Government Funding Bill Tops House Democrats’ Agenda
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Legislation that would ensure funding for federal agencies for the remainder of the fiscal year is an urgent priority for congressional Democratic leaders, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In detailing near-term legislative priorities, the speaker told her Democratic caucus to prepare to wrap up the fiscal 2022 government funding process.
Members of Congress are tasked with advancing an appropriations bill before a Feb. 18 funding deadline.
By funding critical programs and projects, @AppropsDems ensure the American people have the tools they need to contribute and succeed.
Through this federal funding is the opportunity to transform lives. — House Appropriations (@AppropsDems) January 25, 2022
Inability to approve a fiscal 2022 bill, referred to as an omnibus, would trigger a partial federal government shutdown.
“We remain laser-focused on meeting the needs of the American people with regard to the pandemic, and at the same time, on addressing the many critical priorities facing our nation,” said Pelosi (D-Calif.). “The House must pass a strong omnibus. This omnibus, forged under the leadership of Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro, will address critical priorities for our country, including for our national security and for communities at home.”
DeLauro (D-Conn.), and Senate Appropriations Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said they recently engaged in bipartisan funding negotiations, referred to as a “four corners” meeting. Their aim is to arrive at a legislative package prior to the deadline.
“We appreciated the opportunity to have a constructive four corners conversation today on completing fiscal year 2022 appropriations. We look forward to further conversations in the coming days, with the shared goal of finishing our work by the Feb. 18 government funding deadline,” DeLauro and Leahy said in a joint statement Jan. 13. As part of their process, appropriators are considering additional COVID-19 pandemic aid as well as additional funds to respond to supply chain bottlenecks.
Last year, Senate Democrats unveiled fiscal 2022 legislation that would provide the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration with $288 million for safety operations and programs. For FMCSA’s safety grants, senators proposed $393.8 million. The overall bill would provide $29.1 billion in discretionary budget authority for the U.S. Department of Transportation, a $3.8 billion increase over the enacted fiscal 2021 level, according to a committee summary. House lawmakers already passed a transportation funding measure for fiscal 2022.
Separate from funding legislation, congressional Democrats said they still plan to advance aspects of a nearly $2 trillion social infrastructure budget bill. The House-passed Build Back Better Act, a pillar of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda, awaits consideration in the Senate.
“As we continue to advance the provisions of the Build Back Better Act, including those related to child care and family care, health care and climate, we also want to emphasize the community violence prevention initiatives that it contains,” Pelosi told her caucus. “Build Back Better makes the largest-ever federal investment in community violence intervention initiatives that have been proven to save lives, which will help us protect our children, families and the safety of our communities.”
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“We haven’t gotten everything done that we wanted to get done. Build Back Better is pending in the Senate,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said in an interview with Politico this month. “We need to keep working on [Build Back Better] and we need to get it done.”
Biden has urged Congress to pass popular components of the Build Back Better Act. In a meeting with executives from companies representing the freight industry at the White House on Jan. 26, the president said, “The Build Back Better plan lowers prices for families and gets people working. It creates the best-educated workforce in, hopefully, in the world. And ensures that we remain the most dynamic and productive economy in the world.”
“It’s good for families,” the president added. “It’s good for the economy. And it’s good for the country.”
