Legislative Action

Congress trying to boost federal aid for state services

By JOHN MURPHY and SHERRY HALBROOK
While the race for nominees to succeed President Bush grabs the spotlight, fierce fighting over federal spending priorities is raging between Democrats in Congress and the president.

They want to spend money on domestic programs and he wants to put those dollars into the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

PEF is pushing for adequate federal funding for the state and local public services its members provide.

Labor, HHS and Education
On November 15, the House of Representatives failed to override President George Bush’s veto of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill (HR. 3043) for federal Fiscal Year 2008, which began October 1. The Senate had stripped funding for military construction and the Veterans’ Administration.

The bill contained $9.8 billion more in spending for labor, human services, health care, and education programs than Bush proposed in his budget. PEF supports the increased funding.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is seeking a compromise with Bush.

HUD-Transportation funding
House and Senate negotiators have agreed on a Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) spending bill for FY 2008, and both chambers are expected to approve the compromise legislation. However, President Bush has already threatened to veto it.

Bush wants to cut the program by $822 million, but the compromise bill adds $3.79 billion for Community Development Block Grants.

The agreement also funds $4.2 billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund, $200 million more than Bush’s request and $336 million above current spending. However, HUD’s data shows Public Housing Authorities (PHA) need $5 billion this year, so even the enhanced funding would not meet that need.

The bill reportedly would address that shortfall by permitting PHAs with less than 400 public housing units to opt out of HUD’s asset management requirements and would allow the PHAs flexible use of capital funds.

PEF supports single-payer health plan

By SHERRY HALBROOK
The national health care crisis is one of the most contentious issues confronting the country.

However, that did not deter delegates to the 29th Annual PEF Convention in September from staking out a position in favor of “single-payer” health care.

The delegates approved the PEF Federal Legislative Agenda for 2007-08 with a new paragraph which states:
“PEF supports the expansion of Medicare described in Bill HR.676 — The United States National Health Insurance Act. This legislation would provide not-for-profit, single-payer health care to all Americans.”

Delegate Karl Berger, who proposed the addition, said, “Universal health care is the single, most powerful tool that Congress can provide to improve America and build a better, healthier, fairer, more just society. I am proud PEF is supporting HR.676.”

The bill would provide everyone residing in the U.S. and its territories with free medically necessary care, such as primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services.

Patients could choose from participating physicians and not-for-profit institutions.

The program would be financed with money from: existing sources of government revenues for health care; higher income taxes on the top 5 percent of income earners; a new progressive excise tax on payroll and self-employment income; and a new small tax on stock and bond transactions.

At the PEF convention, Kevin Jones opposed adding support for single-payer health insurance to PEF’s federal legislative agenda, saying PEF members might receive reduced benefits under it.

In early 2007, HR.676 was referred to several House committees and subcommittees, where it remains. Among the bill’s 85 co-sponsors are 11 from New York and presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich of Ohio.

A second addition to PEF’s federal agenda supports “public highway construction projects being inspected by engineers and technicians employed by the same agencies paying for the projects,” and full funding of the Highway Trust Fund “to ensure timely inspection, regular maintenance and reconstruction of the nation’s transportation infrastructure.”

Find PEF’s entire federal and state legislative agendas online at www.pef.org under Political Action.