Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Ky.) came under attack for criticizing state aid and suggesting some declare bankruptcy. He subsequently said he would consider such relief but not to address problems pre-dating the coronavirus crisis. McConnell insists that the next bill must contain language limiting liability for businesses as the economy reopens. .In addition to testing, passengers who are not fully vaccinated should self-quarantine for 7 days after cruise travel, even if they test negative. If they do not get tested, they should self-quarantine for 10 days after cruise travel. .For updates on the progress of S. Con. Res. 3, visit the Legislative News section of our website, or follow TSCL on Facebook and Twitter. To view TSCL's full legislative agenda for the 115th Congress, click HERE. .According to a report in The Hill, a Washington, D.C., newspaper, "There are further administrative steps that need to happen before the proposal will actually take effect and result in lower drug prices. The secretary of Health and Human Services will have to issue the details of the proposal, and there will be an array of questions as to how the policy will work in practice. .Each year, the "taxable maximum" increases according to growth in the national average wage index. However, the percentage of earnings subject to the payroll tax has decreased over time, since earnings by the wealthiest have grown faster than earnings by the rest of the population. Increasing the "taxable maximum" to cover a larger portion of income could responsibly cover the cost of the Notch Fairness Act. Third, Congress could allow the temporary Social Security payroll tax holiday to expire. For nearly two years, employees have enjoyed a two - percent payroll tax cut, but it has done little to stimulate the economy and it has undermined the self-sustaining nature of Social Security. .This week, lawmakers returned to Washington and quickly began working on legislation to stave off a government shutdown, which could occur on December 11th if Congress fails to reach a compromise. In addition, The Senior Citizens League saw two key bills gain support. .However, the statisticians behind it at the University of Washington have since changed their methods, and they now estimate that doing away with social distancing measures could entail vast numbers of deaths, and that widespread mask-wearing in public could save tens of thousands of lives. .TSCL believes a better approach to Medicare Advantage "risk adjustments" is needed, and should be written into law, rather than left to the discretion of politically appointed Medicare administrators. Congress could do this by writing a method for calculating the adjustment into the law. This approach would make payment for MA plans more like payment for other Medicare providers. .The high cost of treatment is a frequently cited barrier by those who are not getting the dental care they need. Elizabeth H., a retiree living in Colorado told us "I do not have the ,000 I was told that I needed to get my teeth fixed. They need to either be pulled and a bridge put in, or root canaled. Being on a limited income, I do not see getting any of this done, and so it affects my health negatively. Without dental care, I'm not as healthy as I could be."