This week, the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee met to mark up their proposed FY25 spending bill. Overall, the bill allocates $198.4 billion for spending – a cut of $24.6 billion, or 11%, below FY24 levels. The subcommittee passed the proposed bill by voice vote, and it will be marked up by the full committee on July 10th.
Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) confirmed that the bill eliminates 57 programs, cuts funding for 48 additional programs, and “focuses the Executive Branch on its core responsibilities,” including rejecting new programs in the President’s budget request like the American Climate Corps.
For AmeriCorps, referred to in the bill as the Corporation for National and Community Service, the subcommittee recommends $449.4 million, which is a cut of $813 million, or 64%, below FY24 enacted levels. The proposed bill would:
- Eliminate funding for AmeriCorps State and National, a cut of $557 million below FY24 levels,
- Eliminate funding for AmeriCorps NCCC, a cut of $38 million below FY24,
- Eliminate funding for the National Service Trust, a cut of $180 million below FY24, which would eliminate funding for Education Awards,
- Eliminate funding for State Commission Support, a cut of $19.54 million below FY24, and
- Cut the agency’s salaries and expenses by $20 million below FY24.
In total, the bill provides just $361.2 million for program operating accounts, which appears to level fund AmeriCorps VISTA, the AmeriCorps Seniors programs, the Volunteer Generation Fund, Days of Service, and the agency’s Evaluation and Research Department. It also includes a $1 million increase for the Office of the Inspector General.
The elimination of funding for AmeriCorps State and National, NCCC, the National Service Trust, and State Commission Support would lead to the loss of as many as 71,000 AmeriCorps service positions.
While the House bill would be catastrophic for AmeriCorps and the nonprofit sector, the fact is that anything less than increase funding for AmeriCorps in FY25 will also lead to substantial reductions in AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors positions. To protect AmeriCorps infrastructure and recent gains made to AmeriCorps member living allowances, the national service agency needs at least $345 million more than FY24.
Update as of July 10, 2024 – The full House Appropriations Committee considered the bill today and passed it along party lines. House leaders have stated a goal of holding a floor vote on all 12 annual appropriations bills before the August recess, but spending negotiations aren’t expected to start in earnest until after elections. The Senate is also beginning consideration of their FY25 funding bills, but the timeline for the Labor-HHS-Education draft bill and subcommittee markup is still unknown.
| Accounts | FY24 Enacted | FY25 Pres Budget | FY25 Voices Request | FY25 House Mark |
| Program Operating Expenses | $975.5 M | $1.046 B | $1.289 B | $361.2 M |
| AmeriCorps State and National | $557.1 M | $591.3 M | $804.9 M | $0 |
| AmeriCorps VISTA | $103.3 M | $136.5 M | $137.8 M | $103.3 M |
| AmeriCorps NCCC | $37.74 M | $42.49 M | $43.8 M | $0 |
| Foster Grandparent Program | $125.4 M | $124.6 M | $129.1 M | $125.4 M |
| Senior Companion Program | $56.45 M | $54.3 M | $58.19 M | $56.45 M |
| RSVP | $55.11 M | $56.5 M | $63 M | $55.11 M |
| State Commission Support | $19.54 M | $19.54 M | $25 M | $0 |
| Days of Service | $6.15 M | $6.15 M | $6.15 M | $6.15 M |
| Volunteer Generation Fund | $8.56 M | $8.56 M | $15 M | $8.56 M |
| Evaluation | $6.25 M | $6.25 M | $6.25 M | $6.25 M |
| National Service Trust | $180 M | $159.95 M | $211 M | $0 |
| Program Total | $1.155 B | $1.206 B | $1.5 B | $361.2 M |
| Salaries and Expenses | $99.69 M | $127.1 M | $127.1 M | $79.69 M |
| Office of Inspector General | $7.6 M | $8.76 M | $8.76 M | $8.6 M |
| Agency Total | $1.263 B | $1.317 B | $1.636 B | $449.4 M |
Additional Resources:
Voices for National Service’s statement on the House’s proposed Labor-HHS bill