09.23.08: Secure Rural Schools Vote
The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act is part of the Senate Tax Extenders proposal. This proposal should be voted on this week. read more
July 24, 2008: Secure Rural School and Community Self-Determination Act
SSDA has learned that the United States Senate is considering including the Rural School and Community Self-Determination Act as part of the tax extenders package. We believe this will be considered in the Senate next week. If it is . . . read more
July 27, 2008: Medicaid Cuts Blocked
Last night Congress completed action on legislation to block the cuts in Medicaid that would have started this fall. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, under urging from President Bush, adopted rules to end reimbursement to school . . . read more
June 19, 2008: War Funding Bill Includes Relief from Medicare / Medicaid Reductions
Yesterday, Congress and the White House reached agreement on a new war funding bill. Included in that agreement is a moratorium on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid regulations that would have ended funding to school . . . read more
June 3, 2008: HR 3021 Update
UPDATE: JUNE 4, 2008 The House passed HR 3021 tonight by a vote of 250-164. Thanks for all the effort for passage of the bill. ______________________ June 3, 2008 -- HR 3021, the 21 st Century Green . . . read more
May 23, 2008: Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self Determination Act Update
Yesterday, the Senate passed an amendment 75 to 22 to include a one-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self Determination Act to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill for the wars in Iraq and . . . read more
May 16, 2008: Medicaid Extensions and Forest Counties
While the funds for war spending in the Iraq Supplemental were defeated by the U.S. House, that chamber did pass the language that prohibits any cutoff of Medicaid reimbursements by a vote of 256-166. The . . . read more
April 29, 2008 - Small School District Minimum Allocation
As part of SSDA’s federal lobbying effort we have been advocating for federal help for school facility costs. We are beginning to have some success. For the first time we have a small school district minimum allocation in the proposed . . . read more
04.24.08 -- Medicare Billing Update
Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed HR 5613, the continuation of Medicare billing by school districts for transportation and administrative costs. This legislation passed with a veto proof majority with most . . . read more
04.07.08 Federal Update
HR 5613 The SSDA-supported HR 5613, which would continue payments for transportation and administration costs for Medicaid eligible special education students, passed unanimously out of the full House Committee on Energy . . . read more
HR 5613 Passes Subcommittee
HR 5613, the Protecting Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008, passed the Subcommittee on April 9 and will next be considered by the full House Energy and Commerce Committee. HR 5613 would allow school districts to . . . read more
April 9, 2008- AASA Update - Hearing Today on Medicaid Safety Net Act
Bill to Protect School-Based Medicaid Reimbursement Set for Action Wednesday U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, April 8 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. House Health Subcommittee of the Energy and . . . read more
NREAC 2008 Legislative Agenda
SSDA is a founding member of the National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition which lobbies on federal issues affecting rural schools. Click here to view the NREAC 2008 Legislative agenda. The agenda . . . read more
Federal Update
Dave Walrath, SSDA Legislative Advocate, attended the National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition meeting, of which SSDA is a founding member, on January 28 in Washington, D.C. The Coalition’s purpose is to advocate on federal . . . read more
Talking Points on FY 2009 Budget Request by President Bush
Talking Points on FY 2009 Budget Request by President Bush Prepared by Mary Kusler, Assistant Director of Government Relations, AASA February 4, 2008 In his FY 2009 (2009 – 2010) budget proposal, . . . read more
AASA Rural Update
November 2007 AASA Works for Rural and Small Schools Head Start Is Set for President’s Signature In mid-November, Congress passed a Head Start reauthorization conference bill that focuses on serving younger . . . read more
AASA Update: Forest Counties Monies Are Still in Play
As lawmakers feverishly work towards the end of the first session of the 110th Congress, the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self Determination Act remains part of their unfinished business. This important funding for federal forest . . . read more
AASA Update: E-Rate Filing Window Open
It’s that time of the year again; time to start thinking about your district’s E-Rate application. The Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative Company has set the dates for the upcoming E-Rate . . . read more
