Federal Budget

Federal Government Should Invest in People First

An Editorial by National Assembly President Irv Katz

Just as parents view expenditures for their children's education and their purchase of a home as investments in the future, the federal government, as agent of the caring American people, needs to recognize its sustained responsibility to invest in people who do not have the choice to invest in education or buy a house, let alone feed their family or pay the rent. The programs on the federal chopping block are those that help keep people on an even keel and allow them and their families the opportunity to move forward. To read the full editorial, click here.

Policy Alert: Budget Cuts in Human Service Programs

Congress is considering significant budget cuts in human service programs that will have major implications for National Assembly members and particularly for the people they serve. Many Assembly members have been working for months to mobilize their affiliates--a sample of these efforts and talking points for contacting Congress are included in this alert. For more information, click here.

House Passes Budget Bill Cutting Anti-Poverty Programs; Rejects Spending Bill with More Cuts

On November 18, the House of Representatives passed a five-year budget measure by a vote of 217-215 that would cut about 220,000 people off food stamps, allow states to impose new costs on Medicaid beneficiaries and scale back coverage, increase student loan interest rates and fees paid by borrowers, and cut aid to state child-support enforcement programs. Hours earlier, the House rejected by a vote of 224-209 a House-Senate compromise spending bill that would provide less funding for education, health and human service, and job training programs.

Report Series on How the House Budget Bills Affect Low Income Programs

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has released a series of reports on proposals in the House of Representatives that would reduce spending on a wide range of mandatory (or "entitlement") programs. The reports focus on proposed cuts in the food stamp program, child support enforcement, child care, foster care and Medicaid. For more information, click here .

National Collaboration for Youth Urges Congress to Protect Programs That Serve Vulnerable Youth

On September 2, the National Collaboration for Youth (NCY) urged the Senate Budget Committee to make responsible budget decisions and avoid a negative impact on programs like Medicaid, student loans, food stamps, and child welfare services that help our vulnerable young people in communities across the country. The Senate leadership delayed making cuts to mandatory programs until late October, but there have been bipartisan calls for indefinite postponement of these cuts. For NCY's letter, click here. For the letter urging indefinite postponement, click here .

Chart on Federal Funding for Key Children's Programs

A chart from the Child Welfare League of America tracks the status of funding for key children's programs in the Congressional appropriations process. It includes programs related to protective and preventive services, foster care, health care, juvenile justice, mentoring, afterschool, and many other areas. For more information, click here.

Update on Appropriations for Health, Human Service, Education, and Housing Programs

The Senate Appropriations Committee in July approved fiscal year 2006 funding for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Treasury, and Transportation. According to the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN), some human needs programs fared better in the Senate Labor-HHS-Education bill than in the House bill, but many programs received the same amount in each bill. CHN also found that both the House and Senate appear to have rejected most of the President's proposed housing cuts, but their bills still contain some serious shortfalls for housing and community development programs. For more about the Labor-HHS-Education bill, click here. For more about the housing bill, click here.

Budget Resolution Calls for Cuts in Programs and Taxes

Congress adopted a budget resolution on April 28 that includes $10 billion in Medicaid cuts over five years; $3 billion in cuts to agriculture programs, which include food stamps; and $23 billion in cuts to domestic discretionary programs in 2006, a 6% cut below current funding, adjusted for inflation. The resolution does not specify which discretionary programs will be cut, but education, housing, child care, nutrition, and environmental programs are all in this category. The resolution also calls for $100 billion in tax cuts over the next five years. The Coalition on Human Needs has developed a simple, two-page description of what is in the budget resolution and a timeline for the next phase of the budget process. For more information, click here.

Senate Restores Funding for Critical Programs in Budget Resolution

The U.S. Senate on March 17 voted to remove funding cuts to Medicaid, education programs, and community development programs in its FY 2006 Budget Resolution. It is uncertain, however, whether these changes will be adopted by the conference committee that will work out the differences between the House and Senate resolutions. The House budget resolution, for example, includes up to $20 billion in cuts to Medicaid. To read a United Way of America analysis of the House and Senate Budget Resolutions, CLICK HERE.

Joint Statement on FY 2006 Budget Resolution

United Way of America, the National Assembly, and 12 other national nonprofit organizations, in a joint statement on March 14, urged Congress to support a responsible federal budget resolution that fairly distributes
the burden of reducing the nation’s budget deficit and maintains critical investments in education, social services, and health care. To read the statement, CLICK HERE.

Local Officials Urge Congress to Save the Community Development Block Grant Program

On March 15, Members of Congress joined local elected officials from across the country in urging the House and Senate to continue to fund the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program at current levels and support keeping this vital program in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. CDBG is the signature program for cities and counties to create jobs, increase economic development opportunities and expand homeownership. The National League of Cities' CDBG Resource Page includes issue papers, examples of how communities use CDBG grants, and things you can do to save the program. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Assembly Members Urge Congress Not to Weaken Investments in People and Communities
Thirty-three (33) National Human Services Assembly members co-signed a letter urging U.S. House and Senate Budget Committees to ensure that the Nation's investment in critical programs for its citizens and communities is not weakened in the present budget process. The letter expressed concern over both the proposed cuts in domestic discretionary spending, specifically for human services and community development, and the proposed five-year cap on such spending. Concerns raised by National Assembly members and others may have helped convince the House Budget Committee to reject the proposed 5-year spending cap and the Senate Committee to propose a 3-year "soft cap." To read the letter, CLICK HERE.

Why This Budget is Different: Why We Need to Act, Together

The President's proposed budget requires our attention, now, because of a provision that would cap federal domestic discretionary spending for five years. Why does that matter? Because a significant proportion of the programs financed by federal dollars at human service and community development agencies come from the federal domestic discretionary budget. Because of this provision, budgets will be cut in each of the next five years. To read the Special Budget Edition of Newsbytes, CLICK HERE.

Truth Squad on Domestic Investment: An Appeal

An Editorial by National Assembly President Irv Katz
My intent is not to rail against the President or his proposed budget but to rally us-the people in the human/community development biz-to help the President, the Congress, and the American people understand that it is not "domestic spending," it is investing in people and communities; that caring for those who are vulnerable and investing in prevention at home is the best national defense; that domestic programs are by no means the primary drivers of the federal deficit. To read more, CLICK HERE.

Analysis Summarizes Proposed Cuts to Human Service Programs

A United Way of America analysis summarizes proposed changes in the President's FY 2006 budget for selected education, social welfare, and health programs. It also includes a review of the president's proposed changes in the federal budget process. The budget would freeze or cut federal spending for most human services programs. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Budget Analysis by Program Area

The February issue of Volunteers of America's Advocacy News analyzes the President's FY06 budget by departmental program area (i.e., selected programs in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, etc.). For more information, CLICK HERE

The Looming Crisis: How Do We Act?
An Editorial by National Assembly President Irv Katz
Is there a crisis looming in our field? There are arguably at least two issues of very serious concern or crisis, depending on your perspective: increased regulation of nonprofit organizations and the likelihood of decreased dollars for "domestic spending," a category which includes virtually all programs of interest to National Assembly member organizations. To read more, CLICK HERE.

For more information about federal legislation and policy, CLICK HERE .