Washington Update: Week of May 8

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Washington Update

Budget & Appropriations

  • President Trump signed the fiscal year 2017 omnibus appropriations bill into law on Friday, May 5, averting a government shutdown and keeping the government funded through September 30, 2017.
  • The $1.1 trillion compromise omnibus spending bill was a win for anti-hunger advocates. Not only were most domestic and international programs we track fully funded, but the bill also included more than $1 billion in famine relief.
  • The deep cuts to anti-hunger programs proposed by the Trump administration earlier this year were not included in the legislation. Several of the programs the administration proposed cutting or zeroing out received full funding or in other cases saw increases in funding.
  • With the fiscal year 2017 appropriations finalized, Congress will now turn to the fiscal year 2018 budget and appropriations process. The House and the Trump administration could release their 2018 budget proposals as early as this month, although we’ve also heard it could be pushed to early June.

American Health Care Act

  • The House last week narrowly passed the American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628).
  • Now the AHCA will move on to the Senate. Apparently, the Senate plans to totally disregard the House bill and write their own. We have heard that the Senate will take their time and likely won’t vote on a measure until June.

Act Now!

Last week, the House passed the American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628), which would force 14 million people off Medicaid. Now, the health care debate moves to the Senate. Call (800-826-3688) your senators today. Tell them to make ending hunger by 2030 a priority and to OPPOSE any legislation that cuts funding to Medicaid or restructures the Medicaid program.

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