In the last few years, the Administration has consistently proposed cuts to programs that … Continue reading →
Washington, DC – The Arc released the following statement in response to the federal court ruling against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ approval of Medicaid waiver projects in Kentucky and Arkansas that include work requirements. “We are … Continue reading →
#HandsOff is a series on The Arc Blog. Each month, we feature a story from individuals and families across The Arc’s network about how some of today’s key policy issues impact their day to day lives. By: Erik Smith I … Continue reading →
On March 22, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) released a draft budget resolution for fiscal year (FY) 2020. The budget proposes to reduce the deficit by $538 billion over five years compared to current law, primarily through reductions … Continue reading →
The post Budget & Appropriations: Senate Republicans Release FY 2020 Budget Resolution With Instructions That Could Affect Medicaid appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
On March 18, Representatives Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Michael Turner (R-OH), Max Rose (D-NY), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) reintroduced the ABLE Age Adjustment Act (H.R.1814). This bill amends the Stephen … Continue reading →
The post Tax Policy: ABLE Age Adjustment Act Reintroduced in House appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
In December 2018, The Arc filed an amicus brief before the New York Supreme Court in People v. McCollum in support of an adult man with autism charged with unauthorized driving of city trains and buses. In an unprecedented decision, … Continue reading →
On March 11, President Trump released his fiscal year (FY) 2020 Budget Request. The budget proposes $2.7 trillion in cuts over 10 years, including cuts to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act programs, and non-defense discretionary (NDD) programs. NDD programs – … Continue reading →
The post Budget & Appropriations: President Releases FY 2020 Budget Request Documents appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
Today, the Trump Administration released a budget request that if passed by Congress, would put the lives of people with disabilities at risk. The proposal includes deep cuts to Medicaid, the core program providing access to health care and home … Continue reading →
On March 7, Senators Ben Sasse (R-NE), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2019 (S.695). This bill would create “Military Education Savings Accounts” that parents serving in the military … Continue reading →
The post Education: Military Education Savings Account Bill Introduced appeared first on The Capitol Insider.
