| The Human Needs Report is the Coalition on Human Needs' newsletter on national policy issues affecting low-income and vulnerable populations. It is published every other week while Congress is in session. If you would like to receive the Human Needs Report by email, send an message to Adam Hughes with "subscibe Human Needs Report" in the subject line. - Unemployment Benefits Extension Falters
Congressional disagreements over competing versions of a measure to extend federal unemployment benefits were not resolved before Congress's lame-duck session ended this week, leaving at least 830,000 workers without benefits by the end of the year. On November 14, the House and Senate passed two separate bills that would extend unemployment benefits through the Temporary Emergency Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) Program, which is set to expire on December 28. Created last March, TEUC provides federally funded unemployment benefits to workers who have already used up their state-funded unemployment insurance.
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- Congress Passes Long-Stalled Terrorism Insurance Legislation
On November 19, more than a year after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, the Senate gave final passage (86 to 11) to legislation (HR 3210) that would provide federal monies to the property and casualty industry to cover future terrorism-related losses. With the conference report cleared by both the House and Senate, passage of the bill was a major lame-duck victory for President Bush, who strongly urged Congress to pass the measure before the end of the session.
(More >) - Many Programs Benefiting Poor Face Reauthorization in 2003
A number of federal programs important to the poor and disadvantaged are up for reauthorization next year. What follows is a list of some of these programs, with a preview of issues that will likely be addressed during their respective reauthorization debates.
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- Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Legislation Becomes Law
Legislation aimed at preventing juvenile delinquency and protecting youth in the juvenile justice system became law on November 2 as part of the Department of Justice authorization bill (HR 2215). Passage of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002 was a major victory for advocates, many of whom had worked for six years to promote federal juvenile justice policy that focuses on rehabilitation and prevention. The law is intended to protect youth from abuse and assault in adult jails, and authorizes federal monies for prevention, treatment, and early intervention activities.
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