A message from Della Cronin, Washington Partners, LLC, to accompany the 2017 Appropriations Issue Brief:

“As the Congressional August break comes to an end, attached please find an issue brief on a topic that will be one of the first returning lawmakers will address—Budget and Appropriations.  Of course, the last few weeks have provided some breaking news on that issue that isn’t included in the attached.  So, here’s the latest….

Next week, the House is expected to debate and vote on an Omnibus appropriations bill for FY 2018 that encompasses eight spending packages, including the FY 2018 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill.  As was rumored before the recess, House leadership wants to bundle these bills and pass them right away.  This action, combined with the passage of the four-bill “mini-bus” they passed before the recess will mean they will have passed all of the FY 2018 appropriations bills, forcing Senate action or clearing the way for a continuing resolution that will likely be necessary before final spending bills are approved and signed.  Staff were working on amendments to the bill over the last few weeks, and the House Rules Committee will be meeting Tuesday afternoon to consider the bill and dozens of amendments.  Among the proposed amendments are proposals to restore funding for Title II, Part A of ESSA, increase funding for Title IV, Part A of ESSA, and other suggestions for more funding for K-12 and higher education programs.  It remains to be seen which of the proposals the Rules Committee will allow to be debated on the floor next week.

In addition, the Senate Appropriations Committee has announced that its FY 2018 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill will be marked up at the Subcommittee level on Wednesday and by the full Committee on Thursday.  Rumor has it that staff has developed a bipartisan bill, although there are few details on its content.  It remains to be seen if the Senate will invest in Title II, Part A of ESSA where the House bill doesn’t, if it would mimic the proposed cut to the 21^st Century Community Learning Centers program in the House bill, or if it has different plans for the Title IV, Part A program than the House appropriators do. 

In case this activity isn’t enough to keep track of, it goes without saying that spending to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey will also be top of mind when legislators return to Capitol Hill, and those concerns could affect the best-laid plans.  In fact, President Trump today said he is looking for almost $6 billion to help Texans and Louisianans.  And he might try to attach it to a debt-increase measure.  Clearly, there are lively debates ahead in September. 

Washington Partners, LLC, will return to its weekly dissemination of The Education Report next week, although there will certainly be updates in the interim on House and Senate activities.

Enjoy the long weekend.

Best,

Della Cronin”