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By Meghan Castellano & Danielle Owen
Read this blog from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team on what recent updates from Washington mean for the Service and Conservation Corps community.
Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations
As of right now, we are currently operating under a Continuing Resolution that expires on February 18. The House is expected to vote on a third Continuing Resolution that would extend current spending levels through March 11. House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3), believes appropriators are close to reaching a framework government funding agreement, but will need additional time to complete the legislation in full. We expect a Fiscal Year 2022 ominous bill to be developed and passed by Congress soon. President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget could be released sometime in March. He is scheduled to give the State of the Union on March 1, 2022.
Build Back Better Act
The Build Back Better Act, which contains Civilian Climate Corps provisions, is still in a holding pattern but we remain hopeful. While the bill passed the House, due to the rules of the reconciliation process and tight numbers in the Senate (with both parties having exactly 50 members), every Democrat needs to vote in favor of it to pass. Although Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) has expressed concerns regarding the overall text of the Build Back Better Act, he reportedly is not concerned with the Civilian Climate Corps provisions in the bill. The Corps Network’s Government Relations team continues to meet with our Civilian Climate Corps champions to get feedback on how negotiations are proceeding to ultimately bring the Civilian Climate Corps over the finish line.
Climate Resilience Workforce Act
On January 25, 2022, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-7), introduced H.R. 6492, the Climate Resilience Workforce Act. The Climate Resilience Workforce Act focuses on the creation of a skilled, equitable, and necessary workforce that our country needs to achieve climate resilience while creating good-paying jobs. The Corps Network’s Government Relations team met with Rep. Jayapal’s staff to discuss the legislation and they have agreed to work with us to develop it going forward. They are hopeful that it can eventually build off of the future Civilian Climate Corps.