On May 4, Congress passed P.L. 115-31 the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017, which provides funding through September 30, the end of FY2017. The spending package prevents a government shutdown that was previously avoided by H.J. Res. 49, a continuing resolution that funded the government through May 5 (see The Source, 4/28/17). President Trump signed the bill into law on May 5.
The measure complies with spending levels established by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-74) and provides $1.07 trillion in discretionary funding; $93.5 billion would be allocated for overseas contingency operations (OCO). The legislation includes $551.1 billion for defense programs and $518.5 billion for nondefense programs. In addition, the bill includes $352 million to carry out the 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255) and allocates to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention $35 million in previously appropriated funds to address lead poisoning prevention in Flint, Michigan under P.L. 114-254 (see FY2017 Continuing Resolution Summary).
The agreement contains $2 million to establish the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission, which will plan and implement commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote. The measure also contains funding for the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument.
The chart below summarizes the current FY2017 funding levels for programs important to women and their families.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
The FY2017 omnibus bill provides a total of $153.4 billion, which includes $20.9 billion in discretionary funding. This amount is $12.8 billion over FY2016, but $16 billion below President Obama’s FY2017 budget request.
The measure allocates $60 million for breastfeeding support initiatives and $13.6 million for the program’s infrastructure.
The legislation also contains $400,000 for the Women and Minorities in STEM Fields initiative within the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Program/Agency |
FY2016 |
President’s FY2017 Request |
|
Department of Agriculture – Domestic Food Programs |
|||
Food and Nutrition Service |
$109.796 billion |
$111.763 billion |
$108.111 billion |
Child Nutrition Programs |
$22.150 billion |
$23.231 billion |
$22.794 billion |
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) |
$6.35 billion |
$6.35 billion |
$6.35 billion |
Special Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) |
$80.849 billion |
$81.689 billion |
$78.481 billion |
Commodity Assistance Program |
$296.217 million |
$313.139 million |
$315.139 million |
Department of Agriculture – Foreign Assistance |
|||
P.L. 480 Title II Food for Peace |
$1.466 billion |
$1.35 billion |
$1.466 billion |
McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition |
$201.626 million |
$182.045 million |
$201.626 million |
Food and Drug Administration |
|||
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) |
$4.739 billion |
$4.798 billion |
$4.714 billion |
User Fees |
$2.018 billion |
$2.067 billion |
$1.954 billion |
Mammography User Fees |
$20.109 million |
$21 million |
$20.522 million |
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
The current spending bill provides $56.6 billion in discretionary funding for programs within the Departments of Commerce and Justice, as well as for several science-related agencies. This amount is $833 million over FY2016 and $2 billion over President Obama’s FY2017 request. The Department of Justice would receive $29 billion in FY2017, $143 million below FY2016.
The FY2017 bill includes $2 million for grants focusing on girls in the juvenile justice system and $72.5 million for missing and exploited children programs.
In addition, the measure contains funding to address domestic violence in tribal communities ($4 million), implement the Adam Walsh Act (P.L. 109-248) ($20 million), support the National Sex Offender Public Website ($1 million), and to address the backlog in testing sexual assault kits ($45 million).
Program/Agency |
FY2016 |
President’s FY2017 Request |
|
Office on Violence Against Women |
$480 million |
$489 million |
$481.5 million |
Grants to Combat Violence Against Women (STOP Grants) |
$215 million |
$200 million |
$215 million |
Transitional Housing Assistance |
$30 million |
$30 million |
$30 million |
Research and Evaluation on Violence Against Women |
$5 million |
$3 million |
$3 million |
Consolidated Youth-Oriented Program |
$11 million |
$11 million |
$11 million |
Sexual Assault Victims Services |
$35 million |
$35 million |
$35 million |
Rural Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Enforcement |
$34 million |
$34 million |
$35 million |
Violence on College Campuses |
$20 million |
$26 million |
$20 million |
Civil Legal Assistance |
$45 million |
$52.5 million |
$45 million |
Elder Abuse Grant Program |
$5 million |
$6.25 million |
$5 million |
Family Civil Justice |
$16 million |
$16 million |
$16 million |
Education and Training for Disabled Female Victims |
$6 million |
$6 million |
$6 million |
National Resource Center on Workplace Responses |
$500,000 |
$500,000 |
$500,000 |
Indian Country-Sexual Assault Clearinghouse |
$500,000 |
$500,000 |
$500,000 |
Research on Violence Against Indian Women |
$1 million |
$1 million |
$1 million |
Rape Survivor Child Custody Act |
$2.5 million |
— |
$1.5 million |
Office of Justice Programs |
$1.883 billion |
$1.676 billion |
$1.691 billion |
Victims of Trafficking |
$45 million |
$0 |
$45 million |
Prison Rape Prevention and Prosecution |
$10.5 million |
$10.5 million |
$10.5 million |
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) |
$9 million |
$9 million |
$9 million |
DNA Initiative |
$125 million |
$105 million |
$125 million |
Debbie Smith Backlog Grants |
$117 million |
Did not specify |
$117 million |
Sexual Assault Forensic Exam |
$4 million |
Did not specify |
$4 million |
Related Agencies |
|||
Commission on Civil Rights |
$9.2 million |
$9.43 million |
$9.2 million |
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission |
$364.5 million |
$376.646 million |
$364.5 million |
Legal Services Corporation |
$385 million |
$475 million |
$385 million |
Defense
The omnibus bill provides $516.1 billion in discretionary funding for FY2017. This amount is $2 billion over FY2016 and $16.3 billion over President Obama’s request.
The bill includes $120 million for breast cancer research, $20 million for ovarian cancer research, $8 million for global HIV/AIDS prevention, and $296 million for sexual assault prevention and response programs, including $25 million for the implementation and expansion of the sexual assault special victims counseling program.
The FY2017 bill also provides $10 million for the recruitment and retention of women in the Afghanistan National Security Forces and training of female security personnel, and $5 million for the Women in Military Service Memorial.
Program/Agency |
FY2016 |
President’s FY2017 Request |
|
Military Personnel |
$129.229 billion |
$128.902 billion |
$128.726 billion |
Defense Health Program |
$32.329 billion |
$33.468 billion |
$33.781 billion |
Financial Services and General Government
The current spending bill provides $21.5 billion in discretionary funding. This amount is $1.97 billion less than FY2016 and $2.6 billion below President Obama’s FY2017 request and includes funding for the Small Business Administration.
The legislation continues the ban against using federal or local funds for abortions in the District of Columbia.
Program/Agency |
FY2016 |
President’s FY2017 Request |
|
Small Business Administration |
$871.042 million |
$877.894 million |
$886.671 million |
Entrepreneurial Development Programs |
$231.1 million |
$230.6 million |
$245.1 million |
Women’s Business Centers |
$17 million |
$16.7 million |
$18 million |
National Women’s Business Council |
$1.5 million |
$1.5 million |
$1.5 million |
Microloan Technical Assistance |
$25 million |
$31 million |
$31 million |
Small Business Development Centers |
$117 million |
$115 million |
$125 million |
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
The omnibus bill provides $161 billion in discretionary funding for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education, as well as other agencies and programs. This amount is $934 million less than FY2016 and $2.86 billion below President Obama’s request.
The bill extends through FY2018 the authorization for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and does not prohibit states from using federal grants for family planning and preventative screening services provided by Planned Parenthood.
The Department of Labor would receive $12.1 billion, which is $83 million below FY2016 and $710 million below President Obama’s FY2017 request.
HHS would receive $73.5 billion in FY2017. This amount is $2.8 billion over FY2016 and $3.8 billion over President Obama’s request. The amount includes funding for several women-specific chronic disease and health promotion, injury prevention and control, and substance abuse treatment programs within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Department of Education would receive $68 billion in FY2017. This amount is $1.2 billion below FY2016 and $2.3 billion below President Obama’s FY2017 request.
Program/Agency |
FY2016 |
President’s FY2017 Request |
|
Department of Labor |
|||
Dislocated Workers’ Assistance |
$1.242 billion |
$1.334 billion |
$1.242 billion |
Women in Apprenticeships |
$994,000 |
$0 |
$0 |
Women’s Bureau |
$11.536 million |
$12.902 million |
$12.53 million |
International Labor Affairs |
$86.125 million |
$101.23 million |
$86.125 million |
Department of Health and Human Services |
|||
Health Resources and Services Administration |
$6.384 billion |
$5.983 billion
|
$6.461 billion |
Community Health Centers |
$1.491 billion |
$1.341 billion |
$1.491 billion |
Maternal and Child Health Bureau |
$845.117 billion |
$845.117 billion |
$863.617 billion |
Maternal and Child Health Block Grant |
$638.2 million |
$638.2 million |
$641.7 million |
Heritable Disorders |
$13.883 million |
$14 million |
$13.883 million |
Universal Newborn Hearing Screening |
$17.818 million |
$17.818 million |
$17.818 million |
Healthy Start |
$103.5 million |
$103.5 million |
$103.5 million |
Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act |
$2.323 billion |
$2.298 billion |
$2.319 billion |
Ryan White Part C-Early Intervention |
$205.079 million |
$280.167 million |
$201.079 million |
Ryan White Part D-Children, Youth, Women and Families Programs |
$75.088 million |
$0 |
$75.088 million |
Family Planning |
$286.479 million |
$300 million |
$286.479 million |
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (overall) |
$7.233 billion |
$7.039 billion |
$7.255 billion |
Global Health |
$427.121 million |
$442.121 million |
$435.121 million |
HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STDs, and TB Prevention |
$1.122 billion |
$1.127 billion |
$1.117 billion |
National Institutes of Health (overall) |
$32.084 billion |
$31.084 billion |
$34.084 billion |
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities |
$279.718 million |
$279.68 million |
$289.069 million |
Administration for Children and Families (overall) |
$32.758 billion |
$34.761 billion |
$33.975 billion |
Child Support Enforcement |
$4.071 billion |
$4.277 billion |
$4.277 billion |
Refugee and Entrant Assistance (aid to victims of trafficking) |
$18.775 million |
$22 million |
$18.755 million |
Child Care Development Block Grant |
$2.761 billion |
$2.962 billion |
$2.856 billion |
Children and Families Services Program |
$10.984 billion |
$11.725 billion |
$11.294 billion |
Head Start |
$9.168 billion |
$9.602 billion |
$9.253 billion |
Family Violence/Battered Women’s Shelters |
$150 million |
$151 million |
$151 million |
National Domestic Violence Hotline |
$8.25 million |
$12.3 million |
$8.25 million |
Promoting Safe and Stable Families (overall) |
$404.765 million |
$424.765 million |
$384.765 million |
Office of the Secretary—General Departmental Management |
$520.837 million |
$544.89 million |
$525.457 million |
Sexual Risk Avoidance |
$10 million |
$0 |
$15 million |
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Community Grants |
$101 million |
$104.79 million |
$101 million |
Office of Minority Health |
$56.67 million |
$56.67 million |
$56.67 million |
Office on Women’s Health |
$32.14 million |
$32.14 million |
$32.14 million |
Minority HIV/AIDS |
$53.9 million |
$53.9 million |
$53.9 million |
Office for Civil Rights |
$38.798 million |
$42.705 million |
$38.798 million |
Department of Education |
|||
Title I Grants to LEAs |
$14.91 billion |
$15.36 billion |
$15.46 billion |
Special Education Grants for Infants and Families |
$458.556 million |
$503.556 million |
$458.556 million |
Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) |
$15.134 million |
$15.134 million |
$15.134 million |
Office for Civil Rights |
$107 million |
$137.708 million |
$108.5 million |
Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies
During the 114th Congress, Congress enacted P.L. 114-223, a bill to fund the programs within the FY2017 Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies spending bill (H.R. 2577) (see The Source, 9/30/17).
That bill incorporated $82.3 billion in discretionary funds for programs within H.R. 2577. This amount is $2.5 billion more than FY2016 and $372 million below the president’s FY2017 budget request.
Program/Agency |
FY2016 |
President’s FY2017 Request |
|
Military Construction |
$8.71 billion |
$7.444 billion |
$7.726 billion |
Family Housing |
$1.404 billion |
$1.32 billion |
$1.276 billion |
Department of Veterans Affairs (overall) |
$162.671 billion |
$177.545 billion |
$176.891 billion |
Veterans Health Administration |
$66.637 billion |
$68.776 billion |
$75.633 billion |
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
The FY2017 omnibus bill provides $53.1 billion in discretionary funding for the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs portion of the bill, and includes $16.5 billion in funding for overseas contingency operations. This amount is $594 million below the FY2016 level.
The measure provides $5.326 million for the Office of Global Women’s Issues, $5 million for programs that combat genital mutilation, $1.75 million for sexual violence in conflict, and $1 million for the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women. $990 million also is allocated for famine prevention, relief, and mitigation.
The legislation includes funding within the Economic Support Fund for the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues and family planning and reproductive health programs at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The bill maintains longstanding prohibitions against using federal funding for abortions via the Tiahrt, Helms, and Kemp-Kasten amendments.
Program/Agency |
FY2016 |
President’s FY2017 Request |
|
Diplomatic and Consular Affairs |
$5.623 billion |
$6.54 billion |
$6.147 billion |
International Peacekeeping |
$666.574 million |
$806.93 million |
$552.904 million |
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons |
$12 million |
$20.7 million |
$12.5 million |
USAID |
$1.3 billion |
$1.44 billion |
$1.45 billion |
Bilateral Economic Assistance |
|||
Migration and Refugee Assistance |
$931.886 million |
$922.597 million |
$912.802 million |
Global Health and Child Survival (State and USAID) |
$8.503 billion |
$8.577 billion |
$8.725 billion |
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) |
$5.67 billion |
$5.67 billion |
$5.67 billion |
Maternal and Child Health |
$750 million |
$814.5 million |
$814.5 million |
Vulnerable Children |
$22 million |
$14.5 million |
$23 million |
Family Planning/ Reproductive Health |
$523.95 million |
$544 million |
$523.95 million |
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria |
$1.35 billion |
$1.35 billion |
$1.35 billion |
HIV/AIDS—USAID |
$330 million |
$330 million |
$330 million |
Microbicides |
$45 million |
$45 million |
$45 million |
International Organizations and Programs |
|||
U.N. Children’s Fund |
$132.5 million |
$132 million |
$137.5 million |
U.N. Women (formerly UNIFEM) |
$7.7 million |
$14 million |
$8.5 million |
U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) |
$32.5 million |
$35 million |
$32.5 million |
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
The legislation allocates $57.7 billion in discretionary funding for the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and for other agencies. This amount is $350 million above FY2017, but $5.5 billion below President Obama’s FY2017 request.
Program/Agency |
FY2016 |
President’s FY2017 Request |
|
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS |
$335 million |
$335 million |
$356 million |
Family Self-Sufficiency |
$75 million |
$75 million |
$75 million |