Legislative Updates
October 2021 
Legislative links, information and opportunities from federal to state . . .
117th US Congress
- The House has committee work this week, 10/11/2021.
- The Senate is out of session this week
- 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/.-
Democrats were able to successfully extend the debt limit with Republican support. The new date set to vote on the debt limit again is December 3rd, but experts predict we will hit the new debt limit sometime in mid-December or early January. The White House is confident that Congress will be able to pass government funding easily by this new date. After Democrats threated to reform the filibuster, the GOP backed down and allowed for this compromise.
- 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 (442nd 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 closed its 2021 ‘90 day’ session on April 12th. To find bills that passed both chambers at the time you are reading this, you can link to http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite, scroll down to the Legislation section and click on Bills Passed by Both Chambers.
- Consider checking in with your delegates and senator to see if any post-session Town Hall meetings are being planned for your district.
- One bill of note that passed both chambers and recently signed into law by the Governor is The Interstate Licensed Professional Counselors Compact (SB571/HB736). Click here for more on Maryland's NEW Law.
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:
- Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization - Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Reauthorization - 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:
- 10/11/21 Weekly Washington Update
- 10/04/21 Weekly Washington Update
- 9/27/21 Weekly Washington Update
- 9/20/21 Weekly Washington Update
- 9/13/21 Weekly Washington Update
- 9/6/21 Weekly Washington Update
- 8/30/21 Weekly Washington Update
- 8/23/21 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
1) On Tuesday, October 19th from 1:00-4:00 PM, ET, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing will host Hill Day at Home. ACA is a co-sponsor of the event again this year. ACA President Dr. Kent Butler, will also participate in a panel focused on Medicare Reimbursement and other issues.
Register Here to attend and please consider passing the link on to your professional network as well as your friends, family, and students. Please help us advocate for Mental Health Policy that supports the counseling profession and your clients. Thank you in advance for your support.
2) In the new fiscal year (July 2021-June 2022), ACA's Advocacy Power Hour (APH) will be scheduled on the 2nd Thursday every other month at 3PM ET.
Please click the following to Register in Advance to attend the November 11th APH. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Check back here to find more about the APH discussion topics. Typically they include state policy and Counseling Compact updates.
3) Please click on the following to watch the recording of the July 21st ACA AAPI: Advocacy and Action discussion.
4) ACA’s 2021 virtual Hill Day is available to watch on-demand.
5) ACA’s May APH occurred on May 13 at 3PM ET. You can view it here: The Counseling Compact | ACA Advocacy Power Hour (May 2021) - YouTube.
6) 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).
7) 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.
8) Please click on the following pdf handouts for further information on ACA's Federal Issues:
- ACA'S RESPONSE TO THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT'S MOA WITH ICE
- MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT
- FUNDING FOR SCHOOL COUNSELING
- OPIOID ADDICTION
- THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND COUNSELORS
- FEDERAL GRANTS FOR COUNSELING
MCA Advocacy
- In a mid-May LinkedIn post,
2. In a Letter from the President (from Compass Points, Fall 2020 issue), President McGinnis shared , “[w]e are passionate about advocacy that will empower the voiceless and the oppressed in our world and want to be a part of positive change to the poor, the disenfranchised, and the mentally ill.”
3. See https://www.mdcounseling.org/Advocacy the committee's web page for more information.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.