Hate Crime Protection for People with Disabilities Closer

WASHINGTON, DC— Hate crime protection for people with disabilities and others, including people who are gay or have a gender identity disorder, is one step closer to reality. In a highly controversial move, House and Senate negotiators agreed to attach the hate-crimes provision to the bill outlining the $680 billion Defense Department budget. The defense bill passed with 281 votes in favor and 131 Republicans and 15 Democrats in opposition. To see the exact results of the House vote, visit: http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/111/house/1/770.

A recent Department of Justice report indicated people with disabilities are 50% more likely to experience violent crime than people without disabilities. About 20% of people with disabilities who have been targets of crime thought their disability was the reason criminal targeted them.

SOURCES
House Adds Hate Crimes Protections for People with Disabilities
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/10/09/house-votes-hate-crimes/5734/
House Votes to Expand Hate Crimes Definition
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/us/politics/09hate.html?hp
House Adds Hate Crimes Protections for People with Disabilitieshttp://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/10/09/house-votes-hate-crimes/5734/

Legislative Updates

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the two FY 2010 appropriations bills that are of major interest to the disability community.  Funding for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) passed on July 23. Funding for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (L-HHS-ED) passed July 24.  The Senate will hold committee mark ups on the bills shortly.

The T-HUD bill provides $10.5 billion for the Federal Transit Administration and $350 million for the HUD Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program, a $100 million increase above the current FY 2009 level. Also, the House passed the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1675) which will significantly reform the Section 811 program. The legislation was initially introduced by Representatives Christopher Murphy (D-CT) and Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL). Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Mike Johanns (R-NE) introduced an identical companion version of the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2009 (S. 1481). 

President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the availability of about $9 billion in new grants to states, local school systems and other entities from funding available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  Approximately $4.35 is in the "Race to the Top" fund, aimed at improving educational outcomes. All of the information about this funding, which includes competitive grant opportunities, can be found in the education section of the ARRA website, www.recovery.gov . UCP's Disability Policy Collaboration will provide some public comments on the Recovery website. 

NRCA Announces New Medicare Draft

From the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association:
The three House committees with jurisdiction over health care—the House Ways & Means Committee, the House Energy & Commerce Committee, and the House Education & Labor Committee—have released draft health care reform legislation, including provisions to update the Medicare program. Importantly, the draft legislation (known as the “Tri-Committee” draft) would establish Medicare coverage of licensed professional counselors and marriage and family therapists (blog author's note: CRC's are not mentioned). The legislation makes significant changes to the way the current health insurance marketplace works in the U.S., with the goal of building on our current system to broaden coverage and constrain health care cost increases.

Information on the legislation, including the bill text and a summary, is on the House Education & Labor Committee’s website at http://edlabor.house.gov/blog/2009/06/health-care-reform-house-dems.shtml