Legislative Updates

    November 2021    

     Legislative links, information and opportunities from federal to state . . .

117th US Congress

• Neither the House nor the Senate are in session this week, 11/22.

• Democrats' Build Back Better social spending bill has passed the House. On Friday morning, 11/19, all but one Democrat (and no Republicans) voted for the $1.7 trillion package of tax, health care and climate initiatives. This is an important step forward in following Joe Biden’s domestic agenda. The next step for the bill is negotiations in the Senate. However, the bill is not expected to see a vote there until next month at the earliest.

• To connect to the House or Representatives, Leadership, Committees, Activities and more:  https://www.house.gov/.
• To connect to the Senate for Leadership, Committees, Legislation and more:  https://www.senate.gov/.
• Click to connect to the recently, U.S. Senate-introduced ACCESS to Careers Act bipartisan bill, which aligns with Workforce Development System Innovations.
• 3/10/21 American Rescue Plan Act (NCDA Lobbyit) Overview

To get the latest from the White House . . .

and learn more about our 46th president of the United States, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., our 49th vice president, Kamala Harris, and the growing number of Executive Orders, memorandums and proclamations: https://www.whitehouse.gov/

• President Biden is scheduled to speak sometime this week (beginning 11/22) about lowering prices for Americans. We are currently experiencing the highest inflation rates since 1992. The issue now claims the kind of attention from the Administration previously reserved for fighting the pandemic and promoting his infrastructure and reconciliation bills.
  
• Republican Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gets reappointed by Joe Biden as head of the U.S. central bank. The decision was driven by his record in handling financial crisis at the onset of the pandemic and the recession that followed. However, he might face scrutiny from some Democrats because of his overseeing rollback in Wall Street rules, which has sharply divided progressives.
• 1st 100 Days in the White House - ACA Government Affairs May Blog
• March Call for WorkforceInRecoverySignOnLetter.pdf  Collaboratively signed by the respective leadership of the National Skills Coalition, National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, NCDA, MCDA, MCA and  more . . .
• The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman

Maryland General Assembly (443rd session)

To connect to the Senate President and House Speaker, further explore House & Senate Standing Committees, Joint Standing Committees and MD Manual On-Line, click on:  https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/07leg/html/ga.html.

The General Assembly convenes its 2022 session on Wednesday, January 12^th at noon and closes its ‘90 day’ session on Monday April 11^th. To prepare for the upcoming session, consider visiting the site's video Tutorial page for topics such as:

• Overall introduction to the website
• Understanding a bill
• Searching for bills
• Bill tracking lists

MCDA’s national and state legislative direction (or its particular cause or policy) has been and will continue to be linked to its affiliations. As a MCDA member, you also may enjoy membership in all three affiliate groups NCDA, ACA and MCA, in only one more or in just two of the three. However, your membership $dollars$ in MCDA links you to the advocacy efforts of all three groups.

Current NCDA Federal Legislation and Policy Issues

     https://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/govtrelations

Three key federal issues that will impact career counselors:

1. Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
   Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization
2. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
   Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Reauthorization
3. Appropriations for the Departments of Labor and Education
   Appropriations

Each issue includes policy provisions, program developments or spending cuts that will directly affect career counselors across the country.

In the 2021 NCDA commissioned Harris Poll, . . .

most respondents (57%) shared that they accessed outside help when planning their career; 42% said that other people (i.e., friends, family, counselors) influenced how they chose a job. Only 13% of those surveyed said they had worked with a school or private counselor, or other career specialist. While professional career development assistance hasn’t been widely used, an overwhelming majority of Americans (85%) said that professional assistance is valuable. Both Millennials (89%) and Boomers (80%) said that career services professionals provide valuable assistance. College graduates were slightly more likely to agree than those with a high school diploma or less (89% vs. 82%). When asked if career choice as inspired by a career services professional, there were more positive responses from men than women (45% vs. 34%), those currently employed than those unemployed (48% vs. 30%), and Black (48%) and Hispanic (50%) participants than White participants (35%). And a majority of Americans (58%) regret not having worked with a career services professional in the past.

Also see the following pdf handouts:

• 11/22/21 Weekly Washington Update
  
• 11/15/21 Weekly Washington Update
  
• 11/08/21 Weekly Washington Update
• 11/01/21 Weekly Washington Update
• NCDA Supports our Asian American and Pacific Islander Community
• NCDA Support for Counseling Compacts
• U.S. Congressional Apprenticeship Act Support
• U.S. Congressional Relaunching Workforce Act Support

Current ACA Federal Issues

     https://www.counseling.org/government-affairs/federal-issues

In the new fiscal year (July 2021-June 2022), ACA's Advocacy Power Hour (APH) will be scheduled on the 2^nd Thursday every other month at 3PM ET. Check back here to find more about the APH discussion topics. Typically they include state policy and Counseling Compact updates.

 ACA’s 2021 virtual Hill Day is available to watch on-demand.

In April’s ACA APH climate changes impact on mental health was discussed by three experts in the mental health and environmental policy and advocacy fields. You can view "Climate Change and Mental Health" on ACA’s YouTube channel, Counseling Views, or at: Climate Change & Mental Health | ACA Advocacy Power Hour (April 2021).

If you have any questions or would you like to follow up, please contact the Government Affairs and Public Policy Team at advocacy@counseling.org.

Please click here for further information on ACA's Federal Issues.

MCA Advocacy

Please periodically connect to, https://www.mdcounseling.org/Advocacy, the MCA Advocacy Committee's web page for updates.

To become legislatively active with either the national or state levels
or with both levels
or if you have any questions,
please contact
MCDA’s Legislative Chair at:
MCDA.Legislative@MDCareers.org.