The Serrano Report, Volume XI, #1
On Capitol Hill
Serrano Lauds Spending Bill Passage
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act – a bill that funds the government for the remainder of the fiscal year, and that restores the damaging cuts imposed by the sequester. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and the senior Democrat on the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, Serrano oversaw funding increases for many federal programs important to consumers and residents of the Bronx, including the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, numerous grants and loans within the Small Business Administration, and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
“While this bill is not perfect, it is a big step in the right direction,” said Serrano. “With significantly increased funding, we have been able to get rid of the most dire consequences of sequestration, and restore funding for education programs, housing assistance, and consumer protection agencies, among other things. There is more that we need to do to properly invest in America’s future, but this legislation helps address many of our nation’s most urgent needs.”
Serrano helped ensure that several programs important to the people of the South Bronx are funded at encouraging levels. The $6.7 billion appropriated for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is enough to meet the expected need in 2014. Section 8 Project- and Tenant-Based renewals received $9.6 billion and $17.4 billion respectively, both above the 2013 enacted level of funding. HOME Investment Partnerships are funded at $1 billion, equal to the 2013 enacted level of funding. Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) are funded at $3.03 billion. Head Start is funded at $8.6 billion, which is sufficient to restore cuts to the program and invest in the Obama Administration’s Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) received $3.4 billion, which is an increase from post-sequester funding. The Workforce Investment Act Training and Employment Formula Grant Program is funded at 2.6 billion, also an increase to post-sequester levels. There is also significant funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, which will fund numerous projects throughout New York, and important funding for New York City through the grant programs within the Department of Homeland Security.
Serrano was able to include several provisions to address ongoing issues in the Bronx, including a provision to try and delay the sale of the historic Bronx General Post Office and language that will require the National Science Foundation to do more to increase the number of Hispanics involved in engineering and the sciences.
The bill passed by an overwhelming vote of 359-67, and passed the Senate on Thursday by a vote of 72-26. It now moves on to the President for his signature.
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Rep. Serrano: Postal Service Must Halt Historic Buildings Sales
Congressman Serrano explained that multiple provisions included in the omnibus appropriations bill passed by Congress this week urged the U.S. Postal Service to halt sales of historic post office buildings. One provision tells the USPS to wait on the sales until after the release of a pending Inspector General report on their legality. The other provision directs the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) to issue a report on how to ensure the USPS follows the law in its sales of historic properties. The Inspector General report, requested by Rep. Serrano, will also examine whether the USPS is following applicable historic preservation laws in their historic building sales procedures and whether they have solicited sufficient public input in this process. Many feel that the laws have been skirted in these sales.
“The language in the omnibus appropriations bill is clear: the USPS needs to put sales of historic Post Offices on hold while we wait to see what the Inspector General’s report and the ACHP reports say,” said Congressman Serrano. “I believe that these sales have been conducted in a manner that does not fully comply with federal historic preservation laws. I understand the USPS has a serious revenue problem and is trying hard to bring costs in line with outlays, but selling off historic properties to the highest bidder without following the appropriate procedures is completely unacceptable. I expect the USPS to immediately halt all pending sales and comply with the legislative language included in the omnibus bill.”
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