Before Congress took a break for the election it made several decisions on the budget, tax cuts, healthcare, and housing. Congress will reconvene November 15.
Members of Congress passed a Continuing Resolution Act regarding the budget. This will keep the federal government operating at the current level until December 3. Because of the deadline, Congress will need to address the budget during a lame duck session after the election.* Upon their return, Congress will also decide whether or not to extend some or all of the tax cuts set in place during the Bush Administration.
On September 29, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3421, “Medical Debt Relief Act” and H.R. 758, “Pediatric Research Consortia Establishment Act”. The Medical Debt Relief Act excludes from consumer credit reports medical debt seen as delinquent, charged off, or debt in collection that has been paid in full or settled. This can be a problem for individuals who have serious medical conditions and disabilities, and affect insured and uninsured consumers. The Pediatric Research Consortia Establishment Act will grant funding to establish up to 20 national pediatric research consortia to conduct clinical, behavioral, social, and translational research. Funds will also cover trainings and demonstrations of advanced diagnostic and treatment methods relating to pediatrics. The bills now go to the Senate.
The Senate also passed the S. 1481, the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act, which creates new standards for leases to tenants with disabilities. It requires HUD to provide housing assistance through local authorities and allows HUD to take administrative control if housing authorities fail to meet the established guidelines. It also directs the HUD secretary to provide technical support to ensure public housing agencies to administer housing voucher program for people with disabilities.
*When Congress reconvenes in an even-numbered year following the November general elections to consider various items of business. Some lawmakers who return for this session will not be in the next Congress. Hence, they are informally called "lame duck" Members participating in a "lame duck" session.
You can learn more about Capital Insider by visiting the following link, http://www.ucp.org/ucp_generalsub.cfm/1/8/11981.
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