Action Needed on FY 2016 CDFI Fund Appropriations
ACTION NEEDED ON FY 2016 APPROPRIATIONS
As part of the annual budget and appropriations process, Members of Congress are given an opportunity to submit requests to the Appropriations Committee on behalf of specific federal program(s) or agency they support and would like to see funded at a specific level in the next fiscal year.
Members of Congress submit their federal funding requests in writing to the appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the federal agency or program in question. For example, funding requests for the CDFI Fund are submitted to the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Treasury Department. Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have 12 subcommittees and each subcommittee sets its own deadline and requirements for submitting requests.
Please ask your Representative(s) and Senators to submit an appropriations request for the CDFI Fund. Below you will find all the information and documentation your Members of Congress needs to make a request.
FOR REPRESENTATIVES SUBMITTING A FY ‘16 CDFI FUND APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST
The deadline for submitting requests to the House FSGG Appropriations Subcommittee is close of business Thursday, March 26th. If your Representative wants to request $233.5 million for the CDFI Fund he/she must submit the request electronically using the Appropriations Committee website. Be aware that Representatives will be required to assign a priority rank to all submissions made to the FSGG subcommittee. Representatives are also required to submit a letter supporting their program request(s). Here are documents with the information your Representative needs to submit a program funding request for the CDFI Fund.
- Fact Sheet: CDFI Fund
- FY’16 Appropriations Request
- Draft Member Request Letter that you can personalize for your Representative.
FOR SENATORS SUBMITTING A FY ‘16 CDFI FUND APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST
The deadline for submitting requests to the Senate FSGG Appropriations Subcommittee is 12:00 noon, Friday, March 27th. If your Senator wants to request $233.5 million for the CDFI Fund he/she must deliver their request letter to Room 131 Dirksen Senate Office Building with a copy delivered to the Ranking Member in Room 125 Hart Senate Office Building. Senators are also asked to email a PDF copy as well as a Microsoft Word copy of their request letter to the Appropriations Committee. Attached are documents with the information your Senators need to submit a request:
- Fact Sheet: CDFI Fund
- FY’16 Appropriations Request
- Draft Senate Request Letter that you can personalize for your Senators.
In addition, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) has agreed to lead a Senate sign-on letter to the Appropriations Committee requesting $233.5 million for the CDFI Fund in FY 2016. We hope to have a ‘dear colleague’ letter from Senator Menendez next week and will send it to all CDFI Coalition members with instructions on getting additional Senators signed on.
Some Senators, especially Republicans, may not want to join a sign-on letter going to the Appropriations Committee but they may be willing to submit an appropriations request on their own – especially if asked by a constituent.
A final note:
While the appropriations request process may seem complicated on its face, these Congressional offices will be familiar with the process. If you find yourself bogged down by the details, please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns.