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In a pair of recently released papers, the liberal-oriented Center on Budget & Policy Priorities (CBPP) addresses why a full year continuing resolution (CR) is ill advised, and examines the inconsistencies in the Republican approach to solving budget issues.
Congressional appropriations bills (Senate bill not yet number/HR 2577) to fund the Housing and Urban Development Department in FY 2016 would be kind to the Office of Public and Indian Housing. OPIH ensures safe, decent and affordable public housing for low-income families and individuals and creates opportunities for residents’ self-sufficiency and economic independence.
The Senate and House appropriations measures (S 1800; HR 3049) to fund the Agriculture Department that await consideration by their respective chambers won’t be approved in their current forms, but provide a sense of funding intentions for the Republican-led Congress, including areas of alignment with the White House.
GOP leaders concede there is no time for anything in September but approval of a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government in operation past Sept. 30, the end of the FY 2015 spending cycle.
Now that the Senate Approrpiations Committee's FY 2016 HUD budget bill is headed to floor for a vote by the full chamber, look for Senate and House negotiators to clash in heated debate once their respective budget measures reach a joint congressional conference committee for reconciliation. The anticipated contentiousness is expected to peak over House amendments that do not appear in the Senate's version of the HUD spenging plan.
The House appropriations subcommittee releases a draft FY 2016 funding bill for the Department of Agriculture that keeps many rural development programs at current levels while funding a variety of farm and conservation programs.
HR 2577 contains $6.4 billion for Community Planning & Development programs -- $85.6 million below current spending levels. The Community Development Block Grant formula program, which mandates a percentage of appropriations to be devoted to development of affordable housing, would be funded at $3 billion, the same as the current allocation.
Considering the legislative calendar and the enormous spending chasm between the administration budget request/congressional Democrat objectives and the spartan Republican spending plan, time likely will run out before lawmakers can assemble a politically coherent appropriations approach prior to the Sept. 30 deadline.
Developers of affordable housing are liable to find a much thinner funding stream this next year when it comes federal money for such projects. The Republican budget resoution cuts approximately $2.1 billion in federal funding for affordable housing,
Speaking before the City Club of Cleveland, Obama strongly condemns congressional Republicans’ latest budget proposals, sharply criticizing GOP for wanting to slash domestic programs that are designed to encourage job growth and promote economic benefits for middle class Americans.
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