Both the House and Senate versions expand the program by about $32 billion over the next four and a half years, funded by a 61-cent-per-pack increase in the federal cigarette tax. Children in families up to 300% of the federal poverty level would qualify for SCHIP and an additional four million uninsured children would gain coverage. Additionally, states would be required to provide mental health services at the same eligibility level as medical coverage.

The most contentious piece is an extension of coverage to documented immigrant children and pregnant women, who are currently mandated to wait five years before receiving public health benefits. Partnership for Children supports this expansion because five years without health coverage for a child can result in a lifetime of poorer health outcomes with increased medical costs.

Read more: House Passes SCHIP (NY Times)

PFC would like to thank the following members of the Missouri and Kansas congressional delegations for voting in favor of HR2: William Lacy Clay (MO-1), Russ Carnahan (MO-3), Ike Skelton (MO-4), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), Jo Ann Emerson (MO-8), Jerry Moran (KS-1), and Dennis Moore (KS-3).

Click here for the complete roll call.

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Economic Stimulus Package Would Aid KS & MO Families

Last Thursday the House unveiled an $825 billion economic recovery package to create new jobs, aid states facing looming budget deficits, and prevent state cuts to vital social service programs at a time when more and more families are in need of assistance. The “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” includes $275 billion in tax cuts and $550 billion in direct aid to states and social service programs.

Key provisions aiding children and families include:

• $2 billion for the Child Care Development Block Grant—allowing an additional 300,000 children to participate
• $2.1 billion for Head Start—allowing an additional 110,000 children to participate
• $87 billion for the FMAP (Federal Medical Assistance Percentage) to preserve state Medicaid programs
• $13 billion for IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
• A “Make Work Pay Tax Cut” for 95 percent of American workers, with a refundable tax credit of $500 per worker and $1,000 per couple, phasing-out at incomes of $200,000 for a couple
• Signficantly expand the number of families who can access the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit
• Increase the food stamp benefit by over 13% to help offset rising food costs
• $20 billion for health care information technology

House Speaker Pelosi has expressed a timeline of mid-February for completion of the legislation. A full summary of the recovery package is available on the Speaker’s website.

After his inauguration last Monday, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced creation of a 15-member Economic Stimulus Coordination Council to maximize Missouri’s share of any federal stimulus package.

With both KS and MO facing estimated $1 billion budget deficits in the next fiscal year, increased federal funding for important social service programs like Medicaid and Child Care Assistance could save families from devastating cuts. Partnership for Children urges KS & MO lawmakers to maintain current state funding levels for programs serving children and families until the federal stimulus package is finalized.

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Education Begins At Home Act Reintroduced

Last Wednesday, Senators Kit Bond (R-MO) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) reintroduced the Education Begins At Home Act (S.2444) for the start of the new congressional session. The legislation would authorize federal funding for states and communities to develop evidence based home visitation programs. It would also direct federal funds for home visitation programs targeting military bases and English Language Learners.

Last year, both President-Elect Obama and Vice-President Elect Biden co-sponsored the Education Begins at Home Act in the Senate. In the House, the Education & Labor Committee approved the measure last June but it never came to the House floor for a full vote.

Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL) and Todd Russell Platts (R-PA) are expecting to reintroduce EBAH in the House in the near future. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) will take over the role as lead Democratic sponsor of the legislation in the Senate when Senator Clinton is confirmed as Secretary of State.

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-MISSOURI UPDATE-

State of the State Scheduled for Jan. 27th

Governor Nixon will deliver the first State of the State speech of his term and reveal his FY ’10 Budget for the State of Missouri on January 27^th in Jefferson City. During his 2008 campaign, Nixon named expansion of children’s health coverage as one of his top gubernatorial priorities, in addition to restoring the 2005 Medicaid cuts for parents and other adults.

After the election, state budget estimates showed a $340 million shortfall in the current fiscal year and up to a $1 billion deficit in Fiscal Year ’10, throwing uncertainty onto the Governor’s campaign promises. Caught between projected budget deficits and the likely prospect of federal stimulus funding in the near future, Partnership for Children is concerned that budget cuts could be announced too hastily.

Advocates should urge Governor Nixon and the legislature to maintain current state funding for programs serving children and families and use federal stimulus money to enhance these programs wherever possible to aid families struggling in this economic recession.

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GKC Reps to Serve on House Committees Impacting Children

The Missouri House finalized committee assignments last Thursday with several Representatives from the Kansas City area serving on committees of importance to children and families. Click on the committee links below to see the list of members, or you can access the full list online.

APPROPRIATIONS - HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES

Chair: David Sater

This committee reviews Department and Governor budget requests for the Departments of Health & Senior Services, Mental Health, and Social Services. Many of Partnership for Children’s budget priorities fall within these departments, including funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, the state child welfare system, and child care assistance.

Reps from Kansas City: Jeff Grisamore and Shalonn (Kiki) Curls

BUDGET

Chair: Allen Icet

The whole enchilada. This is the most important committee for children and families, reviewing every funded item in every department budget (with recommendations from the various Appropriations Committees). If a legislator wants more funding for their own priorities, they have to cut it from somewhere else. Advocates should reach out to these Representatives early and often to ensure that children and families are a budget priority this year!

Reps from Kansas City: Shalonn (Kiki) Curls, Jonas Hughes, Jason Kander, and Ryan Silvey

ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Chair: Maynard Wallace

In addition to hearing testimony on all legislation related to the K-12 school system, this committee could also potentially review bills relating to early education.

Reps from Kansas City: Gary Dusenberg, Jonas Hughes

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Chair: Cynthia Davis

Formerly known as the Special Committee on Family Services, many of the veteran members of this committee have been replaced with new faces, providing new opportunities to grow legislative champions for children’s issues in Missouri. In the past, most bills relating to child welfare, child abuse, and child care have gone through this committee.

Reps from Kansas City: Doug Ervin (Vice Chair), Jeff Grisamore, Tom McDonald

HEALTH CARE POLICY, HEALTHCARE TRANSFORMATION, SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON HEALTH INSURANCE

Three separate committees will divide up legislative issues relating to the uninsured, Medicaid, health care technology, and mental health services. Click on the committee links above to view the list of members.

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Appropriations Hearings this Week for Social Services

APPROPRIATIONS - HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES

Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 2:00 p.m. Hearing Room 5.

Thursday, January 22, 2009, 8:00 a.m. Hearing Room 5.

Public and provider testimony will be heard in sign-up order. Call Rep. Sater’s office 573-751-1480 to sign up.

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- KANSAS UPDATE -

Governor Sebelius Delivers 2009 State of the State Address

In her State of the State Address last Monday, Governor Sebelius acknowledged the difficult budget crisis that Kansas faces, and the hard economic times ahead for the State. Although the budget and the economic downturn dominated most of her speech, she still recognized the importance of a quality education for Kansas’ youth and health services for the “neediest of citizens,” placing these issues at the very top of her gubernatorial priorities.

Although there may not be funds as promised to K-12 education, higher education, and social services,  Gov. Sebelius did mention the importance of these programs and how they would be a focal point of her term. She states, “Our focus tonight and over the next 90 legislative days should be on the people we serve: our priorities to educate our children, to provide for public safety and protect health services for our neediest citizens, to spur economic recovery and job growth, to build the infrastructure to move our goods and workers from product to market, and to encourage innovation and research as the core elements of a knowledge economy.”

Read the full text of Governor Sebelius’ 2009 State of the State Address.

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Kansas Action for Children 2009 Policy Agenda

Partnership for Children’s counterpart in the state of Kansas, Kansas Action for Children, has released their 2009 Policy Agenda with priorities for children’s health, education, and economic security. View their full policy agenda online.

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Until next week –

Carrie Shapton

Policy & Outreach Coordinator

Partnership for Children

Shapton@pfc.org