SCHIP Reauthorization Passes House

On Tuesday, September 25, the House of Representatives voted 265-159 in favor of reauthorizing the State Children?s Health Insurance (SCHIP) program and adding $35 billion over five years to extend coverage to an additional 4 million children. Forty-five Republicans broke rank with their leadership and voted in support of the bill, while eight Democrats opposed the bill ? including Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) who believed the compromise bill went too far. The compromise measure also includes a moratorium on an effort by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to cut off matching funds for doing Medicaid outreach in schools and for transporting students with disabilities. The moratorium would expire May 28. Read More...

SCHIP Reauthorization Update
September 21, 2007

Congress is working hard to negotiate a compromise to reauthorize SCHIP before it expires on September 30. Prior to the August recess, both the Senate and House passed bills reauthorizing the program. The $50 billion House bill, H.R. 3162, is the larger of the two in both scope and cost. It contains a number of Medicare provisions, including cuts to Medicare Advantage plans. The bill was passed in the House by a narrow vote of 225-204, almost entirely along party lines. In contrast, the Senate bill has maintained strong bipartisan support and is less extensive and costly. The Senate bill will add $35 billion to SCHIP funding over five years to $60 million annually and increase the national cigarette tax to 61 cents a pack, compared to 45 cents in the House bill. The President has threatened to veto both versions of the bill. Read More...

Legislative Update from Washington, D.C.:

The 110th Congress has made a major push and focus on early childhood issues. The following briefing is a review of the major pieces of legislation that have been introduced and are in place for action in the Nation?s Capitol. There is also a longer list of child welfare and related legislation that has been introduced following this section; that list was compiled by the Kids Count Initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

This year we have seen a major push to advance early childhood issues in Washington. From the Speaker?s National Summit on Children, to the reauthorization and expansion of the State Children?s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and the bills recently introduced by Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Bob Casey (D-PA), Kit Bond (R-MO), Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Representative Danny Davis (D-IL). In addition, legislation addressing the reauthorization of Head Start and the Higher Education Act includes provisions to strengthen early childhood education. Congress made a concerted - and successful - effort to pass SCHIP bills in each chamber before adjourning for the August recess. All other early childhood legislation, however, will be addressed in the remaining months of the first session. Read More...

REAUTHORIZATION OF THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT: House Education And Labor Committee Draft of Title I

OVERVIEW
House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA), along with Ranking Member Buck McKeon (R-CA), Congressman Dale Kildee (D-MI) and Congressman Mike Castle (R-DE) have posted a proposal to reauthorize Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act on the Committee website (http://edworkforce.house.gov/). It is their intention to mark-up the bill in mid-September, with hopes of floor consideration by the end of the month. It is an ambitious plan, but this early draft reflects significant revisions to what many consider the most troubling provisions in the No Child Left Behind Act and an effort to strike bi-partisan compromise. Read More...

Policy News

• Expecting Presidential Veto, Senate Passes Child Health Measure, Robert Pear, New York Times, NY
• Bush Vetoes Child Health Bill Privately , New York Times, NY
• Kaine Offers Plan to Boost Preschool More Underprivileged Kids May Be Enrolled, Washington Post, DC
• Groups to create rating system for preschools, Daily Press, VA
• With rigors of kindergarten ahead, preschool is more like prep school, Beaumont Enterprise, TX
• Childhood development leaders in town, Telluride Daily Planet, CO
• Billionaire banker is bullish on Arizona spirit, Arizona Republic , AZ
• Professional Development: Social Skills and Young Children," Scholastic Articles (http://www.scholastic.com)
• Rating system for preschools to be tested in Hampton Roads," The Virginian-Pilot, VA