NCSD Federal Policy Update - December 9, 2011

The federal government is currently operating under a Continuing Resolution (CR) that expires on December 16. Congress has passed three of the 12 yearly appropriations bills and it will need to pass the remaining nine, including the Labor, Health, and Human Services (LHHS) bill, before December 16 or pass another CR for the government to stay open.

It is now assumed that the bulk of the remaining appropriations bill will be rolled into one large package (referred to as a "megabus") and all passed at once. What is a little less clear is whether this megabus will also include the LHHS funding bill. The Senate and the House of Representatives are very far apart in their views on this bill, both on policy issues and in funding levels. These differences could force the LHHS out of the megabus package and instead Congress may opt for a year-long CR for the LHHS appropriations bill.

In negotiating the final FY12 LHHS bill, the two chambers are not only discussing funding levels, but also changes in policy attached to the bill, referred to as "policy riders." These policy riders, like those around social issues as abortion and defunding health care reform, have hung up negotiations on appropriations bills in the past. The two chambers are delicately negotiating these policy issues now and hope to finish in time to have the FY12 Appropriations bills finished by the December 16 deadline. It will be a busy week in DC next week, so stay tuned!

Please contact Stephanie Arnold Pang, NCSD's Manager, Policy and Communications, at 202-715-3865 or sarnold@ncsddc.org if you have questions or concerns.