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Continuing Resolution Likely Until the New Congress; Earmarks Take Center Stage
On November 18, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that he will oppose an omnibus spending bill to fund the government next year. Senator McConnell’s decision makes it more likely that Congress will have to extend the current Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government and all federal programs at current spending levels through the beginning of next year. The current CR is set to expire on December 3. Neither chamber of Congress has passed a single appropriations bill this year.
In addition, the Senate Republican Conference voted on November 16 to adopt a resolution offered by Senator John Thune (R-SD) stating that non-security discretionary spending should be reduced to 2008 levels. Under such a proposal, the JJDPA Title II and Title V programs, as well as the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant program, would be funded at $74 million, $61 million and $52 million, respectively. Mentoring would be funded at $70 million.
On November 17, Senate Republicans – notwithstanding a few dissenters - joined House Republicans in adopting a resolution implementing a GOP conference-wide moratorium on appropriations earmarks. Democrats, and a few notable Republicans, are expected to continue to make earmark requests. For the past several years, earmarks have constituted 40 percent or more of federal juvenile justice dollars appropriated under the regular Commerce-Justice-Science bill and administered by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
In 2008, CJJ adopted a formal position statement opposing earmarks on federal juvenile justice programs, believing instead that these dollars should be re-directed to authorized federal juvenile justice programs to promote accountability and cost-effectiveness. To view CJJ’s position statement, click here.
CJJ is sharpening its education and advocacy efforts to demonstrate the value and critical importance of federal leadership on delinquency prevention and juvenile justice improvements through continued and increased federal investments. To contribute to these efforts, or to learn more, please contact CJJ GRC Chair Ken Schatz at kschatz@ci.burlington.vt.us or CJJ Deputy Executive Director Tara Andrews at andrews@juvjustice.org.
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