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Get to Know FY23 Appropriations Update

 
Congress is returning from its August recess with only a few weeks before the end of the fiscal year. Learn more about the status of FY23 appropriations in this week's TPCA policy blog.
 
Community health centers receive a portion of their funding, known as discretionary funding, through the annual appropriations process. Health centers most recently received $1.7B in discretionary funding in the omnibus spending package passed earlier this year. Congress failed to pass the 12 FY23 appropriations bills, including appropriations for health centers prior to leaving for the August recess. 
 
What is the status of FY23 appropriations? 
Congress must pass spending bills or a short-term continuing resolution by the end of the fiscal year on September 30 to keep the government funded at current levels or risk a government shutdown. Leaders in the House are preparing a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 16.1  The House is expected to vote on the continuing resolution next week, although its future in the Senate is less certain. The continuing resolution requires 60 votes for passage and the Senate is divided equally along party lines. 

There is also uncertainty over what other priorities will be added to the CR and how those will affect its chances of passage. The White House is requesting $47B for emergency supplemental funding to address a variety of priorities including the COVID-19 pandemic response and support for Ukraine.2 In addition, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WA) wants legislation to be included that would expedite permitting for energy projects while Republicans are pushing for a CR without add-ons.3 

The process may also be affected by the results of the mid-term elections in November, which could shift the composition of Congress.  
 
What comes next for health center appropriations? 
Prior to the August recess, Congress had been drafting FY23 appropriations bills. In the House and Senate, the proposed bills included $1.9B for community health centers, although neither was passed by their respective chambers. The continuing resolution will buy time for Congress to work on a more comprehensive spending package. Depending on what occurs in the mid-term elections, Congress may try to finalize FY23 appropriations before the end of the calendar year or wait until 2023.  
 
How can you support health center funding? 
Robust investments in community health centers will ensure health centers can continue to provide high-quality comprehensive care within their communities. Become a health center advocate to learn more about how you can advocate for the future of community health centers: https://www.hcadvocacy.org/join/.  
 
 
[1] Stopgap funding bill set to dominate September agenda - Roll Call. (2022). Retrieved from https://rollcall.com/2022/09/06/stopgap-funding-bill-set-to-dominate-september-agenda/
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
 
 
 

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