According to articles in Government Executive today, The 19 Agencies Trump Tried To Kill Aren’t Going Away and Omnibus Puts Kibosh on White House Efforts to Unilaterally Reorganize Agencies, Shed Workers, Congress has reasserted its authority and its standing as a co-equal branch of government. A strong message is being sent to not only the President but also federal agencies and federal employees.
This post covers the The 19 Agencies Trump Tried To Kill Aren’t Going Away.
The President’s “skinny budget” released in March 2017 called for closing 19 small agencies to help offset a spending increase for the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments as well as some elements of Homeland Security. They were:
The African Development Foundation, an independent agency that establishes targeted development programs in underserved parts of Africa. It will receive $30 million through Sept. 30, 2019.
The Appalachian Regional Commission, an economic development agency created in 1965 to work in partnership with federal, state, and local government. It will receive $155 million, a rise of $3 million over its fiscal 2017 level.
The Chemical Safety Board, an independent reviewer of chemical industry accidents and regulations, will receive $11 million, the same as it received in 2017.
The Corporation for National and Community Service, which runs AmeriCorps/VISTA and other volunteer programs. It will receive $1.06 billion, a hike of almost $34 million, the bulk of it going to AmeriCorps, its largest program.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which ensures Americans have universal access to public media’s educational and informational programming and services, will be fully funded at $445 million for both fiscal 2018 and 2019.
The Delta Regional Authority, a partnership that supports job creation and development in rural Mississippi and Alabama, will receive $25 million, a $10 million hike over 2017 funding.
The Denali Commission, which was created in 1998 to provide economic support throughout Alaska and in 2015 assigned to be a lead coordinating agency for relocating villages in rural Alaska that face environmental risks, will receive $30 million, double its 2017 budget. The commission’s federal co-chair, Joel Neimeyer, told Government Executive on Thursday that,“With the pending decision by Congress to add an additional $15 million to the agency’s fiscal 2018 budget, it is clear that the legislative branch is now telling the commission to start implementing solutions to protect the built environment and carry out village relocations. The commission stands ready to transition to an implementing agency, and we are pleased that Congress holds this trust in our small independent federal agency.”
The Institute of Museum and Library Services, which enables museums and libraries to offer learning experiences for students and families, as well as to increase care for, and access to, the nation’s collections that are entrusted to museums and libraries by the public. It will receive $240 million, a hike of $9 million.
The Inter-American Foundation, created in 1969 to give grants that channel development assistance directly to the organized poor and “grass roots” in Latin America and the Caribbean. It will get $22.5 million through Sept. 30, 2019.
The Legal Services Corporation, created in 1974 to serve the legal needs of low-income Americans. It will receive $410 million, a hike of $25 million over fiscal 2017’s level.
The National Endowment for the Arts will get $152,849,000—a more than a $7 million increase.
The National Endowment for the Humanities will get $152,848,000—a more than a $7 million increase.
The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, located in the Housing and Urban Development Department, is an independent organization created in 1977 that provides rental assistance to low-income Americans. It will receive $140 million, the same as 2017.
The Northern Border Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership for economic and community development in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York. It will receive a raise from $10 million in 2017 to $15 million.
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, set up in 1971 to mobilize private capital to help solve critical development challenges and in doing so, advance U.S. foreign policy. It is authorized to spend up to $79.2 million for its administrative, noncredit account, a rise of more than $9 million over 2017’s level. That comes with an additional $20 million (double last year’s amount) for the cost of direct and guaranteed loans under the Foreign Assistance Act.
The United States Institute of Peace works with nongovernmental parties in conflict zones. It will receive $37,884,000 through Sept. 30, 2019, the same as last fiscal year.
The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness was created in 1987 to coordinate between 19 agencies to reduce homelessness. It will receive $3.6 million, the same amount it got in 2017.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency, helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. It will receive $79.5 million through Sept. 30, 2019.
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, which calls itself “the nation’s key nonpartisan policy forum for tackling global issues through independent research and policy dialogue, will receive $12 million through Sept. 30, 2019, a $2 million raise from last year’s level.