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!

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