The document summarizes the Debt Ceiling Deal passed by Congress and its potential impacts. It establishes a bipartisan committee to cut $1.2-1.5 trillion in spending over 10 years, with automatic cuts taking effect in 2013 if no deal is reached. Many programs are exempt from these cuts, but discretionary programs and entitlement reforms are on the table. The deal could reduce funding for services like nutrition assistance and Medicaid, threatening vulnerable populations. Advocates encourage engaging with members of Congress to prioritize critical social programs in further deficit reduction efforts.

1. The Debt Ceiling Deal: Background and its impact on vulnerable Ohioans Featuring: Emily Campbell, Public Policy Fellow at the Center for Community Solutions Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, Executive Director of the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks (OASHF) Ericka Thoms, Policy Associate, Voices for Ohio’s Children (VFC-OH) LarkeRecchie, Executive Director, Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging (O4A) Kathleen Gmeiner, Project Director of Ohio Consumers for Health Coverage (a project of UHCAN Ohio)

2. Emily CampbellPublic Policy FellowThe Center for Community Solutions 216-781-2944 x357 www.communitysolutions.com

3. On August 2, the Budget Control Act of 2011 (S. 365) became law. It authorizes a debt ceiling increase of at least $1.2 trillion. A. Debt-ceiling increase of $900 B: Immediate authority for $400 B increase. Request additional $500 B increase that Congress can “disapprove”. Reduction of $900 B over 10 years through discretionary spending caps. B. Debt ceiling increase of $1.2 T - $1.5 T: Congress passes constitutional Balanced Budget Amendment = automatic $1.5 T increase. Supercommittee successful = automatic increase equal to amount of deficit reduction ($1.2 T - $1.5 T). Supercommittee fails = increase of $1.2 T and sequestration of equal amount of spending.

5. Child nutrition entitlement programs

6. Children’s Health Insurance Program including child enrollment contingency fund

7. Child support enforcement and family support programs

8. Medicaid

9. Foster care and permanency programs

10. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

11. Supplemental Security Income

12. Refundable Tax Credits (including EITC, CTC, ACA premium credits)

13. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families including Contingency Fund

14. Veterans Pensions

15. Commodity Supplemental Food Program

16. Pell GrantsNOTE: Cuts to all non-exempt programs would take effect in January 2013 and spread through 2021. Any of following events would trigger automatic, across-the board cuts (aka sequestration): Committee does not report required legislation by Nov 23, 2011. Committee produces legislation, but bill is defeated in Congress. Committee produces legislation, bill passes Congress, but bill is vetoed, and veto is sustained. Committee produces legislation, bill is enacted, but new law reduces deficits by less than $1.2 T.

17. Lisa Hamler-Fugitt Executive DirectorOhio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks(614) 221-4336 ext 222www.oashf.org

19. Nation’s fiscal crisis has made deficit reduction the top issue in Washington. It will continue to dominate all fiscal policy discussions and will be the backdrop for everything from the debt limit increase to FY2012 appropriations to the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization.

20. Round 1: The White House and Congressional leaders have come to an agreement to raise the nation’s debt ceiling through 2012 and reduce the deficit by at least $2.1 trillion over 10 years.

22. Dangerous economic impact – DJI fell 1,762 Points in 10 days, loss of 15% - Trillions in retirement and savings wiped out.

23. Poisonous & Politically motivated – Presidential Election

24. Threatens our Nation’s Fiscal Standing and other ratings

25. Could cause a double dip recession or worse yet, the second Great Depression (higher unemployment/poverty/hunger)

26. DC and our elected officials are disconnected from real world realities and the hardships their constituents face everyday.“We didn’t need a rating agency to tell us that the gridlock in Washington over the last several months has not been constructive, to say the least,” President Obama

27. TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE BUDGET CONTROL ACT Congress will immediately begin work implementing the Budget Control Act, which outlines a multi-stage process for both deficit reduction and the debt ceiling increase. August 16: 12 members must be appointed to the special Joint Committee September 30: FY2012 appropriations must be completed or a temporary continuing resolution must be approved before the new fiscal year begins on October 1 October 14: Deadline for standing committees to provide recommendations to the Joint Committee about cuts and reforms to programs under their jurisdiction. November 23: Deadline for the Joint Committee to vote on a bill December 2: Deadline for the Joint Committee to release legislative language of its bill December 9: Deadline for standing committees to provide favorable or unfavorable recommendation on Joint Committee bill December 23: Deadline for the House and Senate to vote on the Joint Committee bill December 31: Deadline for the House and Senate to vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment January 15, 2012: Date that across-the-board sequester of non-exempt programs will be triggered if Joint Committee bill is not approved January 2, 2013: If triggered, date that across-the-board sequester of nonexempt programs is implemented

29. House Speaker John Boehner chose a member of his leadership team, Texan Jeb Hensarling, to co-chair the panel with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington. Dave Camp and Fred Upton, both of Michigan were the two remaining members names to the committee.

30. Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid picked Senators John Kerry and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Patty Murray to the committee.

32. Both security and non-security spending is subject to caps.

33. Different caps are applied to security and non-security spending in the first two years. For fiscal years 2012 and 2013, there is a “firewall” between security and non-security spending, designed to ensure that proportional spending reductions are derived from each category.

35. The legislation must be submitted to Congress by November 23 and approved by Congress by December 23.

36. The legislation will move outside of the normal committee process, but standing committees will have two opportunities to provide input.

37. If legislation is not approved by December 23 with at least $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction, the Joint Committee loses its expedited authority and an automatic sequester would be imposed to achieve $1.2 trillion in cuts.

39. Engage Local MediaPolicy & Advocacy Considerations

41. Separately, nutrition assistance programs will compete within a smaller pool of discretionary non-security programs that includes many other low-income safety net programs, such as Head Start, LIHEAP, EFSP, CSBG, and CDBG.Policy & Advocacy Considerations

42. Ericka ThomsPolicy AssociateVoices for Ohio’s Children(216)-881-7860www.vfc-oh.org

44. Child nutrition entitlement programs (this does not include WIC)

45. Child Support enforcement and family support programs

46. Children’s Health Insurance Program

47. Foster care and permanency programs

48. Medicaid

49. Pell Grants

50. Refundable tax credits (including the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit)

51. SNAP (formerly Food Stamps)

52. Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

53. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)All of these programs are “on the table” for the Joint Committee. So advocacy on these programs will be important between now and when the Committee presents its final legislation to be voted on by Congress.

57. Discretionary programs are not protected from the second round of drastic cuts

59. More people will face waiting lists for critical OAA services—such as home care, home-delivered meals and medical transportation—

60. Less help with heating/cooling bills from LIHEAP,

61. Reduced availability of affordable accessible housing, and

64. Don’t forget – Advocacy Works! Congress is on recess. Contact your Senators and Congressman Now Tell them we can’t afford more cuts, revenues are needed to address deficit issues. Larke Recchie recchie@ohioaging.org Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging http://www.ohioaging.org/default.aspx

65. Medicare and Medicaid Under the Debt Ceiling Agreement Kathleen GmeinerProject DirectorOhio Consumers for Health CoverageUHCAN-Ohio(614)-456-0060uhcanohio.org

70. Repeal of Maintenance of Effort requirement in the ACA (was earlier proposed in the State Flexibility Act)

72. Utilization of Affordable Care Act opportunities such as “Health Homes” and other patient-centered efforts to coordinating a care among providers. Resources: The Insider (Community Catalyst); Say Ahhh! (Georgetown University Center for Children and Families); Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

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75. Follow us on Twitter @Advocates4OH

77. Send a message or set up an individual meeting.

78. For contact info of Ohio offices, click here: http://advocatesforohio.org/perch/resources/ContactingMembersofCongress.pdf