March 2017 Edition | Volume 71, Issue 3
Published since 1946
Congress Looks to Omnibus for FY2017 Spending, President's Budget Framework Released
Congress is working through negotiations on FY2017 federal spending bills with the goal of developing an omnibus appropriations bill next month. Government agencies are currently operating under a continuing resolution passed in December that maintains spending levels authorized in the FY2016 budget. The continuing resolution will expire on April 28, and members of Congress are working to develop the short-term omnibus bill to fund the final six months of the fiscal year. On March 8, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY 2017 Defense spending bill and many members are anticipating that it will serve as the vehicle for the other appropriations bills. Many members of Congress believe that much of the legwork for FY2017 funding has been done, and negotiations on an omnibus appropriations bill should move forward smoothly. However, omnibus bills can present an opportunity for policy ?riders? or major program funding changes to be made since there is limited time for detailed review of the provisions.
"I?m optimistic that we can strike a balance that will enable us to fund the federal government responsibly and address emergency needs, while ensuring this legislation will clear the Congress.? - House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, Senator Patrick Leahy, wrote a letter to the Senate Budget Committee suggesting the proposed cuts would have a significant impact on domestic programs.
Leahy wrote: ?Proposing such draconian cuts constitutes a fundamental lack of understanding of the role such programs play in securing our nation, creating jobs (including in rural America), caring for our veterans, promoting Americans? health and the environment, and helping our vulnerable citizens. It is clear that a $54 billion cut to non-defense discretionary programs would threaten the growth of our economy, hurt national security, and unfairly impact low-income and middle class families. It also violates the principal of parity established in the Bipartisan Budget Acts of 2013 and 2015. We cannot sustain such cuts.?