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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.
Article from the November 28 , 2006 edition
of the CHN Human Needs
Report:
The 109th Congress returned to Washington on November 13 to begin a lame duck session that is turning out to be lamer than most. Unwilling to engage in meaningful bipartisan negotiations, this Republican-led Congress has failed to complete its most basic task of providing funding for programs and agencies in the federal government. (See appropriations article in this HNR.) The first lame duck week was characterized by lack of progress on important issues, effectively reinforcing the “do nothing” label as little time remains before passing the baton to the new Congress in January.
The 109th Congress seems poised to lay its unfinished appropriations business on the lap of the new Congress. When they return on December 4th they may pass a one or two-year extension of a package of tax cuts that enjoy bipartisan support. These expiring provisions include the research and development tax credit, state sales tax deduction and college tuition deduction.
Congressional inaction before adjournment could create major problems for vulnerable populations. Among those affected are children in the 17 states where a funding shortfall in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is projected, families leaving welfare for work, and refugees and asylees at risk of losing eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Failing to fill the $900 million shortfall in SCHIP funds would place health care coverage for over 600,000 current SCHIP enrollees at risk. If Congress does nothing in December to address the issue, these 17 states will either have to increase state funding for SCHIP or scale back their SCHIP programs by reducing eligibility, eliminating benefits, increasing beneficiary cost-sharing or cutting provider payments.
If Congress fails to act before the end of December, Transitional Medicaid will expire. This program ensures continued health care coverage for poor families in which the parent’s work makes them ineligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
In the mid-1990’s, Congress set a 7-year time limit on SSI eligibility for refugees and asylees based on the assumption that this would be enough time for them to become naturalized citizens, and thereby preserve their SSI eligibility. SSI provides a modest stipend to help keep them from falling too deeply into poverty. Despite their best efforts to become naturalized, nearly 6,000 elderly and disabled refugees have lost SSI because of slow immigration procedures after 9/11, backlogs, and other delays, and the number is quickly climbing. Bipartisan legislation pending in both houses would provide a two-year extension of SSI.
After a two-week Thanksgiving break Congress will return on December 4 to wrap up the lame duck session. It would be irresponsible for them to fail to finish spending bills and address the SCHIP shortfall, Transitional Medicaid expiration and SSI extension.
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