By Crystal D. Swann
October 4, 2010

In a bill approved last Wednesday night, Congress voted on a continuing resolution (CR) to finance the government through December 3. The resolution passed by votes of 228-194 in the House and 69-30 in the Senate and sustains government operations at the FY2010 spending levels. The CR extends authorizations or allows the continuation of programs that would otherwise expire including child nutrition and temporary assistance for needy families (TANF).

Child nutrition reauthorization, a centerpiece of First Lady Michelle Obama's “Let's Move” Campaign, as become the center of great debate among anti-hunger advocates. If passed, the child nutrition reauthorization would improve schools lunches; expand feeding programs for low-income students and require school vending machines be stocked with healthier items. At issue in the debate is funding for the program. Both the House and Senate passed child nutrition reauthorization bills this session. The House bill (HR 5504) which would have provided $8 billion in new funding over 10 years, about $3.5 billion more than the Senate bill, stalled in the House over a lack of budget oversets required under pay-as-you-go rules. The Senate bill (S 3307) while satisfying the pay-go rules requirement, proposes to offset some of the cost of the bill by taking $2.2 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly known as food stamps.

ssistance Program (SNAP) formerly known as food stamps.

When, the House agreed to take up the Senate bill (S. 3307) negotiations stalled when anti-hunger advocates and many House members objected to offsetting new spending by rolling back the scheduled 2013 increase in funding for the food stamp program. In addition, some members complained that the funding levels in the Senate bill, some $3.5 billion less than the House, were insufficient. After failing to reach consensus on the reauthorization bill, funding for the current child nutrition programs was included in the continuing resolution and will continue at current funding levels until Congress returns from recess in December to begin debate.

The Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF), an extension of the Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF) funds, failed to win approval in the Senate to continue beyond the September 30 deadline. The ECF, which was part of the stimulus package, supports job creation programs in states and cities. Senate Democrats sought to extend TANF's emergency fund for three months, but were blocks by members across the aisle because of concerns over cost. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) estimated the fund placed 240,000 unemployed people into jobs. The CR extends the TANF program funding through December 3.

More information is available online at http://appropriations.senate.gov/