Policy & Advocacy News
ArchivesHappy 4th of July!
There’s nothing like the 4th of July to remind us of how great our country is. For me, what I love most about being an American is my right to speak out in support or opposition of what my elected officials are doing up in Congress and in the White House.
When I turned 18, I was so excited that I finally had the right to vote (you can imagine how much fun I was in high school). As a bona fide history geek, every time I vote, or place a call to Congress or write a letter to my electeds, I think about the patriots who embarked on a Great Experiment and sought to create a government of the people, by the people, for the people. How unsure they must have been that it would work, that a country without a strong central government would be able to thrive, that its citizens wouldn’t naturally gravitate back into living under tyranny. Ultimately, their faith in humankind won out over the fear and doubt. Man, that gets me.
Posted by Carlea Bauman on July 3rd, 2008
Posted in: C3 News, Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »
Senate Goes on Vacation…Seniors Suffer
Last week the U.S. Senate was unable to vote on HR 6331, The Medicare Improvements for Patients Providers Act. The Senate voted 58-40 to cut off debate and take up the bill, but they were two votes shy of what was needed.
What does this mean? If the Senate vote to cut off the debate ended up 60-40, the Senate would have been forced to vote on the bill. Instead, the Senate debated endlessly (filibuster) until they finally adjourned to go home for the entire next week. Because of this inaction, payments for physicians who treat Medicare recipients were cut by 10.6 percent on July 1st.
Posted by Joe Arite on July 3rd, 2008
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »
Tags: Congress, Medicare, Senate
President Bush Signs FY 08 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill
President Bush signed the Fiscal Year 2008 emergency supplemental appropriations bill today. We are happy to report the bill included an additional $150 million for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Click here to read a statement from Senator Byrd (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Posted by Joe Arite on June 30th, 2008
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »
Tags: Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, FDA, President Bush
Big Day for Colorectal Cancer on Capitol Hill!
Yesterday, Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and the rest of the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee approved its FY 2009 spending bill.
The bill makes major investments in healthcare including:
Colorectal Screenings – The Subcommittee provided $25 million to establish a nation-wide program to support colorectal screenings for low-income individuals.
Posted by Joe Arite on June 25th, 2008
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | 2 Comments »
Tags: Appropriations, Congress, HR 1738
Emergency Supplemental Update
As I mentioned last week, the FY08 emergency supplemental appropriations bill passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. Included in the bill was an additional $150 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The package will now be sent to the Senate where it is expected to be greeted with similar support. It is also important to note that White House Budget Director Jim Nussle went on record last Thursday to express the administration’s approval of the final package.
Stay tuned…
Posted by Joe Arite on June 23rd, 2008
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Tags: Congress, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, NIH
