(Honolulu, HI) - U.S. Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1) announced that today the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3351, the Financial Services & General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2020. The bill is the tenth of twelve appropriations bills reported to the full House by the Committee on Appropriations, on which Case serves, and funding a total of more than $1.3 trillion of federal programs in the next fiscal year beginning October 1st.
Case emphasized the bill’s focus on securing democracy, strengthening small business and protecting consumers.
“I joined my House colleagues in funding major security improvements for our upcoming 2020 elections to ensure confidence in the results,” said Case.
Case also highlighted increased support for various programs administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). “Small businesses in Hawai‘i employ more than 275,000 thousand and make up some 52 percent of the private workforce,” said Case. “This measure follows the advocacy of those of us who especially support small business in increasing support for starting, growing and sustaining these engines of our economy.”
Case further focused on the following specifics:
- “The Mueller Report couldn’t have been clearer: Russia interfered with our 2016 elections, and securing our elections going forward is critical to public trust in our democracy,” said Case. “The $600 million this measure will provide to states and localities will help to secure their election systems from any and all interference in 2020.”
- “In Hawai‘i, firms with fewer than 100 employees have the largest share of small business employment,” said Case. “This funding measure will provide more than $900 million to the SBA, and more than $200 million of that amount will go to SBA programs that have proven to be a success in our island state.”
- “Robocalls have accelerated as a major problem nationwide,” said Case. “This bill calls on the Administration to step up efforts to take on this scourge, including establishing a specific office to track down and enforce the law against unwanted phone calls.”
Further bill specifics along with Hawai‘i specifics are as follows:
Financial Services and General Government
The bill includes $24.5 billion in discretionary funding – $1.4 billion above the FY 2019 enacted level and $355.5 million over the administration’s FY 2020 budget request. The bill supports a broad range of functions and services in both the executive and judicial Branches that are essential to the operation of the federal government.
- Department of the Treasury – The bill provides a total of $13.6 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Department, including $400 million for IRS program integrity. This includes:
- $300 million for Community Development Financial Institutions, an increase of $50 million above the 2019 enacted level and a rejection of the proposal in the administration’s budget to eliminate the program entirely.
- $12 billion for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), an increase of $697.4 million above the 2019 enacted level and $166 million above the administration’s request.
- Executive Office of the President – The bill includes a total of $741.8 million for the Office of the President, an increase of $2.9 million above the 2019 enacted level and $411.4 million above the administration’s budget request. This includes:
- $300 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, an increase of $20 million above 2019; and
- $100.5 million for the Drug-Free Communities Program, an increase of $500,000 above the 2019 enacted level.
The bill rejects the Administration’s proposed transfer or elimination of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) grant programs.
- The Judiciary – The bill includes a total of $7.51billion in discretionary appropriations, an increase of $258.3 million above the 2019 enacted level. This includes $1.2 billion for Defender Services, an increase of $84 million above the 2019 enacted level.
- Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) – The bill funds the CPSC at $135.5 million, which is $8.5 million above the 2019 enacted level and the administration’s budget request.
- Election Assistance Commission (EAC) – The bill provides $600 million for Election Security Grants to augment state efforts to improve the security and integrity of elections for Federal office.
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – The bill includes $349.7 million for the FTC, which is $40 million above the 2019 enacted level, to bolster antitrust and consumer protection work.
- Office of Personnel Management (OPM) – The bill includes $339 million, an increase of $43.4 million, for OPM. The bill rejects the Administration’s proposed merger of OPM with GSA.
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – The bill includes $1.85 billion, an increase of $175 million, for SEC salaries and expenses. Language is included to direct the additional funds specifically to augment SEC’s enforcement, compliance, market oversight, and investor education and advocacy activities.
- Small Business Administration (SBA) – The bill provides a total of $995.8 million for SBA. Of this amount, the bill includes $281.8 million, an increase of $34 million, for Entrepreneurial Development Programs, including:
- $150 million for Small Business Development Centers,
- $35 million for Microloan Technical Assistance,
- $20 million for the State Trade Expansion Program, and
- $30 million for Women’s Business Centers.
- Postal – The bill maintains the current requirement for 6-day delivery and rural delivery of mail.
- Robocalls – The bill incorporates the Appropriation Committee’s expressed concern with the rapidly growing problem of robocalls and understands that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) receives more consumer complaints about robocalls than any other single issue. The Committee encouraged the FCC to create a detailed plan and timeline for potentially creating a Robocall Division within the Enforcement Bureau and better coordinate with the Department of Justice for the collecting and enforcement of financial penalties against robocall offenders.
Hawai‘i-Specific Funding
- Native American Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). $20 million for Native CDFIs is to help provide access to non-traditional funding streams for indigenous communities, which have historically struggled to access traditional funding and capital. As of 2015, Hawai‘i had 13 registered Native Hawaiian CDFIs.
- Native American Outreach Program. $2 million to enable the Office of Native American Affairs to focus on creating entrepreneurial opportunities and empowerment in indigenous communities, to include Native Hawaiians.
- Hawai‘i's Temporary Judgeship. Hawai‘i's long-standing fourth temporary federal judgeship was extended again.
- Office of Personnel Management COLA/Locality Pay. The Appropriations Committee directed the Office of Personnel Management to specify the date when locality pay for Hawai‘i will be completely phased out for current and retired federal employees. An additional study will include how the Federal employee pay in Hawai‘i is calculated compared to the mainland to see if any inequalities exist.
- 8(a) Business Development Program. The importance of this program was recognized, and the SBA was encouraged to assess the potential benefits of expanding the qualification criteria for the 8(a) Business Development Program. The SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program was created to help small disadvantaged businesses win federal contracts.
- State Trade Expansion Program. $20 million for the State Trade Expansion Program, which has helped many Hawai‘i businesses export by making matching-fund grants for states available to assist small businesses in entering and succeeding in the international marketplace.
- Historically Underutilized Business Zones Program (HUBZone). $3 million for the HUBZone program which helps maintain small business and jobs in at-risk communities, especially on the Neighbor Islands. There are 71 HUBZone small businesses in Hawai‘i.
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). $25 million for the VITA program, which offers free tax help to people who generally make $54,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited-English taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. This program provides needed assistance for many Limited English Proficient Asian American, Pacific Islander, and other families in Hawai‘i.
“This is a third solid funding measure passed by the full House on the recommendation of our Appropriations Committee, and I am very pleased that so many of my recommendations and requests for both national and Hawai‘i-specific funding and support were incorporated,” said Case.
“Like the other measures, I am grateful to my Hawai‘i delegation colleagues and our partners in state and local government, as well as our community, for their input and assistance.”
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