ROCH 2021 One-Pager

https://unitedspinal.org/roll-on-capitol-hill/

Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, H.R. 1783/S. 745
United Spinal is advocating for a sustained federal investment ensuring the deployment and maintenance of a high capacity, secure and reliable 5G broadband national network that is accessible and adoptable for all Americans. Please support the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, H.R. 1783/S. 745, introduced by Majority Whip, Representative James Clyburn (D-SC) in the House and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in the Senate.

Disability Access to Transportation Act, H.R. 1697/S.2038 Support H.R. 1697 introduced by Rep. James Langevin (D-RI) and Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) in the House. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) has introduced S.2038 in the Senate. This bill provides increased accessible road transportation for the disability community.

Expanded Telehealth Access Act, H.R.2168 - Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act, H.R. 366 - CONNECT for Health Act/S. 1512 and H.R. 2903 United Spinal supports Expanded Telehealth Access Act (H.R. 2168) – Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ and Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) and Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act (H.R. 366) – Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) in the House and CONNECT for Health Act/S. 1512/H.R. 2903 – Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) in the Senate and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) in the House. All bills ensure expanded telehealth access under Medicare beyond COVID-19. The Expanded Telehealth Access Act, H.R.2168 allows for PTs and OTs to be reimbursed under Medicare to continue to provide wheelchair evaluations in people’s homes.

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) - Support Making HCBS Services Mandatory Under Medicaid Support the HCBS Access Act to make HCBS services mandatory under Medicaid. Draft legislation was introduced in March by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) with plans to introduce legislation this Fall. The Administration is proposing a $400 billion investment into HCBS as part of the American Jobs Plan (AJP) with legislation coming out as early as June. AJP raises wages and benefits for essential home care workers; expands access to home and community-based services (HCBS) under Medicaid and extends the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program that provides States with funds for individuals to move out of institutional care into the community.

Increase funding for SCI Model Systems. This program is long overdue for a significant funding increase that considers inflation and the approximate 50% growth in the SCI population since 2000.
• Restore the number of SCI Model Systems funded from 14 to 18 which there were as recently as 2000, while providing enough additional funding for the overall program to accommodate four additional Model Systems.

United Spinal’s 75th Anniversary Congressional Resolutions - introduced by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA)/Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) in the Senate and Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY)/Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) in the House. Recognizing the 75th anniversary of United Spinal Association, a leading national advocacy organization that is dedicated to promoting the independence and enhancing the quality of life of all people living with spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders, including veterans, and providing support and information to their loved ones, care providers, and personal support networks.

 

Care for the Veteran Caregiver Act of 2021 VetsFirst supports H.R. 110, the Care for the Veteran Caregiver Act of 2021. Please cosponsor and pass H.R. 110, introduced by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) and Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY). The bill makes improvements to the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) in the following ways: designates that VA use consistent criteria in making eligibility decisions to accept veterans into the program; prevents VA from taking actions during a reevaluation to remove veterans currently in the program; and extends the stipend for the caregiver from 90 days to 180 days when a veteran passes away.

Toxic Exposure in the American Military Act of 2021 (TEAM Act) Please cosponsor and pass S. 927/H.R. 2127, the TEAM Act of 2021, introduced by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC)/Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) in the Senate and Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) in the House. This legislation offers the best way forward to fully address toxic exposure concerns for current and future generations of veterans and for all veterans who have become ill as a result of military toxic exposures.