Advocacy Update: Senate Appropriations Proposal Released
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Advocacy Update | December 15, 2010
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Senate Releases Draft FY 2011 Appropriations Bill - Action Needed!
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Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee released a draft proposal for fiscal year (FY) 2011 appropriations, which includes funding for many homelessness assistance programs. The House passed its version of the legislation last week.
The draft Senate legislation includes the following funding:
- $2.2 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants ($145 million over the House level and $335 million over FY 2010);
- $125.7 million for Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) programs ($10 million over both the House and FY 2010 levels);
- $85 million for 10,000 vouchers under the proposed new Housing and Services for Homeless Persons Demonstration;
- $75 million for 10,000 new HUD-VA Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers; and
- $159.4 million for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) programs targeted toward people experiencing homelessness ($17 million over both the House and FY 2010 levels).
At this point, the Senate is expected to vote on this package this week - possibly as soon as tomorrow, so timing is URGENT. The current stopgap measure funding the government expires on Saturday.
What You Can Do:
- Call your senators' DC offices TODAY. Ask to speak to the person who works on housing. You can find congressional office phone numbers by calling the congressional office switchboard at 202-224-3121.
- Tell the housing staff person to urge his/her boss to support the funding levels for the homelessness assistance programs listed above, which are included in the Senate's draft FY 2011 bill.
- Report any responses to Kate Seif at cseif@naeh.org / 202-942-8281.
Background
The government is currently being funding through a stopgap funding measure, known as a Continuing Resolution (CR), which expires on December 18. Prior to its expiration, Congress must either finalize the appropriations process or pass another short-term CR. The House passed its version of the legislation last week, which would fund the government at mostly FY 2010 levels.
The Senate is expected to vote on this omnibus package soon; however, it is unclear whether the measure will have enough votes to pass.
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