Month: September 2021

UG’s public health director recognized for leadership

Juliann Van Liew, director of public health for the Unified Government, has been recognized as one of the “40 Under 40 in Public Health” in recognition of her work.

The de Beaumont Foundation recently announced its 2021 honorees after reviewing applications from hundreds of rising leaders in public health throughout the country. The honorees were selected by a panel of public health professionals for their leadership and impact on their community’s health.

“At a time when public health professionals are being required to adapt and take on monumental challenges, we are incredibly proud of these leaders,” said Brian S. Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation. “We created the 40 Under 40 program to recognize and tell the stories of rising leaders who are making a difference in communities across the country. By promoting their work and accomplishments, we hope to attract and inspire a new generation of leaders.”

Honorees are selected for the contributions to their organization, community, and the public health field; for their demonstrated leadership in their organization; collaboration with partners; advancing policy solutions; creative problem-solving; and a commitment to the vision for the community and organization.

Van Liew, who was appointed director of public health in May 2020 has not only risen to the challenge of providing a robust response to a global pandemic but has been deeply committed to issues of health equity and access in our community, working tirelessly to ensure that the community has universal access to critical services, according to a spokesman.

“I found my true home when I entered the world of local governmental public health and realized the power of what can be achieved when local government works in concert with the community,” Van Liew said.

Year after year, Wyandotte is ranked as one of the least healthy counties in Kansas, with residents experiencing high levels of poverty, housing insecurity, chronic disease, violence, and systemic disinvestment. During her tenure, Van Liew has helped the department face these challenges and the public health demands of the 21st century by prioritizing quality improvement, performance management, workforce development, and accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board.

Van Liew and her team were influential in publishing and implementing a five-year Community Health Improvement Plan aimed at addressing health access issues, jobs and education, safe and affordable housing, and violence prevention.

U.S. House Dems propose $28.6B in disaster aid for recovery from hurricanes, wildfires, floods

by Laura Olson, Kansas Reflector

Washington — Congressional Democrats unveiled a short-term spending measure on Tuesday that would keep the federal government operating through Dec. 3 and provide $28.6 billion for costs related to recent natural disasters.

That disaster relief money is slightly more than the $24 billion that the Biden administration asked Congress to approve for extreme weather events during the last 18 months, including hurricanes, floods and wildfires.

A summary of the new legislation specifies that it would include aid to states related to Hurricanes Ida, Delta, Zeta, and Laura, wildfires, severe droughts and winter storms and other natural and major disasters declared in 2021 and prior years.

“The relief is provided to virtually all corners of the nation, because all corners of the nation have been suffering,” House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said during a Rules Committee meeting Tuesday morning.

“It helps to rebuild in the wake of these disasters, and provides a lifeline to families struggling to get back on their feet.”

The spending bill also would lift the limit on federal borrowing through the end of 2022, which would prevent a default on the federal debt that otherwise will occur in the coming weeks.

The U.S. House is expected to move quickly on the bill, with plans to begin debate later on Tuesday. The short-term funding measure is needed because Congress is unlikely to finish its work passing full-year spending bills before the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30.

But the measure’s fate is complicated by the multiple urgent components packaged into one piece of legislation. Republicans have said they will not support raising the debt ceiling, even though not doing so risks significant fiscal consequences.

Democrats had sought to push past that opposition by including the money needed to avoid a government shutdown, as well as billions in disaster relief that would help a number of states with Republican legislators in Congress.

The disaster relief money would be allocated through a broad range of agencies. It includes:

• $10 billion for crop losses due to devastating storms in 2020 and 2021;
• $2.6 billion to reimburse states for repairs to roads and bridges;
• $1.2 billion in low-interest loans to businesses, homes and renters; and
• $5 billion for Community Development Block Grants for restoration of housing and infrastructure, or economic revitalization.

It also includes funding for drought and disaster response related to Western wildfires, including fire remediation and a waiver on the annual pay cap for emergency wildland fire suppression workers at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service.

Other money in the bill is intended to reduce the effects of future extreme weather events, through research on forecasting hurricanes and detecting wildfires, and the construction of flood and storm damage-reduction projects.

Kansas Reflector stories, www.kansasreflector.com, may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

See more at https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/21/u-s-house-dems-propose-28-6b-in-disaster-aid-for-recovery-from-hurricanes-wildfires-floods/

Federal stimulus spending considered necessary

Views
Opinion column

by Murrel Bland

The federal government had to take bold action because of the financial hardship that the coronavirus pandemic caused.

At least that was the message from U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., when she spoke to the Congressional Forum, via teleconference, at Children’s Mercy Park, Friday, Sept. 17. She had originally planned to appear in person, but opted for a teleconference because of a family emergency.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which is also called the COVID-19 stimulus package or simply the American Rescue Plan, is estimated to cost $1.9 trillion.

Part of the stimulus plan was the Paycheck Protection Plan; employers affected by the pandemic could apply for loans which, if conditions were met, could be forgiven. Banks report this as most helpful, particularly for restaurants.

Rep. Davids said she supports a new stimulus funding for restaurants; she said several restaurants, particularly smaller independent operations, were left out.

Rep. Davids was asked about her feelings about Congressional redistricting. She said there should have been more notice given about public meetings concerning redistricting. There were 14 meetings across the state, including one at Kansas City Kansas Community College and another in Johnson County.

Republican political operatives have suggested that Wyandotte County and Johnson County be separated. This would dilute Rep. Davids’ Democrat base. She lives in Roeland Park, which is in Johnson County.

Rep. Davids already has potential Republican opposition; Amanda Adkins, who lost to Rep. Davids in 2020, has announced she will run again.

Forum members expressed concern about excessive government spending. Joe Vaught, a commercial real estate agent, warned about borrowing more money than the federal government can repay. Bill Schmidt, a certified public accountant, said that government borrowing should be limited to the value of the gross national product.

Paul Bush, a banker with First State Bank, said he was concerned about the proposal that would require banks to report most all banking transactions of account holders. This would be an invasion of personal privacy, he said. Rep. Davids said she would look into the matter.

The Congressional Forum is a function of the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.