WIC, rental assistance get funding boost in newly unveiled spending bills
Bipartisan proposals for six spending bills released on Sunday would increase funding for several programs, including notably providing an additional $1.3 billion through September to help low-income women feed themselves and their children amid rising food costs.
While congressional Democrats refused to go along with making deep cuts to federal spending as sought by House Republicans, they did agree to slash funding for several programs. In exchange, Republicans would increase funding for other significant programs, including rental assistance to keep people housed.
Among the cuts that Democrats agreed to include slashing by $250 million funding for the HOME Investment Partnership Program, the largest grant program for local and state governments to build affordable housing, and shaving off $232 million in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, which would still receive $9.2 billion. Amtrak would also see the amount it’s allocated to make rail improvements cut by nearly two-thirds.