President’s FY2019 Budget Proposal to be Released on Monday

Posted on February 9, 2018

The Trump Administration is scheduled to release its FY2019 budget request next Monday. While details are not yet available, it is expected that this year’s requests will largely follow the patterns of those from last year, meaning that additional cuts will likely be proposed. The president’s budget request is only the start of the appropriations process, as Congress has the final say in how agencies and programs are funded.

Congress is still in the process of trying to finish this year’s funding process.

Office of Federal Relations will provide updates.

Late Night Hurdles Lead to 9-hour Shutdown; Government Now Funded Through March 23

Posted on February 9, 2018

Although there was a bipartisan agreement reached earlier this week on a two-year budget deal as part of the next short-term continuing resolution (CR), that did not mean that everyone was content. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a frequent critic of government spending, delayed the consideration of the measure on the Senate floor until after midnight, which meant that the CR that had been in place through last night had expired. The expiration of that CR officially led to a government shutdown. After he allowed the vote to proceed, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the CR by a vote of 71 – 28.

After Senate passage, the CR had to be sent back to the House, where there was more uncertainty about the level of support for it, with many Democrats concerned about the lack of an agreement on immigration and many hard-line conservatives wary of spending on domestic programs. Ultimately, the House also passed the CR early this morning, by a vote of 240-186.

The measure was signed by the president at about 9 AM this morning, ending the shutdown.

Internship Opportunity with White House CEQ

Posted on February 7, 2018March 19, 2018

From the White House Council on Environmental Quality:

“The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), a component of the Executive Office of the President (EOP), is currently accepting applications for internship positions for the 2018 Spring, Summer, and Fall terms.

Title
CEQ 2018 Internship – Direct Apply

Job Description
CEQ Internship Opportunity: The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is currently accepting applications for the 2018 year. CEQ oversees implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and assists in the development of national environmental policies. CEQ interns are typically given a wide range of assignments including conducting research, managing incoming inquiries, attending meetings, and tracking Federal agency projects and actions involving environmental and infrastructure issues, as well as administrative duties as needed. Interns will work closely with staff from across CEQ.

Job Requirements
Requirements: CEQ seeks undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates who are highly motivated, willing to contribute where needed, and able to exercise professional judgment. In addition, applicants must be U.S. Citizens. There are no curricular requirements for selection; however, CEQ prefers applicants whose coursework or work experience demonstrates an interest in environment, energy, or natural resources issues. CEQ gives preference to applicants who are available to work full-time but also will consider applicants who are seeking a part-time position. Most interns work a typical semester-based schedule, but a position may be customized based on the applicant’s availability and project needs. CEQ will work with students who seek school credit for their uncompensated, volunteer service to CEQ.

Note: The White House has a zero-tolerance policy for drug use. You will be required to take a drug test prior to beginning your internship. Failure to pass the drug test will result in your immediate disqualification.

Application
Prepare the materials in the checklist below and combine them into a single PDF file addressed to the CEQ Special Assistant, Katherine Smith. Name the PDF file following our convention: Last Name, First Name – 2018 Spring Internship Application Date Submitted; e.g., “Smith, Jane – 2018 Spring Internship Application 11-01-17.” E-mail the PDF file to internships@ceq.eop.gov, indicating in the e-mail subject line that you are applying for a Spring Internship; e.g., “Spring 2018 Internship Application.” CEQ will contact selected applicants to interview. Should you need to hear from CEQ sooner, please advise us of this fact by e-mailing internships@ceq.eop.gov or calling the CEQ mainline at (202) 395-5750 and asking for Katherine Smith.

Document Requirements
1. Application form (see below)
2. Short Essay (see below)
3. Resume (1 page maximum)

The application form can be downloaded here:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/contact/

Short Essay
Please attach a short essay (not to exceed 750 words) to your application that addresses all of the following questions. The best applications will incorporate answers to all three questions in one cohesive essay. Do not exceed the word limit.
1. Why are you applying to intern with the White House Council on Environmental Quality?
2. What do you hope to gain from a CEQ internship experience?
3. What aspects of your background make you uniquely prepared to work at CEQ?”

Two-year budget deal reached in Senate

Posted on February 7, 2018

Today, the Senate reached a far-reaching bipartisan budget agreement that would set top-line spending limits for FY2018 and FY2019, which would be added to the continuing resolution (CR) passed by the House. The spending levels for the two years represent significant increases above what is currently allowed under the budget caps that were created in 2011.

Under the agreement, funding for non-defense discretionary programs would be increased by $63 billion in FY2018 and $68 billion in FY2019 while defense programs would see increases of $80 billion and $85 billion, respectively.

In addition, the deal includes an additional $2 billion for the National Institutes of Health over the next two years while also providing approximately $6 billion for the opioid crisis. The agreement calls for $20 billion in infrastructure investment among its other provisions.

The deal does not address Dreamers and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced earlier in the day that she would not support any funding deal until she gets a commitment from Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to bring an immigration bill to the floor. The Senate agreement, which will be added to the short-term CR through March 23, must be sent back to the House and passed before midnight, Friday morning.

A budget deal on the horizon before a shutdown?

Posted on February 7, 2018

As expected, the House agreed to yesterday by a vote of 245 to 182 the next short-term continuing resolution (CR) that would keep the government funded through March 23. The current CR expires Friday morning at midnight. The House-passed CR would fund the Department of Defense for the rest of the year at $30 billion over what the budget cap allows for while keeping the majority of the non-defense discretionary programs funded only through the length of the CR. Senate Democrats, not surprisingly, have rejected the House approach.

One of the biggest reasons why the government has had to function through a series of short-term CRs is because of Congress’ lack of agreement on how much money should be available overall for FY2019. It appears that the two parties and the two chambers might be reaching an understanding on the “top line” for this year and next. While details have not yet been confirmed– with reports in the neighborhood of an increase for both defense and non-defense programs of $300 billion for two years– the Senate could very well strike the defense-only parts of the House-adopted CR and replace them with those that would set the new overall spending levels in its version of the CR.

Regardless of what the Senate does, unless it accepts the exact same legislative package as the House’s, the Senate language would need to return to the House for its consideration and adoption before the end of tomorrow in order to avoid a shutdown.

Still unresolved in all of this is the Dreamers situation. To end the shutdown back in January, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) committed to allowing the Senate to debate possible ways to address Dreamers if no solution was found before the expiration of the current CR.