Congress to vote on three-week CR.

Congress is expected to vote this week on a new stopgap continuing resolution (CR) to fund federal government operations through April 8, replacing the current CR that is set to expire on Friday. The three-week measure provides for about $6 billion in cuts compared to current year funding levels, including $350 million in cuts to programs under the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The compromise bill comes after the Senate last week rejected both a long-term House CR (HR 1) that included about $61 billion in cuts from current funding levels—including $3.8 billion in cuts under DOL—and a smaller Senate substitute that would have reduced spending by about $6.5 billion over the same time period. Congressional negotiators are expected to continue discussions with the White House over the next few weeks on a final bill that would cover appropriations through the end of the Fiscal Year (FY) on September 30, but with the two parties far apart in their funding priorities, there is a possibility that another short-term CR may be required in early April to avoid a potential government shutdown.

The spending reductions under the new CR largely track with proposed cuts and eliminations under the president’s FY 2012 budget request, reflecting a strategy by House Republican leaders to make incremental and relatively non-controversial funding cuts. For example, the CR eliminates FY 2011 funding for the Career Pathways Innovation Fund (CPIF), which replaced the Community Based Job Training grant program and supports grants to community colleges to support career training programs. The Obama administration has recommended terminating the program in each of the last two budgets, saying it is duplicative of funding Congress provided last year under the TAA Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program. The CR would not adopt a proposal included in the Senate’s substitute CR which would have rescinded FY 2010 funding for the CPIF in addition to cutting FY 2011 funding. The Senate’s rescission proposal caused some concerns within the field because DOL has just announced the competition for FY 2010 grants, but it appears that this funding will be maintained for the time being.

The CR also cuts $225 million from the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), eliminating a temporary boost in funding for current grantees that Congress approved as part of the FY 2010 appropriations process. Under his FY 2012 budget request, President Obama has proposed reducing overall funding for SCSEP and transferring the program from DOL to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

While the new CR does not include many of the more drastic cuts to job training and education programs proposed under HR 1, there is still a danger that these programs will be targeted in future funding bills, especially as Congressional appropriators are left with fewer non-controversial options to reduce spending. To help ensure that policymakers get the message about the need to maintain adequate funding for federal job training and education programs, National Skills Coalition has joined with a number of other national organizations to organize a national “Workforce Day of Action” on Thursday, March 24. Workforce advocates are encouraged to arrange in-district meetings with members of Congress and their staff to help raise awareness of the importance of these programs in supporting our nation’s economic recovery and competitiveness.