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6-Month Chronological Archives May 13, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: The Way Ahead on Debt Ceiling Negotiations House Republicans have announced a special two-hour conference meeting to be held this week to discuss the way ahead on debt ceiling negotiations. The meeting is scheduled for the afternoon of May 15 in the Capitol, and members will discuss what posture they believe leadership should take in negotiations with Democrats on whether to raise the debt limit. According to Michael Steel, a spokesman for Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, the meeting is being held to begin the discussion with members about the best way to increase the debt limit consistent with the Boehner rule. The so-called Boehner rule, which has been House Republicans’ starting point in debt limit negotiations, states that any increase in the debt limit has to be accompanied by equal or greater spending reductions or entitlement changes. The meeting is scheduled for four days before the expiration of the current debt limit extension, but the Treasury Department has the flexibility to move funds around to defer default for a time. This could buy Congress until the end of the summer or later to approve an extension. Republicans are eager to devise a solution that avoids default while also satisfying their rank and file’s desire for spending reductions. However, many members realize that discretionary spending has been cut thin already and leaves little room for more reductions. As a result, the idea has surfaced to tie a debt ceiling increase to a tax overhaul, although the logistics have yet to be worked out and leadership is not necessarily in favor. The Student Right To Know Before You Go Act
The legislation would streamline existing institutional reporting requirements to give students and their families more tools to easily compare graduation rates, student loan debt, employment prospects and potential future earnings as they make important decisions about higher education. The information, which generally is already reported by colleges and universities to a variety of federal, state and other agencies, also will give policymakers the ability to better assess the effectiveness of various government-backed educational programs. Similar bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House by Representatives Duncan Hunter of California and Robert Andrews of New Jersey. For more information on The Student Right to Know Before You Go Act, visit http://www.scribd.com/doc/140382459/Student-Right-to-Know-Before-You-Go-Act. Virginia Public Service Week Governor McDonnell proclaimed May 5–11, 2013 as Virginia Public Service Week, to recognize the dedication and hard work of state employees in serving the citizens of the Commonwealth. The Governor commended state agencies for their efforts to recognize and honor the work of state employees. To view the proclamation, visit http://www.governor.virginia.gov/OurCommonwealth/Proclamations/viewproc.cfm?id=324. Congressional Members Express Support for Expanding Medicaid On Friday, members of the Virginia Congressional Delegation including, Representatives Robert "Bobby" Scott, Jim Moran and Gerry Connolly, sent a letter to Governor McDonnell urging him to work closely with the members of the newly established Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission (MIRC) to take advantage of the increased federal funding the Commonwealth is entitled to under the Affordable Care Act by expanding the Medicaid program. To view a copy of the letter, visit http://bobbyscott.house.gov/images/pdf/Letter%20to%20Gov.%20McDonnell%20on%20Medicaid%20Expansion.130510.pdf. Children’s Services: CHA Letter to CMS Regarding Exchanges On May 6, Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) provided a comment letter to CMS urging the agency to consider the unique coverage needs of children in consumer assistance programs under the Affordable Care Act. The letter was submitted in response to an April 5 proposed rule that implements standards for Navigators and non-Navigator consumer assistance personnel (also called in-person assistors) in federally facilitated and state partnership Exchanges. This proposed rule also implements standards for federally funded non-Navigator assistance programs in state-based Exchanges. Specific concerns highlighted in the Association letter to CMS include:
In addition, CHA and allied child health organizations submitted joint comments to CMS. This letter also emphasizes the importance of addressing children’s coverage needs in the training for consumer assistance personnel.
May 6, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: GOP Focusing on the US Tax Code
House Ways and Means Committee chairman Dave Camp of Michigan led a recent meeting, offering polling and focus-group data showing voters would like simpler tax laws. Camp has started drafting legislation that would get rid of some exemptions and deductions and replace them with sharply lower rates, an approach championed by Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, the co-chairmen of President Obama’s fiscal commission. The House strategy also holds some appeal in the Senate, where key Republicans say it may offer a more palatable alternative to negotiating a budget deal directly with the president. Senate Republicans are under pressure from the White House to produce their own debt-reduction plan to counter President Obama’s proposal to reduce borrowing by $1.8 trillion over the next decade through higher taxes, as well as cuts to retirement programs. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is staying out of the talks, and it is not clear who would make such an offer on the GOP’s behalf. Republicans involved in the process hope to channel negotiations through the Senate Finance Committee, which has broad jurisdiction over taxes, Social Security and Medicare. Annual Report on Medical School Enrollment
To view the report, visit https://members.aamc.org/eweb/upload/12-237%20EnrollmSurvey2013.pdf. Independent Ethics Commission Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe on Tuesday proposed forming an independent ethics commission to oversee elected officials and their staff. According to McAuliffe, as governor he would tighten ethics standards for all elected officials and create an independent eight-member commission to enforce them. McAuliffe said the bipartisan panel’s members would be chosen by the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Delegates and the Senate Majority Leader. The chief justice of the Virginia Supreme Court would also select two members, who could be a retired judge, active member of the bar or a law professor. Republican opponents agree with the need for ethical oversight but not all of the specifics of McAuliffe’s proposal. Governor’s Teacher Cabinet Governor McDonnell on Wednesday issued Executive Order No. 63, establishing the Governor's Teacher Cabinet. The Cabinet, comprised of teachers from across the Commonwealth, will advise the Governor and Secretary of Education on policies related to the status of teaching in Virginia. The Cabinet will focus on strategies for enhancing teacher quality, leadership and professionalism for 21st Century learning. The Governor's Teacher Cabinet will:
To view a copy of Executive Order No. 63, visit http://www.governor.virginia.gov/PolicyOffice/ExecutiveOrders/viewEO.cfm?eo=63. McAuliffe Officially Launches Campaign On Sunday, Terry McAuliffe officially launched his campaign in front of a crowd of about 200 in Norfolk. McAuliffe laid out his transportation plan and vision for how the next Governor of Virginia can help strengthen and diversify the Commonwealth's economy. Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim introduced McAuliffe. For more information on McAuliffe’s "Putting Jobs First" agenda, visit http://terrymcauliffe.com/policy/. Children’s Services: National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day
For more information, visit http://www.samhsa.gov/children/?from=carousel&position=3&date=05012013.
April 29, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Tea Party Caucus Meets
Mike Shields, chief of staff to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, spoke at the meeting – an indication that the GOP establishment is making an effort to work with the tea party lawmakers. Also in attendance was conservative radio talk show host Rusty Humphries and representatives from organizations including the Tea Party Express and U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This was the first caucus meeting of the year, and the name at the top of the caucus will continue to be Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who will remain as the caucus chairwoman. Lawmakers present were pleased at the turnout. Niger Innis, chief strategist of TheTeaParty.net, said the group is looking to expand on the Senate side of the Hill. Unlike the last Congress, the Tea Party Caucus will be more active, with having regular, quarterly meetings. But there will be no fixed membership, Innis said. House Committee Seeks Suggestions on Financial Aid The House Committee on Education and the Workforce published an open letter to higher education "stakeholders" Thursday, asking for suggestions on rewriting the law governing federal financial aid programs. Representatives are especially interested in areas including, empowering students as consumers; simplifying student aid and loans; increasing affordability, accountability and completion; reducing costs; and balancing the need for accountability with the burden of federal requirements. In a statement, the committee's chairman, Representative John Kline of Minnesota, emphasized paring regulations, simplifying financial aid and providing families with better information. The committee also welcomes specific suggestions via email at HEA.Reauth@mail.house.gov. To view a copy of the letter, visit http://edworkforce.house.gov/uploadedfiles/04-25-2013.pdf. Tavenner Confirmation on Hold Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, has put a pause to Marilyn Tavenner officially heading the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). At a budget hearing April 24, Harkin said he wants answers on why funding for wellness is to be cut from the federal budget. Harkin temporarily put a hold on the full Senate vote to approve Tavenner until an ongoing discussion is established on prevention funding. Tavenner faced a confirmation hearing April 9 and was unanimously vetted by the Senate Finance Committee on April 23. She has wide bipartisan support and a full Senate vote was expected to take place soon. Harkin helped to write prevention measures into the Affordable Care Act, which included a federal budget for preventing disease, the Prevention and Public Health Fund. State GOP Prepares for Convention
For more information, visit http://www.rpv.org/2013vaconvention. Students Reflect on VCU’s Virginia Capital Semester Program VCU students recently reflected on the valuable experience they received this spring by serving as interns at the Virginia General Assembly through VCU’s Virginia Capital Semester program. The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs in the College of Humanities and Sciences began the Virginia Capital Semester Program in 2004 with the mission to train tomorrow’s leaders by providing internships in state government. The program offers interns the opportunity to work alongside Virginia’s leading policymakers, providing a hands-on environment to learn how state government works. Students were paired with senators and delegates across the state, allowing them to watch the evolution of bills and to learn what it takes to truly be a good statesman. Students who participated in the program this spring said the experience helped them develop a better understanding of the Virginia General Assembly and a better idea of how different political leaders play a role in the policy process. For more information, visit http://news.vcu.edu/news/Virginia_Capital_Semester_Deepens_Students_Knowledge_of_the_Legislative. Children’s Services: Support for CHGME Funding As Congress begins to ramp up activity related to FY 2014 spending, Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) continues its advocacy in support of Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) funding. A bipartisan group of 26 senators sent a letter to Chairman Tom Harkin of Iowa and Ranking Member Jerry Moran of Kansas of the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee supporting funding for CHGME in FY 2014. The letter was spearheaded by Senators Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Johnny Isakson of Georgia and comes on the heels of a similar bipartisan letter in the House signed by 138 Representatives submitted earlier this month. CHA was also joined by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other pediatric and children’s health organization in submitting a joint letter to the House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriation Subcommittees requesting CHGME be funded at $317.5 million for FY 2014. MSV Legislative Summit
For more information and to register, visit http://www.msv.org/MainMenuCategories/MemberCenter/PressRoom/News/2013/Attend-MSVs-Legislative-Summit-on-May-3--.aspx.
April 22, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Helping Sick Americans Now Act On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Helping Sick Americans Now Act (H.R. 1549) by a vote of 27 to 20. The legislation was authored by Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania and Vice Chairman Michael Burgess, M.D., of Texas along with Representative Ann Wagner of Missouri. H.R. 1549 would amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to transfer unobligated amounts from the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) for fiscal years 2013 through 2016 to help provide temporary health insurance for qualified individuals with pre-existing health conditions. While the program is a relatively small piece of the Affordable Care Act, high-risk pools make up the cornerstone of Republican plans to “repeal and replace” the law. House Republicans have said high-risk pools should replace one of the healthcare law’s most popular provisions — the requirement that insurance companies cover people with pre-existing conditions. Keeping College Within Reach On Tuesday, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, chaired by Representative Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, held a hearing entitled, “Keeping College Within Reach: The Role of Federal Student Aid Programs.” During the hearing, members and higher education experts discussed the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, and explored the question of whether the federal government should maintain its traditional focus on improving access to higher education, or move toward a system that ties federal aid to student outcomes, job placement, or graduation rates. Former U.S. Department of Education employee Daniel Madzelan offered several suggestions for improving the federal financial aid system, including simplifying the application process and streamlining student loan programs. The Subcommittee will continue to discuss policies to strengthen the Higher Education Act in the coming months. To read witness testimony, opening statements, or watch an archived webcast of the hearing, visit www.edworkforce.house.gov/hearings. Tuition Rates for the Upcoming School Year Governor McDonnell has issued a letter urging college presidents and boards to voluntarily keep in-state tuition increases for the upcoming fall semester to the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index. Virginia colleges and universities worked closely with the administration last year to hold tuition increases to an average of 4.1 percent, the lowest average tuition increase in a decade. Virginia's colleges and universities are currently determining tuition rates for the upcoming school year. To read the full letter, visit http://www.governor.virginia.gov/utility/docs/letter%20to%20BOV.pdf. 65th Annual Shad Planking
For more information, visit http://www.shadplanking.com/. Governor’s Business Plan Challenge
Children’s Services: TRICARE for Kids Workgroup Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) recently hosted a working group of “TRICARE for Kids” stakeholders. The group included representatives from disability, education, military family, and pediatric healthcare advocacy and professional organizations, and military families. Notably, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) are key members and cosponsors of the working group. The group was formed to make recommendations to the Secretary of Defense by the TRICARE for Kids (TFK) legislation, which requires a study by the Department of Defense to develop a plan to ensure that TRICARE meets pediatric-specific needs of the military families, and protects access to care. The group also is charged with promoting improvements in pediatric health care for military families, in alignment with the TFK legislation, championed by the Association, and signed into law in January 2013. CHA is pleased to work with organizations such as AAP, MOAA, National Military Family Association, Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health, The Dixon Center, Autism Speaks, VCU Partnership for People with Disabilities, Military Special Needs Network, and military families, to improve health care for military children, and advance national models of pediatric care that will ultimately benefit all children. MSV Legislative Summit
For more information and to register, visit http://www.msv.org/MainMenuCategories/MemberCenter/PressRoom/News/2013/Attend-MSVs-Legislative-Summit-on-May-3--.aspx.
April 15, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Debt Ceiling “Prioritization” Bill
The bill, introduced by Republican Representative Tom McClintock of California, says the government must pay the interest and principal of its debts with incoming tax revenue before any other obligations. If the legislation were enacted and the government did reach the debt ceiling, the result would be a partial government shutdown — as the incoming tax revenue would be enough to cover payments on debt but not nearly enough for all of the government’s obligations. However, the issue of prioritizing payments is complicated because the government’s computer system, housed in the Treasury Department, is designed to make payments in the order they come due, according to the department’s inspector general. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said in a memo to Republican lawmakers that the chamber would consider such a bill in the “near future,” but more specific timing of when the bill would be brought to the House floor had not been disclosed until now. Republicans are planning to hold an extended closed-door conference meeting hashing out further strategy decisions relating to the debt ceiling after the prioritization bill is passed. The meeting may occur in May, after the next House recess. GAO Releases New Report on STEM Education The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report analyzing the federal efforts, funded at more than $3 billion in total, to improve science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education across 13 agencies. While the report found most of the programs “overlapped to some degree with at least one other program,” the report said this overlap should not automatically be interpreted as redundancy. However, the report also notes that a majority of these programs have not been subject to comprehensive effectiveness evaluations since 2005. In addition, those programs with evaluations were not always in alignment with program objectives. The report was requested by House Education and Workforce Chairman John Kline of Minnesota, who recently held a hearing to review the state of STEM education in America. During the hearing, members discussed the need to re-evaluate the federal government’s STEM investment to ensure it is helping students compete for jobs in these high-demand fields. To view a copy of the GAO report, visit http://gao.gov/assets/660/653661.pdf. Senate Confirmation Hearing for Marilyn Tavenner
Delegate Purkey Announces Retirement Delegate Harry Purkey of Virginia Beach has announced he will retire from the General Assembly. Purkey has represented part of Virginia Beach since 1986 and currently serves as chairman of the Finance Committee. To date, a total of nine state Delegates have announced they will not run for re-election this fall. Board of Health Offers Final Action to Abortion Clinic Regulations The Virginia Board of Health voted Friday to require abortion clinics to adhere to the building rules for hospitals. The 11 to 2 vote, followed by an hour of public testimony and defeat of a proposal to grandfather in existing clinics, represents the board’s final say on the matter. The regulations now head to Governor McDonnell for final review before being published in the Virginia Register of Regulations for a 30-day final adoption period — at the end of which the regulations will become effective. Virginia's licensed clinics have less than two years to comply with the regulations. The clinic regulations have been in force on an emergency basis since January 1, 2012. Children’s Services: Past, Present and Future of CHIP On May 2, Children’s Hospital Association and allied organizations in cooperation with the Children’s Health Care Caucus will host the second briefing in the Medicaid Matters for Kids briefing series. The upcoming briefing will be CHIP 101: Past, Present and Future of the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The briefing will provide congressional staff with a basic understanding of the CHIP program, its history, how the program looks today, and the future, including its possible upcoming reauthorization. The lunch briefing is open to the public and will be held at noon in the Capitol, HVC 201. VCU Office of Health Innovation: President Obama Budget Details
For a detailed summary of the major health care provisions contained in the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget proposals released by the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services, please contact Ross Airington, Health Policy Analyst in the Office of Health Innovation at airingtonrk@vcu.edu.
April 8, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Administration Budget Details President Obama will propose a budget this week and according to White House officials, Obama’s budget would cut Medicare and Social Security and ask for less tax revenue than he has previously sought. The budget, to be released Wednesday, will fully incorporate the offer the president made to House Speaker John Boehner during December’s “fiscal cliff” talks — which included $1.8 trillion in deficit reduction through spending cuts and tax increases. The proposal slices $200 billion from defense and domestic budgets and $400 billion from Medicare and other health programs by negotiating better prescription drug prices and asking some seniors to pay more, among other policies. Officials also point out the president’s budget would fund several new priorities, including the creation of a program offering preschool to all 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income backgrounds. The president would also seek to get rid of a loophole in the law that lets people collect both unemployment insurance and disability payments — so called double-dipping. With the House and the Senate having passed dueling budget proposals, both sides will see whether they can find a compromise. In addition, Congress and the White House will have to agree to a new budget plan by the end of September. Rates for Subsidized Stafford Loans
House Education Committee chairman John Kline of Minnesota, and the committee's senior Democrat, George Miller of California, have recommended to keep rates at their current levels but have not outlined how they might accomplish that goal. Representative Karen Bass of California recently introduced a proposal that would permanently cap the interest rate at 3.4 percent. Neither party's budget proposal in Congress has money specifically set aside to keep student loans at their current rate. The House Republicans' budget would double the interest rates on newly issued subsidized loans to help balance the federal budget in a decade. Senate Democrats want to keep the interest rates at their current levels, but the budget they passed does not set aside money to do that. McAuliffe and Cuccinelli to Debate Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Terry McAuliffe has agreed to take part in five debates ahead of this year’s contest. It is likely McAuliffe with face Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli in November. Last week, the Democratic Party of Virginia certified McAuliffe as its nominee after he submitted more than 35,000 signatures to qualify for the primary ballot. Cuccinelli spokeswoman Anna Nix said that the attorney general looks forward to debating McAuliffe in every region of the state and details would be forthcoming. Dates have not been set for all of the debates, but the earliest one on the calendar, to be hosted by the Virginia Bar Association, will take place on July 20. Lawmakers Approve Amendments to Medicaid Expansion Language The General Assembly reconvened Wednesday for its one-day session to address Governor McDonnell’s vetoes and amendments to bills. The House and Senate approved, with some debate, budget amendments which add more detail to a list of conditions that would have to be met before Virginia could expand Medicaid. Overall, Governor McDonnell offered amendments to 80 bills and vetoes to six bills passed in the legislative session. The House and Senate upheld over 88 percent of those amendments. For more information, visit http://www.governor.virginia.gov/news/viewRelease.cfm?id=1749. Warner to Seek Re-election to the U.S. Senate U.S. Senator Mark Warner will seek re-election in 2014. Warner's press secretary, Beth Adelson, announced on Thursday he will seek a return to the U.S. Senate when his term expires next year. He considered a run for his previous job as governor, but has abandoned the idea. Warner held the Virginia gubernatorial office from 2002 to 2006. Children’s Services: Proposal to Expand Pediatric Research
March 25, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: House and Senate Pass Respective Budgets
Four Democratic senators joined all the Senate Republicans in opposing the measure, which seeks to raise nearly $1 trillion in new tax revenues by closing some tax breaks for the wealthy. To make that happen, the Senate budget calls for special fast-track rules to overhaul the tax code. The Senate budget is very different from the one passed in the House as it reflects Democratic priorities of boosting job growth and preserving social safety net programs. The House budget, penned by former vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, focuses on cuts to spending, and reforms to Medicare that would transform the program into a "premium support" (or voucher) system. The Senate's budget would shrink annual federal shortfalls over the next decade to nearly $400 billion, raise unspecified taxes by $975 billion and cut modest savings from domestic programs — while the Republican plan seeks $4.6 trillion in savings over the same period without raising new taxes. The two parties must now work to resolve the differences, if possible, between their two budgets. In the coming days, Senate leaders plan to request a formal conference on the budget with the House. That would establish Ryan and Murray as lead negotiators for their respective parties. President Obama plans to release his 2014 budget in April. Service Members’ Tuition Assistance Restored Congress has approved the continuing resolution (CR) that includes a provision of tuition aid to active duty military. The Defense Department’s comptroller had recommended “significant reductions” in the program as the department adjusts to the mandatory budget cuts that went into effect March 1. Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard had all cut funding for the program and frozen new applications. The measure, sponsored by Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Senator Kay Hagan of North Carolina, requires the department to restore full funding to the program for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends September 30. Ballots Submitted for Democratic Nomination for Lt. Governor
Governor McDonnell Meets on Capitol Hill Governor McDonnell met Wednesday in Washington with members of Virginia’s Congressional delegation for what was described as a wide-ranging discussion. The private meeting was held on Capitol Hill and the group covered topics from the sequester to the transportation deal recently approved by the General Assembly. The group also discussed education policy and the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, which is legislation before the U.S. House of Representatives focusing on access to job training and workforce development. Governor McDonnell also spoke about Medicaid reforms. Republican Candidate Debates Held The Ninth District Republican Committee of Virginia presented two debates on Saturday for Republican candidates for Virginia lieutenant governor and attorney general. The debate was held at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Virginia. All seven candidates seeking the party's nomination to run for lieutenant governor and both hoping to represent the GOP in the attorney general's race participated. Topics discussed include the economy and job creation. Steve Hawkins, local television and radio personality, served as the moderator. The state GOP will determine its nominee for both lieutenant governor and attorney general at its May 18 convention. Children’s Services: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
CHoR has treated 69 St. Vincent children in Richmond, Va., and over 75 percent of the cases were for the treatment of pediatric heart conditions. In addition, more than 60 medical professionals from CHoR have provided care to St. Vincent children both at CHoR and during volunteer medical team trips to St. Vincent. John Duval, chief executive officer of VCU Health System, accepted the award on behalf of the health system and its leadership. VCU Office of Health Innovation: Affordable Care Act Battle Far From Over The health reform law was one of the favorite targets of amendments during Friday night's "vote-a-rama" on the Senate floor. Of the more than 100 amendments considered, more than 20 were related to health care, Medicare or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Dozens of amendments were filed to the budget resolution picking apart various elements of health care policy: whether employers should provide contraceptives in their insurance policies, whether a tax should be imposed on medical device-makers and whether Medicare can adjust payments based on the state. The biggest victory for the law's opponents came on Thursday, when 79 senators — including all Republicans and 34 Democrats — voted to strike the law's tax on medical device-makers. The Senate also passed by voice vote a measure to repeal the law's $2,500 cap on flexible spending accounts and eliminate the requirement that consumers get a doctor's prescription before using FSA or health savings account money on over-the-counter prescriptions. Democrats used Friday's votes as a chance to stand up for the provisions of the health law that they support. An amendment from New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen aimed to protect the law's birth control provisions passed 56-43. Amendments that failed include full repeal of the health law, restrictions on illegal immigrants who gain legal status from accessing the health law, a prohibition on funds to advertise the health law and a ban on the health law's taxes on low- and middle-income Americans.
March 18, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: President Holds Talks on Capitol Hill President Obama held a private meeting with Senate Republicans on Thursday. The president took about a dozen questions from senators and touched on topics including immigration and energy. During the meeting, the president also discussed areas of possible common ground, including revenue-neutral corporate tax reform and a special task force to study regulatory reform. The president told the Senate Republican conference that he is willing to take on Democrats in Congress over reforms to Social Security and Medicare and asked GOP lawmakers to challenge their own party’s base over the need to raise more tax revenue. White House aides have said the president is interested in working with rank-and-file House and Senate Republicans to win progress not only on a deficit-reduction package, but also on other legislative issues. President Obama touted his administration’s proposal to reform the corporate tax code without increasing the net level of taxation as an area of common ground with Republicans. He also said he would not accept corporate tax reform unless it was tied to legislation raising tax revenues from other sources. The president’s meeting with Senate Republicans, followed by a session with House Democrats, caps three days of talks on Capitol Hill in which he pressed his case for a deficit-reduction deal. Republicans are insisting on spending cuts, while President Obama and Democrats are insisting tax increases be a significant part of an agreement. Service Members’ Tuition Assistance
In a bi-partisan effort, a pair of Senators is working to restore the Tuition Assistance Program. Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Kay Hagan of North Carolina have introduced an amendment to the Senate's Continuing Resolution bill. The amendment would stop the termination of the Tuition Assistance Program. Delegate Crockett-Stark Announces Retirement Delegate Anne B. Crockett-Stark of Wytheville, a longtime Wythe County lawmaker and educator, has announced her retirement from the General Assembly. Crockett-Stark is in her 8th year serving the 6th District in Richmond County. Prior to her General Assembly service, she held positions on the Wytheville Town Council, and the Wythe County Board of Supervisors. To date, a total of seven state Delegates have announced they will not run this fall. Bolling to Not Run for Governor
Governor Signs Lyme disease Bill On Wednesday, Governor McDonnell signed House Bill 1933 which effective July 1, requires physicians in Virginia to provide patients with information about the limitations of tests for Lyme disease. The measure’s chief patron was Delegate Barbara Comstock of Fairfax. The disease, which is typically caused by a tick bite, is curable with a limited dose of antibiotics when treated early. Existing tests by commercial laboratories already bear disclaimer warnings that the results may yield false negatives, requiring additional testing. Supporters of the legislation say many doctors fail to disclose this to their patients — which the new law is supposed to change. The companion legislation, Senate Bill 971 which was sponsored by Senator Richard Black, failed to pass. Howell to Chair National Speakers Conference Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Bill Howell of Stafford has been named chairman for the National Speakers Conference, an organization of state House Speakers, beginning in 2014. The organization’s 2014 Annual Meeting will be held in Richmond. The gathering customarily attracts over two-thirds of all sitting Speakers of the House, making it the single largest gathering of presiding officers in the nation. The National Speakers Conference was founded in 1992 to represent the interests of all Speakers of the House and their chiefs of staff. Howell joined the organization in 2003 and currently serves as first vice-president. Children’s Services: Stories of Children on Medicaid Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) is midway through “Medicaid Matters for Kids Month.” Over the course of 31 days, the Association is profiling stories of children on Medicaid and facts related to the program via social media channels. CHA’s goal is to create more buzz around Medicaid as a vital child health program worth protecting. The messengers for Medicaid Matters for Kids Month include Speak Now for Kids advocates, patient families in children’s hospitals and allied health organizations they work closely with in Washington, D.C. CHA invites all children’s hospitals to extend the Medicaid messages via traditional media outreach and social media. A toolkit has been created for this purpose and the Association encourages hospital government and public relations colleagues to consider engaging in this effort. To access the toolkit, visit http://www.childrenshospitals.net/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Speak_Now_for_Kids1&Template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=59359. VCU Students Meet with Governor McDonnell On Thursday, a group of twenty VCU students traveled to Capitol Square to meet with Governor McDonnell. The meeting took place in the Governor’s Cabinet Room in the Patrick Henry Building. During the meeting, students thanked Governor McDonnell for his work with the General Assembly to support VCU legislative priorities and funding initiatives. The students also discussed tuition costs and its impact on VCU students and their families. The meeting was organized and lead by Bryan Portillo, VCU Office of Government Relations Legislative Intern. March 11, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: House Approves Stopgap Measure The House of Representatives has voted to keep the federal government funded through the end of the fiscal year. The legislation passed 267 to 151 with 137 Democrats voting against it. The $982 billion stopgap measure locks in post-sequestration spending levels but includes protections for defense and veterans’ programs, enabling them to adjust to the cuts brought on by sequestration. Democrats criticized the bill for granting flexibility to the Pentagon to reallocate funds to higher-priority programs, while doing nothing to mitigate the impact sequestration would have on domestic programs. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, who urged his colleagues to vote against the measure, called for a solution that would replace the across-the-board spending cuts that took effect on March 1. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Nevada told reporters he was "cautiously optimistic" that both sides could reach an agreement before Easter recess but indicated things could still fall apart, depending on the specifics of the GOP plan. He added that the Senate will move on its own government funding bill this week, which is being crafted by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. The Senate version will most likely include additional funding flexibility for domestic programs. The White House said it was "deeply concerned" about the House GOP bill, emphasizing its lack of flexibility for domestic programs. But the Obama administration stopped short of issuing a veto threat and instead expressed its intention to work with Congress "to refine the legislation to address these concerns." Still, it remains to be seen if House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio could rally members of his conference around a modified CR that balances both defense and domestic spending cuts. Annual State Higher Education Finance Report
To view a copy of the report, visit http://www.sheeo.org/resources/publications/shef-%E2%80%94-state-higher-education-finance-fy12. House Members Announce Retirements Delegates Don Merricks of Chatham and John Cox of Ashland announced last week they will not run for another term in the House of Delegates this fall. Also, Delegates Sal Iaquinto and Bob Tata of Virginia Beach, in addition to Joe Johnson of Abingdon and Jim Scott of Merrifield, have announced their retirements. This November all 100 seats in the House are up for reelection. Governor McDonnell Outlines Action on Medicaid Expansion
To view a copy of the letter, visit http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=1709. VDH Holds Public Hearings on Abortion Regulations On Thursday the Virginia Department of Health hosted the first of two public hearings held before the board decides to make the abortion regulations permanent. The attorney general and the governor certified the regulations late last year, triggering another round of public comment starting with Thursday’s hearing in Richmond. Former Virginia Health Commissioner Karen Remley was among more than two dozen people who testified Thursday. The board of health is scheduled to take a final vote on the regulations at its April 12 meeting. If the board approves the regulations, Governor McDonnell’s administration will conduct a final review before implementing them. Another public hearing is set for Tuesday in Alexandria. Children’s Services: FAQs on Medicaid Primary Care Payment Increase The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) has released Frequently Asked Questions documents to provide additional guidance on implementation of the Medicaid primary care physician payment increase. The information provided by CMS is primarily directed to the states but is also helpful to providers in understanding who and what services are eligible for the payment increase. In the guidance documents, CMS clarifies that health systems may complete the attestation for eligible primary care physicians if the health system collects appropriate supporting documentation. The guidance also specifically mentions that physicians who support primary care physicians, such as pathologists or OB/GYNs, are not eligible for higher reimbursement including if the primary care physician bills for services on their behalf. In addition, CMS informs states that they may use eligible services provided in neighboring state to meet the 60 percent claims threshold for physicians who practice in more than one state. To view the Frequently Asked Questions document, visit http://medicaid.gov/State-Resource-Center/Frequently-Asked-Questions/CMCS-Ask-Questions.html.
March 4, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Stopgap Spending Bill
During the meeting, the Speaker told reporters the House has already voted twice on measures to replace the sequester, and “shouldn't have to pass a third bill.” Inside the meeting, the Speaker urged the president and Senate Democrats to present a plan to replace the sequester that could pass the Democratic-led Senate. Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi California also attended the meeting. While Republicans want to pursue tax reform, a significant gap remains between what they want to achieve in the effort and what Democrats are demanding. Boehner has ruled out raising any additional tax revenue, a position his office said he made clear in the meeting. The Republican leaders reiterated their willingness to close tax loopholes, but not as a replacement for the sequester’s spending cuts, saying any revenue generated by closing tax loopholes should be used to lower tax rates and create jobs. The president and the congressional leaders appeared to find at least one area of agreement, on the need to prevent a government shutdown by passing a stopgap spending bill before funding expires on March 27. Regarding the House’s plan, the bill will assume the continuation of the sequestration cuts and is likely to include a separate appropriations measure funding the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments. Borrowing Limits and Underwriting Standards Colleges and universities should be allowed to set borrowing limits for students lower than the cost of attendance, and underwriting standards should be tightened for Parent PLUS loans, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators recommended in a recent report. The report, the final recommendations of the association's task force on student loan indebtedness, also recommends income-based repayment as the automatic option for all borrowers and a fixed interest rate for new loans, a rate that would vary from year to year with market conditions. For more information, visit http://www.nasfaa.org/indebtedness-report.aspx. Report on College Completion
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center's "Signature Report on Completing College: A State-Level View of Student Attainment Rates" can be found at http://research.studentclearinghouse.org/. Bolling Surveys Supporters on Independent Bid Lt. Governor Bill Bolling contacted supporters on Thursday asking for their thoughts on his independent bid for Governor. Bolling posted a survey on his political website asking Virginians to weigh in on whether to get involved in the race. The two-term lieutenant governor has been exploring a possible independent bid since he withdrew from the GOP nominating contest late last year. Bolling has set a March 14 deadline to declare whether he will join a field that includes Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Democratic businessman Terry McAuliffe. He has said the three factors that will inform his decision are whether he could wage a credible campaign; whether he could raise the $10 million to $15 million he thinks is needed to do that; and whether it is the right choice personally. Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission The Commonwealth’s new Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission (MIRC) has been created. The 12-member panel is to be responsible for dictating if and when Medicaid expands to provide health coverage for an additional 400,000 uninsured and low-income Virginians under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Comprised of five senators, five delegates and two governor’s appointees, MIRC’s specific mission is to assess whether specific cost-reduction and efficiency benchmarks Governor McDonnell has set as an absolute prerequisite for expanding Medicaid in Virginia have been satisfied. If MIRC determines they have, the law would then extend Medicaid eligibility to people with incomes up to 30 percent over the federal poverty level. Delegates Steve Landes of Augusta, Jimmie Massie of Henrico, John O’Bannon, III of Henrico, Johnny Joannou of Portsmouth, and Beverly Sherwood of Frederick, were named to the commission. The Senate appointees have not yet been chosen. Children’s Services: Capitol Hill Advocacy Day On February 26 and 27, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) participated in Children’s Hospital Association’s Capitol Hill Advocacy Day. Kendall Lee, Associate Director of Government Relations and Laura Carter, Chair of the CHoR Advocacy Committee traveled to Washington, D.C. to carry forward messages about Medicaid for kids and supporting CHGME. Meetings where held with congressional staffers from the offices of Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Congressmen Robert “Bobby” Scott, Rob Whittman, J. Randy Forbes and Eric Cantor. Additionally, members of Congress and over 50 congressional staffers attended the Capitol Hill networking reception on Tuesday evening. Dr. Rao Meets with Members of Congress On Tuesday, February 26, Dr. Rao, VCU President and Mark Smith, Senior Director of Government Relations, traveled to Washington, D.C.to meet with members of Virginia’s congressional delegation. Meetings were held with Senator Mark Warner and Congressmen Rob Wittman, Frank Wolf, Eric Cantor. A meeting was also held with a staffer from the Office of Robert “Bobby” Scott. Dr. Rao discussed the sequester and the impacts on VCU. Members of the Holland and Knight team also assisted with the Hill visits.
February 25, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Proposals to Preserve Cuts With only a few days left before sequestration, members of Congress and the White House are trying to find a way to avert it. Republicans have been working on a proposal that would preserve the cuts but give the administration more discretion over how to implement them. They may also produce a plan that would structure the defense reductions to have minimal impact on national security. The Democratic plan would delay the sequester until January and replace the sequester with $110 billion in new tax revenue and a more narrow menu of spending cuts. Administration officials have spent the past several weeks discussing how the reductions would impact everything from government services and national security to federal workers and the economy. On Sunday, the White House released 51 fact sheets describing the effects a sequester would have on every state and the District of Columbia. Congress returns today after a week-long recess. President Obama has urged members to buy more time for a broad budget deal with a short-term measure that boosts revenues by ending some tax breaks for the wealthy. Senate Democrats stand behind their plan that focuses on those tax loopholes while this week, Republicans are expected to propose more alternatives. Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education
Lawmakers Approve Raise for State Employees Members of the General Assembly approved amendments to the state’s budget before the session adjourned on Saturday. The $87 billion budget includes a salary increase for state employees and funding for more slots for in-state students at four Virginia colleges and universities, while boosting financial aid for undergraduates. For classified state employees, the budget provides 2 percent raises scheduled to take effect in July. Lawmakers also approved to give state employees with at least five years of service a raise of $65 a year up to 30 years — or a maximum of $1,950. The change is designed to address “salary compression,” in which wages for longtime employees lag those of new hires, and give a larger percentage boost to lower-paid workers. Members also approved an additional 1 percent raise, on top of the 2 percent approved last year, for faculty at colleges and universities State Budget Provides for Medicaid Expansion
Children’s Services: Medicaid and Kids 101 Children’s Hospital Association and allied organization in cooperation with the Congressional Children’s Health Care Caucus hosted an educational briefing on Friday, February 22. The briefing, entitled “Medicaid and Kids 101” focused on the basics of Medicaid’s role in providing care for children: who is covered, what services are covered and how Medicaid is financed. Dr. Andrew Urbach, Medical Director, Clinical Excellence and Service, of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC represented the Association. The Association thanks member hospitals for sending invites to their Congressional offices. Slides from the briefing will be available on the Association’s website next week.
February 18, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Sequester-Replacement Bill Unveiled
It would raise nearly $54 billion in taxes by implementing the Buffett Rule, setting a minimum effective tax rate for wealthy individuals and families. It would raise additional revenues by changing the tax treatment of oil extraction from oil sands. This version of the Buffett Rule would phase in a 30-percent effective rate for incomes between $1 million and $2 million. The plan would also end tax breaks that incentivize companies to move jobs overseas, raising less than $1 billion. The $55 billion in spending cuts are evenly divided between defense and non-defense programs. It would save $27.5 billion by eliminating agricultural subsidies and another $27.5 billion though defense cuts. The bill could become the vehicle for a compromise on the sequester though House and Senate Republicans are resistant to increasing any taxes to replace the sequester. Democrats rallied behind the proposal despite concerns raised by some Democratic lawmakers, who said it should have been tilted more to tax hikes.
Secretary Duncan Discusses Sequestration Impacts On Thursday, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan offered testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee on the possible impact of a March 1 sequestration on education programs. Secretary Duncan explained the across-the-board nature of the cuts would have a negative impact on education by reducing funding for teachers and other staff, cutting grants and work-study programs, and potentially reducing payments to the contractors who administer our financial aid programs. To view the Secretary’s remarks, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/testimony-secretary-arne-duncan-senate-appropriations-committee-possible-impact-seques. Governor McDonnell Honors Outstanding Faculty Governor McDonnell recently honored 12 Virginia educators, including Dr. Shiv Khanna, Professor of Physics at VCU — as recipients of the 27th annual Outstanding Faculty Award (OFA) for excellence in teaching, research, and public service. The faculty members from public and private colleges and universities across the Commonwealth will be recognized during an awards ceremony at the Jefferson Hotel as part of the annual OFA program administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and sponsored by Dominion Resources. Virginia Secretary of Education Laura Fornash will serve as the keynote speaker. For more information, visit http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=1670. Capitol Square Basketball Classic
To view pictures taken during the event, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/governorva/sets/72157632762415746/show/. State Budget Conferees Appointed Twelve legislators were appointed Wednesday by the House and Senate as a conference committee on House Bill 1500, the state budget. Those legislators include Delegates Lacey Putney, Kirk Cox, Beverly Sherwood, Steve Landes, Chris Jones, and Johnny Joannou, in addition to Senators Walter Stosch, Charles Colgan, Janet Howell, Tommy Norment, and John Watkins. Budget conferees will work out the differences between the two versions of the budget. 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly
Legislative session information including daily House and Senate convene and adjourn times can be found at each body's respective twitter accounts, @vahouse and @vasenate. To view the university and health system state legislative priorities, highlights, bill tracking lists and more, visit the Office of Government Relations’ website at www.govrel.vcu.edu. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 828-1235 or govrel@vcu.edu if you have questions or need assistance. At the State Capitol: Legislative Proposals Impacting VCU HB 1609 – Higher education; mental health treatment coordination. Introduced by Delegate Timothy Hugo, the bill requires the governing board of each public four-year institution of higher education to establish a written memorandum of understanding with its local community services board or behavioral health authority and with local hospitals and other local mental health facilities in order to expand the scope of services available to students seeking treatment. The bill requires each public four-year institution of higher education to designate a contact person to be notified when a student is involuntarily committed, or when a student is discharged from a facility and he consents to such notification. The bill also requires the memorandums to include the institution of higher education in the post-discharge planning of a student who has been committed and intends to return to campus, to the extent allowable under state and federal privacy laws. A substitute version of this legislation has been requested to a Senate conference committee. SB 922 – Health insurance; plan management and rate review. Introduced by Senator John Watkins, the bill authorizes the State Corporation Commission (SCC), with assistance from the Virginia Department of Health, to perform plan management functions required to certify health benefit plans for participation in a federally facilitated health benefit exchange in Virginia. This obligation is contingent upon the availability of full funding, technology infrastructure being made available to the SCC, and there being no other impediments that effectively prevent the SCC from performing any required plan management functions. In addition, the SCC's obligation to perform plan management functions is contingent upon receiving federal funding sufficient to pay the operating expenses necessary to carry out the functions. The SCC may contract with and enter into memoranda of understanding to carry out its plan management functions with any state or federal agency. The measure also authorizes the SCC to review and approve accident and sickness insurance premium rates applicable to health benefit plans in the individual and small group markets and health benefit plans providing health insurance coverage in the individual market through certain non-employer group plans. The power to review and approve rates is a condition to the SCC being found to be an effective regulator of such rates. Finally, the measure authorizes the Virginia Department of Health to assist in the plan management functions. The bill incorporates SB 1094 and has passed the House 64 to 35. SB 1242 – Eligibility for in-state tuition charges; military. Introduced by Senator Richard Stuart, the bill Clarifies eligibility for in-state tuition of current and former military personnel and their dependents and requires such students to take the necessary steps to become domiciled in Virginia within six months of the commencement of the school term. The bill also grants eligibility for in-state tuition charges to veterans residing within the Commonwealth. The bill was reported with amendments in a House subcommittee. Children’s Services: House Joint Resolution 575
To view the resolution, visit http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?131+ful+HJ575+pdf. Friday marked the deadline for states to decide whether they plan to create their own or partner with the federal government to create online insurance marketplaces required under President Obama’s health-care law. Virginia has declined to set up a state-based or partnership exchange with the federal government, so exchanges will be run by federal officials, at least through 2014. Friday’s deadline marks the end of a period of uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act regarding which states would take the lead in setting up the exchanges. When it became apparent that a number of states would decline to set up their own exchanges, federal health officials devised a compromise — partnerships that could be run with the federal government. According to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, as of now, 17 states and the District of Columbia have said they are planning on running their own exchanges; 26 states are defaulting to the federal government, and seven will jointly run the exchanges with the federal government. Those decisions clarify the scope of the federal government’s work in advance of October 1, when the exchanges will begin enrolling people for coverage beginning in January.
February 11, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Democratic Proposal to Curb Gun Violence Top Democrats in the House of Representatives unveiled a broad proposal on Thursday to curb gun violence that mirrors the one offered last month by President Obama — including a ban on semi-automatic assault weapons. But it remained unclear if the proposals will be put to a vote. The House Republican leadership has said it does not intend to bring legislation to the floor until the Senate has acted. Opponents charge that new restrictions on firearms would violate the right to bear arms. Backers argue that while Americans have the right to own guns, the government has the responsibility to impose restrictions for the public good. There has been unprecedented public support for tougher gun laws in wake of the Connecticut school shootings in December. In addition to outlawing semi-automatic assault weapons and imposing limits on high-capacity ammunition clips, the House Democrat package, like one advanced by the White House, would require that all gun buyers be subject to background checks and provide for improvements in mental health services. At this point the only gun-related proposal with much bipartisan support is the one requiring universal background checks. The new package was announced during a three-day retreat by House Democrats that featured a visit by the president. He suggested that despite opposition by gun groups, many individual gun owners favor new restrictions. The National Rifle Association (NRA) has led the charge against stricter gun laws but has agreed with those who have called for improvements in mental health treatment. However, the NRA strongly condemned the Democratic proposals on Thursday. Academic Research Institutions Advocate for Funding Solutions Leaders of academic research institutions across the nation urged Congress on Tuesday to take action to head off automatic spending cuts that are scheduled to take effect next month. The group estimated that if sequestration goes forward, federal research spending would be trimmed by more than $12-billion in 2013 and by nearly $95-billion over the next nine years. In its statement to Congress, the group — composed of members of the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, and the Science Coalition — said that universities conduct a majority of basic scientific and medical research in the United States. The group plans to release video editorials from leaders in academic research over the next month in an attempt to impress upon lawmakers the importance of finding solutions to the nation's deficit. House Speaker Rules against Redistricting Plan
Senate Approves Amendment to Expand Medicaid On Thursday both General Assembly chambers passed plans to tailor Virginia's $86 billion two-year budget. In the Senate, members approved a budget amendment that would allow Virginia to expand Medicaid on January 1, 2014, if the state is able to make significant reforms in how it delivers and pays for health care under the program. However, the Senate-passed budget is at odds with the one passed by the House. The House approved plan agreed with Governor McDonnell that the state should not move ahead yet with Medicaid expansion. The governor and a number of members in the House say that before the program is expanded, the state should be allowed to seek more control and flexibility to achieve savings in the current system. The amendment to the Senate budget calls for the state to move forward on expansion, even as Virginia seeks federal permission for cost-control adjustments to the program. That amendment would set up an account in which to deposit anticipated savings in the first few years of expansion; it's estimated Virginia would realize $51 million in general fund savings in fiscal year 2014. The House budget takes a slower approach on Medicaid. It, too, seeks federal approval to make program changes, makes expansion conditional on that, and specifies the need for additional General Assembly action before expansion proceeds. Both spending bills cover a range of services beyond health care, such as education, transportation and public safety. Differences between the House and Senate budgets will be worked out by a small group of negotiators from the two chambers in the next few weeks. Legislation Aimed to Make Schools and Campuses Safer Building on the work of the Governor's Taskforce on School and Campus Safety, Governor McDonnell on Friday introduced eight pieces of legislation designed to make Virginia's schools and campuses safer. Highlights of the agenda include legislation to develop a critical incident response model curriculum; to require School Boards to establish threat assessments teams and improve communication between school administrators, behavioral health professionals and law enforcement officials; to establish a fund to assist local school systems with security upgrades; and, to create a new criminal offense for entering a school while armed or in possession of an explosive device with the intent to commit a violent felony. For more information and to view the Key elements of the Governor's 2013 School Safety agenda, visit http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=1663. 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly
Legislative session information including daily House and Senate convene and adjourn times can be found at each body's respective twitter accounts, @vahouse and @vasenate. To view the university and health system state legislative priorities, highlights, bill tracking lists and more, visit the Office of Government Relations’ website at www.govrel.vcu.edu. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 828-1235 or govrel@vcu.edu if you have questions or need assistance. At the State Capitol: Legislative Proposals Impacting VCU HB 1856 – Emergency medical services; Board of Health to develop policies related to statewide providers. Introduced by Delegate Bobby Orrock, Sr., the bill requires the Board of Health to direct the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board to develop and facilitate implementation of (i) a process for informing an emergency medical services provider who has received an adverse decision relating to his authority to provide emergency medical care on behalf of an agency of the process for appealing that decision and (ii) a standard operating procedure template to be used in the development of local protocols for emergency medical services personnel for basic life support services. The bill also requires the Board, in cooperation with the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board, to review training for emergency medical services personnel and address disparities in the delivery of training to and availability of training for emergency medical services personnel. The Board shall report on its progress no later than December 1, 2013. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Education Subcommittee, Health Professions. HB 2347 – Juvenile intake and petition information; threat assessment teams. Introduced by Delegate David Ramadan at the request of the Governor, this bill provides that juvenile intake officers shall notify chiefs of campus police departments of any petition alleging that a juvenile known to be enrolled in such institution of higher education has committed an act that would be a crime if committed by an adult. Intake officers must also notify any appropriate school division superintendent, the chief of campus police, and the local chief of police or sheriff whenever the officers reasonably believe that a juvenile poses a credible danger of serious bodily injury or death to other persons. The bill also provides exceptions to the confidentiality of records maintained by the Department of Juvenile Justice to allow such records to be shared with threat assessment teams established by any school division or by any institution of higher education. The bill has been assigned to a House Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety. HJ 645 – College campuses; higher educational institutions to heighten awareness of perils of alcohol abuse. Introduced by Delegate Delores McQuinn, the bill encourages the institutions of higher education in Virginia to heighten awareness of the perils of alcohol and substance abuse on college campuses. The resolution notes that parents and college officials must work collaboratively, concertedly, and decisively to educate college students concerning the dangers of alcohol and prescribed and controlled substance abuse. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Rules. Children’s Services: PREEMIE Reauthorization Act
January 28, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: House Votes to Suspend the Nation’s Borrowing Limit
In a 285-144 vote, the GOP controlled House of Representatives elected to authorize a suspension of borrowing limit until May 19 – effectively pushing back the next debt ceiling debate for another few months. The measure says the debt limit “shall not apply” during that period, therefore allowing the Treasury to continue to pay the country’s bills incurred until that date. The vote mostly fell along party lines, with many Democrats voting against it because of the bill’s temporary nature. The short-term extension provides breathing room on the debate. The debt ceiling does not authorize new spending, but rather pays for bills already accrued by the U.S. government, on everything from Social Security benefits to salaries for the U.S. military. The House bill includes a provision that requires the House and Senate to pass respective budgets by April 15, or the salaries for the lawmakers in their chamber will be held in escrow until a budget is passed, or until the Congress ends in two years. The language was intended to put pressure on the Democratic Senate, which has not passed a budget resolution since 2009. The bill now heads to the Senate and Majority Leader Harry Reid said the Senate would pass the bill. The White House said Tuesday President Obama would sign it when it reaches his desk. States’ Policies on Online Education In a recent policy brief, the National Governors Association said governors should work together to undertake a review of states' policies on online education, given the fast-changing state of the industry and the cost to states and institutions of regulation. The policy brief lays out the landscape of state regulation of distance learning and suggests areas that a study might examine, including whether states would consider joining a multistate compact or reciprocity agreement for authorizing online programs. Virginia Senate Committee Lists The Virginia Senate has released its committee lists. This session, the process involved discussion of the four committee assignments of the late Senator Yvonne Miller of Norfolk. Senator Kenny Alexander has been appointed to fill Miller's seat on Commerce & Labor, Rehabilitation and Social Services, and Transportation. Alexander was also given a slot on Privileges and Elections. Miller's seat on Finance went to Senator Bill Carrico of Galax. Virginia House has voted to postpone action on the Senate’s redistricting bill until Tuesday. The chamber is considering legislation passed in the Senate that redraws Senate lines across the state. Republicans have said the new maps would correct gerrymandered districts that Democrats passed in 2011 when they controlled the Senate. Democrats said the plan goes against of the state constitution, which specifies that redistricting take place after the decennial census in years ending in one. Lawmakers continue to spar over the new map which would take effect in 2015. Some Democrats feel that the new map creates an additional majority-black district in Southside but disperses the black vote elsewhere.
Legislative session information including daily House and Senate convene and adjourn times can be found at each body's respective twitter accounts, @vahouse and @vasenate. To view the university and health system state legislative priorities, highlights, bill tracking lists and more, visit the Office of Government Relations’ website at www.govrel.vcu.edu. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 828-1235 or govrel@vcu.edu if you have questions or need assistance. At the State Capitol: Legislative Proposals Impacting VCU SB 1252 – Concussions in student-athletes; policies and procedures. Introduced by Senator Ralph Northam, the bill requires each non-interscholastic youth sports program utilizing public school property or some other public playground, athletic field, or facility to establish policies and procedures regarding the identification and handling of suspected concussions in student-athletes. The bill adds definitions for "student-athlete" and "non-interscholastic youth sports program. The bill has been assigned to Senate Education and Health Subcommittee: Health Care. HB 2160 – Virginia workers' compensation; limitations period and balance billing. Introduced by Delegate Terry Kilgore, the bill establishes a one-year period of limitations on actions by a health care provider for payment of charges for services rendered under the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act. The period starts to run on the later of the date the services were provided or the date a medical award covering such services becomes final. The measure also provides that the prohibition on balance billing by health care providers applies both during the pendency of a claim for benefits and after an award of compensation is made. The balance billing prohibition will apply to an injury for which compensation is sought under a claim or that is covered by an award when any portion of the bill at issue, for the date of service at issue, has been paid by the employer, carrier, or third-party administrator. The bill has been assigned to the House Commerce and Labor Subcommittee: Special Workers Comp. HB 1700 – Students; admission of those domiciled in State at higher educational institutions. Introduced by Delegate Barbara Comstock, the bill provides that the board of visitors or other governing body of each public institution of higher education, except for the Virginia Military Institute, Norfolk State University, and Virginia State University, must establish rules and regulations requiring that by the start of the 2018-2019 academic year, at least 75 percent of students admitted and enrolled at the institution are domiciled in Virginia. The bill has been assigned to the House Education Subcommittee: Higher Education and Arts. HJ 689 – Medical doctors; joint subcommittee to study current and impending severe shortage in State. Introduced by Delegate Harry Purkey, the bill establishes a joint subcommittee to study the current and impending severe shortage of medical doctors in Virginia. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) determine whether a shortage of medical doctors exists in the Commonwealth, by specialty and by geographical region; (ii) project the future need for medical doctors in Virginia over the next 10 years by field of specialty; and (iii) identify and assess factors that contribute to the shortage of medical doctors, including medical school admissions, the costs of medical education, and the effect of excessive malpractice insurance premiums, malpractice laws and caps, the shortage of nurses, and ancillary regulations such as the Certificate of Public Need; and (iv) identify the medical specialty fields primarily affected by the shortage of doctors and recommend ways to alleviate such shortages. The joint subcommittee must submit its preliminary findings and recommendations to the 2014 Session of the General Assembly and its final findings and recommendations to the 2015 Session. The bill has been recommended to be reported with amendments. Children’s Services: Medicaid and CHIP Payment Access Commission The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) held a two day meeting in Washington, D.C. on January 15 and 16. During the meeting, commissioners reviewed draft chapters for MACPAC’s March 2013 report to Congress. MACPAC considered possible recommendations to include in the March report pertaining to 12 month continuous coverage for those individuals who may move between Medicaid, CHIP, and exchange coverage due to changes in their eligibility status over the course of a year. In addition to reviewing items for the upcoming report, MACPAC also discussed Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments and the role DSH funding plays in supporting hospitals that care for low-income patients. MACPAC expressed interest in commenting on a proposed rule expected to be released by the administration in early 2013 which would develop a methodology to allocate the DSH cuts enacted in the ACA. MACPAC will consider many issues throughout the year that impact children’s hospitals and the children they serve. Children’s Hospital Association is developing an action plan to engage the Commission on matters of importance to member hospitals. Biden Roundtable Held at VCU
January 21, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: House GOP Members Discuss Short-Term Increase House Republicans are discussing a short-term debt ceiling increase to buy time for broader deficit reduction negotiations with Democrats, according to Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. A small hike in the $16.4 trillion debt ceiling would give the government more time to make payments on its responsibilities as lawmakers and the White House discuss federal spending. A GOP leadership aide said there was no consensus on the size of a debt limit hike, and that it would have to be coupled with entitlement reforms or spending cuts. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has told Speaker John Boehner of Ohio that the nation hit its borrowing limit at the end of 2012 and will run out of ways to avoid a default sometime between mid-February and early March. $85 billion in across-the-board 2013 cuts to defense and domestic spending are set to begin taking effect in March, and the government will run out of funding a month later. Members said one option gaining traction among the rank and file was to approve a three-month increase in the debt limit and add some spending cuts and possibly a requirement that the Senate would pass a budget, which it has not done for more than three years. A three-month extension would push the deadline to around April 15, the legal deadline for the House and Senate to complete work on a budget resolution. Republican leaders are briefing rank-and-file members on the “consequences” and Ryan said the party is preparing members for the coming fiscal debates. The House Budget Committee chairman has offered few hints of what his next budget would include, and he said that while Republicans hoped to engage Democrats in comprehensive tax reform, the GOP would move forward on an overhaul of the tax code “irrespective” of the looming fiscal deadlines. Annual House GOP Retreat House Republicans left Washington on Wednesday morning for an annual retreat held at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg. The theme of this year’s retreat was “Many Voices, One Conference.” Sessions during the week included advice from the chief executive of Domino’s Pizza on turning around organizations and a motivational address from the first blind man to summit Mount Everest. Much of the retreat was devoted to sessions to let members strategize for the upcoming fiscal discussions. Accelerating Change in Medical Education
For more information, visit http://www.ama-assn.org/sub/accelerating-change/index.shtml. Salahi to Run as an Independent Former vineyard owner, Tareq Salahi, says he is leaving the Republican Party's gubernatorial nomination contest and launching an independent bid for the office. He initially announced his plans to seek the Republican nomination for Virginia governor in April. Salahi's campaign team includes Charles Roberts as general counsel, Scott Mackenzie as treasurer, Kelley Rogers as senior consultant, Andrea Ross as director of campaign strategy and communications and Mark Vargas who will focus on voter mobilization and outreach. Cuccinelli Intends to Serve His Full Term A dozen Democratic lawmakers on Friday sent a letter to Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli asking him to resign his office because he is running for governor. The letter signed by four state senators and eight members of the House of Delegates, argues that Virginia deserves a full-time attorney general and notes that the previous six attorney generals resigned before their terms expired in recognition that running for governor creates too many demands on fulfilling the duties of the office. When Cuccinelli was elected in 2009, and later in 2011 when he announced his intention to run, he said he would serve his full term. In a brief interview Friday, the gubernatorial candidate said he intends to keep his word. 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly
Legislative session information including daily House and Senate convene and adjourn times can be found at each body's respective twitter accounts, @vahouse and @vasenate. To view the university and health system state legislative priorities, highlights, bill tracking lists and more, visit the Office of Government Relations’ website at www.govrel.vcu.edu. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 828-1235 or govrel@vcu.edu if you have questions or need assistance. At the State Capitol: Legislative Proposals Impacting VCU HB 1490 – In-state tuition; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Introduced by Delegate Kaye Kory, the bill establishes that a student shall be eligible for in-state tuition if he meets the following criteria: (i) he has graduated from a public or private high school in the Commonwealth or has received a General Education Development (GED) certificate in the Commonwealth, (ii) he has resided in the Commonwealth for at least one year immediately preceding his registration as an entering student in a public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, and (iii) he has provided an affidavit to the public institution of higher education for which he has registered stating that he has been approved for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The bill has been assigned to House Education Sub-Committee on Higher Education and Arts. SB 857 – Higher Ed. Institutions; expands eligibility for in-state tuition to certain dependents of military. Introduced by Senator Harry Blevins, the bill expands eligibility for in-state tuition to certain dependents of active duty military personnel, or activated or temporarily mobilized reservists or guard members, who are either (i) assigned unaccompanied orders and immediately prior to receiving such unaccompanied orders were assigned to a permanent duty station or workplace geographically located in Virginia, or in a state contiguous to Virginia or the District of Columbia, and resided in Virginia or (ii) assigned unaccompanied orders with Virginia listed as the designated place move. The bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee. HB 1468 – Public schools; possession & administration of epinephrine by employees of local governing bodies. Introduced by Delegate Tag Greason, the bill adds employees of local governing bodies and employees of local health departments to the lists of individuals who are permitted to possess and administer epinephrine and not be held liable for civil damages when certain conditions are met. The bill also requires local school boards to include in policies for the possession and administration of epinephrine a provision adding any employee of a local governing body or an employee of a local health department who is authorized by a prescriber and trained in the administration of epinephrine to administer the drug to any student believed to be having an anaphylactic reaction. The bill has been assigned to the House Education Sub-Committee on Students and Early Education. SB 1088 – Medicaid; coordinated long-term care. Introduced by Senator Jeffrey McWaters, the bill guides the Director of the Department of Medical Assistance Services to develop and implement a statewide, fully integrated managed care long-term care program that is risk-based and integrates Medicaid-reimbursed primary, acute, behavioral health, and long-term care services. The long-term care program shall expand access to and utilization of cost-effective home and community-based alternatives to institutional care for Medicaid-eligible individuals. The program shall include an institutional transition initiative. Managed-care entities shall develop a need-based methodology for reimbursement of nursing facility services. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Education and Health Sub-Committee on Health Care. Children’s Services: National Pediatric Network Act of 2013
To view a copy of the letter, visit http://www.childrenshospitals.net/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home3&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=65392.
January 14, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Options to Raise the Debt Ceiling Democratic leaders in the Senate on Friday urged President Obama to consider bypassing Congress to prevent the nation from defaulting on its spending obligations if lawmakers cannot agree to raise the nation’s $16.4 trillion debt ceiling next month. In a joint letter, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and his leadership team encouraged President Obama to “take any lawful steps” to avoid default — “without Congressional approval, if necessary.” Republicans have insisted that they will not increase the government’s borrowing authority without deep spending cuts, including to entitlement programs. On Friday they rejected the idea of unilateral action by the president. Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, said Democrats must face GOP demands to slash spending and reform entitlement programs and predicted a backlash if Obama increased borrowing authority without cuts. President Obama has said he considers raising the limit — which the nation will hit in February — an obligation of Congress because doing so allows the government to pay off debts it has already incurred. Unlike in the summer of 2011, when the President negotiated with Boehner in an effort to pair a debt-ceiling increase with a broad deficit reduction package of spending cuts and new tax revenue, the president has insisted he will no longer negotiate spending concessions in exchange for a higher ceiling. Some congressional Democrats have long advocated for President Obama to invoke the 14th Amendment to the Constitution to declare congressional action unnecessary for raising the limit. The White House has indicated that the President does not believe the Constitution gives him the right to ignore the congressionally imposed limit on borrowing. National Center for Education Statistics Annual Report
To view a copy of the report, visit http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2013/2013008.pdf. 47th Annual Commonwealth Prayer Breakfast The Virginia General Assembly opened Wednesday with clergy, lobbyists and state and local leaders attending the 47th annual Commonwealth Prayer Breakfast held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Among the speakers offering prayers were Governor McDonnell, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, House Speaker Bill Howell and newly-elected Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Delegate Charniele Herring of Alexandria. All speakers focused on the power of faith to help lawmakers make tough decisions and remain civil. State of the Commonwealth Governor McDonnell on Wednesday urged General Assembly members to come together to achieve sweeping reforms in transportation funding and education in his last State of the Commonwealth speech. Speaking to legislators at the beginning of the 2013 Session, McDonnell made the case for an ambitious legislative agenda. Democrats, in their formal response to the governor’s remarks, said they agreed with McDonnell’s approach, but also evoked the battles of the previous session. To view a transcript of the Governor’s remarks, visit http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=1591. 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly
Legislative session information including daily House and Senate convene and adjourn times can be found at each body's respective twitter accounts, @vahouse and @vasenate. To view the university and health system state legislative priorities, highlights, bill tracking lists and more, visit the Office of Government Relations’ website at www.govrel.vcu.edu. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 828-1235 or govrel@vcu.edu if you have questions or need assistance. At the State Capitol: Legislative Proposals Impacting VCU HB 1316 – Introduced by Delegate Bob Marshall, the bill provides that a person who performs an abortion with knowledge that the abortion is sought solely and exclusively on account of the sex of the unborn child is guilty of a Class 4 felony. The bill also requires that the information that must be provided to a woman seeking an abortion prior to obtaining her informed written consent to the procedure shall include a statement that the physician would be committing a criminal offense if he performs an abortion solely on account of the sex of the unborn child. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Courts. Children’s Services: Proposed Rule on Health Insurance Market Reforms Children’s Hospital Association and allied children’s organizations submitted a joint comment letter to CMS regarding the provisions in its November 27 proposed rule on health insurance market reforms that have implication for children’s health care. The proposed rule implements provisions in the ACA that limit premium variation and ensure the availability of insurance to all applicants beginning in 2014. While the children’s groups were generally supportive of the proposed rule, the letter highlighted a few areas of concern related to access to coverage through a network plan for children who do not live with their families, establishing a floor for the definition of which children are part of a “family,” and the need to exclude children from tobacco use rating. To view the joint comment letter, visit http://www.childrenshospitals.net/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home3&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=65199.
January 7, 2013 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Fiscal Negotiations Continue House and Senate appropriators in Washington have been working quietly behind the scenes for months to craft 12 compromise annual spending bills to avoid a shutdown that is slated to occur when the current six-month stopgap spending bill expires. So far, no work has been started to craft bills to avoid a debt default or sudden across-the-board sequester cut in government defense and non-defense spending looming at the end of February. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers of Kentucky said Friday that appropriators are about three-quarters done and negotiations on differences continue. A Senate Democratic aide concurred that work is far along and will pick up again when the Senate returns Jan 22. Appropriators had been striving to attach an omnibus to the year-end "fiscal cliff" deal. Republicans, meanwhile, have made clear this week that they intend to use the need to raise the $16.4 trillion debt ceiling in the coming weeks to extract long-term spending cuts, such as on entitlements, from President Obama. This raises the prospect that the U.S. could default on its payment obligations, including its Treasury bond interest payments. The New Year’s Eve fiscal-cliff deal did not fully turn off the $109 billion in automatic sequestration cuts to government agency budgets. A two-month delay was paid for by a combination of spending cuts and revenue increases. Republicans have said they are done with tax increases, but Obama said the rest of the sequester must be replaced with a combination of cuts and taxes. Graduation Rates of GI Bill Recipients The graduation rates of veterans attending colleges under the GI Bill will soon become available to the public, thanks to a new collaboration between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Student Clearinghouse. The federal agency approved a memorandum of agreement on Thursday formalizing the arrangement. To date, more than 817,000 veterans have used the Post-9/11 GI Bill to enroll in college courses and training programs at more than 6,000 institutions. In the 2012 fall semester, there were 480,000 students enrolled under the GI Bill. Under the new agreement, the department will provide the National Student Clearinghouse with information for up to a million beneficiaries of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill. The clearinghouse will compare the data with its own to determine how many veterans graduate. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine
Cuccinelli Hires Campaign Manager Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has hired Dave Rexrode, the state party’s former executive director, to run his 2013 campaign. Rexrode ran the Republican Party of Virginia after serving as deputy campaign manager for Governor Bob McDonnell’s in 2009. Before working on McDonnell’s campaign, Rexrode was National Coalitions Director for the McCain for President campaign. Cuccinelli is expected to face Democrat Terry McAuliffe in November. 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly Begins
Legislative session information including daily House and Senate convene and adjourn times can be found at each body's respective twitter accounts, @vahouse and @vasenate. To view the university and health system state legislative priorities, highlights, bill tracking lists and more, visit the Office of Government Relations’ website at www.govrel.vcu.edu. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 828-1235 or govrel@vcu.edu if you have questions or need assistance. Children’s Services: TRICARE for Kids Study
VA21 Annual Leadership Conference Over 200 student leaders, legislators and supporters recently gathered at VCU for VA21’s Annual Leadership Conference. The conference focused on issues that directly impact young people in Virginia — college affordability and finding jobs. Senator Walter Stosch and Former Congressman Tom Davis were featured guests during a moderated lunch discussion led by Brendan Wynn, Vice Chairman of VA21′s Student Leadership Committee and VA Chapter President at the University of Virginia. This year’s conference featured several interactive breakout sessions. Attendees were encouraged to become involved in VA21′s Student Leadership Committee.
December 11, 2012 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Fiscal Talks Resume
The staff talks came one day after Boehner and President Obama held a face-to-face meeting to try to avert the tax hikes and spending cuts scheduled for January. The meeting held on Sunday was their first since the president hosted top congressional leaders for talks on the "fiscal cliff" on November 16. They have spoken several times on the phone since then, but as of Friday, the Speaker said those negotiations had yielded little progress. The talks have restarted after essentially breaking off for several days while the two sides rejected dueling offers. While Republicans continue to demand specificity from Democrats on spending cuts, White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters Monday that the White House had yet to see the same from the GOP on taxes. Carney reiterated the president’s position that any deal “requires acceptance and acknowledgement in a concrete way by Republicans that the top two percent will see an increase in their rates.” Congress has until the end of the year to pass legislation preventing major tax increases and spending cuts that will begin taking effect in January. Leaders in both parties have said they want to complete a deal before Christmas, when Congress is scheduled to adjourn. Department of Defense’s Tuition Assistance Program The Pentagon on Thursday released a new version of the Memorandum of Understanding that governs the Department of Defense’s Tuition Assistance Program. The new agreement replaces a series of mandatory policies for colleges with requirements that they merely disclose their policies. In the original version of the memorandum, all participating colleges would have been required to follow guidelines written by the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges, a consortium of colleges that cater to veterans and members of the armed services including VCU, University College. Those guidelines included a 25-percent cap on residency requirements, as well as rules governing transfer of credit, placement by examination, and prior-learning credit. Under the new agreement, an institution that is not already a member of the consortium will no longer have to adhere to those guidelines. Instead, such an institution will be required to disclose, before a student's enrollment, its credit-transfer policies, any academic residency requirements, and basic information about a program's total cost. The colleges will be required to provide a service member with access to an institutional financial-aid adviser before his or her enrollment. The new agreement also requires all institutions to ban incentive compensation for its recruiters, financial-aid advisers, and admissions counselors. Colleges must also "refrain from high-pressure recruitment tactics," which include "making multiple unsolicited phone calls" to prospective students. The memorandum explicitly leaves to the discretion of colleges the key decisions about how certain credits are awarded and how transfer credits are accepted and applied. The memorandum was first proposed in March 2011 and colleges will now have until March 1, 2013, to sign the new version of the agreement. To view a copy of the agreement, visit: http://dodmou.com/MOUs/Version2/MOU_draft.pdf. Northam Confirms Candidacy for Lt. Governor Senator Ralph Northam of Norfolk has confirmed he is a candidate for lieutenant governor of Virginia. The announcement at the annual Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce Eggs and Issues breakfast came a day before the senator formally launched his campaign at an event at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk. Senator Northam is an Eastern Shore native who lives in Norfolk. He is in his second term representing Virginia’s Sixth District which includes the Eastern Shore, Mathews County and parts of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. He is also a pediatric neurologist in a practice based at Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk. If elected, Senator Northam would be the first Eastern Shore native to serve as lieutenant governor of Virginia. He faces a challenge for the Democratic nomination from Aneesh Chopra, the nation’s first chief technology officer. Herring Elected as Chairwoman of the Virginia Democrats
Armstrong Will Not Run for Attorney General Former House of Delegates Democratic leader Ward Armstrong on Monday formally announced that he would not run for the Democratic nomination for Virginia Attorney General in 2013. He plans to focus his attention on his family and law practice. Delegate Armstrong is endorsing Democrat Terry McAuliffe for the party’s gubernatorial nomination and threw support behind Loudoun attorney and state Senator Mark Herring to be the party’s candidate for attorney general. Herring is being challenged for the nomination by former federal prosecutor Justin Fairfax of Annandale. Children’s Services: Connecting Kids to Coverage
Over the coming months, new customizable material templates, including fliers, posters, palm cards and PSAs in both English and Spanish, will be available for download. The campaign will host a number of training opportunities on the “wave activities” noted above, including partnership outreach, messages/messengers, working with the media, reaching diverse audiences, working with teens, social media and web/mobile marketing. For more information on Connecting Kids to Coverage, visit: http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/.
December 03, 2012 In this update: On Capitol Hill: Obama Radio Address Focuses on Fiscal Cliff
Currently, Democrats want the current rates for individuals making under $200,000 and married couples making under $250,000 to be extended while Republicans are resisting passing the bill because they fear they will lose leverage to keep rates lower for wealthier Americans. Last week, Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma and other members of the House GOP conference floated the idea of going along with President Obama on the middle class rates to give some certainty to the economy and to consumers in the holiday shopping season. Democrats are hoping that under pressure of the ticking clock, enough Republicans will defect to pass the Senate bill. During his address, the president explained that passing the middle class tax relief would allow time to do a deficit grand bargain later. According to President Obama, passing the bill would still leave $1 trillion in indiscriminate sequester cuts in place over the next ten years that need to be dealt with. To date, many moderate members of the House have not sided with the president on this issue. Representative Steve LaTourette of Ohio said Friday that new tax revenue would be acceptable in a deal with real spending and entitlement reforms. The president offered the spending cuts in his 2013 budget as his opening bid in the fiscal cliff talks. However, House GOP leaders argue that the $400 billion in entitlement savings are eaten up by new stimulus spending and do not go nearly far enough to stem the long-term demographic challenges facing Medicare and Social Security.
House Passes STEM Jobs Act
The bill still faces an uphill battle for approval in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Although there is bipartisan support for visas for STEM graduates, many Democrats oppose a provision of the bill that would eliminate the Diversity Visa Program, which allocates visas for those coming from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Senators Charles Schumer of New York and Chris Coons of Delaware, are sponsoring a bill that would increase STEM visas while keeping the green card lottery. Virginia’s lieutenant governor, Bill Bolling, has decided not to seek the Republican nomination for governor next year. Bolling announced his decision Wednesday morning in an e-mail. The message did not indicate if Bolling would seek reelection as lieutenant governor next year. The decision leaves Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli unopposed for the GOP nomination at the June convention. Last year, the Republicans decided they would choose the nominee at a state party convention, rather than in a primary. Jackson Announces Run for Lt. Governor
On the Democratic side, state Senator Ralph Northam of Norfolk, a pediatric neurologist, plans to make a formal announcement this week that he is also running for lieutenant governor. Senator Northam has one rival for the Democratic nomination: Aneesh Chopra, the nation’s first chief technology officer. Agency Heads Prepare Contingencies Plans Virginia state government agencies have sent Governor McDonnell suggestions for cutting their spending by more than $132 million over the next 18 months, should spending reductions be needed to balance the state budget. Shortly after the November 6 election, the governor cited the potential of federal spending cuts barring a congressional debt-reduction deal in ordering department heads to prepare contingencies for cuts of 4 percent. The governor could implement all the cuts, some of them, or change any of the recommendations. Or, if revenues remain on track or ahead of appropriations as they were through October, he could impose none of the cuts. The Governor’s Office explained the proposed spending cuts are submitted for the governor’s information. Governor McDonnell has requested similar spending reduction contingency plans in each of his three years in office. Children’s Services: CEO Health Policy Summit The Children’s Hospital Association’s 2013 CEO Health Policy Summit will be held January 24 -25 at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C. This year’s summit will focus on health policy issues impacting children and children’s hospitals, and allow members to discuss these major policy issues. The agenda will include a review of national policy, the current political environment in the wake of the 2012 election, and a discussion about the future of Medicaid. Attendees will also have a chance to review and discuss the Association’s draft public policy priorities. For more information, visit: http://www.childrenshospitals.net/AM/Template.cfm?Template=/CustomSource/Calendar/ConferenceDescription.cfm§ion=Event_Calendar2&Meeting=2470500_13. Legislative Champions Briefing On November 27, Dr. Sheldon Retchin, CEO, VCU Health System and Vice President for Health Sciences, presented to state legislators and legislative staff on the operating and fiscal condition of the VCU Health System. Dr. Retchin’s presentation included an overview of the VCU Medical Center, the missions of the organization and investments in quality and education. The briefing was followed by a tour of the new medical education building now under construction. Dr. Michael Rao, Virginia Commonwealth University President, provided opening remarks.
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U.S. Senators Mark Warner of Virginia, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Marco Rubio of Florida, have introduced The Student Right to Know Before You Go Act to ensure that a wide range of comparative data about higher education programs is more readily available for prospective students and their families. They discussed their bipartisan legislation during a roundtable on Capitol Hill.
While lawmakers on Capitol Hill prepare to address the national debt this summer, congressional Republicans are deemphasizing their demand for cuts to retirement programs and focusing on a thorough rewrite of the US tax code. Reining in spending on Social Security and Medicare remains an important policy goal for the GOP. However, House leaders recently launched a series of meetings aimed at convincing rank-and-file lawmakers that tax reform is both wise policy and good politics and should be their top priority heading into talks with Democrats over the need to raise the federal debt limit.
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has released its annual report on medical school enrollment. The report, prepared by the AAMC’s Center for Workforce Studies, is based on the AAMC’s annual Survey of Medical School Enrollment Plans which is part of an ongoing monitoring of enrollment trends. In 2006, in response to concerns of a future physician shortage, the AAMC recommended a 30 percent increase in medical school enrollment by 2015. The survey is sent to deans at all accredited medical schools in the United States in the fall of each year. The aim is to inform the academic medicine community and policymakers about trends and issues related to medical school enrollment.
National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day will be held on Thursday, May 9. Awareness Day is a key strategy of the Caring for Every Child's Mental Health Campaign, which is part of the Public Awareness and Support Strategic Initiative by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The effort seeks to raise awareness about the importance of children's mental health and that positive mental health is essential to a child's healthy development from birth. The initiative connects cross-disciplinary organizations in their efforts to promote awareness of children's mental health issues, not just on a single day, but year-round.
The Tea Party Caucus is back in action with a new strategy and a growing membership. Roughly 20 House Republicans attended a closed-door meeting Thursday evening on Capitol Hill, along with staffers from nearly 40 congressional offices, including those of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and fellow Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul. TheTeaParty.net organized the meeting, which was closed to press.
The 2013 Republican Party of Virginia Convention will be held on May 17-18 in Richmond. Engaged and energized groups of GOP Delegates, activists, influencers and opinion leaders will gather to nominate the next GOP candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General of the Commonwealth. Keynote speakers will include elected officials and party leaders from Virginia and around the United States. In June 2012, the Republican Party of Virginia’s state central committee voted to switch from holding a primary to a convention to nominate its 2013 statewide candidates. The Democratic Party of Virginia plans to hold a primary on June 11. 
Each spring, Medical Society of Virginia MSV hosts a legislative summit where members present proposals that they would like to be considered as a part of the society's legislative agenda. At the summit, these ideas are debated and discussed, allowing members to present multiple perspectives as to how MSV serves the interests of physicians and patients. This year’s summit will be held on Friday, May 3 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Medical Society of Virginia in the second floor board room, 2924 Emerywood Parkway, Richmond, VA 23294.
On Wednesday, politicians around the state held the 65th Annual Shad Planking hosted by Wakefield Sportsmen's Club in Wakefield, Virginia. The Shad Planking is a traditional event that was originally a tribute to the start of the fishing season however it soon gained a political function. Over the years, the gathering has evolved into a political festival — a place for candidates to see and be seen and for the curious to speculate about the likely winners and losers of the year's coming campaign season. This year’s speaker was attorney general and republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli.
Governor McDonnell invites entrepreneurs, innovators and thought leaders to attend and engage in a 'start-up' conversation on Thursday, May 2nd. The event will also feature an access to capital panel and networking time. In recognition of Virginia’s strong entrepreneurial environment, Governor McDonnell is hosting a statewide competition for the best business plans crafted by undergraduate students this year. Public and private colleges and universities will send their top presenters to Richmond for the Governor’s Business Plan Challenge Hosted by Work It, Richmond. Any student who is interested in presenting a business plan, must contact the State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV) for the appropriate contact at your college or university. Send an email to 
Each spring, Medical Society of Virginia MSV hosts a legislative summit where members present proposals that they would like to be considered as a part of the society's legislative agenda. At the summit, these ideas are debated and discussed, allowing members to present multiple perspectives as to how MSV serves the interests of physicians and patients. This year’s summit will be held on Friday, May 3 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Medical Society of Virginia in the second floor board room, 2924 Emerywood Parkway, Richmond, VA 23294.
House leaders are planning to bring a debt ceiling “prioritization” bill to the House floor before the end of April. The legislation tries to mitigate the damage of the government reaching the debt limit in the event that negotiations to raise it fail. But Democrats have panned the idea, meaning it is unlikely to be taken up by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. 
Marilyn Tavenner, acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), received accolades from both sides of the aisle at a hearing on Tuesday to consider her nomination to head CMS. Tavenner, who has been running CMS for more than a year on an interim basis, was called in for a Senate Finance Committee vetting after being nominated twice for the position by President Obama. Committee Chairman Max Baucus of Montana stated he hopes the committee will vote on Tavenner’s confirmation the week of April 15. Tavenner served as principal deputy administrator of CMS since February 2010 and previously as the Commonwealth’s Secretary of Health and Human Resources in the administration of former Governor Tim Kaine.
On Wednesday, President Obama unveiled a 10 year, $3.77 trillion budget blueprint that would cut spending by about $1.2 billion over the next 10 years. The Budget proposes to cut $400 billion from federal health programs, including $374 billion from Medicare, with the bulk of the cuts falling on drug companies and other providers. It is important to note this proposal is not final law, but rather creates a policy blueprint moving forward. The White House proposal is expected to shape further deficit reduction discussions, and will provide an ideological counterpoint to the budget released by the Republican controlled House in March. Highlights of the proposal include the following:
The rate for subsidized Stafford loans is set to increase from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent if Congress fails to act. One year ago, lawmakers faced a similar deadline. The new rates apply only to those who take new subsidized loans. Students with outstanding subsidized loans are not expected to see their loan rates increase unless they take out a new subsidized Stafford loan. Students' unsubsidized loans are not expected to change, nor are loans from commercial lenders.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is backing a proposal to expand pediatric research. The legislation, to be introduced in the coming weeks, will seek to save about $100 million over 10 years from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund and spend more on research of pediatric diseases and disorders at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through its NIH Common Fund. That fund was created for programs that require participation by at least two NIH centers, or programs that would benefit from strategic coordination, according to the NIH. The upcoming proposal will be sponsored by Representatives Gregg Harper of Mississippi and Tom Cole of Oklahoma. 
The Senate on Saturday passed its first federal budget in four years. The plan, from Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray of Washington, was passed by a 50-49 vote in the Democratic-controlled chamber. The Senate’s vote follows the House’s action on Thursday to advance the GOP spending plan.
Aneesh Chopra and State Senator Ralph Northam have filed their ballot petitions for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. Chopra submitted 20,630 petitions and Northam turned in 14,703 voter signatures to the State Board of Elections. Democrats in Virginia will choose their nominee in a primary on June 11. 
On Wednesday, the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent presented the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) for providing care to 69 St. Vincent children since 2002. This medal acknowledges exceptional public service and is the only one this country has awarded to a non-citizen. His Excellency Sir Frederick Ballantyne, Governor General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and an official representative of Queen Elizabeth II presented the award.
The U.S. Army has announced it will freeze all new applications for service members' tuition assistance, temporarily eliminating a program for soldiers. In response to the automatic spending cuts that went into effect March 1, Department of Defense Comptroller Robert Hale has recommended “significant reductions” in the tuition assistance programs offered by the different service branches. The Air Force, Army, Coast Guard and Marines have all suspended their Tuition Assistance (TA) programs, while the Navy is still reviewing its options, according to the Defense Department. G.I. Bill benefits will still be available; those are intended for veterans, although active-duty members can still use them. 
Lt. Governor Bill Bolling announced Tuesday he would not run for governor as an independent. Bolling posted a statement online and sent an email to supporters. In the statement, Bolling said while he was confident his campaign message could win votes, he was unsure he could raise enough money to mount a winning campaign in the commonwealth, which has never elected an independent candidate. Bolling also cited his desire not to sever his relationship with the GOP. Bolling's second term as lieutenant governor expires in January and he plans to return to the private sector and "look for other ways to serve Virginia.”
The association of State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) has released its annual State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report. The report provides a comprehensive review of state and local funding, tuition revenue, and enrollment trends for public higher education. The SHEEO study of state higher education finance analyzes state and local funding, net tuition, and enrollment trends to provide a comprehensive view of state higher education finance. The data and analysis of this and future SHEF reports are intended to help higher education leaders and state policymakers focus on how discrete, year-to-year decisions fit into broader patterns of change over time, and to help them make decisions in the coming years that will meet the longer-term needs. 
Governor Bob McDonnell has sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to stress that he and the General Assembly have not agreed to expand Medicaid. The approved budget language facilitates a process for Medicaid expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act. However, it does not directly expand the program, as the governor’s letter to Sebelius notes. It does authorize the new Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission (MIRC) to expand the program if the Federal government allows the commonwealth to enact specific reforms.
After a White House meeting on Friday, Speaker John Boehner of Ohio has said the House this week is expected to move a resolution to keep the government funded through September 30. 
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center on Tuesday released its report on college completion, which shows Virginia's college students finishing their degrees at an impressive rate, far above the national average. This report focuses on six-year completion rates for first-time degree-seeking students. In most categories, college students from Virginia perform well above the national average. The report also looks at student behavior at public two-year, and private nonprofit four-year institutions. 
David Bergeron, the acting assistant secretary for postsecondary education at the U.S. Education Department, is resigning in March to take a position with another organization. Bergeron, who has worked at the department for more than 30 years, has served as acting assistant secretary since Eduardo Ochoa left the post in May. The search for a political appointee to replace Ochoa permanently is said to be under way. With the departure of Bergeron slightly more than a year after that of Daniel Madzelan, another long-time senior staff member, the department has lost close to 60 years of higher education experience and knowledge.
Members of the General Assembly approved amendments that will allow certain reforms of the state’s Medicaid program. Reforms include a commercial-like benefit for those populations currently in Medicaid managed care, as well as provisions to move other patient populations, including long-term care and waiver populations, to "managed and coordinated delivery systems." The state will also standardize the way it calculates the income of Medicaid applicants under the federal Affordable Care Act. To implement many of the reforms, the state Department of Medical Assistance and Services (DMAS) will need permission from the federal government. A Virginia legislative commission, the "Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission," will review the changes to the program, along with the associated cost savings or cost avoidances. If the commission determines that reforms are satisfactory, the commission shall then permit the expansion of Medicaid as provided in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). While PPACA allows for coverage expansion beginning January 1, 2014, the budget language indicates that the commission will approve expansion "by July 1, 2014, or as soon as feasible thereafter."
Senate Democratic leaders unveiled a $110 billion sequester-replacement bill at a closed-door caucus meeting Thursday that would replace $85 billion in automatic spending cuts set to hit March 1. The Senate Democratic package is split evenly between spending cuts and provisions raising new tax revenues, according to a Democratic source.
VCU Massey Cancer Center was excited to partner once again with representatives from our state government to host the Capitol Square Basketball Classic on Tuesday. The event was held at the Siegel Center and attendees witnessed political gamesmanship at its finest with the Governor's Office versus the Lobbyists and the House versus the Senate. The lobbyists and House claimed victory over their opponents and the annual fundraiser collected over $15,000 for Massey. 
The 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly is expected to adjourn sine die no later than Saturday, February 23. To view the session calendar, please visit 
World Pediatric Project, Dr. David Lanning, and Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU were honored Monday by the House of Delegates for the collaborative work to separate formerly conjoined twins Maria and Teresa Tapia. Delegate John O'Bannon (District-73) presented House Joint Resolution (HJ) 575 commending World Pediatric Project on the House floor. 
The Speaker of the House, William Howell, has ruled against a GOP-backed redistricting plan that was sent through a divided Senate during the absence of veteran Democratic lawmaker. The decision to act on the legislation upset some Democrats who threatened to deny the Senate's 20 Republicans the necessary 21 votes to advance key initiatives. Speaker Howell announced Wednesday that the Senate-approved amendment redrawing state Senate district lines was not germane, or relevant, to a bill making technical changes to state House districts. The Senate redistricting plan was grafted onto legislation (HB259) that made technical adjustments to House district boundaries adopted in 2011. Senate lines were redrawn as well that year, as part of Virginia's once-a-decade reapportionment process.
The 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly has convened and members are meeting for 45 days. The session is expected to adjourn sine die no later than Saturday, February 23, 2013. To view the session calendar, please visit 
Senators Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Michael Bennet of Colorado and Representatives Anna Eshoo of California and Leonard Lance of New Jersey have introduced the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2013 (S.252/ H.R. 541). The PREEMIE Reauthorization Act reauthorizes critical federal research, education and intervention activities related to preterm birth and infant mortality. The legislation is nearly identical to the bills that passed both the House and Senate during the 112th Congress. Congress adjourned before the Senate could reconsider its version with House amendments. The original PREEMIE Act (P.L. 109-450) brought the first-ever national focus to prematurity prevention. The Surgeon General's Conference on the Prevention of Preterm Birth required by the Act generated a public-private agenda to spur innovative research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) and support evidence-based interventions to prevent preterm birth. The bill is supported by the March of Dimes, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses and 16 other organizations.
The Obama administration welcomed the key passage of a bill through the House of Representative on Wednesday to temporarily suspend the nation’s debt ceiling. White House spokesman Jay Carney reiterated the Obama administration would have preferred a longer extension, but the president would likely “not stand in the way” of the short-term fix. 
The 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly has convened and members will meet for 45 days. The session is expected to adjourn sine die no later than Saturday, February 23, 2013. To view the session calendar, please visit 
On Friday, Vice President Joe Biden visited the VCU Monroe Park Campus and held a roundtable discussion on gun violence and mental health. He was joined by other members of the Obama administration including Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Deputy U.S. Attorney General Jim Cole, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President Bruce Reed and Deputy Assistant to the President & Counselor to the Senior Advisor for Strategic Engagement Michael Strautmanis. Also participating was Senator Tim Kaine, Congressman Bobby Scott and a handful of community members. VCU representatives participating included President Michael Rao, Chief John Venuti, and Dr. Bela Sood.
The American Medical Association (AMA) on Thursday announced a $10 million, five-year campaign to encourage medical schools to rethink how they educate future doctors. The medical group says it hopes its grants will spur new methods for teaching or assessing competencies for medical students, improving understanding of the health care system in medical training, and strengthening the professionalism of future doctors.
The 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly has convened and members will meet for 45 days. The session is expected to adjourn sine die no later than Saturday, February 23, 2013. To view the session calendar, please visit 
On January 14, H.R. 225, the “National Pediatric Research Network Act of 2013,” was introduced by Representative Lois Capps of California and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington. The bill, which is similar to legislation that passed the House last year, would authorize the National Institutes of Health to establish national pediatric research consortia. These consortia would help address critical resource and capacity issues in pediatric research and give pediatric research parity with adult research. The bill was co-sponsored by Representatives Doris Matsui of California, Diana DeGette of Colorado, Gregg Harper of Mississippi, and Peter King of New York. Children’s Hospital Association has sent a letter of support to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee for this bill which is also expected to be marked up by the full Energy and Commerce Committee on January 22.
Postsecondary enrollments will grow by 15 percent between 2010 and 2021, far less than the 46 percent increase that occurred between 1996 and 2010, the U.S. Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics said in an annual report released Wednesday. The report, "Projections of Education Statistics Through 2021," provides a slew of data that anticipate how key K-12 and higher education indicators (enrollments, degrees conferred, etc.) will change over the next decade. By comparison, last year's report projected a 13 percent increase in college enrollments between 2009 and 2020. This year's report also projects a 21 percent increase in the number of associate degrees awarded by 2021-22, a 21 percent increase in the number of bachelor's degrees, a 34 percent rise in the number of master's degrees, and a 24 percent upturn in the number of doctoral degrees. In all cases those numbers are roughly half the number awarded in the 1996-97 to 2009-2010.
The 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly has convened and members will meet for 45 days. The session is expected to adjourn sine die no later than Saturday, February 23, 2013. To view the session calendar, please visit 
Former Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has been sworn in as a U.S. Senator. Kaine took the oath of office on the floor of the Senate on Thursday. He and 11 other newly elected lawmakers joined the 100-member governing body. Vice President Joe Biden, who presides over the Senate, administered the oath of office. Kaine’s committee assignments include the Armed Services, Foreign Relations and Budget Committees.
The 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly will convene on Wednesday, January 9, at 12 noon. Members will meet for 45 days this year and the session is expected to adjourn sine die no later than Saturday, February 23, 2013. To view the session calendar, please visit 
In December, the chairs of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees filed their conference report reconciling the two chambers’ versions of the legislation that contains Department of Defense policy and programs. The TRICARE for Kids study was included in the final National Defense Authorization Conference Committee Report. As included in H.R. 4310, the TRICARE for Kids provision requires the Secretary of Defense to undertake a comprehensive review of the policies of the department and the TRICARE program with respect to providing pediatric care. The study requires assessments of access to pediatric health care in appropriate settings, including care for children with special health care needs. Additionally it will address reimbursement of pediatric care, the adequacy of care and support services for children with special needs. It will also require plans for linking children with special health care needs with state and local community resources, including children’s hospitals and providers of pediatric specialty care. The secretary is required to report findings from the study, including a plan for monitoring and maintaining access for children to “quality health care,” within one year.
Staff-level fiscal talks took place Monday between Speaker John Boehner’s office and the White House, according to the Speaker’s office. Boehner spokesman Michael Steel would not provide details of the talks, but he said the $2.2 trillion deficit-reduction offer Republicans presented to the White House a week ago “remains the Republican offer.”
Virginia Democrats meeting Saturday in Williamsburg, elected Delegate Charniele Herring of Alexandria as the party’s new chairwoman. She is the first African-American to head the state party. Herring succeeds former Delegate Brian Moran, who announced last month that he would step aside after the 2012 campaign. Moran had endorsed Herring, the House minority whip, for the chairmanship. Herring also had the backing of Terry McAuliffe, the party’s presumed nominee for governor. Herring has served in the House of Delegates since 2009. She succeeded Moran as a delegate when he resigned that post to mount his unsuccessful bid for the 2009 gubernatorial nomination.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced plans for continuing its efforts to engage states and stakeholders in its “Connecting Kids to Coverage” Campaign. The re-energized outreach and marketing campaign will include new toolkits, trainings/webinars, organizational and corporate partnership outreach support, earned media support and expertise in reaching key audiences. While efforts will be ongoing, the campaign will also create “waves of activities” around “cold and flu season” in the winter, “allergy and asthma season” in the spring, and “back to school” in the summer.
President Obama used his weekly radio address on Saturday to discuss the automatic tax hikes as part of the looming fiscal cliff. The president is urging the House to immediately pass legislation to prevent income tax rates from going up for middle income taxpayers. If Congress does not act, taxes will automatically go up in January.
On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 245-139, generally along party lines, in favor of the STEM Jobs Act, a Republican-backed measure that would make 55,000 visas available for foreign graduates of U.S. universities with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. Representative Lamar Smith of Texas is the sponsor of the bill. Under the current green card lottery system, people from countries with low rates of immigration are randomly selected for permanent residency visas regardless of their education level or areas of expertise. 
Chesapeake pastor and lawyer, E.W. Jackson, has formally announced his 2013 campaign for lieutenant governor. Jackson previously sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. He made the announcement at the Republican Party of Virginia’s annual Advance, a gathering of party activists meeting over the weekend in Virginia Beach. Jackson is the seventh candidate seeking the nomination, which will be settled in a convention in May. GOP candidates seeking the nomination include: Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, former Washington liaison for the McDonnell administration; Delegate L. Scott Lingamfelter of Prince William; Senator Steve Martin of Chesterfield; Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors; Susan Stimpson, chairwoman of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors; and Pete Snyder, a technology entrepreneur and former Fox News commentator who was chairman of the Virginia GOP’s coordinated campaign in 2012.