April 3, 2006

 

 
THIS WEEK ON THE HILL
 
The congressional fight over the status of 11 million undocumented immigrants will continue throughout the week as the Senate attempts to wrap things up on a comprehensive immigration reform bill before adjourning for a two-week recess.   The Senate will consider S.2454, introduced by Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn).  During last week's floor debate, the Judiciary Committee-approved bill, based mostly on legislation sponsored by Senator John McCain (R-Az) and Ted Kennedy (D-Mass), was introduced as a substitute to Frist's bill, S.2454.  The Judiciary Committee language includes a guest worker proposal unlike the underlying Frist bill. 
 
Republican and Democratic staff worked through the weekend to negotiate which amendments would be offered on the floor and determined a schedule for debate.  The possibility of the bill being stalled or the process being halted is likely.  Senate Republicans opposed to allowing illegal immigrants to stay in the county and eventually earning citizenship want a chance to make changes to the substitute amendment that would reverse those provisions.  Senate Democrats would like to push for a quick vote on the substitute, limiting the ability of the opposition to offer amendments.  For more information on immigration and amendments, please see story below. 
 
The House will meet tomorrow morning to consider 6 measures under suspension and 12 additional measures under suspension on Wednesday, April 5.  The chamber will also begin debate on its version of the FY 2007 budget resolution, approved last week by the Budget Committee.  Attempts to raise the discretionary spending level is expected (the Senate added $16 billion to its discretionary spending total).   The House measure calls for an $873 billion discretionary spending cap and also contains reconciliation instructions to eight committees to find over $6.8 billion in mandatory spending over five years.  The savings would NOT come from Medicare, Medicaid or student loans.  The instruction includes $4 billion from the Ways and Means Committee, $1.3 billion from Education and Workforce, $55 million from Agriculture, $450 million from Financial Services, $250 million from International Affairs, $500 million from the Judiciary, and $50 million from Transportation and Infrastructure.  The measure does not include tax cut reconciliation instructions or drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 
 

IMMIGRATION DEBATE

A key provision in the substitute is a guest worker program which has been one of the main points of contention during the debate.  If negotiators come to a resolution, there is likely to be a cloture vote on the Specter amendment.  If there are not 60 votes to end debate on the Specter amendment, the Senate is likely to face a cloture vote on the underlying Frist bill, which only focuses on border security and enforcement. 

The Specter amendment would create a guest worker program that could eventually lead to citizenship for those outside the U.S wishing to work here and a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants already present here.  President Bush supports giving temporary legal guest worker status to illegal immigrants who have jobs and providing them with a path to becoming permanent residents and naturalized citizens.  

Several amendments have already been offered including one by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn) to codify the oath of allegiance spoken by those becoming U.S. citizens.  The amendment would also enable green card holders who achieved English fluency to apply for citizenship one year early -- after four years; an amendment by Senators Cornyn (R-Tex) and Kyl (R-Az) that would make certain aliens ineligible for legal status if they were determined to be a danger to the U.S., guilty of a serious crime outside the U.S., were convicted of a felony, three misdemeanors or a serious immigration violation in the U.S.; and an amendment by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) that would authorize $50 million annually over the next five years in financial aid to local law enforcement in areas where illegal immigration increases crime and the costs of enforcement.  It would be focused on small communities within 100 miles of the U.S. border and two-thirds of the money would be reserved for use in the six states with the highest rates of apprehension of illegal aliens.

According to the Pew Hispanic Center, a non-partisan research "think-tank," an estimated 850,000 illegal immigrants have arrived in the U.S. each year since 2000.  About 6.2 million are from Mexico, 2.5 million from Latin America, 1.5 million from Asia, 600,000 from Europe and Canada, and 400,00 from Africa and other countries.  There are 13.1 million legal immigrants, not including naturalized citizens, living in the U.S.  

Under current law, immigrants can apply for citizenship five years after becoming legal permanent residents.  They must pay a naturalization fee, pass English, history and U.S. government and be of good moral character.  Guest workers have employer-sponsored visas to work in the country for a limited time, usually two to seven years.  Some are able to apply for permanent residency.

*some information taken from Monday, April 3 Congressional Quarterly Today daily newsletter.

 

FY 2007 TAX RECONCILIATION BILL

Little progress has been made on the $70 billion tax reconciliation package. It appears unlikely that an agreement will be reached before the Spring recess.  Last week, the House defeated a motion that would have instructed conferees to accept the Senate provision calling for an alternative minimum tax "patch" in lieu of the House provision calling for a two-year extension of the 15 percent top tax rates on capital gains and dividend income. Procedural protections for the tax reconciliation measure lapse once an FY 2007 budget resolution is adopted.

 

 HOUSE PASSES HIGHER EDUCATION LEGISLATION

Last week, the House passed H.R. 609,  the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2006 by a vote of 221-199.  The measure reauthorizes sections of the Higher Education Act that were not reauthorized under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.  The House approved fourteen of the fifteen amendments that were offered as well as five of the seven amendments that were allowed under a second rule.  Provisions in the final bill include increasing the authorized maximum Pell Grant from $4,050 to $5,800 per student; the authorization of year-round Pell Grants; establishment of a Teacher Incentive Fund for the development of pay-for-performance systems in states and districts; and authorization of math and science competitiveness programs. 

For more information and text of the legislation, please visit the House Education and Workforce Committee website: http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/109th/education/hea/hea.htm

 

 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OUTLINES NEW MEDICAID FLEXIBILITIES

On Friday March 31, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Michael Leavitt, outlined new flexibilities available to states, that will help people served by Medicaid programs maintain access to affordable health care and allow states to use innovative approaches to providing health insurance and long-term care services. 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the first in a series of papers explaining the new Medicaid reforms that passed as part of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA).  The papers, "Roadmaps to Medicaid Reform" outlines new options to allow states to tailor their benefit packages and support individuals with disabilities and long-term care needs.  The road map on coverage options will outline how states can:

  1. Expand access to affordable mainstream coverage;
  2. Promote personal responsibility for health and accessing health care;
  3. Improve quality and coordination of care.
The long-term care road map will guide states as they:
  1. Expand coverage for individuals with disabilities, by moving to beneficiary control of decisions about long-term care services;
  2. Increase access to community care;
  3. Promote community-based care, independence, and choice.

CMS is expected to release corresponding "Dear State Medicaid Director" letters that will provide states with specific guidance on how to implement the new law.

*some info taken from Friday, March 31, HHS press release.