Legislative Update: President Obama Signs Legislation Extending Government Funding through December 9 September 2016

On September 29, President Barack Obama signed into law a continuing resolution (P.L. 114-223) that funds the operations of government programs, including ARC, through December 9. The bill continues ARC’s funding at the FY 2016 level through that date. The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives approved the measure on September 28.

Commission programs and activities funded through the legislation are the same as those funded through the agency’s FY 2016 appropriation. They include the Commission’s base program and the administration’s POWER+ Initiative; a program of high-speed broadband deployment in economically distressed counties within the Central Appalachian region; and a workforce development program in Southern Appalachia focused primarily on the automotive-supplier sector and the aviation sector in South Central Appalachia.

Congress is expected to work on legislation providing funding for the rest of FY 2017 when it reconvenes in November.