Special Funding Requests for HUD, HHS As Congress Plans to Enact a Continuing Resolution
(Sept. 10, 2024) Congress will not complete its fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations bills prior to the Oct. 1st start of the new FY and is expected to enact a continuing resolution (CR) by midnight on Sept. 30th to provide FY 2024-level funding for annually appropriated programs through the duration of the CR, which some predict could last until mid-December or even as long as mid-March.
While mandatory spending programs and Medicare and Medicaid are not impacted by CRs because these are not annually appropriated programs, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding is annually appropriated and thus directly impacted by a CR.
Many federal programs can survive a short stint of being funded at the previous FY’s levels for a couple or several months into the next FY. Others will not fare well at the previous year’s funding level. To address these programs’ unique needs, whenever Congress appears poised to enact a CR, the White House sends Congress a list of “anomalies.” These anomalies reflect unique funding and authorizing language changes that are necessary, in addition to what was provided in the previous FY’s spending bill, to meet agency needs.
On Sept. 3rd, the White House transmitted its list of anomalies to Congress, including one for HUD relating to the Housing Choice Voucher program, which will require authorizing language to allow the use of unobligated Tenant Protection Voucher carry-over funding for public housing authorities – which administer both types of vouchers – to fill shortfalls and maintain current services for up to 120,000 households.
In this article, LeadingAge summarizes the anomaly requests for HUD and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
LeadingAge joined the national Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) on Sept. 4th in calling for increased investment into affordable housing for FY 2025.
CHCDF’s members represent a full continuum of national housing and community development organizations, including more than 70 faith-based, private sector, financial/intermediary, public sector, and advocacy groups. The campaign sent a letter to the so-called “four corners” – the two Republicans and two Democrats overseeing appropriations in Congress – urging lawmakers to enact strong funding bills for housing and community development programs as soon as possible.
On Sept. 6th, Representative Clay Higgins (R-LA) and House Committee on Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) introduced H.R. 9494, a CR that would fund annually appropriated federal government programs at FY 2024 levels through the first six months of FY 2025, until March 28, 2025. At a Sept. 9th House Committee on Rules meeting on the rules under which the House will consider the measure as early as Sept. 11th, Democrats voiced opposition to a six-month CR. LeadingAge’s assessment is that keeping HUD programs funded at only FY 2024 levels for half of FY 2025 is a potentially dangerous proposal that could leave HUD with insufficient funds to renew rental assistance contracts with affordable senior housing providers at a full level or for full 12-month terms.
More information on FY 2025 HUD funding is available from LeadingAge here.
Contact: Annalyse Komoroske Denio, akomoroskedenio@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8866