FY2018 Appropriations Update

House Passes FY18 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill

The House passed a $36.5B FY18 emergency supplemental appropriations bill (H.Res. 569) on Thursday by a vote of 353 to 69. All 69 no votes were from Republicans. Hardline conservatives complained that the cost of the package should be offset with cuts to other programs. Others were concerned about continuing to fund the National Flood Insurance Program without reforms to what they consider is an unsustainable program.

The legislation provides $18.7B for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), $576.5M for wildfire-fighting efforts, and $16B for debt relief for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which now needs additional funds to make necessary insurance claims payments to individuals. In addition, it includes $1.27B for the Disaster Nutrition Assistance Program (DNAP) that enables low-income residents in Puerto Rico to receive the same emergency nutrition assistance that other hurricane-affected states already receive. Earlier this month, OMB Director Mick Mulvaney sent a request to congress for an additional $12.77B for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, $576.5M for wildfire efforts, and $16B for debt relief for the National Flood Insurance Program plus reforms to the program.

The Senate is expected to take up the measure when they return next week, but exact timing isn’t clear. The Senate may work on their FY18 budget resolution first, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) could schedule the supplemental vote early in the week.

OMB Letter to Congress:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/Letters/Letter%20regarding%20additional%20funding%20and%20reforms%20to%20address%20impacts%20of%20recent%20natural%20disasters.pdf

House FY18 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill Text:

http://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20171009/HR____SUPP.pdf

Senate Schedules Homeland Security and Interior Appropriations Markups

The Senate has scheduled two subcommittee markups (Interior Appropriations and Homeland Security Appropriations) for Tuesday, October 17 and a full committee markup for the two bills on Thursday, October 19.

Status of FY18 Appropriations Spending Bills