{"id":59946,"date":"2018-06-06T12:01:03","date_gmt":"2018-06-06T12:01:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vps70863.inmotionhosting.com\/~nationalgrange\/\/?p=59946"},"modified":"2018-08-02T13:01:43","modified_gmt":"2018-08-02T13:01:43","slug":"policy-updates-and-issue-news-may-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vps70863.inmotionhosting.com\/~nationalgrange\/policy-updates-and-issue-news-may-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Policy Updates and Issue News May 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Overview
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Congress returns to Washington after their Memorial Day Recess the week of June 4 to wrestle with the calendar and a plethora of unresolved legislative and public policy issues.\u00a0 The farm bill failed on the House floor under pressure from feeding program (SNAP) and immigration advocates who wanted leverage to address changes to these two specific issues.\u00a0 On the other side of the Hill, the Senate Agriculture Committee stepped up efforts to pass a farm bill out of committee by mid-June.<\/p>\n

House members have almost enough votes to force a discharge petition to allow immigration votes on a permanent fix to the high profile \u201cDreamers\u201d situation.\u00a0 A compromise on tougher work requirements for SNAP recipients will be necessary to get any Democrats to vote for the House farm bill.\u00a0 The stalemate on negotiations revising the NAFTA trade agreement threatened farm prices for agriculture commodities.\u00a0 New U.S. tariffs placed on imported steel and aluminum from Canada, Mexico, and the European Union brought threats of retaliatory tariffs on American goods and farm commodities sold abroad.<\/p>\n

Finally, it seems everyone in Washington can spell and say rural broadband expansion.\u00a0 After years of lip service, new broadband providers, additional money, higher priorities, increased commitments and public policy pronouncements are targeting rural broadband deployment.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Access to affordable health care in rural and small town America is always on the agenda for the National Grange.\u00a0 \u00a0Rural hospitals continue to close faster than local telemedicine clinics can replace them.\u00a0 Prescription drug pricing is a main street topic now in Washington.\u00a0 Profit-taking along the chain from drug maker to patient user is under scrutiny.\u00a0 Counterfeit imported drugs continue to pose a health risk to domestic patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Agriculture
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Farm Bill<\/strong><\/p>\n

The House farm bill went down in flames May 18.\u00a0 Democrats were outraged at the increased work requirements for able-bodied SNAP recipients without dependents.\u00a0 Conservative Republicans used the farm bill vote attempt to leverage a vote on the \u2018Dreamers\u201d immigration dilemma.\u00a0\u00a0 It appears House leaders will have to reach a deal on immigration with conservatives before the House farm bill can be reconsidered.\u00a0 \u00a0It\u2019s still uncertain whether the House will try to pass a farm bill with Republican-only votes or attempt a compromise on the SNAP provisions to draw Democrat votes.\u00a0\u00a0 The Senate bipartisan farm bill meantime is nearing completion according to Chairman Roberts, R-KS., and ranking Democrat Stabenow, D-MI.\u00a0\u00a0 Committee action on the Senate bill could come as early as the week of June 11. \u00a0Roberts says he has commitments from Senate Majority Leader McConnell, R-KY. and Minority Leader Schumer, D-N.Y. for a “clear pathway\u201d to the Senate\u00a0 floor if the bill receives a substantial majority committee vote.<\/p>\n

Waters of the United States<\/strong><\/p>\n

The House Energy-Water Appropriations Bill is ready for floor debate.\u00a0 It contains a provision to repeal the \u201cWaters of the United States \u201crule that redefined the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act to include practically all land and water in the country which the National Grange opposes. The appropriations provision is intended to expedite the process of replacing the rule.<\/p>\n

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Health Care
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Drug Prices<\/strong><\/p>\n

The President unveiled his plan to lower drug prices.\u00a0 Among the biggest policy changes are the provisions to require drug companies to disclose their prices in television ads, shorten the time for cheaper generics to reach the market, and target pharmacy benefit manager \u201cMiddlemen\u201d for increased transparency on how well (or not) they are passing drug discounts along to patients.\u00a0 National Grange president Betsy Huber issued a statement commending the President and his Administration for their efforts to lower drug prices for rural and senior patients across the country.\u00a0 However, the Grange is waiting for more clarity on several items including the price of sole-source branded drugs and possible changes to Medicare Part B which could raise specialty drugs prices and limit their availability to lifesaving treatments for seniors.<\/p>\n

Beware of the Out-of-Pocket-Cliff<\/strong><\/p>\n

With recent Part D changes to cost-sharing incentives and a looming out-of-pocket cliff or \u201cdonut hole\u201d coming by 2020 that could raise senior\u2019s costs by $1500, Part D beneficiaries need decisive action from Congress to protect their access to life-saving drugs.\u00a0 The National Grange encouraged all House Democrats to cosign a letter with Schneider (D-IL-10) and Kelly (D-IL-2) urging the House to legislatively fix this threat before it\u2019s too late.\u00a0 House Republicans were encouraged to cosign a similar request letter with Representative Hudson (R-NC-8).<\/p>\n

Department of Health and Human Services Adds Rural Health Strategy<\/strong><\/p>\n

HHS\u2019 Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services says it is set to begin focusing efforts on better prioritizing the unique health care needs of rural populations.\u00a0 The agency says it will look at ways to improve reimbursements for rural providers, recruit and train health care workers, make health care options more affordable and advance the use of telemedicine.<\/p>\n

Pigs and Cows Allergy Partners?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Living close to a livestock farm may lower one\u2019s risk of common allergies among adults who aren\u2019t famers or ag workers according to research published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine<\/em>.\u00a0 In fact, the closer the proximity to pigs and cattle the better the chance to lower the risk of allergenic sensitization.\u00a0 In addition, those who lived in an area of high farm density as a child had significantly lower allergy risks, suggesting that long term exposure may be particularly effective.<\/p>\n

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Telecommunications
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Broadband<\/strong><\/p>\n

Grange president Betsy Huber wrote Representative Curtis (R-UT-3) to support his Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act, H.R. 4824.\u00a0 Breaking down jurisdictional and bureaucratic barriers will go a long way to expedite broadband deployment.\u00a0 Curtis\u2019 bill would:<\/p>\n