Legislation Introduced in the 112th Congress (2011-2012)

On Monday, September 12, President Obama sent The American Jobs Act to Congress.  It is anticipated that House Republicans may pass bits and pieces of President Obama’s jobs plan, but behind the scenes, some Republicans are becoming worried about giving Obama any victories – even on issues the GOP has supported in the past. 
During a White House Jobs Call hosted by the White House Office of Public Engagement, CV staff learned that President Obama is fully supportive of national service.  The President’s staff also mentioned that the “Pathways Back to Work” section of the bill will include funding for organizations and programs that already receive national service funding.

Federal Appropriations

Fiscal Year 2012
On February 14, 2011, President Obama released his federal budget request for FY2012.  This request would fund the government beginning on October 1, 2011.  Please click here for an overview of the CNCS budget requested by the President.  The President requested an increase from FY2010 funding in the Corporation’s budget.

In early April, Republicans released the cuts they would like to make to the President’s request. The proposal released by the House will be posted as soon as it is available.

On September 20, 2011, the Senate Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education marked up their FY12 Appropriations bill.  This bill recommends $1.093 billion for CNCS – an increase of $17 million over FY11 funding levels.  $14 million will be for the National Service Trust and $3 million for NCCC.

Fiscal Year 2011
A government shutdown was averted and the President signed an FY 2011 budget with the following cuts to the Corporation for National and Community Service:

• $23 million from AmeriCorps State/National
• $40 million from Learn and Serve America
• $12.5 million from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.

FY10 Appropriations

President Obama signed the Consolidation Appropriations Act, which provides $1.149 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs, fully funding his initial request.  This funding level enables CNCS to strengthen and expand existing programs and invest in key initiatives authorized by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
Programs will receive the following funding:

• $372.5 million for AmeriCorps State and National
• $197 million for the National Service Trust
• $99.1 million for AmeriCorps VISTA
• $29 million for AmeriCorps NCCC
• $220.9 million for Senior Corps
• $39.5 million for Learn and Serve America
• $17 million for State Commission Administration
• $50 million for the Social Innovation Fund
• $4 million for the Volunteer Generation Fund
• $1 million for the Nonprofit Capacity Building Fund

Federal Debt Ceiling Update

On Tuesday, August 2, 2011, Congress and the White House struck a deal to raise the debt ceiling.  Please click here to read the legislative text.  The House passed the bill with a 269-161 vote and the Senate passed the bill with a 74-26 vote. 

The deal raises the federal debt limit and cuts discretionary spending by $1 trillion over the next 10 years.  The bill also created a 12-member joint congressional committee to take on $1.2 trillion in cuts and to propose an additional debt ceiling increase, if necessary.  If the committee fails to act by late November, government spending would be cut across the board by the same amount, with the reductions split 50-50 between domestic programs and defense.

The total discretionary spending in Fiscal Year 2012 and 2013 will be limited to $1.043 trillion and $1.047 trillion, respectively.  This totals to about $7 billion and $3 billion below current levels, respectively.  Congressional budget analysts anticipate a $25 billion reduction in FY2012 agency spending.

Outlays for discretionary programs, which include defense spending, would be cut by $741 billion.  In terms of education spending, the bill would increase funding for Pell Grants by $17 billion between 2012 and 2015.