July 20, 2010

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APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
1) July 15, 2010: Senate Appropriations Committee Adopts FY 2011 Spending Allocations
The Senate Appropriations Committee adopted its FY 2011 spending plan that sets an overall target for non-emergency discretionary spending and provides allocations for the 12 annual appropriations bills. The overall allocation of $1.114 trillion is $14 billion less than the president's FY 2011 budget request and $7 billion less than the House allocation. To view the details, see: http://appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=0753bbc3-1b0d-4115-a277-63b041c69e12

2) July 15, 2010: Senate Appropriations Committee Passes Three Appropriations Bills
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2011 appropriations bills for Agriculture, Homeland Security, and Military Construction/Veterans Affairs. The Agriculture appropriations bill would provide $109 billion in mandatory funding and $22.8 billion in discretionary funding, a $296 million discretionary reduction from FY 2010 levels and $27 million below the president's discretionary request. The Homeland Security bill would provide $43.8 billion in discretionary funding, a $1 billion increase above FY 2010 levels and $100 million less than the president's budget. Under the Senate bill, the State Homeland Security Grant Program would be level funded and the Urban Area Security Initiative and Emergency Management Performance Grants would receive slight increases. 

Click here to access a summary of the bills:  http://appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=7ec4f7f2-7351-47e2-8533-9cc1223f1d6f

The committee reports are available at: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app11.html

AGRICULTURE
July 15, 2010: USDA Awards Grants to Advance Agricultural Marketing System
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced more than $1.3 million in 22 matching grants to 18 states supporting agricultural market research and demonstration projects. Click here for more information: http://tinyurl.com/3ae3v9s

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
1) July 13, 2010: HHS Issues Final Rules on Electronic Health Records (EHR)
The Department of Health and Human Services released two companion final rules that provide many of the parameters and requirements for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. One regulation, issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), defines the minimum requirements that providers must meet through their use of certified EHR technology to qualify for the payments. The other rule, issued by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), identifies the standards and certification criteria for EHR technology. For more information, go to: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/

2) July 13, 2010: President Releases Directive on National HIV/AIDS Strategy
The president released a memorandum regarding implementation of the national HIV/AIDS strategy. The strategy outlines the roles of various federal agencies and calls for new levels of coordination, collaboration, and accountability. For more information, see: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-17620.pdf

3) July 9, 2010: ACF Releases Comprehensive Guidance on Fostering Connections Act
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released comprehensive guidance on the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-351). The notice also provides instruction on changes to the titles IV-B/IV-E plan requirements as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA, P.L. 111-148). The program instruction is here: http://inside.ffis.org/ff/ACYF_weeklynews_July20.doc

4) July 14, 2010: ACF Releases Notice on LIHEAP Carryover and Reallotment Report
ACF issued a notice to remind Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grantees that the required Carryover and Reallotment Report is due on August 2, 2010. To view the notice, click here: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/guidance/action_transmittals/at10-08.html

HEALTH CARE REFORM
1) July 19, 2010: Federal Departments Announce Preventive Care Regulations

The departments of HHS, Labor, and Treasury issued regulations requiring new private health plans to cover evidence-based preventive services and eliminate cost sharing requirements for such services. To view the interim final rules, click here: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-17242.pdf

2) July 14, 2010: House Passes Technical Fixes to Medicaid and CHIP
The House passed a bill (H.R. 5712) that makes technical fixes to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by amending provisions included in the health care reform law and the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA). The Senate has not yet acted on similar legislation. The legislation is available at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/thomas  

3) July 13, 2010: HHS Releases Guidance on Medicaid Provider Overpayments
HHS released guidance on Section 6506 of ACA, which moves the deadline for states to recover Medicaid provider overpayments to one year from the date of discovery, after which adjustments must then be made to refund the federal portion of the overpayment. ACA did not change the requirement for states to refund the federal share of identified overpayments that are not recovered. The guidance can be found here: http://inside.ffis.org/ff/ACA_Overpayments_weeklynews_July20.pdf

HOMELAND SECURITY
July 15, 2010: DHS Announces More Than $1.8 Billion in FY 2010 Preparedness Grants
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced more than $1.8 billion in FY 2010 Federal Emergency Management Agency preparedness grants, including funding for the State Homeland Security Grant Program. For more information and to view the allocations, see: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/government/grant/2010/fy10_grants_overview.pdf

HOUSING
July 12, 2010: HUD Announces $550 Million to Help Very Low-Income Elderly and Persons with Disabilities
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced $550 million in FY 2010 funds for the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program and the Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities. For more details, including a listing of projects funded by state, go to: http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2010/HUDNo.10-146

JUSTICE
July 19, 2010: GAO Releases Letter on DOJ Funds for Recreational Activities
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a letter that responds to a request to determine how much grant funding has been used by Department of Justice (DOJ) grantees to support recreational activities and the extent to which DOJ tracks the funds. The letter is available at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10661r.pdf

LABOR
1) July 19, 2010: House Passes SECTORS Bill
The House passed the Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success bill (SECTORS, H.R. 1855). The bill would amend the Workforce Investment Act to establish an industry or sector partnership grant program, which would promote partnerships that lead to collaborative planning, resource alignment, and training efforts in order to encourage industry growth, competitiveness, worker training, worker retention, and worker advancement in industry clusters. The bill would authorize the Department of Labor (DOL) to award competitive grants for planning, implementation, and a three-year renewal for grantees that can offer long-term sustainability of industry partnerships. A Senate version (S. 777) of the bill was introduced in 2009.

2) July 16, 2010: ETA Releases Guidance on PY 2010 Workforce Information Grants to States
The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) released a letter to announce the grant application process and state allocations for Workforce Information Grants. To view the letter, click here: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL03-10acc.pdf

3) July 15, 2010: DOL Announces Availability of $500,000 for Mine Safety Grants
DOL announced a competition for $500,000 in safety and health training grants to help identify, avoid, and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around mines.  States and non-profit entities are eligible for funding. For more information, see: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/msha/MSHA20101000.htm

4) July 13, 2010: DOL Awards $66.7 Million in YouthBuild Grants
DOL announced second-year funding to 183 community groups in 43 states and the District of Columbia for education and training to out-of-school youth. Additional information is available at: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20100969.htm

Recently released guidance on the program can be found at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL02-10acc.pdf

NATURAL RESOURCES
July 15, 2010: House Natural Resources Committee Passes Offshore Legislation
The House Natural Resources Committee passed the Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources (CLEAR) Act. The bill would reorganize the Minerals Management Service into three separate entities handling leasing and permitting, inspections, and offshore revenue collection. It also includes provisions that would establish a competitive wind and solar leasing program for federal lands, repeal the expansion of royalty relief provisions, and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), and the Oceans Resources Conservation and Assistance Fund (ORCA). The bill will likely be part of a comprehensive oil spill package, which is expected to be on the House floor this month. Click here for more information:  http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=638&Itemid=27

NUTRITION
July 19, 2010: FNS Announces Annual Adjustments to Payment Rates
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released payment rates for the following programs, effective from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011:
Child and Adult Care Food Program - http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-17502.pdf
National School Lunch/School Breakfast - http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-17507.pdf

TRANSPORTATION
1) July 13, 2010: FMCSA Issues Notice of FY 2011 Safety Grants     
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a notice informing grantees of the proposed FY 2011 safety grant application deadlines and program changes. Comments must be received by September 13, 2010. For more information, see: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-17067.pdf

2) July 8, 2010: FTA Announces $293 Million for New Transit Solutions, Economic Development
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the winners of two competitive grant programs, the Urban Circulator Grant Program and the Bus and Bus Livability Grant Program. To view the list of projects by state, see: http://www.fta.dot.gov/news/news_events_11820.html

ARRA:
AGRICULTURE
July 12, 2010: USDA Announces Support for Local and Regional Food Systems
USDA announced ARRA investments for 10 businesses in nine states supporting local and regional food systems. Click here for additional details: http://tinyurl.com/24lbvp4

JUSTICE
July 14, 2010:  DOJ Announces more than $553,000 in JAG Awards
DOJ announced more than $553,000 in ARRA funding to 22 additional local governments under the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program.

For more information, see: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2010/BJA10103.htm

LABOR
July 14, 2010: DOL Announces Second Distribution of FY 2010 Trade Adjustment Assistance
DOL announced $119.6 million in funding allocations for Trade Adjustment Assistance to states to help workers who lose their jobs due to outsourcing and foreign trade. To view the state allocations, go to: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20100985.htm

For more information on the distribution, see: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL09-09c1acc.pdf