NAHMA Washington Update for August 2, 2019August 2, 2019 NAHMA Washington Update – August 2, 2019 A membership benefit provided exclusively to NAHMA’s Executive Members Senate Passes Budget Deal; President Trump Signs Into Law This week, President Trump signed H.R. 3877, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 (Budget Act), into law. The Budget Act was passed by U.S. Senate, today, by a 67-28 vote margin and comes after last week’s passage by the U.S. House of Representatives. The Budget Act suspends the U.S. debt limit through July 31, 2021, thus eliminating the risk of a default. The bill also establishes two-year budget caps with $324 billion in additional domestic and defense funding above current spending cap levels. NAHMA has advocated for a budget deal that increases the domestic spending caps, so this outcome is very positive. However, our advocacy work now shifts towards agency spending bills, specifically for HUD and USDA-RHS. Congress must pass spending bills in September that adhere to the new spending caps to avoid another government shutdown. Due to the delays of passing this budget deal, the U.S. Senate has not written any of its 12 spending bills and have 2 months remaining before the end of the fiscal year. To complicate matters, lawmakers returned to their home districts this month, labeled the August Recess. NAHMA, in partnership with AHMAs, is currently conducting an AHMA Advocacy Challenge to promote advocating for affordable housing in your area. The challenge’s timing is perfect, given lawmakers are in their home states and districts. NAHMA encourages members to contact their Senators and advocate for increased funding for affordable housing programs. Members can find updates on the challenge and advocacy materials here. Every voice matters, so please participate! |