Author: Carmen Howard

Federal News Biden bid for federal workers to get COVID-19 shots prompts debate [Roll Call, 7/28/21] See also from Roll Call: As COVID-19 cases rise, CDC urges masks indoors, including schools: Republicans criticize new guidelines, saying agency can no longer be trusted  [7/27/21] ALA applauds FY 2022 federal funding for libraries in House Appropriations bill,…

Federal News US restores transgender health protections denied by Trump [AP News, 5/10/21] “…affirms that federal laws forbidding sex discrimination in health care also protect gay and transgender people.” Genome researchers question security provisions in new U.S. Senate bill [Science, 6/14/21] “…would require the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop new security protocols aimed…

Federal news MLA signs onto CHLA ABSC statement on the importance of hospital libraries [MLAConnect, 6/1/2021] This statement outlines the role hospital libraries play in the provision of evidence-based health care, and our concern and disappointment regarding the continued decommissioning, closure, underfunding, and understaffing of hospital libraries. The statement will be sent to politicians, hospital…

Federal news The Great Undoing: Which of Trump’s [Health] Policies Will Biden Reverse? [Kaiser Health News, 4/14/2021] Latest action: On April 14, HHS proposed new regulations that would return the Title X family planning program to the policies in effect pre-Trump. Biden’s first budget request goes big on science [Science, 4/9/2021] The National Institutes of…

Federal news Bill passed H.R.1319 — American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 [became Public Law No. 117-2 on 3/11/2021] Specifically, the bill provides funding for [see full list of provisions at the above link] schools and institutions of higher education; COVID-19 vaccinations, testing, treatment, and prevention; mental health and substance-use disorder services; programs for health…

Federal news Biden changes health coverage, women’s health funding policies [Roll Call, 1/28/21] “The Biden administration announced two wide-ranging health care executive actions … one expanding access to reproductive health care and another supporting enrollment in the individual insurance market and Medicaid.” Death of EPA’s controversial ‘censored science’ rule delights researchers [Science, 2/3/21] “…would have…

Federal News Trump Administration Finalizes Rule Requiring Health Insurers to Disclose Price and Cost-Sharing Information [HHS.gov, 10/29/20] “Under this final rule, more than 200 million Americans with private-sector insurance (both individual-market and employer-based) will have access to a list of real-time price information, including cost-sharing, enabling them to know how much care will cost them…

Federal News Senate Democrats block Republican Covid relief proposal [Politico, 9/10/2020] “Senate Democrats blocked a scaled-down, $500 billion Republican coronavirus relief measure Thursday, weakening the chances that Congress will approve another package before the November election.” (S.178) Pushing for Action on LSFA [American Libraries, 9/14/2020] “[The Library Stabilization Fund Act] (S. 4181/H.R. 7486) would establish…

Federal news Bills to watch ·         H.R.990 Recognizing racism as a national crisis and the need for a truth and reconciliation process. This resolution recognizes racism as a national public health crisis and supports the creation of a truth and reconciliation process to address historic, enduring systemic and structural racism against black people. [Introduced 6/4/20]…

Federal news H.R.266 Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act [became Public Law No. 116-139] “This bill responds to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak by providing additional funding for small business loans, health care providers, and COVID-19 testing.”   State news Hospitals, health care workers given civil immunity [Chicago Daily Law Bulletin…