AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT May 9, 2008

Below are the top stories of the week from Capitol Hill.

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
May 9, 2008

In this issue:

* Congress to Consider Emergency Funding Bill
* House Approves $15 Billion for States to Buy and Redevelop Vacant Foreclosed Units
* Senator Clinton Introduces the Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act
* House Approves Bill Increasing Repayments to States and Localities for Incarcerating Undocumented Aliens
* FAA Reauthorization Stalls in the Senate
* President Signs College Loan Relief Bill
* Senate Democrats Introduce New Energy Bill
* Child Care Provider Compensation and Quality Bill Introduced
* Bulletproof Vest Bill Delayed
* Public Safety Officer Collective Bargaining Bill

Congress to Consider Emergency Funding Bill
The House announced plans to consider an emergency funding bill next week which would provide additional funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and to meet pressing domestic needs. The domestic spending portion of the bill, which will be voted on separately before a final vote on passage of the bill, extends unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, including added funding for UI administration, provides an expanded education bill for veterans and funds other critical needs. The bill would also provide a temporary stop to cuts in federal payments to states which would occur if seven Medicaid regulations proposed by the Administration were to go into full effect. The House has already passed legislation to put a moratorium on these regulations by an overwhelming bipartisan vote. The Medicaid regulations moratorium is needed to help states avoid loss of Medicaid funding that would exacerbate deteriorating fiscal conditions in the states. The Senate bill includes the domestic provisions proposed in the House bill but also includes $490 million for state and local law enforcement formula grants, $451 million for the repair of reconstruction of roads and bridges, and $400 million for rural schools.
(Linda Bennett- lbennett@afscme.org)

House Approves $15 Billion for States to Buy and Redevelop Vacant Foreclosed Units
The House voted 239-188, largely along party lines, to approve the "Neighborhood Stabilization Act" (H.R. 5818) which would create a $15 billion fund– $7.5 billion in grants and $7.5 billion in loans– to be allocated to states for the purchase, rehabilitation, sale, or operation of foreclosed units. The goal is to stabilize and occupy properties immediately by reselling or renting to qualified low– and moderate income Americans. H.R. 5818 also addresses related problems due to the skyrocketing number of foreclosures and delinquent loans, which is worsening America's credit crunch, lowering property values and consumer confidence, and reducing local government property tax and other revenues. Funds will be allocated to states taking into account the number of foreclosures over the last year and the number of subprime loans delinquent more than 90 days in each state. It requires states to allocate funds to large cities and counties. At least 50% of grant funds must be used to house families at or below 50% of area median income (AMI) and half of these funds must target families below 30% of AMI.

The Bush Administration has already threatened to veto the House bill. Recently, the Senate approved $4 billion in funding to states, through the Community Development Block Grant program, for buying or redeveloping foreclosed properties.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

Senator Clinton Introduces the Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) has introduced the Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act (S. 2944), which expands training opportunities for child welfare staff who provide family preservation and reunification services as well as those providing foster care and adoption services; removes limitations on training funds for child welfare staff employed by nonprofit agencies; and allows federal child welfare training funds to be available to staff in other fields who come in contact with children in the child welfare system, including the courts, education, and mental health. The bill also expands states' eligibility to receive federal training dollars for their child welfare staffs, as well as calls for a National Academy of Sciences study to make recommendations on appropriate caseload levels, workload, training and supervision.
(Fran Bernstein- fbernstein@afscme.org)

House Approves Bill Increasing Repayments to States and Localities for Incarcerating Undocumented Aliens
The House approved by voice vote a bill (H.R. 1512) which would broaden the conditions under which the federal government reimburses states and localities for incarcerating undocumented aliens. Many state and local governments, including California, New York, Illinois, and southern border states, are spending increasing sums of money on these incarcerations without reimbursement. The bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) restores Congress' original intent that states and localities should receive State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) reimbursements. In 2003, the Bush Administration changed the policy limiting reimbursements to states and localities. In the Senate, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has introduced a companion bill (S. 2587).
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

FAA Reauthorization Stalls in the Senate
Legislation that would set policy for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been put on hold after finally making its way to the floor of the Senate. The legislation (H.R. 2881), which has already passed the House, would reauthorize FAA programs. The Senate bill was pulled from the floor after a vote to limit debate on the bill failed 49-42, 11 votes short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster. Controversial provisions that are not related to aviation created almost two weeks of heated partisan debate. AFSCME supports language in the bill that would improve the collective bargaining process for AFSCME members who work at the FAA. If Congress fails to approve an FAA reauthorization bill, an extension of the current law would have to be approved.
(Cynthia Bradley- cbradley@afscme.org)

President Signs College Loan Relief Bill
President Bush signed into law a bill (H.R. 5715) to ensure student access to federally backed loans this fall. It raises the limits on how much students can borrow, gives parents the option to defer repayment on PLUS loans until up to six months after their children leave school, provides temporary authority to the Department of Education to purchase student loans from lenders, and clarifies that the Secretary of Education has the authority to advance funds to guaranty agencies operating as lenders of last resort.
(Becky Levin- blevin@afscme.org)

Senate Democrats Introduce New Energy Bill
Senate Democrats announced details of the "Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008," which would address high gasoline prices. The bill would take back $17 billion in tax giveaways to oil companies. In addition, the bill would require oil companies to pay a 25% windfall profits tax if they do not invest in increased capacity and renewable energy sources, which ensures they act responsibly or pay their fair share of taxes. Both tax revenues would be invested in renewable energy, stronger consumer price protections, and energy efficiency through a specific Energy Independence and Security Trust Fund. The bill also would halt government purchases of oil for the strategic petroleum reserve to reduce demand, protect consumers from price gouging, and reduce market price speculation.
(Marc Granowitter- mgranowitter@afscme.org)

Child Care Provider Compensation and Quality Bill Introduced
Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the "Starting Early, Starting Right Act" (S. 2980) which would increase federal child care funding by $10 billion a year– tripling current funding– and improve the quality of child care. It would increase funding for training and education, improving the quality of child care, the compensation of providers, and accessibility to working families. It also encourages more states to adopt quality ratings improvement systems (QRIS), requiring child care providers who are licensed or registered to participate in an initial 40 hours of training and a subsequent 24 hours of training annually, increasing funding for grants to providers to help them meet licensing requirements and improve the quality of their settings. The bill has been endorsed by AFSCME along with the National Women's Law Center, Service Employees International Union and 25 other national organizations.
(Becky Levin- blevin@afscme.org)

Bulletproof Vest Bill Delayed
An effort by the Senate Judiciary Committee to move a bill (S. 2511) that would make it easier to reduce or waive state matching grant requirements for the purchase of bulletproof vests for public safety officers met a roadblock when Senate Republicans decided to delay consideration of the bill until next month. The Senate bill is the companion bill to the Wayne "Cotton" Morgan bill introduced in the House to honor the fallen AFSCME correctional officer.
(Blaine Rummel- brummel@afscme.org)

Public Safety Officer Collective Bargaining Bill
Senate plans to consider the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (S. 2123), which would grant collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by state and/or local governments, have been delayed, but a vote is now scheduled for Tuesday, May 13. The vote will require 60 votes to end debate. AFSCME strongly supports this measure and is working for its passage.
(Blaine Rummel- brummel@afscme.org)

Click here to join the AFSCME e-Activist Network.

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/
Produced by Union Labor