“
Authors: Kermit Kaleba, Katie Spiker, and Katie Brown
Congressional leaders last night released final text for an omnibus spending package that is expected to finalize Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 appropriations for most federal programs. The $1.3 trillion omnibus reflects the increased spending levels for both defense and non-defense programs agreed to as part of recent legislation lifting the budget “caps” for federal discretionary spending, and includes some critical boosts in funding for key education and workforce development programs, including:
Importantly, the omnibus rejects many of the proposed cuts to workforce and education programs that were included in President Trump’s FY 2018 budget request, and sends a clear signal about the bipartisan support for investments in skills as the economy grows.
The bill is expected to be passed by the House today, and then will move to the Senate for a vote. It is unclear whether the Senate will be able to complete work on the measure before the current short-term “continuing resolution” expires tomorrow – some Senators have expressed a willingness to delay the vote into the weekend – but it is expected that the overall measure will pass and move to the President for his signature.
National Skills Coalition applauds the increased funding for key education and workforce programs, and we thank Congressional appropriators and leadership for their efforts to ensure that our budget addresses the needs of today’s labor market. We look forward to working with Congress and the Administration to build on these increases in the FY 2019 appropriations process.
Key Education and Workforce Programs – FY 2018 Omnibus
| 
 | FY 2017 Omnibus | FY 2018 Omnibus | Change | 
| Department of Labor | |||
| Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Title I – State Formula Grants | $2,709,832,000 | $2,789,832,000 | $80,000,000 | 
| WIOA Adult | $815,556,000 | $845,556,000 | $30,000,000 | 
| WIOA Dislocated Worker | $1,020,860,000 | $1,040,860,000 | $20,000,000 | 
| WIOA Youth | $873,416,000 
 | $903,416,000 | $30,000,000 | 
| Wagner-Peyser/Employment Service Grants | $671,413,000 
 | $666,413,000 | -$5,000,000 | 
| Workforce Data Quality Initiative Grants | $6,000,000 
 | $6,000,000 | – | 
| Apprenticeship Grants | $95,000,000 | $145,000,000 | $50,000,000 | 
| DW National Reserve | $220,859,000 | $220,859,000 | – | 
| Native American Programs | $50,000,000 | $54,000,000 | $4,000,000 | 
| Ex-Offender Activities | $88,078,000 | $93,079,000 | $5,000,000 | 
| Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers | $81,896,000 | $87,896,000 | $6,000,000 | 
| YouthBuild | $84,534,000 | $89,534,000 | $5,000,000 | 
| Senior Community Service Employment Program | $400,000,000 | $400,000,000 | – | 
| Department of Education | |||
| Career and Technical Education State Grants | $1,117,598,000 | $1,192,598,000 | $75,000,000 | 
| Adult Education and Family Literacy State Grants | $581,955,000 | $630,667,000 | $48,712,000 | 
| Federal Work Study | $1,093,997,000 
 | $1,130,000,000 | $36,003,000 | 
“