Monday, January 03, 2011

On Tap For the 112th Congress

From the Generations United Policy Team:

During the 111th Congress, we saw the passage of sweeping reforms in health care and consumer protections, which defend Americans from hidden fees, abusive terms and deceptive practices when obtaining credit cards and mortgages. However, the incoming congress will have a full slate of new issues to consider, which range from deficit reduction to education reform. Here are some issues that we anticipate the 112th Congress to address:

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Reauthorization. Education Secretary Aren Duncan express optimism that ESEA will be reauthorized this spring in a bipartisan fashion in his Washington Post Op-ed.

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Repeal. The new Republican majority has signaled they will attempt to repeal ACA.

Deficit Reduction Negotiations. The co-chairmen of the President's fiscal Commission have requested the White House and congress begin negotiations to develop a plan for deficit reduction which could negatively impact Social Security.

Older Americans Act Reauthorization. The OAA's reauthorization is vitally important to older adults as it accounts for food, employment and training programs for seniors.

Passage of an Omnibus Spending Bill. The 111th Congress adjourned in December without passing an omnibus spending bill, leaving the task for the incoming congress to tackle. Among the items to be funded in the bill: ACA implementation, Lifetime Respite Care, and the National Caregiver Support Program.

What You Can Do Now: In 2011, we face many challenges in funding critical services for all generations. Now is the time to create and implement policies that help generations help each other, thereby strengthening our economy. Help us grow the voice of intergenerational investments to make sure congress doesn't pit generations against each other. Sign up 5 friends to follow Generations United Policy Alerts to stay up to date on the latest policy news from Washington, DC. It's not a fight, it's a family.

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