Congress wraps up 2022 with some steps forward, changes, and inaction

Today Congress passed an omnibus appropriations bill, making key investments in some areas, while falling short in others. Read on to learn about the policy changes made to areas like access to nutrition, health care, and economic support for our communities.

The bill included these important steps forward:

  • Made permanent the Summer EBT program to continue supporting more students accessing meals during the summer months
  • Expanded Summer Food Service Program sites reach in rural areas
  • Increased funding for child care
  • Increased rental assistance
  • Increased funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • Requires 12 months of continuous eligibility and coverage for children on Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
  • Made permanent the option states have to provide 12 months of Medicaid postpartum coverage

What’s happening to the Temporary Medicaid Continuous Coverage Protections:

Congress also opted to set an end date of April 1, 2023 to temporary Medicaid continuous coverage protections that were made available because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Stay tuned as we learn more about what important guardrails are in place to ensure that Nebraskans have health coverage.

Congress also failed to pass critical policies our communities have long called for, including:

  • Nebraskans have been waiting over 35 years for stability for longtime community members. Continued inaction on positive immigration laws is devastating. Dreamer and TPS Nebraskans – as well as family members, employers, friends, and neighbors – will continue to live in harmful limbo.
  • Many key provisions in the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act such as increased access to free school meals & family protection from unpaid school meal fees
  • Bringing back the federal Child Tax Credit expansion and making it permanent, to continue its success in cutting child poverty
  • A much needed increase in OSHA funding to better protect worker safety – as meat and poultry worker injuries continue and workplace fatalities increase.

As we look to 2023, we hope you will join us in continuing to advocate for better protections, access to opportunity, and justice for all Nebraskans – whether it’s in Congress, in our Legislature, or in our communities. Thank you for lending your voice in this advocacy.

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