BIAA Legislative Update June3
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SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT: BIAA recently issued a Legislative Action Alert on Fiscal Year 2009 TBI appropriations. BIAA continues to urge advocates to make contact with their representatives in Congress and urge them to increase appropriations for federal TBI programs this year. If you have not already done so, please visit BIAA’s website TODAY to take action: http://capwiz.com/bia/issues/alert/?alertid=11411806.
Progress on appropriations occurred this week in the House of Representatives, as the House Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education Appropriations Subcommittee marked up, and approved by voice vote, its Fiscal 2009 spending bill on Thursday.
In addition, on Thursday evening, the House approved the latest compromise version of the war supplemental funding bill and the Senate is expected to take the bill up and pass it next week. This compromise bill contains a moratorium, strongly supported by BIAA, to delay the implementation of several harmful Medicaid regulations until at least April 2009.
Congress also made progress on a major disability rights bill, as both the House Education and Labor Committee and the House Judiciary Committee marked up and approved the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (H.R. 3195).
Finally, BIAA is excited to announce that it has joined a consortium of organizations working to put on a Dual Presidential Town Hall in Killeen, Texas. Killeen is home to Fort Hood, the largest U.S. military installation in the world. Senator McCain and Senator Obama have been invited to participate to discuss issues of mutual importance for our country, before an audience comprised of the men and women whose service and sacrifice ensure that these events continue through their defense of our country and of our Constitution. More information will be forthcoming pending further developments.
*Distributed by Laura Schiebelhut, BIAA Director of Government Affairs, on behalf of the Brain Injury Association of America; 703-761-0750 ext. 637; lschiebelhut@biausa.org
BIAA’s Policy Corner and Legislative Action Alerts are made possible by the Centre for Neuro Skills, James F. Humphreys & Associates, and Lakeview Healthcare Systems, Inc. The Brain Injury Association of America gratefully acknowledges their support for legislative action.
