Congress has passed a spending package to fund the federal government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20). Today, December 20, was the day the current Continuing Resolution (CR) was set to expire.
The spending package level funds the Independent Living program at $116,183,000. While level funding is far from what we need, we are very happy that Congress rejected the President’s proposal to cut the Independent Living program by nearly $8 million.
The package also include a 5-month reauthorization (and funding) for Money Follows the Person (MFP), and Spousal Impoverishment protections. While we have been hoping for permanent reauthorization, we will continue pushing toward that in 2020!
Review the full appropriations bill and all of the explanatory statements online. The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies information, which includes the Independent Living Program, is in the Division A statement.
