National Community Action Foundation has a spectacular annual legislative conference coming up March 4-6 in Washington, D.C.
The conference comes at an exciting time with the new stimulus package, 2009 and 2010 appropriations and a new Congress and administration. I look forward to presenting an extensive overview of where Community Action and social service programs are today and the outlook for the future during a pre-conference workshop on Tuesday, March 3. 
On Wednesday, March 4, Jonathan Alter, author of The Defining Moment, FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope, will speak and sign books at the Club 199 luncheon. During the general assembly Alter will share additional insight from his book, which President Obama allegedly keeps by his bedside.
Also on Wednesday, Energy Secretary Steven Chu will speak about the Weatherization Assistance Program, and I will outline some of the legislative pieces that are finally starting to fall into place for Community Action.
That evening, The Capitol Steps will entertain conference-goers with their music and political satire. For those who have enjoyed them in the past, they are funnier than ever!
House Appropriations Chairman David Obey, House Chairman of Financial Services Barney Frank and The American Prospect Editor Robert Kuttner will speak to conference participants on Thursday.
Other guest speakers include North Dakota Congressman Earl Pomeroy, former Republican Senator John Sununu, who will speak about where his party goes from here, and Ohio Congressman Zack Space, one of the new breed of more conservative congressional Democrats.
There will be a couple additional speakers, and we may even have a surprise or two from the White House.
NCAF continues to build relationships with other organizations and will unveil a couple exciting new partnerships during the conference. You'll definitely want to stay tuned for these announcements!
This year’s conference promises to be the usual pep rally and networking session that the Community Action network has come to expect. With an exciting line-up of new speakers, I am looking forward to the best NCAF conference yet!
See you soon.
-- David Bradley, NCAF Executive Director, Washington
NOTE: Conference registration is temporarily closed. NCAF will begin receiving late registrations on March 3 at the conference registration desk.
February 23, 2009
NCAF Legislative Conference Shaping Up to Be the Best Yet!
New Opportunities, New Challenges
Click here for a draft allocation of Community Services Block Grant dollars contained in the economic stimulus package. We should have complete details available in the next few days.
With this new infusion of money, CSBG is getting to where I always wanted it to be. This is more funding than the Community Action network has ever had. Just as I have been saying about new Weatherization dollars: with opportunity comes challenge.
House Appropriations Chair David Obey told me a few weeks ago that all recipients of stimulus money will be asked four questions: 1) How much money did you ask for? 2) How much did you get? 3) What did you do with it? 4) What are the results of what you did?
Accountability will become even more important. Our challenge is to reassure Congress that each and every dollar allocated through the Community Action network has been spent in a way that produces the best possible economic results. With preparation and diligence, I am confident in our network's ability to do this.
-- David Bradley, NCAF Executive Director, Washington
February 11, 2009
Stimulus Heads to Conference Committee
As expected, the Senate passed an $838 billion stimulus bill on Tuesday. Only three Republicans supported the bill.
The bill now heads to conference to work out differences between the Senate’s bill and the $820 billion House version. A final deal should be completed by the weekend, if not sooner. I think President Obama will have the bill on his desk around Feb. 16.
Some are saying Congress will reduce the overall price tag to around $800 billion. We continue to hear rumors that the final Labor-HHS appropriation allocation for the stimulus package will be less than either the current House or Senate allocations as well.
In the end, I think the Weatherization Assistance Program will be closer to the $6.2 billion House number (which the Obama Administration supports) than the $2.9 billion Senate version. I also am hopeful that the Community Services Block Grant will be closer to the House’s $1 billion than the Senate’s $200 million, thanks to the continued support of Chairmen David Obey and Tom Harkin.
Stay tuned for updates.
-- David Bradley, NCAF Executive Director, Washington
February 10, 2009
Health and Human Services Secretary Nomonation Still Pending
I was disappointed that former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination for Health and Human Services secretary.
While I think Daschle was the best nominee for the job, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius --who is now the top candidate for the Cabinet position--would be another tremendous choice. I have had the privilege of having dinner with her, and I find her to be an impressive public official. She has the star power we need in that agency.
-- David Bradley, NCAF Executive Director, Washington
February 4, 2009
Stimulus Discussions Include Community Action Programs
The House of Representatives passed its economic stimulus package as expected on Jan. 28 by a vote of 244 to 188. In the final vote, all 177 Republican members present voted against and all but 11 of the 255 Democrats voted for the stimulus bill.
It appears the recent show of bipartisanship during Barack Obama’s swearing in was very short-lived. Congressional Republicans are using the spending side of the stimulus as a rallying point to unify the party. I expect this will continue. With Democrats in power across the board, it will be easy for the minority to say, “You’re now responsible for the economy and its recovery.”
The demand for Community Action programs is up as much as 40 percent in some parts of the country. The network should take heart that there are many opportunities for additional funding coming our way.
There are a lot of discussions surrounding the Weatherization Assistance Program, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Community Services Block Grant and Head Start. A number of other programs funded in the stimulus will interest the Community Action network as well. (I have highlighted these programs in the Feb. 2 issue of NCAF's CAP-FACTS, available online to subscribers.)
Having read both the House and Senate stimulus bill, I think no one has more at stake than the Community Action network and the low-income citizens it serves. There is a lot of skepticism about the investment in certain Community Action programs. We have a lot of people to prove wrong and several members who have displayed confidence in Community Action to prove right.
House Appropriations Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., did a terrific job of guiding this legislation through the House. Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., have been very helpful in the Senate.
This week, the full Senate is debating its version of the economic stimulus bill. The congressional Democratic leadership has said that the final conference version should reach President Obama’s desk no later than Feb. 16. I believe the legislation is on track for this timeline.
