{"articles":[{"reaction_config":[{"text":"Support","color":"#2ca788","stance":"support"},{"text":"Oppose","color":"#ef3e42","stance":"oppose"}],"id":6529,"title":"Appropriations Bills Await Senators After Abbreviated August Recess","html_content":"

by Causes | 8.4.18

All will be quiet in the halls of Congress this week, with senators taking a one week break from legislative work and the House vacationing until September. But that will soon change, as a “minibus” funding package comprising about two-thirds of the total discretionary budget will be one of the first things the Senate works on after its return August 15th.

The next minibus will likely combine the Senate’s $675 billion Dept. of Defense appropriations bill with its $179 billion package for the Depts. of Health, Education, and Labor. Both bills passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on bipartisan votes of 30-1, and their passage by the full Senate would make it nine of the 12 appropriations bills the chamber has passed.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights:

\nDefense spending would increase by $21 billion from the prior year and servicemembers would receive a 2.6 percent pay raise ― their biggest raise in nine years.\n
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget would grow by $2 billion, and for the first time the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s disease would be fully funded.
Maximum Pell grant awards would be increased by $100 and funding would support the Year Round Pell grant.
\nNo new funding would be provided for Obamacare’s implementation, while its risk corridor program ― which compensates health insurance plans that lose money ― would have to be operated in a manner that doesn’t pass costs on to taxpayers.

Tell your senators how you want them to vote on upcoming appropriations bills and share your thoughts below!

— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: iStock / MikeyLPT)

","image_urls":{"large":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/q_auto/uploads/akW3yomg/6349e1/iStock-617888262.jpg","medium":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/q_auto/uploads/akW3yomg/6349e1/iStock-617888262.jpg","small":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/q_auto/uploads/akW3yomg/6349e1/iStock-617888262.jpg","thumb":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/q_auto/uploads/akW3yomg/6349e1/iStock-617888262.jpg","xsmall":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/q_auto/uploads/akW3yomg/6349e1/iStock-617888262.jpg"},"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/articles/6529-appropriations-bills-await-senators-abbreviated-august-recess","article_comments":"https://www.causes.com/api/articles/6529-appropriations-bills-await-senators-abbreviated-august-recess/comments"},"comment_count":70,"action_count":341,"cta_prompt":null,"cta_type":"reactions","share_count":19,"published_at":"2018-08-04T21:09:03.693Z","is_countable_article":true,"allow_advocacy":true,"profile_id":1,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null}],"users":[{"name":"Sean","vote_count":720,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-flags.png","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-flags.png","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-flags.png"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/OWl3a2E9/following","followers":"/api/users/OWl3a2E9/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":18,"is_following":null,"influence_score":240,"influence_level":20,"follower_count":7,"following_count":15,"position_count":332,"id":"OWl3a2E9","partner_id":null}],"article_comment":{"flagged":false,"id":498429,"body":"Vote NO! We don’t need a $12 million dollar military parade ! Stop the huge rise in military spending !","parent_type":"Article","parent_id":6529,"created_at":"2018-08-06T09:57:48.723Z","liked":false,"like_count":0,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/comments/498429","likers":"https://www.causes.com/api/v1/likers?likeable_id=498429&likeable_type=Comment"},"article_id":6529,"shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/comments/498429.png","note":{},"note_text":false,"note_color":false,"user_id":"OWl3a2E9","liker_ids":[]}}

Like Causes?

Comment Liked by 0 Users