Appropriations Update
Congress' end-of-the-year appropriations strategy is still unclear as the December 14th deadline to fund the government draws near. Congress and the President have until Thursday to finish work on the FY2009 appropriations bills or pass another short-term funding extension to avoid a government shut-down.
The House of Representatives had planned to vote today on a catch-all spending package (known as an omnibus)that combined 11 un-passed FY2008 spending bills, including funding for job training, education and child care. The legislation -- which was still being drafted yesterday and has not been made public -- would "split the difference" between the domestic spending totals passed by Congress earlier this year and far lower funding levels proposed by President Bush.
Over the weekend, however, the President released a statement saying he would veto this type of package. In response, House Appropriations Chairman David Obey has said he is considering scrapping the "split-the-difference" strategy all together. Instead, he would use the strict ceiling set by the President, but focus on severely cutting Republican priorities and billions of dollars in earmarks from lawmakers in both parties in order to reach the goal.
Prior to Thanksgiving, Congress tried but failed to successfully override the President's veto of the FY2008 Labor-HHS-Education bill. The President vetoed this package of important education and social services spending earlier in November, making good on a long-standing threat to reject any Congressionally passed spending bill that exceeds the funding targets set forth in his February budget proposal. While Congress' bill included small but desperately needed increases for programs that help women and families, the President has proposed cutting, eliminating or freezing funding for many programs that help women succeed in the workforce.
Women Work! will continue to monitor the funding situation and will keep you informed of any movement. One thing is clear: the final funding pie for education and social services will almost certainly be smaller than the Labor-HHS-Education bill previously passed by Congress. As a result, it is critically important that Members of Congress hear from you, their constituents, about funding priorities for unemployed and underemployed women - the Women's Bureau, Perkins career and technical education, Workforce Investment Act programs, child care and other programs.
