Appropriations

There is still no definite word on funding for FY 2010

June 10, 2009

There is still no definite word on funding for FY 2010. The House is not expected to begin mark-up till later this month or early next month on the Labor/HHS ED appropriations bill. I am still hearing somewhere between $3.1 billion and $5.1 billion. The House Appropriations Committee split up their initial allocation of $1.086 trillion in discretionary spending – the base total provided for discretionary spending in the 2010 Budget Resolution. The Resolution also allows the Committee to add an additional $1.9 billion for LIHEAP only if a “mandatory trigger has not been enacted.” In other words, if the Congress does not agree to authorize the trigger provision recommended by the Administration, then the Appropriations Committee can add $1.9 billion to the funding level for LIHEAP. At least that’s what the language would appear to support. There does not appear to be a lot of support right now for adding the trigger provisions.

There are three issues that will impact the outcome of FY 2010 funding:

1. Whether or not Congress approves a “trigger” provision.
2. Total funding level.
3. Final formula that will be used – last year the Congress approved $5.1 billion and then modified the formula.

Contact: Mark Wolfe, NEADA, 202-237-5199, mlwolfe@neada.org.