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Week of Oct 10th - FY23 Appropriations Update

 
President Biden signed a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded through December 16. Read on to learn more about what is contained in the CR and how it affects health centers.
 
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 and instead passed a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government funded. 
 
What is included in the continuing resolution? 
was set to begin on October 1. Senator Joe Manchin's (D-WV) controversial bill to expedite the permitting process for federal infrastructure projects was not included in the final version of the CR, allowing it to pass both chambers. 

The CR will keep the government, including the Community Health Center Program, funded at current levels through December 16. The CR permanently extended a key program, the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) coverage for Volunteer Health Professionals, which allows volunteer providers to provide care at community health centers, shoring up staffing during critical times such as natural disasters. The program was scheduled to end at the end of the fiscal year without Congressional action. The National Association of Community Health Centers released a statement applauding Congress's work to permanently extend the program. 
 
In addition to the permanent extension of FTCA coverage for Volunteer Health Professionals, the CR included funding for the following priorities: 
  • $12.3B to support Ukraine 
  • $4.5B for disaster aid  
  • $1B for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program  
  • $20M for water infrastructure in Jackson, Mississippi 
 
What comes next for appropriations? 
Following passage of the continuing resolution, Congress turned its attention to the mid-term elections on November 8. When Congress returns to Washington after the elections, there is a chance they will pass the 12 annual appropriations bills to fund the government for FY23. Depending on how the composition of Congress shifts after the mid-terms, Congress may seek to delay passage of a comprehensive spending bill until the new Congress is seated. In that case, Congress will have to pass another continuing resolution to ensure the government remains funded beyond December 16.  
 
 
 

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