Since the Senate Appropriations Committee released its long-awaited legislative text for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 appropriations on November 10, 2020, negotiations have been in full force to conference the Senate’s draft appropriations bills with the House-passed appropriations bills. Last week, the House and Senate passed a one-week continuing resolution to extend funding for the federal government until December 18, 2020. While both political parties in the House and Senate have expressed an interest in passing a bipartisan omnibus appropriations bill for FY 2021 this month, it is possible they will pass another continuing resolution bill to get through the end of 2020 and into the next Congress. 

NJCA is excited to report that the Senate and House versions of the FY 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill includes legislative language addressing several of the NJCA’s policy priorities requested earlier this year. The statutory language protecting the Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers from arbitrary closures was carried over from the FY 2020 bill. The bills also include specific priority policy issues for our membership.

NJCA is pleased that Job Corps remains in a strong position to receive at least level funding in addition to the majority of the NJCA’s requested bill and report language for this fiscal year if the Senate and House can find agreement to move forward with an omnibus appropriations bill. The NJCA will continue to work with the Congressional leadership and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to ensure the policy and funding priorities for the Job Corps program are achieved in FY 2021.