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September 15, 2004
"LAME DUCK" CONGRESSIONAL SESSION LIKELY DUE TO ELECTIONS
Washington insiders say Senate and House leaders confirm it will be difficult, if not impossible, to pass all thirteen fiscal year 2005 spending bills because of the upcoming debate on a bill implementing the September 11 Commission recommendations. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, (R-AK) and C.W. Bill Young (R-FL), the House Appropriations Committee chairman, want to complete the fiscal 2005 cycle before Congress adjourns for the year. Stevens expects that the Senate Appropriations Committee will report out every fiscal 2005 spending bill
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) maintains that he is confident
there is enough time remaining to complete the Senate's work on the intelligence-overhaul
recommendations of the September 11 Commission and on other “priority”
bills. It is unlikely that the L-HHS-Education or the VA-HUD bills, where
the Ryan White CARE Act and Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS
programs reside, will be completed before the election. They will probably
be rolled into an omnibus spending bill, along with the other unfinished
appropriations bills. The question is “When?”
If Congress is unable to finish the year's business before lawmakers leave town to campaign for the November 2nd elections, party leaders are expected to reconvene the House for a lame duck session the week of November 15th. Despite this possibility, it is critical that you take action to contact your elected officials about needed increases to AIDS funding for fiscal year 2005.
Please be sure to respond to the federal appropriations-related action alerts. Also, go to www.aidsvote.org to ensure that our next President leads the world on HIV/AIDS.
If Congress is unable to finish the year's business before lawmakers leave town to campaign for the November 2nd elections, party leaders are expected to reconvene the House for a lame duck session the week of November 15th. Despite this possibility, it is critical that you take action to contact your elected officials about needed increases to AIDS funding for fiscal year 2005.
Please be sure to respond to the federal appropriations-related action alerts. Also, go to www.aidsvote.org to ensure that our next President leads the world on HIV/AIDS.