Monthly Archives: March 2008
- CHN: Mortgage Crisis from the Perspective of Homeowners
Fearing widespread collapse of global financial markets the Federal Reserve moved quickly to avert disaster by facilitating the purchase of a leading global investment bank, Bear Stearns, by J.P. Morgan Chase. The Fed bailout of Bear Stearns, in essence, consists of $30 billion in taxpayer-backed guarantees for the firm’s assets. At the core of the Read More »
Posted in Housing and Homelessness Comments Off - CHN: Last Chance for Farm Bill
When Congress returns on March 31 it will have two weeks to work out the details of the Farm Bill or likely have to put off passing a new bill until next year. Negotiations have come to a grinding halt over jurisdictional issues and how to pay for $10 billion in new funding in the Read More »
Posted in Food and Nutrition, SNAP Comments Off - CHN: Second Chance Act
Reentry Bill Awaits President’s Signature On March 11, after months of delay, the Senate passed the Second Chance Act of 2007, S. 1060, by unanimous consent. The Second Chance Act is designed to help ex-offenders reenter their communities successfully. The House passed its bill, H.R. 1593, which is identical to the Senate bill, last November Read More »
Posted in Education and Youth Policy Comments Off - CHN: Final Agreement on the Budget Awaits Congress’ Return
The House and Senate approved their own versions of the FY 2009 Budget Resolution on March 13 and 14, and then left Washington for a two-week recess. On their return, the two bodies must work out their differences and enact a final Resolution. They must settle on a total for next year’s appropriations in the Read More »
Posted in Budget and Appropriations Comments Off - CHN: Farm Bill Stalemate Continues
Since the House and Senate each passed bills months ago to reauthorize the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419), final agreement on the differences has been elusive. The Farm Bill includes funding for farm crop subsidies, conservation, rural development, forestry, and nutrition programs. Standing in the way of final passage of the bill is an agreement on Read More »
Posted in Food and Nutrition, SNAP Comments Off - CHN: House Passes Mental Health Parity Bill
Advocates applauded passage of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act (H.R. 1424) in the House on March 5. The bill passed with bipartisan support, 268-148. The Senate passed its version, the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007 (S. 558) last September. Both bills require equity in the provision of mental health and Read More »
Posted in Health Comments Off - CHN: House and Senate Committees Pass Budgets
The House and Senate Budget Committees passed budget resolutions on March 5-6 that present a marked contrast to the President’s budget released in early February. Both budgets signal a different set of priorities. They reject the President’s request to cut $150 billion in cuts to Medicare over five years and billions in cuts to Medicaid; Read More »
Posted in Budget and Appropriations Comments Off
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