If you are trying to imagine what negotiations look like for congressional leaders working on appropriations at this stage, we would say a hearty game of volleyball is your best bet. While we had hoped for a resolution in February, Congress passed a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through March 11 at FY 2021 levels. Meanwhile, hope for bipartisan support and passage of a FY 2022 spending package grows, bolstered by a recent announcement that congressional appropriators had reached a preliminary deal on overall spending levels.

Successful appropriations negotiations between Republican and Democratic leaders have moved us one step closer toward a full-year funding bill with potentially historic increases for OAA and other aging programs. The agreed-upon big-picture framework now allows the more granular negotiations at the subcommittee level to begin—where the devil lies in the details.
 
Speaking of details, the lack of any in the preliminary deal announcement gives us pause. Without solid numbers, we are concerned that there is still too much divisiveness and that a final deal may still be difficult to reach. So, before we celebrate, we must continue to advocate. We need to elevate our opposition to a year-long CR and we need your continued advocacy to ensure that the OAA receives ample new spending thresholds that better reflect the true cost of the essential programs and services you provide. 
 
Over the course of this month, we will continue to press for improved FY 2022 funding levels. Join us in pushing for the highest possible levels for OAA and other aging programs in the final spending bill. Take action! Stay abreast of USAging’s most recent Advocacy Alerts and visit the Appropriations Campaign page to help you connect with your elected officials on this and other critical issues.