VOR Opposes Congressional Proposals to Create

a Sunset Commission

All federal programs are at risk from proposals that could eliminate or reshape them.  Sunset Commission proposals have been included in several bills during the 109 Congress; 3 are presently under consideration and with a June 2o06 House vote expected (see page 2).  

Each "sunset commission" proposal would grant unelected commission members, appointed by the President, the power to review all federal programs and recommend whether they live, die, or get "realigned."

There is no requirement that the public be heard on the value of any program potentially on the chopping bock. Two bills (H.R. 2470 and H .R. 3282) would mandate that programs be eliminated after they are reviewed, even if the commission thinks they should be saved, unless Congress actually votes to save them.

Critical life-line services for people with mental retardation are at risk:

Medicaid Optional - Acute

*Medical care or remedial care furnished by licensed practitioners under state law

*Diagnostic, screening, preventative, and rehabilitative services

*Clinic services

*Dental services

*Physical therapy and related services

*Prosthetic devices

*Eyeglasses

*TB-related services

*Primary care case management

*Other specified medical and remedial care

Medicaid Optional - Long Term Care

*Intermediate care facility for persons with mental retardation (ICFs/MR)

*Inpatient and nursing facility services for people 65 or over in an institution for mental diseases

*Inpatient psychiatric hospital services for children

*Home health care

*Case management

*Respiratory care services for ventilator-dependent individuals

*Personal care services

*Private duty nursing services

*Hospice care

*PACE services (Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly )

*Home and community-based waiver services

People with mental retardation who receive Medicaid-funded supports are most vulnerable to seeing their life-line services eliminated

Remember that Americans who can’t help themselves because of no fault of their own are dependent upon the good will of the Congress. Thank you for opposing proposals to create a Sunset Commission.

See the reserve side for more information about

H.R. 3277 (Brady, R-TX); H.R. 3282 (Brady, R-TX); and H.R. 2470 (Tiahrt, R-KS).
 

Background Information on

H.R. 3277, H.R. 3282, and H.R. 2470

H.R.3277 and H.R. 3282, were introduced by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) and represent the White House plan. These bills propose that federal agencies be reviewed every 10 years by a seven member panel appointed by the President; 4 members appointed in consultation with Congress.

H.R. 2470 was introduced by Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) and represents the Republican Study Committee proposal. The RSC is a group of conservative House Republicans who demanded guaranteed floor consideration of sunsets as one of the conditions for securing its members’ votes on the budget.

H.R. 2470 proposes a single, system wide review of federal programs by a 12 member panel, appointed by the President, followed by dissolution of the Commission. The bill exempts the Department of Defense and any entitlement programs, although the RSC has argued elsewhere that defense and entitlements should not be excluded (VOR note: Many Medicaid programs serving people with mental retardation are provided at a state’s option – see page 1).

Source: SourceWatch, http://www.sourcewatch.org

VOR * 836 S. Arlington Heights Rd., #351 * Elk Grove Village, Illinois * 60007

877-399-4VOR ph. * 847-253-0675 fax * tamie327@hotmail.com