Legislative Bulletins

December 2009

Health Care Update: After marathon deliberations that kept Senators in Congress late evenings and weekends, the Senate finally passed its health care reform bill on December 24, 2009 by a vote of 60-39, thus barely overcoming a filibuster of the bill. Republicans threw every procedural hurdle to try to stop the bill, including calling for the reading of entire texts of amendments on the Senate floor, and forcing filibuster busting votes on several key amendments. In addition, some Democrats held out their support until the end after last minute compromises. Read more…

November 2009

Health Care Update: The first week of November 2009 brought us one step closer to comprehensive health care reform when the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R.3962) on November 7, 2009, by a close vote of 220-215. Read more…

July 2009

Update: Congress headed into its week-long July 4th recess after receiving the President’s proposals for a major new Consumer Financial Protection Agency. The National Urban League was invited to testify on the President’s proposals for consumer protection and financial literacy by the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit. The NUL called on Congress to guarantee five consumer protection objectives: Read more…

June 2009

Update: Congress headed into its week-long Memorial Day recess during the last week of May after passing the Helping Families Save their Homes Act that was signed into law by the President as Public Law 111-22. While this legislation eases the eligibility for mortgage relief assistance, it unfortunately does not include a key provision that would have allowed mortgage relief through bankruptcy proceedings, a provision desperately needed in this mortgage foreclosure crisis! Read more…

April 2009

Returning fresh from its two-week spring recess, the 111th Congress will attempt to resolve the differences between House and Senate passed versions of the fiscal 2010 budget resolution (H Con Res 85, S Con Res 13) that include much of President Obama’s major policy initiatives. – Congress will also take initial steps on health care overhaul legislation with the goal of having a bill by early summer 2009. Read more…