Congressional and
White House leadership are inching towards a deal for funding the federal
government in fiscal year 2020, with just four legislative days remaining until
the continuing resolution (CR) currently funding the government at extended
fiscal year 2019 levels expires on November 21. While details of the spending
negotiations have not yet been made public, the news that appropriators are
optimistic about reaching a deal is a welcome and hopeful change.
As noted by the
Coalition for Health Funding, the main point of contention in spending debates until now has been a sum of $5 billion that Senate Republicans are seeking to
move from the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and
Related Agencies (L-HHS) funding bill to support the president’s campaign
promise of building a wall on the southern US border. Of particular note for
HIV advocates: the L-HHS appropriations bill is where most domestic HIV program
funding is housed. It is still unclear how they will reconcile with House
Democrats on this issue, who have repeatedly stated that they are not
interested in voting on a bill with any provision for such a wall, let alone
one that will remove funding from social services/health programming.
It is expected
that legislators will vote next week on another CR lasting until December 20th,
giving them more time to negotiate the significant differences that remain
between numerous House-passed funding bills and Senators’ wishes to support
much of the president’s budget request.
AIDS United will
continue to work with allies in Congress and aligned organizations to ensure
full funding for programs that support people living with and vulnerable to
HIV, but your voice is needed. Check out our action alert and tell
your elected representatives to prioritize HIV funding in 2020
appropriations bills so we may continue the vital work bringing us closer to
ending the domestic epidemic within the decade!
Posted By: AIDS United, Policy Department - Friday, November 15, 2019
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