CSBG Reauthorization

Although Congress is not in session for a couple more weeks, this is a big week for us at NCAF. We are nearing completion of the CSBG reauthorization package. This is the end of this stage of repositioning CSBG. The good news about 2011 is that despite the bitterness and partisanship in Congress, the anger and distrust felt toward elected officials, and President Obama singling out the CA network in the State of the Union - despite all that - the awareness of the Community Action network and CSBG is very high now. Last year, I met with a lot of people, including a number of newly elected Republican Members. I liked the many meetings and the many conversations about our network. The interest and awareness of Community Action is as high as it has been in the past few years. I cannot foresee Congress taking definitive action on renewing CSBG, but the support is there.

There remain a couple of outstanding issues with the final CSBG reauthorization package. This is the week we attempt to solve those issues. Whenever you get into the discussion about the future of the program and what roles Members have in building that future, that is a good week. Republicans on the House side and Democrats and Republicans on the Senate side want to introduce the CSBG reauthorization bill. We have taken longer than I expected with this reauthorization but I think we are going to have a good package.