July 14, 2020•Advocacy Matters
Advocacy Matters: Congressional Update
July 14, 2020
#AdvocacyMatters Segment
Congressional Update
The U.S. House of Representatives is back from its July 4th recess. Members returned last week to host hearings, markup a variety of bills, and begin to move the fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills through committees.
Disability Rights Pennsylvania has provided a link as well as a list of the key committee schedules for this week. We hope disability advocates find the information useful as part of your advocacy. We have the full list at www.disabilityrightspa.org. Just find this #AdvocacyMatters segment which is posted now on our home page.
Some of the key hearings you may find useful include (www.house.gov)
Monday, July 13
House Committee on Appropriations
FY2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.
Tuesday, July 14
House Committee on Appropriations
10:00 am
FY2021 Defense, Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability
12:00 pm
Thursday, July 16
Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples of the United States
1:00 pm
Friday, July 17
Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security
12:00 pm
The U.S. Senate is on its July 4th recess until Tuesday, July 21st.
When the Senate returns, it is expected that they will consider a 4th COVID-19 relief package for the country.
You may recall that the U.S. House of Representatives passed their version of the 4th COVID package in May. The House called their stimulus package The HEROES Act. We discussed the package on this show about a month ago.
Many congressional watchers expect the Senate package to differ from The HEROES Act.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has indicated that the package would be much smaller than the House’s version. $1.5 trillion versus $3 trillion. He is open to making an additional stimulus payment to all individuals who file a tax return; however, the payment may be capped to those who earn $40,000 a year or less. Majority Leader McConnell is also interested in COVID-19 liability protections for businesses that extend out for 5 years.
The Center for Public Representation has an action page if you would like to contact your members of the Senate about the next COVID-19 stimulus package. We have a link to their webpage included with our #AdvocacyMatters segment for today.
#AdvocacyMatters.
Both the House and Senate are back next week through the end of July. We need your help to push a 4th stimulus package through Congress before the traditional August recess.
Visit www.disabilityrightspa.org for all of the links on today’s show and for the link to the Center for Public Representation’s action page.