PathWays PA Policy Blog

Earlier this month,  the Senate voted on a tax reform bill  that increases the deficit by at least  $1.5 trillion , ends the Affordable Care Act individual mandate, allows oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and makes a number of other changes. The House already passed the plan in November. But work on the bill isn't done yet. The House and Senate need to reconcile their two bills before voting on a final package.  Some items , such as the repeal of the healthcare mandate and changes to business taxes, differ from one version of the bill to the other. Until the final vote is taken, you can still weigh in with your legislators around the tax reform bill. Both the House and Senate version of the bill include tax cuts for wealthier Americans while providing minimal cuts to the people who need it most. Plus, Congressional leadership is already publicly saying that they will make changes to Medicare, Medicaid, and TANF in order to pay for tax reform, ...

This week, the House is scheduled to vote on H.R. 1 , the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. H.R 1 proposes many changes that have been extensively covered in the news- you can read about some of them here. Many reports  indicate that wealthier individuals and families will benefit most from the plan. TIME , Business Insider , and NPR each published models of the tax reform proposal based on different family types and incomes. In all three reports, higher income earners see more tax savings. Currently, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the plan would add $1.45 trillion to the deficit, although they cannot do a final score before the vote on Thursday. Advocates worry that the increased deficit will lead to cuts to important programs (such as Medicaid, job training, and college aid) down the road - and legislators agree that if tax reform happens now, deficit reduction will follow next year. Action Steps The Coalition on Human Needs (along with Americans for Tax Fairness and...

We're keeping a running list of ways to help those affected by recent disasters. Please, before you donate, do some research on the organization for yourself to make sure funds will be spent as you intend them to be. Texas: The  Austin Disaster Relief Network pledges to meet immediate needs and to work long-term to rebuild in Texas. The  Texas Diaper Bank provides diapers and other items to families in Texas. The SPCA of Texas is taking many animals affected by the storm. Organizacion Latina de Trans en Texas is supporting trans people who are often not safe in shelter environments.  Florida: The  Hurricane Irma Community Recovery Fund will support grassroots organizations as they help vulnerable communities recover. Support the Girls will donate bras and hygiene products to the homeless, including those affected by natural disasters. The  Jacksonville Humane Society is working to support animals, including those injured or abandoned during th...

Adapted from our friends at NN4Y: Two key pieces of legislation were introduced in Congress to support higher education access and completion for youth and young adults who have experienced homelessness or been involved with foster care. Youth experiencing homelessness and youth from foster care face unique barriers to accessing and completing higher education. Lack of family and supports, coupled with histories of neglect, abuse, trauma, mobility, and deep poverty, create roadblocks to their path to and through post-secondary education. Yet higher education is their best opportunity for economic independence and healthier lives. The Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act (HEASHFY) was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rob Portman (R-OH), and in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Katherine Clark (D-5th/MA) and Don Young (R-AK). Streamlines the application and verification process for financial ai...

Congress is once again looking at ways to change or overturn the ACA. The latest vehicle is the Cassidy-Graham Plan, which we first reported on in July as a proposed amendment to other repeal attempts . Cassidy-Graham would make many of the changes that earlier ACA overhaul promised. Medicaid Expansion, which covers 11 million low-income adults, would end under the legislation. ACA subsidies for low-income people would also be eliminated. In their place, states would receive block grants to cover people who use Medicaid Expansion and subsidies. The plan changes how much money each state would receive, which means states with higher needs may not get enough funding. The total amount of block grants given would be 17% lower than current spending. By 2026, block grants would end, leaving states to determine how to cover people without any funding to do so. At the same time, Cassidy-Graham calls for a per capita cap on Medicaid spending, leaving states on the hook for any higher cost...

From our friends at PCCY Give Kids Sight Day takes place Saturday, October 21, 2017 for children 17 years and under to receive free eye care and eyeglasses. Please help us spread the word! This free event takes place from 8:30am – 1:00pm at Jefferson Alumni Hall. The event is open to all children from Philadelphia and surrounding counties and is geared towards kids who did not have or did not pass an eye screening this year. No health insurance? No problem! All children are welcome. Walk-ins only, no appointment is needed! We do suggest families arrive early. Please help us spread the word by sharing this email and/or Sight Day flyers with families in your community and passing them along to colleagues, partnering organizations, school nurses, classrooms, businesses and other interested parties. You can also print the flyer and put it on community bulletin boards, store windows and other key spots. This flyer is translated into Spanish, Chinese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, French,...

From our friends at LASP Do you need your Birth Certificate but don’t have ID? If you were born in PA, we can help! Clinic presented by: Legal Aid of Southeastern PA, Mental Heath Partnerships and Santander Bank September 20, 2017, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm Mental Heath Partnerships 7200 Chestnut Street Rear Entrance on Court Ave. Upper Darby, PA 19082 Meet with an attorney who will request your birth certificate for you - No ID required! Registration required for fee waiver - please register by calling Legal Aid at 610-874-8421 Fees sponsored by Santander Bank and the Delaware County Bar Foundation