On Dec. 10, Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced a deal had been reached to reduce the amount of budget cuts in FY2014 and FY2015 and extend government funding past the current deadline of Jan. 15. The bill, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, reduces the non-defense discretionary (NDD) sequester by $14.2 billion in 2014 and $27.5 billion in 2015, for a total of $41.7 billion. That means that 57 percent of the NDD sequestration cuts remain in place over 2 years. And, 100 percent of the mandatory non-defense sequestration cuts remain in place (and get extended 2 more years). In 2014, the NDD sequester cut under current law is $36.6 billion. In 2015 it is $36.9 billion. Over the two years, that is $73.5 billion.
On Dec. 12, the package passed the House. It now moves to the Senate for consideration. NACCHO applauds this deal but is urging Congress to find an approach that eliminates the sequester cuts through 2021. Both the FY 2014 and FY 2015 funding levels are well below the FY 2010 funding level for NDD, even without adjusting for inflation. In order to adequately protect the public’s health, a comprehensive solution that reverses these cuts must to be found.
About Laura Hanen
Laura Hanen serves as the Chief of Government and Public Affairs at NACCHO.
