August 2010

During the long summer Congressional recess, there is plenty of activity in Washington.

Small Business Legislation and Prevention and Public Health Fund
NACCHO is combating an effort to eliminate the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) in an effort to defray government spending. Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) has authored an amendment to the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act (H.R. 5297) that would use the PPHF as an offset for spending. The amendment would repeal the requirement for companies to file reports to the IRS for purchases from corporate vendors that total more than $600 in a tax year, starting in 2012. Johanns' amendment would also weaken the individual mandate to purchase health insurance, reducing the number of uninsured covered by the health reform law by 2 million. The amendment is scheduled for a vote on Sept. 14.

According to Congressional Quarterly, "a Democratic version authored by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) would not repeal the tax compliance requirement. Instead, it would exempt businesses with fewer than 25 employees and would raise the reporting threshold for the remaining companies from $600 to $5,000. It would exempt credit card purchases and give the Treasury Department more flexibility in implementation." The Democratic alternative is also scheduled for a vote Sept. 14.

NACCHO and others in the public health community have begun a vigorous defense of the PPHF in an effort to defeat this attempt to eliminate it and deter future attempts. On Aug. 5, NACCHO sent a letter to all Senators asking them to oppose the use of the PPHF as an offset for the Johanns amendment. An action alert has been sent to all NACCHO members asking them to communicate with their Senators and urge them to oppose the elimination of the PPHF in the Johanns amendment.

Federal Matching Assistance Percentages (FMAP) Extension
Before leaving on their summer recess, the Senate extended the increase in the Medicaid FMAP rate until June 30, 2011. NACCHO supported this extension because of the impact on local health departments that provide clinical services to Medicaid recipients, as well as its overall positive impact on state health budgets. NACCHO signed on to a coalition letter supporting the extension and sent an action alert to members of NACCHO's Congressional Action Network asking them to call their Senators. However, at the last minute, the Senate inserted a cut in extra food stamp benefits provided by the economic stimulus legislation in order to help pay for the measure. The House passed an identical bill on Aug. 10, and it was signed by President Obama the same day.

Appropriations
The Senate Appropriations Committee passed its FY11 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations bill on July 29. The bill contains mostly level funding (same as FY10) for NACCHO's priorities. The bill allocates $750 million in funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund. A full listing of the Senate allocation of the PPHF can be found here. 

The bill includes $220 million for Community Transformation Grants, $50 million for Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), and $50 million for Epidemiology and Lab Capacity Grants. The bill creates a new Chronic Disease Block Grant with $251 million to combine activities aimed at reducing diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and arthritis and promoting nutrition, physical activity, and school health. The House Appropriations Committee has not yet released its bill which has been marked up by the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Subcommittee. Congress is not expected to complete work on the appropriations process by the end of the fiscal year (Sept. 30.) A continuing resolution will likely be passed to fund the government until after the November elections. An omnibus or series of "minibus" bills will likely be passed late this year during a lame duck session to enact FY11 appropriations.

Child Nutrition Reauthorization
On Aug. 5, the Senate passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S. 3307), which reauthorizes child nutrition programs and increases the reimbursement rate for school meals for the first time in more than 30 years. NACCHO advocated with coalition partners for this legislation which would help to improve nutrition and strengthen programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The Senate bill totaled $4.5 billion and was paid for by moving forward the end date for increases in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) set in place by the economic stimulus law. The House Education and Labor Committee has passed its own $8 billion version of the bill, but has not yet determined how to pay for it.

Congressional Action Network

NACCHO's Congressional Action Network (CAN) was started in 2009 to foster the grassroots voice in Washington on behalf of local health departments and their communities. 

The CAN now has more than 200 members who communicate regularly with their Members of Congress, attend NACCHO webinars on advocacy topics, and receive e-mail updates on current issues in Washington.

CAN members are local health department professionals who work to build relationships with their elected officials and respond to NACCHO action alerts by contacting their Representative and Senators. If you are not allowed to communicate with elected officials, you can still participate by sharing information with others in your community.

To learn more or to join the CAN, go to the CAN webpage. If you have questions, please contact Eli Briggs, NACCHO Senior Government Affairs Specialist.