     |
Government Agencies
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the federal government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and for providing essential human services. The Department manages over 300 programs and 60,000 grants, covering a wide spectrum of activities in public health, income support, basic and applied science, and child development. HHS also handles more than 900 million Medicare claims per year. HHS PrioritiesFighting Bioterrorism
The importance of preparing and responding to public health emergencies was never clearer than during the aftermath of September 11th and the subsequent anthrax attacks. HHS has been working steadfastly since that time to make strides in our nation’s preparedness. In 2002, HHS programs awarded over $1 billion to local health departments and hospitals to improve public health preparedness, and will continue this investment in 2003 and 2004. Strengthening preparedness also involves the acquisition of vaccines and other countermeasures for bio-defense. The Administration has gained valuable experience and discovered many challenges in recent efforts to ensure an adequate supply of such products, including the smallpox vaccine. Important aspects of the normal budget, acquisition and licensure processes can create delays that may be understandable in other contexts, but are unacceptable in the case of threats from bioterrorism. These delays can obstruct the process of turning scientific discovery into developed products that can protect the American people. It is essential that these barriers be overcome, while still maintaining the discipline they provide and the safety they ensure. The Administration proposes the creation of three new authorities that will speed the arrival of products that can be used to protect the American people from these threats. The first will allow the government to pre-purchase countermeasures from the private sector as soon as experts agree that a product in development is safe and effective enough to stockpile for use in an emergency, and can ultimately be licensed. The budget authority will be at the Department of Homeland Security and procurement authority will be at HHS. (See the Department of Homeland Security chapter for more details.) The second new authority will provide the experts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the flexibility they need to hire the best experts, make special purchases, and face other management challenges that can be barriers to quick progress in converting basic scientific discoveries into usable products. The third new authority will allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to work more pro-actively with researchers and industry to allow emergency-use authorization licensure of these countermeasures. RIGHT WING NEWS See results Right Wing News WALL STREET JOURNAL Kimberly Strassel Full article Kimberly Strassel Potomac Watch A Louisiana Lesson for the GOP May 9, 2008; Page A15 As Barack Obama stepped closer to a nomination, Woody Jenkins was closing up campaign shop. The conservative suffered a humiliating defeat last weekend in a solidly GOP district in Louisiana. There's a lesson here for Republicans. No, not the lesson the national press is pushing, that Mr. Jenkins's loss is a sign of GOP disaster this fall, or that it demonstrates how difficult it will be for Republicans to link local competitors to the liberal Mr. Obama. Republicans face tough odds, yes. But that's because they've yet to prove they've learned a lesson, as they demonstrated again with Mr. Jenkins. By the lazy standards of the GOP, Mr. Jenkins should've been a cinch to win a Baton Rouge district in Republican hands for 34 years, and that President Bush won with 59% in 2004. Their candidate was a rock-solid social conservative who, in 28 statehouse years, had never voted for a tax increase, and who wanted to erect a U.S.-Mexico wall. TOWNHALL.COM In the Name of Political Hygiene By George Will Sunday, April 27, 2008 Full article George Will Townhall.Com Excerpts: WASHINGTON -- Ugly locutions often crop up in the promotion of ugly politics. Consider the threat of "scrutinization." It has been made against some residents of Parker North, Colo., who expressed a political opinion without first getting their state government's permission for political activity. Herewith another example of what is being done around the nation in the name of political hygiene, as that is understood by "campaign finance reformers," those irksome improvers whose animating ideology is McCainism. Parker North is a cluster of about 300 houses close to the town of Parker. When two residents proposed a vote on annexation of their subdivision to Parker, six others began trying to persuade the rest to oppose annexation. They printed lawn signs and fliers, started an online discussion group and canvassed neighbors, little knowing that they were provoking Colorado's speech police. April 5, 2008 Visit: Club For Growth Big Wins in Louisiana Press Release Club for Growth PAC Wins Big in Louisiana Steve Scalise and Woody Jenkins Clinch Primary Run-offs Washington – The Club for Growth PAC scored double wins with the victories of its two endorsed candidates in Louisiana’s primary run-offs tonight. In Louisiana’s First Congressional District, State Senator Steve Scalise won by a sixteen-point margin in the special election to fill the seat vacated by Governor Bobby Jindal. In the Sixth Congressional District, former State Representative Woody Jenkins easily secured the Republican nomination by a similar margin. Both Scalise and Jenkins have long records of fighting for taxpayers in Louisiana’s State Legislature. In the State Senate, Steve Scalise helped lead the fight against Republican Governor Mike Foster’s proposed tax hikes and spending increases. As a state representative for nearly thirty years, Jenkins fought against tax increases and has been a leader in pushing for limited government and an end to wasteful spending. “It is clear that Republican voters in Louisiana want their representatives to fight for limited government, lower taxes, and less government spending,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “Tonight, they have made their voices heard by voting for Steve Scalise and Woody Jenkins by decisive majorities. We are confident both Scalise and Jenkins will win their general elections and will represent Louisiana taxpayers with the same courage and principle they have demonstrated in the Louisiana Legislature.” CONGRESS.ORG WEEKLY UPDATE Do you know any former prisoners of war (POW'S) or their family members? If so, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) needs your help. VA is once again reaching out to former prisoners of war not currently using VA benefits and services, urging them to contact the Department to find out if they are eligible for health care, disability compensation and other services. September 25, 2007 Senate Continues Defense, Iraq Debates This week the Senate will continue consideration of the Department of Defense appropriations bill, including more amendments dealing with the war in Iraq. Two amendments attempting to impose deadlines for troop withdrawals failed last week. One possible amendment would offer a troop withdrawal as a goal, rather than trying to impose a firm deadline. This could draw more support from Senate Republicans, though it runs the risk of alienating some Democrats who want a withdrawal deadline. What do you think? The Senate Should Enact a Definite Withdrawal Deadline for IraqThe Senate Should Not Enact a Definite Withdrawal Deadline for Iraq Congress To Vote Again on SCHIP Expansion The House and Senate will both vote on a compromise SCHIP bill this week. The bill would increase spending on the program by $35 billion, exceeding President Bush's request by $30 billion. The President has said that he will veto any spending legislation that exceeds his request. The previous House version increased spending by $50 billion. The bill raises the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 61 cents in order to pay for the spending increase. It also sets standards for what percentage of lower-income children must already be covered before states can begin to expand coverage to children living in families at 300 percent of the poverty level. The Senate is expected to pass the bill with a veto-proof margin, but the House margin remains unclear. President Bush Threatens Veto of SCHIP Legislation Last week President Bush threatened to veto any legislation on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) that expands coverage to children in families earning more than 200 percent of the poverty level. He urged Congress to pass a temporary extension that he can sign before the current program expires at the end of the month. Bush also said that the tax increase on tobacco products used to fund the increase in spending is unnecessary. On the other side, Congress has issues with a rule recently issued by the administration mandating that states must prove coverage for 95 percent of all children living under 200 percent of the poverty line before they can expand health coverage to children living over 250 percent. Detractors say the standard imposed by the rule is almost impossible to meet. What do you think should be done about the new SCHIP legislation?
Mike Johanns Expected to Resign from Agriculture Post Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns is expected to announce his resignation from the post in order to run for Senate in Nebraska. Johanns was Governor of Nebraska from 1999-2005 before being appointed Agriculture Secretary by President Bush. The current holder of the seat, Republican Chuck Hagel, has announced that he will not run for reelection. Vote on Detainees' Rights Fails The Senate failed to earn enough support to proceed to an up-or-down vote on legislation that would reinstate habeas corpus for detainees at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Only 56 Senators voted in favor of ending debate on the measure, four short of what was needed for passage. Congress denied habeas corpus to terrorism suspects in last year's Military Commissions Act. Opponents of the amendment say that granting habeas corpus to terrorism suspects would leave the United States open to lawsuits from its enemies. Supporters argue that everyone should have the right to challenge their imprisonment by the government.What do you think about granting habeas corpus to terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay? No Voting Rights for DC The Senate voted not to consider H.R. 1905, the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act. The House passed the bill in April. The District of Columbia is currently represented by a non-voting Delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton. The bill called for the District to be given a House member with full voting rights. It would also add another House seat in Utah--expected to be a Republican district--as a compromise to Republicans objecting to the addition of an almost-certain Democratic seat. Opponents of the bill argue that it is unconstitutional, and that Congress does not have the authority to grant voting rights to non-states. Also Coming Up in Congress * House Armed Services Committee markup of legislation granting habeas corpus to detainees at Guantanamo Bay * House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on corruption in Iraq; specifically, the role of private security contractors * House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on food and drug import legislation, as well as increasing port inspections * Multiple committees to hold hearings related to global warming: Senate Environment and Public Works Committee; House Energy and Commerce Committee; Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee; House Global Warming Committee
Previous News Items
FY08 Appropriations BillsFor more information on FY08 Appropriations bills, click here. Dont' forget our new web site: NewLobbyLaw.com TO ALL YOU NEW SUBSCRIBERS OUT THERE If you're new to this newsletter or haven't been to Congress.org for awhile, here is a reminder of the things you can do to make an impact on your elected officials. HOW POWERFUL ARE YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS? We ranked Congress from the most powerful and effective members to the least. Where do your Senators and your Representative rank in the Power Rankings? WHAT DO YOU LOOK LIKE? You can now personalize your e-mail to Congress by adding a picture of you or your issue and a bit about yourself. Use the "See Me" option when you send a message to Congress. Look at the gallery of activists HAVE IT HAND DELIVERED You can have your message personally delivered to the Capitol offices of your members of Congress for $8.95 each message by using the "Extra Impact" option when composing your message. LET OTHERS READ WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY You can post that letter you wrote to your elected officials for everyone to see by using the "Letters to Leaders" option. Read letters from others. Or, you can create a Soapbox Alert that will allow you to raise an issue and allow others to write to the elected officials you target. You can see for yourself how many people read your views and how many took action on them. (Click here for details) Also post your own Soapbox Commentary on the bio page of any elected official. Think they are saying one thing and doing another? Call them on it. Do you know something about an official everyone should know? Post that as well for up to 30 days. Visit the biography page of any elected official for details. All Government Spending-Federal, State, Local U.S. Census Bureau-Population and Household Economic Topics THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. THE DEPARTMENT INCLUDES MORE THAN 300 PROGRAMS, covering a wide spectrum of activities. Some highlights include: * Health and social science research * Preventing disease, including immunization services * Assuring food and drug safety * Medicare (health insurance for elderly and disabled Americans) and Medicaid (health insurance for low-income people) * Health information technology * Financial assistance and services for low-income families * Improving maternal and infant health * Head Start (pre-school education and services) * Faith-based and community initiatives * Preventing child abuse and domestic violence * Substance abuse treatment and prevention * Services for older Americans, including home-delivered meals * Comprehensive health services for Native Americans * Medical preparedness for emergencies, including potential terrorism. HHS REPRESENTS ALMOST A QUARTER OF ALL FEDERAL OUTLAYS, and it administers more grant dollars than all other federal agencies combined. HHS' Medicare program is the nation's largest health insurer, handling more than 1 billion claims per year. Medicare and Medicaid together provide health care insurance for one in four Americans. HHS WORKS CLOSELY WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, and many HHS-funded services are provided at the local level by state or county agencies, or through private sector grantees. The Department's programs are administered by 11 operating divisions, including eight agencies in the U.S. Public Health Service and three human services agencies. In addition to the services they deliver, the HHS programs provide for equitable treatment of beneficiaries nationwide, and they enable the collection of national health and other data. * HHS Budget, FY 2007 -- $698 billion * HHS employees – 67,444 U.S. Public Health Service Agencies National Institutes of Health -- NIH is the world's premier medical research organization, supporting over 38,000 research projects nationwide in diseases including cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, arthritis, heart ailments and AIDS. Includes 27 separate health institutes and centers. Established: 1887, as the Hygienic Laboratory, Staten Island, N.Y. Headquarters: Bethesda, Md. Web site: http://www.nih.gov/ * Employees -- 17,543 * Director -- Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. * FY 2005 Budget -- $28.6 billion Food and Drug Administration -- FDA assures the safety of foods and cosmetics, and the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals, biological products, and medical devices -- products which represent almost 25 cents out of every dollar in U.S. consumer spending. Established: 1906, when the Pure Food and Drugs Act gave regulatory authority to the Bureau of Chemistry. Headquarters: Rockville, Md. Web site: http://www.fda.gov/ * Employees -- 10,446 * Commissioner -- Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D. * FY 2005 Budget -- $1.8 billion Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- Working with states and other partners, CDC provides a system of health surveillance to monitor and prevent disease outbreaks (including bioterrorism), implement disease prevention strategies, and maintain national health statistics. Provides for immunization services, workplace safety, and environmental disease prevention. CDC also guards against international disease transmission, with personnel stationed in more than 25 foreign countries. The CDC director is also administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which helps prevent exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List, and develops toxicological profiles of chemicals at these sites Established: 1946, as the Communicable Disease Center. Headquarters: Atlanta, Ga. Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/ * Employees -- 8,837 * Director -- Julie Louise Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H. * FY 2005 Budget -- $8 billion Indian Health Service -- Working with tribes, the IHS provides health services to 1.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives of more than 550 federally recognized tribes. The Indian health system includes 49 hospitals, 247 health centers, 348 health stations, satellite clinics, residential substance abuse treatment centers, Alaska Native village clinics and 34 urban Indian health programs. Established: 1921 (mission transferred from the Interior Department in 1955). Headquarters: Rockville, Md. Web site: http://www.ihs.gov/ * Employees: 16,251 * Director -- Charles W. Grim, D.D.S., M.H.S.A. * FY 2005 Budget -- $3.8 billion Health Resources and Services Administration -- HRSA provides access to essential health care services for people who are low-income, uninsured or who live in rural areas or urban neighborhoods where health care is scarce. HRSA-funded health centers will provide medical care to almost 14 million patients at more than 3,700 sites nationwide in FY 2005. The agency helps prepare the nation's health care system and providers to respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies, maintains the National Health Service Corps and helps build the health care workforce through training and education programs. HRSA administers a variety of programs to improve the health of mothers and children and serves people living with HIV/AIDS through the Ryan White CARE Act programs. HRSA also oversees the nation's organ transplantation system. Established: 1982 Headquarters: Rockville, Md. Web site: http://www.hrsa.gov/ * Employees -- 2,034 * Administrator -- Elizabeth M. Duke, Ph.D. * FY 2005 Budget -- $7.4 billion Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration -- SAMHSA works to improve the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and mental health services. Provides funding through block grants to states to support substance abuse and mental health services, including treatment for more than 650,000 Americans with serious substance abuse problems or mental health problems. Helps improve substance abuse prevention and treatment services through the identification and dissemination of best practices. Monitors prevalence and incidence of substance abuse. Established: 1992. (A predecessor agency, the Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration, was established in 1974.) Headquarters: Rockville, Md. Web site: * Employees -- 558 * Administrator -- Charles G. Curie, M.A., ACSW * FY 2005 Budget -- $3.4 billion Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality -- AHRQ supports research on health care systems, health care quality and cost issues, access to health care, and effectiveness of medical treatments. It provides evidence-based information on health care outcomes and quality of care. Established: 1989. Headquarters: Rockville, Md. Web site: http://www.ahrq.gov/ * Employees -- 296 * Director -- Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. * FY 2005 Budget -- $319 million Other HHS Agencies Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services -- CMS administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which provide health care to about one in every four Americans. Medicare provides health insurance for more than 42.1 million elderly and disabled Americans. Medicaid, a joint federal-state program, provides health coverage for some 44.7 million low-income persons, including 21.9 million children, and nursing home coverage for low-income elderly. CMS also administers the State Children's Health Insurance Program that covers more than 4.2 million children. Established as the Health Care Financing Administration: 1977. Headquarters: Baltimore, Md. Web sites: http://www.medicare.gov/ http://www.cms.hhs.gov/default.asp? * Employees -- 4,943 * Acting Administrator -- Leslie V. Norwalk, Esq. * FY 2005 Budget -- $489 billion Administration for Children and Families -- ACF is responsible for some 60 programs that promote the economic and social well-being of children, families and communities. Administers the state-federal welfare program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, providing assistance to an estimated 5 million persons, including 4 million children. Administers the national child support enforcement system, collecting some $21.2 billion in FY 2003 in payments from non-custodial parents. Administers the Head Start program, serving more than 900,000 pre-school children. Provides funds to assist low-income families in paying for child care, and supports state programs to support foster care and provide adoption assistance. Funds programs to prevent child abuse and domestic violence. Established: 1991, bringing together several already-existing programs. Headquarters: Washington, D.C. Web site: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/ * Employees -- 1,382 * Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families -- Daniel Schneider * FY 2005 Budget -- $47 billion Administration on Aging -- AoA supports a nationwide aging network, providing services to the elderly, especially to enable them to remain independent. Supports some 240 million meals for the elderly each year, including home-delivered "meals on wheels." Helps provide transportation and at-home services. Supports ombudsman services for elderly, and provides policy leadership on aging issues. Headquarters: Washington, D.C. Web site: http://www.aoa.hhs.gov * Employees -- 126 * Assistant Secretary for Aging -- Josefina G. Carbonell * FY 2005 Budget -- $1.4 billion THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE COMMISSIONED CORPS is a uniformed service of more than 6,000 health professionals who serve in many HHS and other federal agencies. The Surgeon General is head of the Commissioned Corps. Rear Admiral Kenneth P. Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., Acting Surgeon General DEPARTMENTAL LEADERSHIP IS PROVIDED by the Office of the Secretary. Also included in the Department is the Office of Public Health and Science, the Office of the HHS Inspector General and the HHS Office for Civil Rights. In addition, the Program Support Center, a self-supporting division of the Department, provides administrative services for HHS and other federal agencies. HHS WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, especially in the administration of the Medicare program. Last revised: April 10, 2007 Federal Budget--Receipts and Outlays: 1960-2006 Federal Budget Outlays By Type: 1960-2006 Total Federal Spending, 1965-2007 estimate, with Congressional Leadership Gross Domestic Product in Current and Real (2000) Dollars: 1960 to 2005 [Excel 171k] Total Federal Spending, 1965-2007 estimate, with Congressional Leadership FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2007 The Budget and Economic Outlook in FP is the CBO.
As with political information we hope to reduce your time and effort in retrieving government information that is useful and necessary. The IRS, VA, and SSA (Social Security Administration) will be featured on this site. Many Americans deal with all three of these agencies at one time or another. Looking For? A Federally Sanctioned Inexpensive Health Savings Account For Your Family? A Plan With Investment Features?
Issue Number: IR-2007-38 Inside This Issue Feb. 26, 2007 IRS TOLL-FREE HELP Free tax help from the IRS is just a phone call away. The IRS provides various services through its toll-free telephone numbers. Some of these services are available 24 hours a day.· Ask questions about your tax return. You can call the IRS Tax Help Line for Individuals at 800-829-1040, to get answers to your federal tax questions. · Order forms and publications. Call 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). Copies of forms, publications and other helpful information are also available around-the-clock at the IRS Web site at www.irs.gov. · Check the status of your refund. Call the Refund Hotline at 800-829-1954. You will need to know your social security number, filing status and the exact whole-dollar amount of your expected refund. TeleTax, the automated refund line, at 800-829-4477 is available around the clock and will also let you check the status of your income tax refund. Automated refund information is generally available four to five weeks after you have filed your tax return. You can also check the status of your refund at IRS.gov by clicking on Where’s My Refund? This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. · Recorded tax information: The TeleTax line at 800-829-4477 has recorded messages covering more than 100 tax topics. Topics include items such as Who Must File?, Highlights of Tax Changes, Education Credits, Individual Retirement Accounts, Earned Income Tax Credit, What to Do if You Can't Pay Your Tax and more. · Hearing-impaired individuals with access to TTY/TDD equipment. Call 800-829-4059 to ask questions or to order forms and publications. This number is answered only by TTY/TDD equipment. The IRS Tax Help Line, Refund Hotline, and the TTY/TDD numbers are available from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (local time) on weekdays. Alaska and Hawaii will follow Pacific Time. The services offered on the IRS toll-free lines are also available 24 hours a day 7 days a week on the Internet at IRS.gov. When the old stock and the new stock are identical the basis of the old shares must be allocated to the old and new shares. Thus, you generally divide the adjusted basis of the old stock by the number of shares of old and new stock. The result is your new basis per share of stock. If the old shares were purchased in separate lots for differing amounts of money, the adjusted basis of the old stock must be allocated between the old and new stock on a lot by lot basis. If, during the 5-year period ending on the date of sale, you owned the home for at least 2 years and lived in it as your main home for at least 2 years, you can exclude up to the maximum dollar limit. However, you cannot exclude the portion of the gain equal to depreciation allowed or allowable for periods after May 6, 1997. This gain is reported on Form 4797 (PDF),Sale of Business Property. Refer to Publication 523, Selling Your Home, and Form 4797 (PDF), Sale of Business Property, for specifics on calculating and reporting the amount of gain. Government To VA-Dep't. Of Veterans Affairs-Benefits: We would be pleased to receive and grateful for, any questions or comments. You may not share the views of we here at Conservative Politics, but your views may lead to interesting dialogue. Your E-mail address is not required if you wish to comment. Include it only if you would like us to respond. We will never share or sell your Email address with anyone – ever. We will never share or sell your personal information to anyone - ever. Please subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Political Junkies Journal. It tells you each month about the new information we have added, including: Walt Mossberg’s Personal Technology, Key Tax Information, Trivia (play for prizes), Quotes, Lyrics, Rhymes and Brian Wesbury on Economics.
|
