The Shriver Brief : Poverty Law Commentary & Insights : Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law : Affordable Housing, Healthcare Reform

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Since President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Request in February, both chambers of Congress have drafted funding bills. Although the President’s budget was generally supportive of asset building programs, not all Representatives and Senators are supportive.  Here is a list of some of the current asset-building programs and proposals and how they are faring in the appropriations process:

Assets for Independence (AFI): 

• President requested $19.9 million for FY 2013, equal to FY 2012 funding level.
• Senate Appropriations Committee approved $19.9 million.
• House Appropriations Committee has not released a draft bill yet.

 Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP):

• President requested $3.02 billion for FY 2013, less than the FY 2012 level, $3.472 billion.
• Senate Appropriations approved $3.472 billion.
• House Appropriations Committee has not released a draft bill yet.

Community Services Block Grant (CSBG): 

• President requested $350 million, more than $300 million less than FY 2012 levels.
• Senate Appropriations approved $677 million, equal to FY 2012 funding levels.
• House Appropriations Committee has not released a draft bill yet.

Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs (PRIME): 

• PRIME is at risk of elimination. The President requested that PRIME be eliminated and the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to cut its funding to zero. 
• The House Appropriations Committee has funded PRIME at $3.5 million, maintaining FY 2012 levels.

Microloan Program Loans:

• President requested $18 million for FY 2013, down from the FY 2012 level of $25 million.
• The Senate Appropriations Committee approved $25 million.
• The House Appropriations Committee approved $18 million.  

Microloan Program Technical Assistance:

• The President requested $19.8 million for FY 2013, slightly less than the $20 million in funding in FY 2012.
• The House Appropriations Committee approved $20 million.
• The Senate Appropriations Committee approved $24 million, an increase of $4 million. 

Women’s Business Centers:

• The President requested $12.6 million for FY 2013, down from $14 million enacted in FY 2012.
• Both the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees approved $14 million.

The New Veterans Entrepreneurship Training Program:

• The President requested $7 million in funding for this program, which combines and expands two existing Small Business Administration programs that serve veterans, to provide online technical assistance to veterans who want to start businesses.
• The House Appropriations Committee approved $6 million.
• The Senate Appropriations Committee approved $5 million.

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund:

• The President requested $221 million for FY 2013, equal to FY 2012 enacted levels.
• The Senate Appropriations Committees approved $233 million.
• The House Appropriations Committee approved $221 million.

Bank On USA (within the CDFI Fund):

• President requested that $20 million of the CDFI Fund’s budget be dedicated to implementing his proposal for Bank On USA.
• The Senate Appropriations approved $20 million for FY 2013.
• The House Appropriations Committee did not provide funding for Bank On USA for FY 2013. 

Resident Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (ROSS):

• The President requested $50 million for FY 2013, level with FY 2012 funding. Both the Senate Appropriations Committees and the House of Representatives approved $50 million. 

Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS):

• The President requested $60 million for FY 2013, equal to FY 2012 enacted levels.
• Both the Senate Appropriations Committee and the House of Representatives approved $60 million.

Housing Counseling Program:

• The President requested $55 million for FY 2013, an increase of $10 million from the FY 2012 enacted level.
• The House of Representatives approved $45 million.
• The Senate Appropriations Committee approved $55 million.

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG):

• The President requested $3 billion for FY 2013.
• The House of Representatives approved $3.344 billion, a $396 million increase from FY 2012 enacted levels and the President's budget.
• The Senate Appropriations Committee approved $3.1 billion. 

Rural Microenterprise Assistance Program (RMAP): 

• RMAP will likely not be funded in FY 2013, despite the President’s request of $22.5 million, because both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have recommended cutting the program’s funding to zero.

Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) program

• The President requested $30 million for FY 2013, an increase of almost $6 million over the FY 2012 funding of $24.3 million.
• The Senate Appropriations Committee approved $24.3 million, level with FY 2012.
• The House Appropriations Committee approved $20 million.

Intermediary Relending Program

• The President requested $19 million for FY 2013, an increase of $1 million from FY 2012 enacted levels.
• The Senate Appropriations Committee approved $18.9 million.
• The House Appropriations Committee approved $17.7 million.

Reach out to your legislators to urge their support for asset-building programs:

• Email your Representative and Senators urging them to fund the asset-building programs that matter to you and your clients.
• Call your legislators to ask them to support funding for asset-building programs. Explain how these programs help your clients. Dial the Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121. 
• Visit your legislators’ staff at their offices in your area and tell them in-person how these programs affect their constituents and the people you serve.