Congress in Negotiations to Finalize the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations
Tuesday, December 6, 2022
dfarquhar@neha.org
With the midterms over, Congress needs to finish their work on the fiscal year (FY) 2023 budgets. Republicans proposed a top-line of roughly $1.65 trillion in discretionary spending, in line with President Joe Biden's top-line funding request, with a 10% increase for defense. Democrats are pushing for a similar increase for nondefense to ensure parity with defense. Republicans countered noting the Democrats pushed through $700 billion in extra nondefense appropriations in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (PL 117-2) and this summer's climate and healthcare reconciliation measure (PL 117-169).
While Democrats could conceivably pass a bill through the House of Representatives on a partisan basis, the need to get 10 Republican senators on board for any omnibus deal makes bipartisanship essential and increases the influence of Senate Republicans. In addition, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has stated that his caucus will not support any budget unless a majority of the Republican senators agree.
Congress has until December 16, 2022, to complete the funding bills. If they do not complete the bills, they may have to pass another continuing resolution to keep the government open until a final omnibus funding bill is passed and sent to President Biden for approval.
NEHA has been active in advocating for environmental health during these negotiations.
NEHA sent letters to congressional appropriators that support at least $311.85 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Environmental Health and for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes at $400 million.
NEHA also sent a letter that supports language regarding the environmental health workforce provisions within the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2023.
Furthermore, NEHA signed-on to a letter urging Congress to include language regarding the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act, S. 3799) in any final legislative package this year. NEHA joined 36 other national associations to support the inclusion of this language.
For more information on the fiscal year 2023 budget negotiations, please contact Doug Farquhar, NEHA director of Government Affairs.
dfarquhar@neha.org
With the midterms over, Congress needs to finish their work on the fiscal year (FY) 2023 budgets. Republicans proposed a top-line of roughly $1.65 trillion in discretionary spending, in line with President Joe Biden's top-line funding request, with a 10% increase for defense. Democrats are pushing for a similar increase for nondefense to ensure parity with defense. Republicans countered noting the Democrats pushed through $700 billion in extra nondefense appropriations in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (PL 117-2) and this summer's climate and healthcare reconciliation measure (PL 117-169).
While Democrats could conceivably pass a bill through the House of Representatives on a partisan basis, the need to get 10 Republican senators on board for any omnibus deal makes bipartisanship essential and increases the influence of Senate Republicans. In addition, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has stated that his caucus will not support any budget unless a majority of the Republican senators agree.
Congress has until December 16, 2022, to complete the funding bills. If they do not complete the bills, they may have to pass another continuing resolution to keep the government open until a final omnibus funding bill is passed and sent to President Biden for approval.
NEHA has been active in advocating for environmental health during these negotiations.
NEHA sent letters to congressional appropriators that support at least $311.85 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Environmental Health and for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes at $400 million.
NEHA also sent a letter that supports language regarding the environmental health workforce provisions within the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2023.
Furthermore, NEHA signed-on to a letter urging Congress to include language regarding the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act, S. 3799) in any final legislative package this year. NEHA joined 36 other national associations to support the inclusion of this language.
For more information on the fiscal year 2023 budget negotiations, please contact Doug Farquhar, NEHA director of Government Affairs.