[Nfbf-l] {Disarmed} Fw: UCP Washington Wire -- August 2, 2012
Carlos J MontasAS
carlos.montas at gmail.com
Fri Aug 3 10:10:14 UTC 2012
UCP Washington Wire -- August 2, 2012
----- Original Message -----
From: United Cerebral Palsy
To: carlos.montas at gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2012 2:01 PM
Subject: UCP Washington Wire -- August 2, 2012
Is this email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser.
August 2, 2012
CURRENT NEWS AND UPDATES
Federal Government Reaches Funding Deal
It was announced on Tuesday that a deal to fund the government from October 1, 2012 through March 1, 2013 was reached by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and President Obama. Although the agreement is still being drafted, the agreement will let Congress focus on issues like automatic spending cuts and Bush-era tax cuts. The deal was announced almost two months before deadline. Learn more from Politico. Or, read more from the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
U.S. Census Bureau Releases “Americans With Disabilities: 2010”
Yesterday, the U.S. Census Bureau released a new report, "Americans With Disabilities: 2010." The report found that nearly 1 in 5 Americans has a disability. More than half of those Americans recorded the disability as "severe." The report also found that people with disabilities represent more than $200 billion in discretionary spending. Learn more about the outcomes of the report.
National Council on Disability Votes to Eliminate §14(c)
Last week, the National Council on Disability (NCD) met and voted unanimously to accept a draft report from its Subcommittee on Sub-Minimum Wage that will ultimately phase out §14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act over the next six years. NCD will ultimately submit the report on Sub-Minimum Wage to both Congress and the President. Learn more from NCD.gov.
Office of Personnel Management Issues New Report on Employment of People with Disabilities
Last week, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released its Report on the Employment of Individuals with Disabilities in the Federal Executive Branch. The report focuses on data that represents people with disabilities who are employed by the Federal Government. Major findings for fiscal year 2011 include a 4.3 percent rise in the number of people with disabilities employed by the federal government. An estimated 11 percent of the federal workforce has a disability. View the report to the President here.
House of Representatives Approves One-Year Extension of Bush Tax Cuts
Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted to approve a one-year extension of the Bush tax cuts. The cuts were set to expire in January. However, the bill has only a small chance of making it through the Senate. The vote on extension comes one week after the Senate approved S. 3412, a measure that will allow taxes to rise for households that make over $250,000 per year. Learn more from The New York Times.
Senate Aims to Move Forward with UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Recently, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing to consider the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Now, the Senate is focusing on moving the treaty forward before August recess. Although it has been predicted that there will be no smooth path forward for the CRPD, UCP is hoping that the treaty’s bipartisan roots will allow for a smooth Senate ratification. To contact your Senators in support of the CRPD, visit the Council for Exceptional Children’s website to send an email.
Federal Government Promises Focus on Outcomes at IDEA Leadership Conference
Last week at the IDEA Leadership Conference, federal government officials offered a pledge that will “propose a new way to be held accountable in special ed.” In addition, officials announced that improved state compliance has not made much of a difference when it comes to test scores and drop out rates of students with disabilities. Read more about the conference from Education Week.
Disability.gov Posts July Disability Connection Newsletter
This week, Disability.gov posted their July Disability Connection Newsletter. The newsletter highlights everything that is going on in disability communities throughout the country. The July Newsletter also features tools and resource guides that aim to assist in hiring people with disabilities, travel resources, and accessing public libraries.
STATE CHECK-UP
August Edition of Medicaid Watch Released
Read the August 1, 2012 edition of MEDICAID WATCH. Notable and recent state developments and proposals that expand access and eligibility appear in blue, while noteworthy and recent state developments and proposals that reduce access and eligibility are printed in red. The last two pages contain a regularly-updated and current listing of sources and resources on state-level health coverage, with the most relevant news, facts and documents highlighted in yellow.
The MEDICAID WATCH doesn't cover only state-level Medicaid eligibility and access news; it also reports on other state health assistance programs, including: State Children's Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP); States' own non-federally-funded medical assistance programs; State Pharmacy Assistance Programs (SPAPs); State AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs); State-subsidized or - sponsored health insurance programs for limited income persons; and State-subsidized high risk health insurance pools (including premium discounts given by some risk pools to those with incomes under state-set levels).
North Carolina to Move Adults with Mental Illness from Nursing Care Homes
A new proposal from North Carolina officials has resolved the practice of housing people who are mentally ill in homes meant for the aging. After almost a year of negotiations with the federal government, the first steps have begun to move people with mental illnesses into integrated community settings. Learn more from North Carolina Health Systems.
Governor Cuomo Vetoes Bill That Pushed Changes to Special Education
In an early July post, UCP reported on a new bill passed by New York legislature in June. The bill stated that New York education officials must consider a student’s “home environment and family background” when looking at whether special education students receive taxpayer – funded private school tuition. Although the legislation passed, it came under review with the Cuomo administration. Now, The New York Times has reported that Cuomo has vetoed the bill. Cuomo stated on Tuesday that the bill would have created “an overly broad and ambiguous mandate” to send more students to private schools, burdening taxpayers with “incalculable significant additional costs.” Learn more from The New York Times.
ON THE HORIZON
U.S. Department of Labor to Hold Hiring Event for People with Disabilities
On August 8, 2012, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) will be sponsoring a federal hiring event for people with disabilities and veterans. The event will take place at the DOL from 10am-2pm EDT. Register for the event here.
For more information on this Washington Wire, contact: Connie Garner at CGarner at ucp.org.
Share:
--------------------------------------------------------
CONTACT:
800.872.5827
202.776.0406
1825 K Street NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006
info at ucp.org
www.ucp.org
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
Sign up for our e-publications
Copyright (C) 2012 United Cerebral Palsy. All rights reserved.
unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences
More information about the NFBF-L
mailing list