Along with the bill that ended the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Congress voted this week to pass another passel of measures.
• The Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act was the measure the Senate fought over for more than a month, causing the shutdown of the government for 43 days. The measure continued funding for federal agencies, including appropriations for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Defense and more.
It did not, on the other hand, include the extension for health insurance subsidies that Senate Democrats demanded in order to ensure their support of the measure; the shutdown ended when eight Democrats broke ranks to vote in support of the bill, with a final Senate vote of 60-40. None of those eight senators were Hawai‘i’s, as Sen. Brian Schatz and Sen. Mazie Hirono consistently voted against the measure.
Nor did Hawai‘i representatives Ed Case or Jill Tokuda vote in favor of the bill when it passed before the House on Nov. 12. The bill passed 222-209, and President Donald Trump signed it into law that same day.
• The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act is a measure requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase its payments to beneficiaries commensurate to the cost-of-living increase in benefits for Social Security recipients, effective Dec. 1. The Social Security Administration announced in October that beneficiaries will see a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment in January. The bill passed the Senate with unanimous support and is currently before the House.
• The Medal of Honor Act more than triples the monthly special pension for living Medal of Honor recipients, increasing from $1,406.73 to $8,333.33 per month. It would also establish a monthly pension for surviving spouses of Medal of Honor recipients, at a rate of $1,406.73 per month. Both pensions would be adjusted annually for inflation. An uncontroversial bill, it passed the House with unanimous support in February, and similarly passed the Senate with no opposition last week.
• The Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act requires the VA to include hygienic lactation spaces — required to be shielded from view, private, ADA-accessible, and clearly identifiable — in at least 80% of its medical centers within two years, and in 100% of them within three. Despite the name, the spaces would also be “available for use by women veterans and members of the public.” Passed the Senate with unanimous consent.
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