On January 17, 2014, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014, a combination of 12 appropriation bills. According to a recent report by the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), most discretionary programs will receive an increase in spending levels to mitigate the impact of Budget Control Act across-the-board reductions in FY 2013. A spotlight follows on the significant funding level changes highlighted in the LBB report.
EDUCATION
K–12. Texas will receive increased federal funding for Title I-Grants to Local Educational Agencies ($1.3 billion), Special Education Basic State Grants ($982.9 million), 21st Century Community Learning Centers ($106.2 million), and Vocational Education Basic State Grants ($92.0 million). Mathematics and Science Partnerships should receive $14.8 million, a 3% increase above FY 2013. Congress reduced Race to the Top’s (RTT) national appropriation from $520 million to $250 million and directed all RTT funds to competitive preschool state grants. Head Start increased nationally from $7.6 to $8.6 billion, 14% above FY 2013. Texas Head Start local providers should receive at least $568.7 million in FY 2014 (an increase of $36.9 million above FY 2013).
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to Texas increased from $891.5 million in FY 2013 to $936.1 million in FY 2014 (a 5% increase). Authorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant was extended to the end of FY 2014 at the FY 2013 funding level. The Omnibus Bill increases the Child Care Development Block Grant national funding level by 7% (a $16.7 million increase to Texas for FY 2014).
The FY 2014 Substance Abuse Block Grant (SABG) award was increased by 6% from FY 2013 levels to support states in expanding coverage for substance abuse treatment services. Texas will receive approximately $136 million in SABG funding in FY 2014. Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services were funded nationally at $437 million in FY 2013 and increased to $484 million in FY 2014 (a 11% increase). The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), a non-exempt, non-defense mandatory program, was reduced due to sequestration. Texas will receive $130.2 million in SSBG funds in FY 2014 (a 1% reduction from FY 13). The FY 2014 Omnibus Bill provides a 49% increase above FY 2013 funding levels to the Refugee Assistance Program (Texas’ FY 2013 allocation was $45.6 million).
TRANSPORTATION
Congress increased appropriations for Highway Planning and Construction transportation programs by about 2% in FY 2014 to $40.3 billion nationally, an increase of $0.6 billion from FY 2013. Texas will receive approximately $3.3 billion in FY 2014 for these transportation programs.
WATER
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) each received a 5% appropriation increase. Texas is expected to receive $64.3 million for CWSRF and $64.1 million for DWSRF in FY 2014.