National Association of Counties * Washington, DC / Vol. 30, No. 14 * July 20, 1998

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Congress is moving quickly on a number of appropriations bills and it is expected that the period between the Fourth of July recess and the August recess will be quite busy. At press time not all subcommittees had completed action, but here are some highlights (and lowlights) about action to date.

Agriculture: The House appropriators have eliminated $250 million for the Fund for Rural America, from which NACo and its partners have applied for a significant grant. This possible elimination would effectively stop any chances for such a grant.

Commerce, State, Justice: The House Appropriations Subcommittee has reportedly maintained the COPS program at $1.4 billion and the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant at $523 million. It has also maintained the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant at $250 million and raised Juvenile Justice Act funding to $282 million.

In the Senate, the COPS program is maintained at $1.4 billion while $500 million has been set aside for the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant. The Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant was cut to $100 million from $250 million but $95 million was added for local delinquency prevention programs.

VA, HUD: The appropriations committees are outpacing the authorizing committees in moving toward enactment of community and economic development legislation. If any authorizing provisions are enacted, they will be done either as attachments to the appropriations bill or as part of an omnibus tax bill.

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) appears slated for an increase in FY99. The House Appropriations Committee increases CDBG by $50 million to the president's requested level of $4.725 billion, while the Senate Appropriations Committee provides an additional $25 million or $4.75 billion. CDBG set-asides total $375.8 million and $351.8 million in the Senate and House bills, respectively - compared with $499.6 million in FY98.

However, the House and Senate do not consistently fund the same programs out of CDBG. The House funds HUD brownfields redevelopment as a $20 million set-aside, while the Senate funds these activities as a freestanding line item. A conference committee will resolve the differences, which could mean more or less set-asides.

Like CDBG, the HOME Investment Partnership Program is likely to be increased from the current $1.5 billion level. The Senate provides $1.55 billion as the president proposes, while the House raises the HOME appropriation to $1.6 billion.

Labor, Health and Human Services and Education: The House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee voted on June 23 to eliminate funding for the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program (Title IIB of the Job Training Partnership Act or JTPA), the Youth Opportunities Program, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as part of a mammoth FY99 funding bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education.

The elimination of $871 million for summer jobs could mean that approximately 400,000 young people who annually benefit from summer employment and remediation programs may go without work and educational assistance in 1999.

The elimination of $250 million for the Youth Opportunities Program could mean that a program designed to help those youth most at risk obtain employment may never be implemented.

The elimination of $1.4 billion in LIHEAP funding could mean that several hundred thousand poor people will go without assistance next winter to pay their heating bills.

Health programs in general did very well, with all of the programs of interest to counties receiving increases.

One of the largest increases was in the Substance Abuse Block Grant, which received nearly $1.6 billion, an increase of $275 million. The Ryan White AIDS Health Services received an increase of $181 million, for a total of $1.3 billion. The Childhood Immunization Program increased by $140 million to a total of $988 million.

Other health programs include: Maternal and Child Health Block Grant - $700 million (+$18 million), Mental Health Block Grant - $289 million (+$13 million) and the Preventive Health Block Grant - $152 million (+$5 million).

The Social Services Block Grant (Title XX), which many thought would be a target for cuts, was funded at its authorized level of $2.3 billion. Head Start continues to do very well in the appropriations process, and received an increase of $151 million for a total of $4.5 billion.

The Community Services Block Grant received $500 million, which is an increase of $10 million. The Child Care Development Block Grant received its authorized level of $1 billion. The nutrition programs for the aging received level funding at $486 million. The supportive services and centers program, however, was cut $9 million for a total of $300 million.

Interior and Related Agencies: The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $125 million for the PILT program in the FY99 Interior and Related Agencies appropriation bill. This follows House Appropriations Committee action that provided $120 million. Congress will consider the legislation before the August recess, and discussions are continuing with Hill staff about possible floor amendments.

The House bill also eliminated the purchaser road credit program, and a floor fight is expected over continuing the program.

Also language was included on the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Program, which would turn the completed science work over to individual forests and districts for their incorporation into modified or amended management plans.

Transportation: At press time neither the House nor Senate Appropriations committees had acted upon the FY99 Transportation Appropriations bill.

With $198 billion in guaranteed highway and transit funding in TEA 21, the role of the Appropriations Com-mittees has diminished. However, with airport, Amtrak and some highway and transit funding still under the jurisdiction of those committees, NACo will continue to push for funding of those programs which benefit county transportation infrastructure.

This is just a snapshot of the appropriations picture in early July. Much will be happening between press time and the Annual Conference, so stop by the Legislative Information Center, Room C120/121 in the Convention Center, to learn the latest.