United States Senate Committee on Appropriations

• Congress has just 11 days when it’s in session before the next federal fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, 2023.
• And in that time, it will need to enact all 12 appropriation bills to ensure that government agencies and departments have funding to keep programs going – or face a potential government shutdown.
• This is due to the magnitude of the differences not only between the two parties but also between the House and Senate.

One down, many to go

• But just before the House broke for August recess, it passed one appropriation bill, for military construction.
• The problem is the military construction bill is traditionally the easiest to pass, as it is very small – this year it stood at US$19.1 billion in spending.
• This is substantially less than the largest bill, which is usually the Labor, Health, Human Services and Education bill.

Ideological impasse

• These will be vehemently opposed by Democrats and potentially create an impasse in negotiations.
• Another complicating factor is that, recently, the administration submitted to Congress a request for a $45 billion supplemental appropriation that includes $24 billion for the war in Ukraine.
• In the past, these measures would often be attached to either an individual appropriation bill or what is known as a continuing resolution.
• While, constitutionally, appropriation bills must start in the House, they have to be reconciled with whatever version the Senate passes.

A history of shutdowns

• This approach has been endorsed by the White House to give time to negotiate a permanent solution.
• But the Freedom Caucus has indicated it will oppose such a measure unless it can attach many of its ideological riders.
• Since the 1974 Budget Act, there have been 22 such gaps or shutdowns due to the inability of Congress to enact all the appropriation bills.
• This shutdown lasted 35 days – the longest in history.

A record shutdown?

• Politically, the Republicans received virtually nothing beneficial from the 1995 or 2018 shutdowns, and were in fact blamed for both.
• Similarly, Republicans received little in 2013 but also seemed to receive less blame.
• Congress has just 11 working days to pass these bills, and that seems virtually impossible, especially in the current political climate.
• I even wouldn’t rule out a much longer shutdown of a couple of months that exceeds the record 35 days during the Trump administration.

• Washington, DC, July 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, as the Senate Committee on Appropriations approved its FY 2024 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) appropriations bill, Malaria No More CEO Martin Edlund issued the following statement:
  “We appreciate that in a tight fiscal environment, the Senate has joined the House in sparing the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) from cuts.
• The $795 million provided for PMI in this bill will allow critical U.S. malaria programs to continue their life-saving work.
• We are hopeful that the final spending package will include the House mark of $800 million and encourage Congress to prioritize the global malaria response for additional funding in FY 2025.
• The Senate’s allocation of $1.65 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria reflects the reality that U.S. law limits our contribution.

• Adam Schefter of ESPN will serve as moderator.
• He will be joined by Aaron Kowalski, Ph.D., JDRF CEO, Dr. Griffin Rodgers, Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and more than 160 JDRF Children's Congress delegates.
• The youth delegates will travel to Washington D.C. from across the U.S. and JDRF's international affiliates in the United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada.
• What: Jimmy Jam, member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and type 1 diabetes parent to testify at Senate hearing in support of the Special Diabetes Program and insulin affordability
  When: Tuesday, July 11 at 10 a.m.
  Where: The Dirksen Senate Office Building, 50 Constitution Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002, Room 106
  View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stars-take-the-fight-to-end-typ...

• The Medical Board of California has previously endorsed many of the changes contained in SB 815.
• While the details need fine-tuning, this bill is a significant step forward for patient protection in California," said Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog.
• Read more about the case: https://consumerwatchdog.org/healthcare/san-diego-doctor-charged-with-2n...
  California patients denied justice at the Board have shared their stories to illustrate the need for reform before the Medical Board and the Legislature.
• Read Consumer Watchdog's sunset review letter to the Senate and Assembly Medical Board oversight committees here: https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ConsumerWatchdog...
  View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medical-board-reform-bill-moves...