Legislative Updates

Analysis of the President's Budget  (April 25, 2013)
On 10 April 2013, President Obama released his FY 2014 budget, two months after the official deadline by which the President is legally obligated to offer a spending proposal for the next fiscal year.  His budget totals $3.77 trillion for 2014 and includes $580 billion in tax increases and over $1 trillion in spending cuts over the next ten years to achieve a total of $1.8 trillion of additional deficit reduction.  While the President’s proposal brings the deficit down to 1.7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2023, it does not eliminate the annual deficit entirely. MORE

House Bill Would Eliminate Agency
Act locally to defend research funding. Now is the time to reach out to your Representatives and tell them that health services research, and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, must be protected.

Summary of FY 2012 Appropriations and Applicable Report Language (PDF)

Senate Committee Report No. 112-84 (Sept 22, 2011) (PDF)
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
FY 2012 Appropriation Bill 

ACRM Comments on AHRQ Draft Report, February 2012 (PDF)
On February 6, 2012, ACRM submitted comments on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality draft report, Multidisciplinary Postacute Rehabilitation for Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. ACRM comments address concerns that the report reveals:

• Inadequate understanding of TBI post-acute rehabilitation;
• Deficiencies in the methodology;
• Insufficient consideration of the unintended consequences of paper on individuals with TBI and their families;
• Lack of recognition of the fiscal implications of the recommendations calling for a comprehensive research agenda; and
• Lack of summary comments.

House Democrats Introduce WIA and Rehab Reauthorization Bill (PDF)
By Robert "Bobby" Silverstein, Principal
Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville PC

MARCH 21, 2012 – Yesterday, the House Democrats introduced the Workforce Investment Act of 2012. The provisions relating to NIDRR and disability and rehabilitation research are virtually identical to the provisions in the bipartisan Senate bill marked up last year. The Senate bill includes many of the recommendations made by DRRC. The House bill includes what is referred to as “cut and bite” amendments, which means that the bill amends current law by striking certain language and inserting other language. If you have not memorized current law, it is virtually impossible to figure out what is being proposed. To facilitate understanding of what’s in the bill, please review the red-line version of Senate draft (changes reflected in current law). There is no red-line version of the House Democrats bill. Below are the major categories of changes included in the House Democrats bill:

1. Reaffirms the focus of NIDRR on the research domains of employment, community participation (independent living), and health and function as well as assistive technology and disability demographics. 
2. Promotes the implementation of evidence-based practices and emphasize the importance of knowledge translation and new methods of sharing and disseminating information.
3. Expands the list of designated members of the ICDR.
4. Directs ICDR to host a disability and rehabilitation research summit that will establish a strategic plan for disability and rehabilitation research conducted by federal agencies.