Legislative Update: President Obama Signs FY 2015 Omnibus Appropriations Legislation

On December 16, 2014, President Barack Obama signed an omnibus appropriations bill (H.R.83–Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015) providing funding for government agencies for fiscal year (FY) 2015, including $90 million for ARC's nonhighway programs. That amount includes $10 million to continue a program of high-speed broadband deployment in economically distressed counties in Central Appalachia that have been most negatively impacted by the downturn in the coal industry. It also includes $10 million for a workforce development program benefitting distressed counties in Southern Appalachia, focused primarily on the automotive sector. Approximately $70 million is available for ARC's regular programs, roughly the same amount that was available in FY 2014.

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives had approved the legislation on December 13 and 11, respectively.