In this issue of Capitol Connection, you can find updates on the actions of the 119th Congress and the new Administration. In addition, see a new report on the direct support professional workforce and advocacy in the States. Please continue using the Autism Society’s Action Center to educate your Members on issues the Autism community is facing.  

Administrative Updates 

The Trump Administration is working on moving its nominations through the Senate. Robert F Kennedy Jr, nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services had his committee hearings two weeks ago and had his final vote on the floor today, February 13. He was confirmed by a vote of 52-48. Senate Democrats spent Wednesday night filibustering to delay the final vote. Senator Heinrich (D-NM) shared a quote from Christopher Banks, President and CEO of Autism  during his floor speech, stating: 

In response to Mr. Kennedy’s words in his confirmation hearing, Christopher Banks, the President and CEO of the Autism Society said “The Autism community deserves leadership that prioritizes evidence-based policies and respects the lived experiences of Autistic individuals and their families. The continued promotion of debunked vaccine theories only serves as a distraction from the critical research needed to better understand Autism, and provide support for the Autism community today,” I completely agree with Mr. Banks.

Sen. Heinrich (D-NM) on Senate Floor sharing Autism Society quote

During committee hearings, Autism was continuously brought up with Senators questioning Kennedy for his previous statements on the link between Autism and vaccinations. We assumed this would come up in Kennedy’s hearings, so the Autism Society prepared a joint statement with 11 other organizations reiterating that the research has continuously shown that there is no link between vaccines and Autism. After the hearings, the Autism Society released this statement sharing concerns about Kennedy’s responses regarding Autism, and important programs such as Medicaid, CHIP, and Home and Community Based Services.   

The nomination for Secretary of Labor, Lori M. Chavez-DeRemer, has her confirmation hearing on February 19th. The nomination for Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, will have her confirmation hearing on February 13th. The Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities(CCD) Education Taskforce sent a letter ahead of the hearing, reiterating the Secretary’s essential role in enforcing IDEA, which provides an equitable and inclusive education for students with disabilities. The President has stated that he expects the Secretary to work toward making her role obsolete, effectively dismantling the Department of Education. The Autism Society is monitoring the Administration and Congress for different steps they could take to potentially dismantle or heavily defund the Department. We will be advocating to demonstrate the importance of the Department of Education and its role in protecting students with disabilities.  

The Autism Society is also monitoring the CDC Director nomination, Dave Weldon, and CMS Director Administrator, Mehmet Oz, both of who have yet to have their hearing scheduled.  

Congressional Updates 

Appropriations  

The continuing resolution for funding for the Fiscal Year 2025 is set to expire on March 14. The Senate and House Appropriations Committee Chairs are still working on agreeing on a top dollar for the 2025 funding.  With almost a month to go, it will be tight for Congress to work on passing all 12 individual appropriations bills, making it more likely for either a big appropriation package or another continuing resolution. The Autism Society will continue to monitor the appropriations process and how funding may impact the Autism community. This comes on top of the funding freeze executive order, which has since been rescinded but is still reportedly impacting programs in states such as Head Start. See our statement on the freeze.  

Reconciliation Update   

Congressional leadership is also working on a tight deadline for the reconciliation package. Reconciliation is a package that can be passed with only majority votes, or 51, in the Senate instead of the regular order of 60. However, to be included in a reconciliation bill, Congressional rules require that all provisions involve budget-related changes.  

The Senate has started the process by giving instructions to all the individual committees. The Senate asked the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to reduce the deficit by at least $1 billion, meaning to cut funding of programs they oversee by at least that much. The House just released its own instructions as well, asking for a minimum of $880 billion in cuts from the Energy and Commerce Committee which oversees Medicaid funding. The House instructs the Education and Workforce Committee to cut by $330 billion. There is worry that a lot of the cuts will have to come from the Medicaid program as it is a major part of the budget and Medicare/Social Security has been asked to be protected. The Autism Society has signed multiple coalition letters urging Congress to protect Medicaid funding, such as this letter from the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD).  

The Autism Society is collecting stories on how cuts and changes to Medicaid would negatively impact our community through a survey. Our Medicaid Action Alert can also be an easy way to contact your Member of Congress. In addition, there is a free phone number, 866-426-2631, sponsored by the Service Employees International Union that will connect you to your Member’s office after asking for your zip code. Be sure to share personal stories such as how Medicaid helps you and your family through waivers, access to healthcare, services in schools, etc.  

Disability Policy Seminar  

The Disability Policy Seminar (DPS) will be an essential advocacy event this year with all the threats to Medicaid, the Department of Education, grant programs, and more. Please join us at DPS April 7-9, 2025, in Washington, D.C. for two days of programming and one day at the Hill meeting with Members of Congress.  

State Policy 

Texas v Becerra 

Texas and 16 other states are suing to block the enforcement of the Affordable Care Act’s nondiscrimination protections, arguing that requiring gender-affirming care violates federal law and the Constitution. The ACA protects people from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, ensuring better access to healthcare. While the lawsuit focuses on gender-affirming care, it is seeking to overturn the entirety of Section 504, thereby removing protections for people with disabilities in medical settings. The court will begin hearing arguments on February 25. The Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) provides resources and advocacy actions to help protect these rights.  

New Report on DSPs

The recently released State of the Workforce annual report provides key data regarding direct support professionals for the IDD community. The National Core Indicators® Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NCI®-IDD) is a collaboration between the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, the Human Services Research Institute, and participating state developmental disability service systems.  

The report found that the median hourly wage for DSPs increased to $17.20, however, turnover is still high at 39.7%. A positive outcome found that fewer agencies had to turn away or stop accepting new referrals due to staffing issues, dropping from 49.7% in 2022 to 38.1% in 2023. This state-by-state data can help advocates push for more support for DSPS and home and community-based services.  

Virginia  

Advocates at the Virginia State Capitol

The Autism Society of Central Virginia and Autism Society Tidewater hosted an Autism Advocacy Day at their state capitol. Over 80 advocates met with their State Legislatures to educate them on the needs of the Autism community in Virginia. Legislative goals include establishing an Autism Commission, creating an Autism dashboard to collect state-specific data, and providing training for medical professionals on how to best interact with Autistic patients.  

Iowa  

Advocates with Governor Kim Reynolds (R-IA) for proclamation signing 

The Autism Society of Iowa hosted its Autism Advocacy Day at the State Capitol. Governor Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation stating that January 16th is Autism Advocacy and Acceptance Day. Thank you to Kris Steinmetz, Executive Director of the Autism Society of Iowa for her advocacy throughout her years in service.