Human Needs Report

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.

Articles from May 9, 2003

• Tax Cut Legislation Moves Through GOP-Controlled Congress
  The Republican-led Congress made strides this week in its push to pass legislation granting billions of dollars in tax breaks to America's richest citizens. The House approved a $550 billion tax package, while the Senate Finance Committee agreed to a $350 billion plan. Although GOP leaders were forced to scale back the $726 billion plan President Bush proposed, the House and Senate bills contain many of the administration's tax cut priorities.
  (More >)
  
  
• House Reauthorizes Workforce Investment Act
  On Thursday, May 9, the House passed the Workforce Reinvestment and Adult Education Act of 2003 (HR 1261) despite serious concerns of Democrats about provisions in the bill that remove civil rights protections and its inattention to the rising numbers of unemployed workers in America. HR 1261 reauthorizes the nation's primary job-training program, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), which initially passed Congress in 1998. The House voted 220 - 204 on final passage, with seven Democrats voting for the measure and ten Republicans voting against it.
  (More >)

• House Passes IDEA Reauthorization Legislation
  On Wednesday, April 30, the House approved legislation to rewrite and reauthorize the nation's special education law, the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL 105-17). Known by its acronym, IDEA guarantees students with disabilities a free public education in the "least restrictive environment" and authorizes the federal government to reimburse states for 40 percent of the average per-pupil special education cost. The reauthorizing legislation (HR 1350) was passed in the House largely along party lines by a vote of 251-171.
  (More >)