Today, the House and Senate passed a $1.1 trillion omnibus appropriations bill (containing all 12 annual appropriations bills) just before leaving for December recess. The vote passed in the House 316-113 and in the Senate 65-33. Both the House and Senate also passed legislation extending a series of tax breaks. President Obama is expected to sign both.
The FY16 funding bill keeps the Independent Living Program at level funding (PDF), which we all know is not enough. With increasing requests for Independent Living services and the addition of a fifth core service, the IL program needs additional funding now more than ever! The IL program is vital, ensuring the rights of people with disabilities and saving the federal government millions of dollar a year.
This is something we need to make sure our elected officials understand when they consider funding for FY16 and beyond. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is now law, and the Independent Living Administration (ILA) regulations will soon be in place. NCIL has previously pushed Congress and the Administration to invest an additional $200 million in the Independent Living Program, and we will continue to push for adequate funding for IL. Funding will be one of NCIL’s top priorities in 2016, and we will need all of our members to help in this fight!
