Arc Report on Disability Cuts and US Deficit Reductions
Released: 8/16/2011
Leaders in The Arc:
As you know, I was in Baltimore recently for The Arc US meetings for Exec’s. We spent an entire morning on the Budget Control Act that the President signed into law. This was the outcome of the budget deficit fiasco we witnessed the last few weeks of July.
I will try my best to stay away from the mechanics of the bill and only focus upon the threats to disability supports/services.
Bottom line, the bulk of spending cuts are put off until November and all disability-related services are still very much at risk. There is no detail on any specific cuts at this time. This process is a moving target, and we will keep you up-to-date as we learn more specifics. You can expect many calls to action between now and the end of the year!
A twelve-member Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction has been appointed and they will propose specific spending cuts by November 23rd. This “Super Committee” will have the power to recommend to the Senate and House cuts or changes to entitlement programs, additional caps to discretionary programs and new or increased revenues. Nothing is off the table for the “Super Committee.” Here is a story from the Washington Post with a profile of every member of the “Super Committee.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/nation/supercommittee-members/?hpid=z3
While there is a “Super Committee,” all members of the U.S. House and Senate will have to vote on these cuts and/or new revenue so every member of the U.S. Congress needs to hear from disability advocates!
It is best to think about this as a three-phase process. The goal is to cut spending by $2.4 trillion at a minimum. There could be deeper cuts proposed! While new revenues are not explicitly included in the legislation, they are not prohibited. There are no details about which programs will be cut or by how much for either phase one or two.
1. The first phase is placing caps on discretionary programs. This phase is expected to cut $1 trillion from discretionary programs. Disability programs at risk include: housing, education, vocational rehabilitation, employment and transportation. Entitlement programs (Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income) are protected in the first phase.
2. The second phase of cuts of $1.4 trillion will be initiated by the “Super Committee.” The “Super Committee” will propose to the Congress specific spending cuts by November 23rd. In Phase two, the Committee can recommend new revenues and/or drastic cuts to important disability-related programs, discretionary and entitlement programs. There are no protections for Medicaid, SSI, Social Security, Medicare or other programs serving low-income people. The “Super Committee” will work with the various Appropriations Committees through this process. The “Super Committee” recommendations could then be enacted by the Congress at phase two. The Committee’s plan must get the support of 7 of the 12 members for the vote by the full Congress to occur. The Congress will not be allowed to amend or change the recommendations of the “Super Committee.” The Congress can only vote to support the recommendations or oppose them.
3. In phase three, if the “Super Committee” fails to reach agreement or if the Congress fails to enact their recommendations, automatic across-the-board cuts would prevail. In phase three, entitlement programs such as Medicaid and Social Security programs would be exempted from these cuts.
These are serious times for disability advocates. We have never seen an attack like this on our human service safety net!
Below is an action alert from The Arc of the United States with talking points for you to use at town hall meetings or directly with your member of the U.S. Congress.
Please share this information with others.
Tony Paulauski
The Arc of Illinois
815-464-1832
# For The Arc of Illinois, please visit: http://thearcofil.org/
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