On July 30, 2009, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed, by a vote of 29 to 1, the committee's version of the appropriations bill funding the federal Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for fiscal year (FY) 2010. This provides for an array of programs impacting counselors' professional development and their work, including the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP). The bill passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee included $55 million for ESSCP, $3 million above the FY 2009 level and Pres. Obama's FY 2010 Budget Request for the program. The bill version that passed the full House on July 17, by a vote of 264 to 153, also included $55 million for ESSCP.

The full Senate was expected to vote on its version of the appropriations bill in September, but has yet to act. Nearly all of the 12 appropriations bills that Congress is supposed to pass annually to fund the federal government remain unfinished. Therefore, the government is operating on a continuing resolution, funding federal agencies at FY 2009 levels with few exceptions, until October 31, 2009. Congressional leaders are considering a second continuing resolution to provide more time to try to finish all of the appropriations bills, or possibly wrapping together and passing the remaining bills as an omnibus bill.

Also noteworthy, the Loan Forgiveness for Service in Areas of National Need Program was not included in the president's FY 2010 Budget Request, or the House or Senate versions of the appropriations bill above. Thus, the loan forgiveness program remains unfunded. The program would cover 17 areas of national need, including full-time school counselors in low-income schools. Counselors are encouraged to urge Congress to fund the Loan Forgiveness for Service in Areas of National Need Program.

For more information, contact Dominic W. Holt, MSW, MFA, at dholt@counseling.org or by calling 800-347-6647 x242. Below you will find a table on the appropriations status of key programs.

Key Labor-HHS-Ed Appropriations(in Millions)

* On February 17, 2009, Pres. Barack Obama signed into law The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ( ARRA ), also referred to as the economic recovery package or stimulus. For another ACA article on ARRA , see Legislative News - Stimulus Package Includes Billions for Social Services.