CSAC Bulletin Articles: Federal Issues

Debt negotiations continued to dominate the headlines on Capitol Hill as the August 2 deadline to increase the debt limit overshadowed other legislative business. Absent a deal, the U.S. government risks defaulting on its borrowing obligations.

Appropriations season officially kicked off last week on Capitol Hill when House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) released the fiscal year 2012 spending allocations for each of the 12 subcommittees. The funding levels are based on the Budget Resolution that the House passed along party lines back in April. With the exception of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which received a four percent boost ($17 billion), all other subcommittees received far less than their fiscal year 2010 or 2011 levels.

On Thursday, April 14, Congress approved a historic appropriations package that will shave almost $40 billion in fiscal year 2011 budget authority through a combination of cuts to both mandatory and discretionary spending programs. According to some estimates, the bill could produce long-term savings of $315 billion over the next decade, though the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report mid week indicating that the legislation (HR 1473) will only cut current-year spending (outlays) by $352 million.

As reported in the lead article of this edition of E-Pub, the National Association of Counties (NACo) held its annual legislative conference March 5-9 in Washington, D.C. Over 100 California county officials traveled to our nation’s capital to attend the convention, including the CSAC leadership team.

President Obama released February 14 his $3.73 trillion fiscal year 2012 budget request to Congress, maintaining the plan would shave the deficit by more than a $1 trillion over the next decade. Under the proposal for next year, overall spending would drop by 2.7 percent from the $3.8 trillion the president had proposed for the current fiscal year.

Under the Obama administration’s budget plan, the deficit for fiscal year 2012 would be $1.1 trillion, compared to a projected deficit of $1.65 trillion this year. 

President Obama delivered his State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 25 before a joint session of Congress. Taking place just over two weeks after the tragic shooting that occurred in Tucson, Arizona, the president delivered a speech designed in part to encourage bipartisanship and a more civic tone in the 112th Congress. 

As the 111th Congress winds down, weary lawmakers are gearing up for a final showdown on a number of legislative priorities. Democrats hope to complete action on several major pieces of legislation, including the fiscal year 2011 appropriations and other significant measures.

In the aftermath of the Republicans’ resounding victory in last week’s mid-term elections, members of Congress will return next week to a Capitol Hill that will have a much different look. To be sure, Democrats are scrambling to wrap up unfinished legislative priorities before the new GOP House majority takes over in January. 

Lawmakers scrambled to advance several key pieces of legislation before departing for their month-long summer recess, which is slated to begin July 30 for members of the House. The Senate is scheduled to adjourn the following week. Among the bills Congress pushed through before the break are the fiscal year 2010 emergency supplemental appropriations bill and the extension of an unemployment benefits package.