Human Needs Report

The Human Needs Report is the Coalition on Human Needs' newsletter on national policy issues affecting low-income and vulnerable populations. It is published every other week while Congress is in session.

If you would like to receive the Human Needs Report by email, send an message to Adam Hughes with "subscibe Human Needs Report" in the subject line.

Articles from January 30, 2004

• CBO Releases New Report Revealing Significant Federal Deficits
  The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released revised estimates of federal revenues and expenditures for the next 10 years on January 26. Federal revenues are now a smaller share of the U.S. economy than at any time since 1950, and that decline is a major cause of the $477 billion budget deficit CBO shows for fiscal year 2004. By fiscal year 2014, CBO projects that if the tax cuts enacted since 2001 are allowed to expire and federal spending rises with inflation, the deficit will disappear. If the tax cuts are extended, deficits will continue, adding up to about $1.9 trillion over the 10-year period, or $2.2 trillion when adding in the additional costs of borrowing.
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• President To Release Fiscal Year 2005 Budget On Monday
  The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released revised estimates of federal revenues and expenditures for the next 10 years on January 26. Federal revenues are now a smaller share of the U.S. economy than at any time since 1950, and that decline is a major cause of the $477 billion budget deficit CBO shows for fiscal year 2004. By fiscal year 2014, CBO projects that if the tax cuts enacted since 2001 are allowed to expire and federal spending rises with inflation, the deficit will disappear. If the tax cuts are extended, deficits will continue, adding up to about $1.9 trillion over the 10-year period, or $2.2 trillion when adding in the additional costs of borrowing.
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• Congress Passes Massive Omnibus Bill
  On Thursday, January 22, the Senate passed the conference agreement on the final omnibus spending bill (HR 2673, H Rept 108-401). The $820 billion bill passed by a 65-28 vote. Seven of the 13 appropriations bills that must be passed to keep the federal government running each year were part of the omnibus, including appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. The President signed the bill into law the next day.
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• Congress Is Silent On Extending Unemployment Benefits As New Session Begins
  Members of Congress returned to Washington last week without having extended federal unemployment benefits for workers who have used up all of their state benefits. Advocates put increasing pressure on members of Congress, including Republican leaders in both the House and the Senate, over the holiday break, but no vote is scheduled. Since the expiration of the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program on December 21, 2003, 90,000 workers per week have lost their federal benefits, a number that is only expected to grow. Long-term unemployment remains a serious problem; more than one in five unemployed workers has been looking for work longer than six months. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities predicts the number of long-term unemployed running out of benefits in January will be higher than any other month on record (see Unmet Need Hits Record Level for Unemployed).
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• Human Needs Programs Needing Renewal In 108th Congress
  A number of federal programs particularly important to low-income and other vulnerable populations are due to be reauthorized during the 108th Congress. CHN developed a chart detailing the current reauthorization status of these programs, including what happened in the first session of the 108th Congress and what is expected in 2004. The chart can be a useful tool for advocates wanting a quick status report and a guide for future action and strategy. Of the ten programs covered in the chart, Congress has reauthorized only two. There is much work to do in the coming months as advocates face growing challenges to ensure positive reauthorizations of these vital programs.
  
  To view the chart in PDF form click here.