{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-february-26-2016", "THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS - February 26, 2016", "2016-02-29", "2016", "2016-02", "Independent", "Senate", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In this issue:\n Puerto Rico crisis a chance to improve Medicaid, EITC\n\tObama Zika plan includes $471 m. in insular relief\n\tOpportunities - Federal grants, jobs for/in the Marianas\n\tHighlights in the legislative program\n ____________________________________________________________________________\n Puerto Rico crisis a chance to improve Medicaid, EITC. \nA hearing that brought Treasury Department officials to the Hill\u00a0on Thursday\u00a0to help develop a legislative response to Puerto Rico\u2019s fiscal crisis was also an opportunity for me to promote reforms in how insular areas are treated under Medicaid and expansion of the earned income tax credit.\u00a0Read my statement here.\u00a0Treasury proposed last fall and the President\u2019s fiscal 2017 included funds for lifting the cap on Medicaid payments to the insular areas and moving towards the same federal/local cost-share as states enjoy. The President also proposed extending the earned income tax credit to Puerto Rico\u2014though not to the Northern Marianas and the other insular areas, as\u00a0my legislation, H.R. 4309, would do. The EITC is a direct payment to low-income families with a working parent. Unlike traditional welfare, the EITC rewards employment and could bring U.S. citizens into the workforce in the NMI, helping with our labor shortage. But the program is too expensive for the Commonwealth government to pay for. My bill requires a cover over to the CNMI from the U.S. Treasury, similar to the way the Child Tax Credit and the American Opportunity Tax Credit now work. Puerto Rico is already defaulting on some $70 billion in debt it took on and Speaker Ryan has set a deadline of\u00a0March 31\u00a0for legislation to address the fiscal crisis. This crisis could be an opportunity for the other islands, as well.\n Obama Zika plan includes $471 m. in insualr relief. \nIn a\u00a0letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan\u00a0on Monday, President Barack Obama proposed emergency spending to deal with the spread of the Zika virus, including $246 million for Medicaid in the U.S. insular areas. Zika is transmitted by mosquito bite and cases have already been reported in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. Infection of pregnant women is associated with microcephaly, a birth defect, and some deaths have been reported. We should be grateful we have not yet seen a case of Zika in the Northern Mariana Islands. But tropical areas, such as our islands, are at risk. So, the President recommended lifting the federal share of Medicaid for insular areas from the current 55 percent to 65 percent for one year at a cost of $246 million. He also wants another $225 million set aside for grants and technical assistance to insular areas, where the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that carry the virus can thrive. All are proposals I support.\n Opportunities - Federal grants, jobs for and in the Marianas: \nGrants:\n Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program\u00a0\u2013 BJA is accepting applications for financial and technical assistance to develop and implement drug courts that effectively integrate evidenced-based substance abuse treatment, mandatory drug testing, sanctions and incentives, and transitional services in a judicially supervised court setting with jurisdiction over substance-abusing offenders. Current closing date is\u00a0April 19, 2016. For more information, go to\u00a0http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=281717.\n\tAsian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program\u00a0\u2013 The AANAPISI Program provides grants to eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) that have an undergraduate enrollment of at least 10 percent Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander students to allow such institutions to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand their capacity to serve Asian Americans and Native American Pacific Islanders and low-income individuals. Current closing date is\u00a0April 22, 2016. For more information, go to\u00a0http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=281701.\n\tRural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement\u00a0\u2013 The purpose of this grant is to provide guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase or install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. Current closing date is\u00a0May 2, 2016. For more information, go to\u00a0http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-energy-america-program-renewable-energy-systems-energy-efficiency.\n\tClean Diesel National Grant\u00a0\u2013 The program is soliciting proposals nationwide for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution produced by diesel engines and diesel emissions exposure, particularly from fleets operating in areas designated by the Administrator as poor air quality areas. Current closing date is\u00a0April 26, 2016. For more information, go to\u00a0http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-national-grants.\n\tTIGER Grant Program\u00a0\u2013 U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has announced $500 million will be made available for transportation projects across the country under an eighth round of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grant program. Current closing date isApril 29, 2016. For more information, go to\u00a0https://www.transportation.gov/TIGER.\n\tNational Significant Freight and Highway Projects (NSFHP) Grant Program\u2013 The NSFHP Grant Program, which the Department of Transportation will refer to as the Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-Term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) grants, includes $800 million in funding to address many of the challenges outlined in the Department\u2019s Beyond Traffic report and draft National Freight Strategic Plan. Applications for FY 2016 are due on April 14, 2016. The Notice of Funding Opportunity can be found at:\u00a0https://www.transportation.gov/FASTLANEgrants.\n\tCommunity Facilities Direct Loan and Grant\u00a0\u2013 Small matching grants, between $5,000 and $25,000, available from USDA Rural Development in support of non-profit schools, day cares, fire protection, public safety, medical facilities and other rural community-based initiatives. Grants can be used to purchase items such as equipment, furniture, computers, appliances, and vehicles. For more information, go to\u00a0http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program/hi.\n Jobs:\n Aircraft Pilot\u00a0\u2013 The Army National Guard Unit is accepting applications for an Aircraft Pilot in Guam. The position is located in the office of the State Army Aviation Office and serves as the primary staff officer for the management of aircrew standardization and training programs, among other related duties. Position is open until\u00a0March 21, 2016. For more information, go tohttps://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/430281900/.\n\tAdministrative Assistant\u00a0\u2013 The Army National Guard Unit is accepting applications for an Administrative Assistant in Guam. The purpose of this position is to provide technical and administrative assistance for programs within the United States Property and Fiscal Officer\u2019s area of responsibility. Position is open until\u00a0March 17, 2016. For more information, go to\u00a0https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/429972600/.\n\tEmergency Medical Technician/Paramedic\u00a0\u2013 The Air Force Personnel Center is accepting applications for an EMT/Paramedic. Incumbent will provide initial care, respond to accidents, and perform basic emergency treatment, among other related duties. Position is open until\u00a0April 30, 2016. For more information, go to\u00a0https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/430025700/.\n  Highlights in the Legislative Program \nTHIS WEEK:\nOn the floor\n S.2109\u00a0\u2013 Directing Dollars to Disaster Relief Act of 2015 (Agreed to by voice vote)\n  H.R.3584\u00a0\u2013 Transportation Security Administration Reform and Improvement Act of 2015 (Agreed to by voice vote)\n  H.R.4408\u00a0\u2013 National Strategy to Combat Terrorist Travel Act of 2016 (Passed, 392-0)\n  H.R.4398\u00a0\u2013 DHS Acquisition Documentation Integrity Act of 2016 (Agreed to by voice vote)\n  H.R.4402\u00a0\u2013 Foreign Fighter Review Act of 2016 (Passed, 397-0)\n  H.R.3624\u00a0\u2013 Fraudulent Joinder Prevention Act of 2016 (Passed, 229-189)\n  H.R.2406\u00a0\u2013 Sportsmen Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act (Passed, 242-161)\n NEXT WEEK:\nOn the floor\n H.R.4238\u00a0\u2013 To amend the Department of Energy Organization Act and the Local Public Works Capital Development and Investment Act of 1976 to modernize terms relating to minorities\n  H.R.4583\u00a0\u2013 To promote a 21st century energy and manufacturing workforce\n  H.R.4401\u00a0\u2013 Amplifying Local Efforts to Root out Terror Act of 2016\n  H.R.1471\u00a0\u2013 FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act of 2015\n  S.1172\u00a0\u2013 Edward \u201cTed\u201d Kaufman and Michael Leavitt Presidential Transitions Improvements Act of 2015\n  S.1580\u00a0\u2013 Competitive Service Act of 2015\n  H.R.3716\u00a0\u2013 Ensuring Terminated Providers are Removed from Medicaid and CHIP Act\n  H.R.4557\u00a0\u2013 Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns Act of 2016\n Committee Hearings\nMarch 1\n Committee on Natural Resources Oversight Hearing on \u201cExamining the Department of the Interior\u2019s Spending Priorities and the President\u2019s Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Proposal\u201d\n  Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans Legislative Hearing on\u00a0H.R.4576\u00a0- Ensuring Access to Pacific Fisheries Act", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://sablan.house.gov/week-congress-february-26-2016"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.6005548425018787, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}