June 19, 2019
OAA Reauthorization, Medical Expense Deduction and Housing Credit Advancing in Congress
On June 18, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
Congress is getting down to business and moving funding and policy issues that impact aging services providers.
Last week, the U.S. House considered a package of spending bills that included its fiscal year 2020 (FY20) HHS appropriations bill and will consider its FY20 HUD appropriations bill this week as part of another spending package. In addition to these appropriations measures, three non-appropriations issues are also in motion:
- We support bi-partisan legislation to make permanent the 7.5% threshold for the medical expense deduction and have joined over 50 other consumer and aging services organizations in a letter supporting this bill. Members are encouraged to take action via this action alert on this issue.
- We are pouring over the Senate Health, Education and Labor (HELP) Committee's bipartisan discussion draft to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA). The draft does not address any changes to one of our key priorities -- Title V, the SCSEP Programs.
- We support the Senate and House bills to expand and strengthen the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. The bills would expand state Housing Credit allocations by 50% and make several improvements, including clarifying some year-15 issues to help nonprofits attain communities after investors absorb their tax benefits and a basis boost for communities serving extremely low-income households.
Click here to read the June 2019 Policy Update.