Congress is considering a fiscal year (FY) 2009 omnibus appropriations bill,* which includes significant investments in programs that prevent and end homelessness.  On February 25, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the bill.  The Senate will take up the legislation today and vote on a bill this week.  The continuing resolution, currently funding federal programs under last year's levels, expires March 6.  
 
Many of you worked year-round to secure these critical increases, communicating with Congress regarding the importance of these programs to your communities.  But the work is not yet done.  It will be more difficult to pass the bill in the Senate due to procedural differences which allow for more amendments.  It is expected that some Senators will offer amendments to cut spending.  We want to make sure the proposed increases remain in the bill and that it passes quickly:

• Please join us in urging your Senators to vote for the FY 2009 omnibus appropriations bill when it is considered this week.  And, ask them to take the appropriate steps to protect increases to specific housing and homeless assistance programs related to your work (see the list of programs below). 

• Thank House Members who voted for the bill, either by letter, phone, or in the media.  Click here to find out how House Members voted:

Please report back to Sarah Kahn (skahn@naeh.org / 202-942-8259) with responses from Congressional staff.

*To complete the FY 2009 appropriations process quickly, Congress packaged the 9 unfinished appropriations bills together into what is called an omnibus bill.  When the omnibus bill passes, lawmakers will shift attention to FY 2010 appropriations.  President Obama released an outline of his FY 2010 budget proposal on February 26, marking the start of the federal appropriations process.

• McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants: $1.7 billion, $91 million above 2008;
• Section 8 Tenant Based Vouchers: $16.8 billion, $341 million above 2008, to continue providing 1.9 million vouchers and to provide 14,000 new, targeted vouchers for the disabled and homeless veterans during the housing crisis;
• Section 8 Project Based Vouchers: $7.1 billion, $668 million above 2008;
• Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Vouchers (HUD-VASH): $75 million for 10,000 housing vouchers for homeless veterans;
• Family Unification Program (FUP): $20 million for incremental rental voucher assistance;
• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): $310 million, a $10 million increase from 2008;
• SAMHSA Competitive Homeless Services programs: $75 million total, a $22 million increase above 2008;
• Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY): $105 million, a $1.6 million increase above 2008;
• Health Care for the Homeless: $190 million, a $20 million increase above 2008;
• Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH): $59.7 million, a $6.4 million increase above 2008;
• Second Chance Act: $25 million, $15 million of which is for state and local demonstration grants and $10 million of which is for nonprofit grants;
• Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act: $10 million, a $3.5 million increase over the 2008 appropriation;
• HOME Investment Partnership: $1.8 billion, an increase of $121 million from 2008;
• Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program: $26.3 million, a $2.7 million increase over 2008; and
• Community Development Block Grants (CDBG): $3.9 billion, $34 million above 2008.