The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2017 Labor-HHS-Education bill, which received largely bipartisan support for the first time in seven years.
The bill provides $161.9 billion in discretionary funding, $270 million less than the FY16 enacted levels. Working under a tight spending cap, the appropriators prioritized funding for medical research and opiod abuse treatment and prevention programs.
The Senate bill would provide the Corporation for National and Community Service with $1.03 billion, a decrease of $65 million from last year’s enacted levels.
The bill level funds all three AmeriCorps programs and all three Senior Corps programs, and it expands resources for state commissions by approximately $1 million. The bill eliminates the Social Innovation Fund, cuts over $2 million from Innovation and Demonstration, and reduces funding for the National Service Trust by approximately $13 million – a recommendation included in the President’s FY17 budget. It is, however, important to note that CNCS believes it has sufficient funding in the Trust and the reduction should not have a negative impact on the number of AmeriCorps members in service this year.
Read our statement on the Senate Committee’s action here.
Corporation for National and Community Service Budget
| Program ($000,000) | FY16 Enacted | President FY17 | Senate FY17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AmeriCorps State and National | 386 | 386 | 386 |
| AmeriCorps NCCC | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| AmeriCorps VISTA | 92.4 | 95.9 | 92.4 |
| National Service Trust | 220 | 206.8 | 206.8 |
| Retired Senior Volunteer Program | 48.9 | 48.9 | 48.9 |
| Foster Grandparent Program | 107.7 | 107.7 | 107.7 |
| Senior Companion Program | 45.5 | 45.5 | 45.5 |
| Social Innovation Fund | 50 | 50 | 0 |
| Volunteer Generation Fund | 3.8 | 4 | 3.8 |
| State Commission Admin Grants | 16 | 17 | 17 |
| Inspector General | 5.3 | 6.1 | 5.3 |
| Salaries and Expenses | 81.7 | 89.3 | 81.7 |
| Total CNCS | 1,094.92 | 1,096.88 | 1,030.36 |