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October 3, 2025 | Vol. MMXXV | Issue 132 |
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In this edition:
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Appropriations
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Department of Transportation
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Administration for Community Living
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Trump Administration and Drug Pricing
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New Legislation
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AUCD Materials
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Words to Know
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Appropriations |
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On September 30 at midnight, and beginning October 1, the government entered a shutdown. This is because Congress did not approve a new government funding package for Fiscal Year 26 by September 30 (when the government funding year ends) or pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government operating on current funding levels for a specified period. Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress introduced their own versions of a CR, both of which fund the government at the previous fiscal year’s spending levels with some changes to policy and new spending. The breakdown came because Congressional Democrats wanted a CR that would reverse the Medicaid cuts in H.R.1 (the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed into law by Republicans through the reconciliation process) and permanently extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits. There have been some Republicans open to extending the ACA tax credits, but not enough to strike a deal before the deadline. House Republicans’ CR—which would extend government funding through November 21—did not include those key healthcare pieces, and they refused to support the Democrats’ CR. There have been multiple failed votes in the House and Senate on both CRs, to no success.
There has been some collaboration between Republican Senators including Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who are looking at extending the ACA subsidies. |
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Key Takeaways |
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Each party is trying to frame the shutdown as being the fault of the other. Republicans are claiming that Democrats should pass their proposed CR and that the healthcare subsidies should not be negotiated in this venue. Democrats claim that Republicans have refused to engage in any good faith negotiations and are again backing them into a corner with no choice but to shut down the government or cede to the President.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has directed agencies to prepare mass firing plans for a potential government shutdown, as Republicans and Democrats in Congress remain at an impasse. Some programs will continue to operate during the government shutdown, including Social Security, Medicare, and a few others. The memo outlined a shutdown plan that goes beyond what typically has happened in the past—OMB told agencies to “identify programs, projects and activities where discretionary funding will lapse Oct. 1 and no alternative funding source is available. For those areas, OMB directed agencies to begin drafting [reduction in force] RIF plans that would go beyond standard furloughs, permanently eliminating jobs in programs not consistent with President Donald Trump’s priorities in the event of a shutdown.” The Executive branch has broad discretion in what they consider “essential” and which staff are furloughed. The President has threatened to make more staffing cuts at federal agencies and make cuts to benefits during the shutdown.
From this article from Disability Scoop: “The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, which has already faced significant pressure this year, will halt its investigations and advocates said that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is unlikely to approve state plan amendments and waivers, for example. Meanwhile, with hundreds of thousands of workers furloughed, getting assistance from the federal government will likely be a tall order.”
Democrats established enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits under the American Rescue Plan, which increased enrollment in ACA Marketplaces. The enhanced provision made more people eligible for the tax credits and increased the amount of tax credits. The enhanced version will expire on December 31, and their expiration could result in millions more uninsured people and higher premiums. Learn more from KFF here.
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Plain Language |
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On September 30 at midnight, the government shut down. This means that government departments and agencies are not working right now. There are some people in the government that are still working because they keep people safe. The government shut down because Congress did not pass a spending bill on time. The deadline was September 30. Congress needed to pass a government spending bill to make sure the government is funded in 2026, which is also called “appropriations.” Appropriations means money that is set aside by Congress for a particular use. The appropriations process happens once a year. Money is sometimes requested by the President’s Administration or by Congress for a specific use.
Congress was in the middle of its appropriations process for 2026 funding. The Senate and House Appropriations Committee passed some 2026 appropriations bills but they had not finished this process. This is why Members of Congress were going to pass a Continuing Resolution or a “CR.” A CR is a funding bill that makes sure the government has enough money for a few more months. Republicans and Democrats in Congress are blaming each other for not being able to fund the government and causing the shutdown. Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced a CR that Democrats in Congress didn't like. Democrats in the House and Senate introduced their own CR, which Republicans didn’t like. The Democrats’ bill does two things that would affect healthcare:
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It would stop the big cuts to Medicaid that are going to happen because of H.R.1, or the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
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It would help people continue saving money on healthcare using something called “tax credits” – explained below.
With the government shut down, some departments won’t be able to do what they usually do to support people with disabilities. The Department of Education has an office that looks into reports of discrimination in special education for students with disabilities. Discrimination means treating someone badly because of who they are. This office in the Department of Education will probably have to pause the research they might be doing. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services might have to wait to approve plans that states submit if they want to change their home and community-based services programs.
Many people are able to pay less for healthcare every month because of something called “tax credits.” A tax credit is an amount of money that people can save when they file their taxes. Usually, they are a reward from the federal government. For example, if the federal government wants more people to get health insurance, they might offer a tax credit to people who get health insurance. The Affordable Care Act has special tax credits that will end on December 31, 2025. Democrats want to make sure that people can still use these tax credits in the future so they can save money and afford healthcare. Their CR includes a piece that makes those tax credits last forever.
The Office of Management and Budget is a government agency that makes decisions about how the federal government works and how money is spent. The Office of Management and Budget told other government agencies that they should get ready to fire a lot of people who work for the government if Congress doesn’t pass a spending bill by the deadline. Usually during a government shutdown, people who work for the government might have to stop working and stop getting paid for a short amount of time. This time, the administration is saying that they might fire people and they won’t be able to come back. |
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Department of Transportation |
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On September 30, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a notice of enforcement discretion regarding the Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers With Disabilities Using Wheelchairs rule (the Wheelchair rule). The notice announces that the Department is delaying enforcement of certain provisions of this rule until December 31, 2026. These are the provisions:
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The airline must notify passengers in writing (and in an accessible format), when they check wheelchairs or scooters to be stowed in the baggage compartment, that they have the right to contact a Complaints Resolution Official (CRO) if their wheelchair or scooter is mishandled.
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The airline must return checked wheelchairs, scooters, other mobility aids, and other assistive devices to the passenger in the condition in which they received them.
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The airline has to (upon request) reimburse a passenger with a disability who had to buy a more expensive flight because their wheelchair or scooter wouldn’t fit in the cabin or cargo compartment of a cheaper flight.
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The airline has to make sure that all personnel who interact with the traveling public or who handle passengers' assistive devices receive training and ongoing refresher training (as needed) to make sure they are up to date.
This rule was finalized by the Biden Administration in 2024, and these provisions were supposed to be enforced starting in March 2025. The Trump Administration delayed enforcement of these provisions twice and is now saying that they are looking at writing a new rule related to the same issue. Previously, the lobbying group Airlines for America (A4A), representing multiple major U.S. airlines, filed an appeal seeking to overturn part of the rule. |
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Key Takeaways |
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The Biden Administration created the Wheelchair rule because they heard from many people who, because of their disability, have had unsafe, undignified, and unnecessarily costly experiences when flying. Many people have reported that their wheelchairs, scooters, and other assistive devices had been damaged or lost when they took a flight. Without those devices, people cannot be as mobile as they usually would be and could even become injured. If airline staff aren’t properly trained on how to safely support travelers with disabilities, they could cause harm. Delayed enforcement of this rule means that people with disabilities will continue to risk bodily harm and harm to their assistive devices when they travel on airplanes.
The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in air travel. When the law was passed in 2021, Congress directed DOT to enact regulations to make sure people with disabilities were not discriminated against during air travel. When DOT wrote the Wheelchair rule, the Department stated that it “considers the mishandling of wheelchairs, scooters, and assistive devices, and unsafe, undignified, and untimely wheelchair assistance, to constitute discrimination on the basis of disability” and therefore sought to finalize the Wheelchair rule.
The Paralyzed Veterans of America conducted a survey in 2022 about disabled Americans’ flight experiences and found the following:
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Of the people who travel with a wheelchair or scooter, 70 percent reported damage to their wheelchair or scooter.
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Almost 56 percent experienced delays.
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67 percent of passengers with disabilities wait 15 minutes or more for help upon arrival to their destination.
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Plain Language |
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On September 30, the Department of Transportation made an announcement about a rule called the “Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers With Disabilities Using Wheelchairs rule (the Wheelchair rule).” The Wheelchair rule was made during the Biden Administration. It was made so that people with disabilities traveling on airplanes would be treated fairly and stay safe during travel. The rule was created with a deadline for when it would be official, and airlines could get in trouble for not following the rule. When the Trump Administration began, they decided to push that deadline for a few months. On September 30, they announced they would push the deadline again and the new deadline is December 31, 2026. This is much later than the Biden Administration's original deadline. These are the parts of the rule that will not be official until December 31, 2026:
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The airline has to give people accessible information about what might happen to their wheelchairs or scooters when they pack them in the plane. The airline has to tell people that they have the right to contact an official department if an airline employee damaged their wheelchair or scooter.
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The airline has to return wheelchairs, scooters, and other things people use to be mobile without damage.
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If a person with a disability has to buy a more expensive flight because the one they wanted coudn't fit their wheelchair or scooter, that person has the right to get money from the airline.
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The airline has to make sure that all employees who support passengers and who pack their devices in the airplane have to be trained properly. They have to be re-trained so that they have up-to-date information about how to make sure passengers and their devices are all safe.
The Biden Administration created the Wheelchair rule because they heard from many people who, because of their disability, have had unsafe and unfairly expensive experiences when flying. Many people have said that their wheelchairs, scooters, and other devices were damaged or lost when they took a flight. Without those devices, people cannot be as mobile as they usually would be and could even become injured. If airline staff aren’t properly trained on how to safely support travelers with disabilities, they could cause harm. The rule would help people with disabilities stay safe on airplanes. Waiting even longer for these rules to be official will mean that it could be risky for people with disabilities to travel on airplanes. |
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Administration for Community Living |
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Make America Healthy Again Grants - On September 30, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) announced $60 million in new grant awards for states, territories, tribes, and local organizations supporting older adults and Americans with disabilities. The funding will go towards programs for managing chronic conditions, implementing RAISE Family Caregivers Act recommendations, and support caregiving, among others. From the ACL press release announcing the grants:
“ACL’s $60 million investment in these resources and programs will further the President’s mission to Make America Healthy Again and support the health, dignity, and independence of our most vulnerable Americans.”
Assistive Technology Alternative Financing Program Grants - ACL also introduced grant awards to establish or expand Alternative Financing Programs (AFP) that help people get access to assistive technology. You can read the notice of funding opportunity here. |
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Plain Language |
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The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is a government department that helps people with disabilities live in the community. ACL announced that they will give out funding to programs that help people with chronic conditions, which means a health problem that someone lives with every day. The funding will also go to programs that support family caregivers and other organizations that help people with disabilities and older adults. ACL is also giving funding for programs that help people afford assistive technology, which are devices that help people with disabilities, like a scooter or a screen reader. |
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Trump Administration and Drug Pricing |
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On September 30, the pharmaceutical company Pfizer made a deal with the federal government to lower the price of some medicines. President Trump had demanded that some of the largest drugmakers offer their medicines at similar prices to what they charge other countries. This is commonly referred to as “most-favored nation” prices. The President said that “Pfizer is committing to offer all of their prescription medications to Medicaid, and it will be at the most-favored nations prices,” which is “going to have a huge impact on bringing Medicaid costs down.” He also announced a direct purchasing platform, TrumpRx.gov, where people can purchase medicine from Pfizer and other drug companies at a discount without going through insurance. |
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Plain Language |
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On September 30, the Trump Administration announced that it made an agreement with a drug company called Pfizer. They said that they would get Pfizer to sell some cheaper drugs if they use a certain website called “TrumpRx.gov.” They said that Medicaid would get cheaper drugs. |
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New Legislation
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Plain Language |
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AUCD Story Collection |
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AUCD is collecting stories from the Network on a variety of topics to amplify the effects of this Administration on real people and our programs. If you have a story, we want to hear it.
We are interested in stories about:
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Medicaid and its impact on people's lives
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The impact of dismantling ACL
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The important work of UCEDDs, LENDs, IDDRCs, PNS’s, DD Councils, P&As
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The impact of zeroing out UCEDDs, LENDs, IDDRCs, PNS’s, DD Councils, P&As
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Impact of grants that are being cut
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Stories responding to RFK Jr.’s claims about autism or the autism registry
You can use this link to provide information and let us know if you are comfortable sharing your story with Members of Congress and their staff. |
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AUCD Policy Blog |
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AUCD invites Network members to fill out this form if you’re interested in writing for the AUCD policy blog. We are open to a variety of issues areas, and we will follow up with you as relevant issues come up that we’d like you to write about.
Check out our most recent blog post by Theo Braddy, Executive Director of the National Council on Independent Living about the 52nd anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act - The Game Changer: The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 |
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Disability Policy for All with Liz |
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Join Liz on Instagram Reels, where she provides plain language updates on policy, highlighting current issues and hot topics in federal disability policy.
Liz Weintraub is AUCD's Senior Advocacy Specialist and the host of “Disability Policy for All with Liz.” She has extensive experience practicing leadership in self-advocacy and has held many board and advisory positions at state and national organizations, including the Council on Quality & Leadership (CQL) and the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council.
Watch Disability Policy for All with Liz videos here. |
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Words to Know |
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Appropriations
This is money that is set aside by Congress for a particular use. The appropriations process happens once a year. Money is sometimes requested by the President’s Administration or by Congress for a specific use.
Continuing Resolution
This is an agreement to fund the government for a short amount of time. This agreement usually lasts for less than a year. It is sometimes called a ‘CR.’
Tax Credit
A tax credit is an amount of money that people can save when they file their taxes. Usually, they are a reward from the federal government. For example, if the federal government wants more people to get health insurance, they might offer a tax credit to people who get health insurance.
Medical Research
Medical research is research that scientists do to understand health problems and how to fix them.
Government Shutdown
When there is a government shutdown, government departments and agencies are not working. This happens when Congress does not pass a funding bill on time, usually when Republicans and Democrats don’t agree on how to fund the government. During a government shutdown, some people will keep working, especially if they keep people safe. |
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