April 10, 2006

 

 
The House and Senate have adjourned for a two-week spring recess. 
 
 
IMMIGRATION REFORM STALLS; COMMITTEE TO REVISIT IN TWO WEEKS
 
On Friday, April 7, the Senate was unable to reach an agreement on comprehensive immigration reform legislation.  Despite a bipartisan compromise on language for a guest worker program earlier in the week, the Senate failed to invoke cloture by a vote of 38-60, which blocked further consideration of of a compromise proposal offered by Senators Chuck Hagel (R-Neb) and Mel Martinez (R-Fla).  The two senators had crafted a compromise on Thursday that would have established a multi-tiered system for handling undocumented workers.  Those who had been in the country for more than five years could stay and would be granted a renewable work visa after paying a $2,000 fine, back taxes and undergo a criminal background check.  After five years, they could apply for citizenship.  Those here between two and five years could file for a temporary work visa, but would have to return to a port of entry along the border within three years and apply for a green card.  With a green card, those individuals would be eligible to apply for citizenship, but would not have a guaranteed path to becoming Americans.  Illegal immigrants here less than two years would have to return to their country of origin. 
 
The revised package included enhanced border security, the authorization to hire an additional 12,000 new border patrol agents, deploying new technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles, requiring tamper-proof identification cards that would replace easily forged Social Security cards used now to obtain work and ratchet up penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants.
 
Shortly after the Hagel/Martinez compromise was announced, Senate leaders could not agree on which amendments could be offered to the new proposal. 
 
The chamber also voted against invoking cloture on the Judiciary Committee-approved legislation, which was offered as a substitute amendment to the underlying immigration bill, introduced by Senate Majority Leader First (R-Tenn), S. 2454.  This vote essentially defeated the Judiciary Committee substitute or any further Senate consideration of its language.
 
After Congress returns from their two-week recess, the Senate Judiciary Committee will take up consideration of the bill.  A renewed floor debate could ensue as soon as they return, although Senate Majority Leader Frist did not commit to a date to reconsider the bill. 
 

BUDGET RESOLUTION STALLED

On Friday, April 7, House GOP leaders failed to deliver a $2.8 trillion budget blueprint before adjourning for spring recess.  House Majority Leader Roy Blunt (R-Mo), however, believes the GOP can eventually adopt an FY 2007 budget resolution despite disagreement between appropriators, conservatives and moderates. 

This year's budget resolution reflects election-year realities and drops the President's proposed cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, crop subsidies and other politically sensitive programs.  To the dismay of many moderates however, the proposal adopts many of the presidents plans to trim spending.  The plan adopted Bush's $873 billion cap on discretionary programs and assumes $50 billion for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Conservative members also wanted promises from GOP leaders to overhaul the practice of earmarking spending bills with hometown projects, but the Appropriations panel disagreed.  A proposed rainy day fund for emergency disaster spending included in the budget resolution was also a point of contention.  That provision would require the House Budget Committee to sign off on any proposed emergency spending for natural disasters or other domestic purposes that exceeds $4.3 billion.

House leadership has pledged they would resume budget negotiations when they return from their two-week spring break.

HOUSE HOLDS HEARING ON AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings and U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee on the American Competitiveness Initiative.   Spellings and  Chao provided highlights of programs - particularly new proposals - in the Administration's proposed budget.  Recommendations include:  a need for improvements and accountability in math and science education, better data on graduation rates, and increasing the number of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate teachers of math, science, and critical foreign languages.  Secretary Chao presented information on new Career Advancement Accounts and other programs included in the budget proposal for the Department of Labor.

 

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE APPROVES FY 2006 EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL

Last week,  the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $106.5 billion emergency supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 4939) by voice vote.  The supplemental provides $72.4 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and $27 billion for hurricane relief along the Gulf Coast.   The House passed version totals $91.9 billion including $67.6 billion for military operations, $4.3 billion for State Department programs to assist foreign allies in fighting terrorism, and $19.2 billion for hurricane relief. The President's request was $92.2 billion. 

At last week's markup, the committee-approved amendment added about $10 billion to the measure's original total of $96.7 billion, including:

An amendment providing $350 million for the U.S. Department of Education to reimburse states for educating displaced students is also included in the supplemental.  

The measure provides $1 billion more than the House version for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and more funding for levees and flood control.  Floor consideration is anticipated after the spring recess.

GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR STATE EFFORTS TO CONNECT TANF AND CHILD WELFARE

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Children's Bureau has announced funding available for states and localities to strengthen collaboration between welfare and child welfare agencies. The department will award six grants of up to $400,000 for the first 12 month period.  Applications are due June 19, 2006. 

The purposes of the grants are to:

(1) demonstrate models of effective collaboration between welfare (TANF) and child welfare agencies that will improve outcomes for children and youth who are in, or are at risk of entering, the child welfare system;

(2) evaluate and document the processes and outcomes of these collaborations; and

(3) develop sites that other states/locales seeking improved collaboration between TANF and child welfare agencies can look to for guidance, insight, and possible replication.

Recognizing that a significant number of families are involved with both welfare and child welfare systems, states and localities have begun to implement efforts to better integrate services in the two systems. By working together more closely and reexamining the ways in which the financial, human and administrative resources of both systems are used, State and local child welfare and TANF agencies can improve the effectiveness in meeting their respective missions and recognize improved outcomes for families.

For more information, please see the HHS funding announcement here:  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/pdf/HHS-2006-ACF-ACYF-CW-0103.pdf (pdf)