Weekly News
AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities and Cooperatives Receive Loans for Transmission Lines
Secretary Vilsack announced that 46 rural utilities and cooperatives in 30
states
have been selected to receive $1.16 billion in loans to build and repair 11,249
miles
of distribution and transmission lines and make system improvements that will
benefit
109,250 rural customers. For more information, go to:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/08/0390.xml
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
1) HHS Announces $25.7 million in Grants to Expand and Improve Health
Center Services
On August 23, 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
announced $21.9 million in competitive grants to existing health centers and
$3.8
million in competitive planning grants to help areas develop new health center
sites.
The awards by state are available at:
http://www.dhhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/08/20090823a.html
2) New SAMHSA Website on Behavioral Health Financing
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
launched a new website on the financing of mental health and substance abuse
prevention and treatment services and delivery systems:
http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/0908172830.aspx
3) Additions to the Child Welfare Policy Manual
On August 20, 2009, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
updated
the Child Welfare Policy Manual to include information regarding Title IV-E
short-term training costs. The additions are available at:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/j2ee/programs/cb/laws_policies/laws/cwpm/updates_add.jsp
INTERIOR
Revenues Continue from Oil and Gas Development
A sale of federal oil and natural gas leases for the Western Gulf of Mexico
attracted
$115 million in high bids, following the $1.1 million sale of onshore energy
leases in
land onshore and offshore - for oil and gas development, generating more than
$875
million in revenues. For more information, go to:
http://www.doi.gov/news/09_News_Releases/081909a.html
ARRA News
GENERAL
1) On August 17, 2009, registration for funding recipients required to report
under
ARRA Section 1512 opened on www.FederalReporting.gov.
All funding recipients must
register prior to fulfilling their reporting obligations. The first reporting
period opens on
October 1, 2009, with the first quarterly reporting deadline of October 10,
2009.
Prerequisites for recipient registration include obtaining a DUNS number from
Dun &
Bradstreet and registering with Central Contractor Registration (CCR).
2) On August 7, 2009, OMB updated the list of programs subject to ARRA Section
1512 recipient reporting requirements. This list originally appeared as a
supplement
to the June 22, 2009, guidance released by OMB. The updated list can be found
at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/recovery_default/
AGRICULTURE
1) On August 18, 2009, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced additional
funding
under ARRA for Forest Service projects in 36 states. Funds will help to restore
natural
resources while improving public safety and creating job opportunities in
economically
distressed areas. The 105 projects, funded at more than $94.6 million, are
located
on federal, state, and private lands. To date, USDA has announced $1.03 billion
of the $1.15 billion - or 89% - offunds authorized by
ARRA for Forest Service projects.
For more information, see:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/08/0387.xml
2) On August 3, 2009, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released additional
information on ARRA reporting requirements for the Emergency Food Assistance
Program (TEFAP): http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/recovery/memos/TEFAP_080309.pdf
3) On August 19, 2009, FNS released standard award terms and reporting
requirements for the National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance
Grants under ARRA:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Policy-Memos/2009/SP_36-2009_os.pdf
ENVIRONMENT
On August 18, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that
applications for brownfields assessment, revolving
loan fund, and cleanup grants
are now being accepted through Oct. 16, 2009. These funds can be used for
assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites, including
those contaminated by
hazardous substances and/or petroleum. Full guidelines for the grant
competition
are posted on the EPA website at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicat.htm
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
1) ARRA included $50 million to support states in the prevention and
reduction of
health care-associated infections (HAI). Recovery.gov recently posted a website
on this initiative: http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/ra/
2) On August 20, 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
announced the first two HITECH priority grant programs. Specifically, $564
million is
being made available under the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative
Agreement Program and $598 million through the Health Information Technology
Extension Program. The grant announcement and program fact sheets are available
at:
http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/hitech/index.html
3) On August 19, 2009, HHS released interim final regulations requiring health
care
providers, health plans, and other entities covered by the Health Insurance
Portability
and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to notify individuals when their health
information is
breached. These regulations implement provisions of ARRA. The rule and
additional
information are available at:
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/coveredentities/breachnotificationifr.html
4) On August 19, 2009, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released
another State Medicaid Director letter that provides guidance on ARRA, including
the
process for accessing the increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage
(FMAP),
expenditures for which the increased FMAP is available, and the eligibility
maintenance
of effort (MOE) requirements. The letter can be found at:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/SMDL/SMD/itemdetail.asp?filterType=none&filterByDID=0&sortByDID=1&sortOrder=descending&itemID=
CMS1227962&intNumPerPage=10
LABOR
On August 21, 2009, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) at the
Department of Labor released a notice that listed resources for technical
assistance
on ARRA section 1512 reporting requirements for ETA funding recipients.
Included is
a new ETA mailbox where recipients can submit specific questions on the
reporting
requirements and process. The mailbox address is 1512.reports@dol.gov. The notice
is available at:
http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=2793
TRANSPORTATION
On August 20, 2009, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that 132
grants totaling $1.3 billion in ARRA funds will go to improve state and local
transit
systems. The majority of these grants will be used to purchase new vehicles,
increase
safety and security initiatives, construct, rehabilitate or maintain the various
transit
systems. More information is available at:
http://www.fta.dot.gov/news/news_events_10477.html
Weekly News
EDUCATION
Grants Awarded for Special Education Parent Information, Training Centers
On August 6, 2009, the Department of Education announced the award of more than
$4.5 million in grants to operate 16 special education parent information and
training
centers in 14 states, including targeted centers for Native Americans and
military
families. A list of grantees by state is available at:
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/08/08062009.html
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
1) SAMHSA Releases Guide on Formula Allotment Calculations
On August 12, 2009, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration
(SAMHSA) issued a new guide providing information on the procedures used to
calculate
allocations for block grants and formula grants that are administered by the
agency.
The guide is available at:
http://oas.samhsa.gov/BG_documentation_070809_final_psg.pdf
2) HHS Releases Guidance on FY 2010 LIHEAP Leveraging Awards
On August 7, 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released
an action transmittal for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
(LIHEAP)
regarding submission of information to qualify for the FY 2010 leveraging
incentive
fund grant awards. LIHEAP plan amendments are due September 30, 2009, and
applications for these awards are due on November 30, 2009. In addition, states
may choose to use either FY 2008 leveraged resources or FY 2009 leveraged
resources for the FY 2010 grants. The guidance is available at:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/guidance/action_transmittals/at09-08.html
LABOR
SUTA "Dumping" Data to Increase
On August 11, 2009, the Department of Labor (DOL) published a notice in the
form of a Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) to states on upcoming
changes to the collection and reporting of data on the ETA 581 Contributions
and
Operations Report and Tax Performance Systems programs reviews, as they relate
to state unemployment tax avoidance ("dumping")detection and
enforcement methods.
The notice can be found at:
http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=2791
NUTRITION
1) Food Stamp Bonuses Awarded, FY 2008 Error Rates Released
On August 3, 2009, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), at the Department
of
Agriculture, announced the first round of food stamp high performance bonuses,
totaling $30 million for FY 2008. The awards can be found at:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/government/pdf/2008-chart-awards.pdf
Quality control error rates are also available:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/qc/pdfs/2008-rates.pdf
2) SNAP FY 2010 COLAs Released
On August 3, 2009, FNS released the FY 2010 cost-of-living adjustments for
the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP):
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/rules/Memo/2009/080309.pdf
ARRA News
GENERAL
On August 7, 2009, the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board released
a notice and request for comments in the Federal Register on information
collection
activities described in ARRA Section 1512 (recipient reporting requirements)
and
set-forth in the June 22, 2009 guidance by theOffice
of Management in Budget. The
board is seeking comments on 1) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of
information being collected, and 2) ways for the board to minimize the burden
of |
information collection activities on the public, among other issues. Comments
are
due by October 6, 2009. The notice can be viewed at:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2009-08-07/html/E9-18933.htm
AGRICULTURE
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced that USDA is undertaking an effort
to
provide relief to individuals and businesses in struggling agriculture
industries.
Vilsack has ordered USDA Rural Development and the Farm Service Agency to
use all available means to help producers, processors and other small
businesses
who have been hit by worsening economic conditions. For more information, see:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/arranews?navid=NEWS_AUSUMS&parentnav=USDA_ARRA&edeployment_action=retrievecontent&contentid
=2009/08/0373.xml
EDUCATION
1) On August 3, 2009, the secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, announced that
the Department will accelerate stimulus spending by making $11.37 billion in
ARRA
Title I, Special Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation funding available to
states
on or around September 1, 2009, one month early. The press release available
at:
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/08/08032009.html
2) On August 17, 2009, the Department of Education published a proposal in the
Federal Register to allow states to reserve more administrative funds under
Title I-Part A and Special Education-Part Bto offset
some of the data collection costs
in ARRA: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-19662.pdf
ENERGY
On August 12, 2009, the Department of Energy announced the release of
nearly
$38 million in ARRA funding to improve state emergency preparedness plans and
ensure quick recovery and restoration from any energy supply disruptions. Funds
will be used by state governments to hire or retrain staff and expand
state-level
capacities to address challenges to the country's energy systems, including
emergency situations such as blackouts, hurricanes, ice storms, and disruptions
to heating supplies. To view a list of all state awards, see:
http://www.energy.gov/news2009/7791.htm
ENVIRONMENT
On August 14, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued
supplemental
guidance on measuring and reporting job estimates under ARRA. The guidance
includes EPA contact information for ARRA funding recipients seeking EPA
concurrence
on the use of a statistical estimate and a proposed methodology. All requests
must be
submitted to the EPA by September 10, 2009.
http://www.epa.gov/recovery/supplement.html
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
1) On August 12, 2009, HHS announced $8.1 million for loan repayments to nurses
who agree to practice in facilities with critical shortages and $5.3 million
for schools
of nursing to provide loans to students who will become nurse faculty.
Press Release: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/08/20090812a.html
For a list of institutions receiving awards:
http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2009/nflp_arra.htm
http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2009/nelrprecips.htm
2) A list of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants funded by ARRA for each
state
is available at: http://report.nih.gov/recovery/arragrants.cfm
3) The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services now has a frequently asked
questions website for ARRA Health IT:
https://questions.cms.hhs.gov/cgi-bin/cmshhs.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_pv=3.1058&p_prods=21%2C26%2C1058
HOUSING
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has provided updated
information,
in the form of Q&As, on David-Bacon prevailing
wage requirements and program income,
fees, and asset management for the Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP). The
updates are linked to the program's website at:
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/RECOVERY/programs/TAX
LABOR
1) On August 14, 2009, the Department of Labor (DOL) released customized
guidance
on recipient reporting requirements under ARRA Section 1512 for Employment
Training
Administration (ETA) funding recipients. The guidance can be found at:
http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=2792
2) On August 11, 2009, DOL published a list of states with approved
Unemployment
Insurance Modernization Incentive Payments. The list of approved states and
award
amounts can be found at:
http://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/laws.asp#FederalRegulations
3) On August 11, 2009, DOL published questions and answers about public
housing
and workforce systems. The Q&As are an effort to
provide greater linkages between
these systems at the local level, as part of the pilot program funded by ARRA
that
links public housing residents with local workforce investment boards and their
one-stop
career systems. The guidance can be found at:
http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=2790
TRANSPORTATION
On August 10, 2009, the Federal Railway Administration updated its Q&A
section on
the ARRA grants application process:http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/2270
Weekly News
APPROPRIATIONS
UPDATE
1) Congress in Recess
Both chambers of Congress are currently in recess until after the Labor Day
holiday.
To check the status of all fiscal year (FY) 2010 appropriations bills, go to:
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app10.html
2) Senate Passes FY 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
Before leaving on its August recess, the Senate approved an FY 2010
appropriations bill
for agriculture programs (S. 1406). The measure includes $950 million for the
Natural
Resources Conservation Service and $911 million for the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection
Service. Funding for specific programs includes $40 million for watershed
rehabilitation,
$24 million for watershed and flood prevention, and $51 million for resource
conservation
and development. The bill now moves to conference committee.
3) Senate Committee Passes FY 2010 Labor, Health and Human Services, and
Education Appropriations Bill
On July 30, 2009, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed an FY 2010 Labor,
Health
and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. In the Committee's
report on the bill,
it is stated that the Committee generally did not provide large increases to
those programs
that received large increases in ARRA, such as Title I grants to local
educational agencies
(LEAs), special education and the National Institutes
of Health. The Committee expects to
put a higher priority on these programs in the FY 2011 appropriations
bill.
The Senate Committee bill accepts the president's request to eliminate funding
for Even
Start and
but proposed to eliminate funding for Drug-Free Schools. Both the House and
Senate bills
reject the president's proposed increase (184%) for School Improvement and
instead level
fund the program at $546 million. The Senate Committee also recommends $13.8
billion for
Title I grants to LEAs, more than the
president's request but less than the FY 2009 and
House-passed amount of $14.5 billion. Both the House and Senate include $5.1
billion for
the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, $1.5 billion more than the
president's
request.
For labor programs, the Committee bill provides $862 million for Adult
Employment and
Training Activities, $924 million for Youth Training, and $1.2 billion for
Dislocated Worker
Assistance. The Committee bill also provides $3.2 billion for Unemployment
Insurance
State Administration and $704 million for the Employment Service allotment to
states.
These funding levels mirror the amounts in the House-passed bill and the
president's
FY 2010 request.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
1) HHS Awards Program Expansion Supplements to Wilson-Fish Projects
On August 4, 2009, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
Office
of Refugee Resettlement, announced the award of program expansion supplements
to
five Wilson-Fish grantees located in Alaska, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, and
Massachusetts. These awards will enable the grantees to provide cash and
medical
assistance for newly arriving refugees. Additional information is available
at:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-18521.pdf
2) HHS Releases Updated Federal Guidelines for 2009 H1N1 Influenza in
Schools
On August 7, 2009, HHS announced updated federal guidance for schools for
the fall flu
season, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The updated
guidelines offer state and local public health and school officials a range of
options for
responding to 2009 H1N1 influenza in schools, depending on how severe the flu
may be
in their communities. You may find the guidance at: http://www.flu.gov/plan/school/index.html
LABOR
Proposed Rule on TAA Training Funds Published
On August 5, 2009, the Employment and Training Administration of the Department
of
Labor published aproposed rule relating to the
distribution of Trade Adjustment Assistance
(TAA) training funds to states and merit staffing of state administration of
the program.
Comments on the proposed rule are due by October 5, 2009. The proposed rule can
be
viewed at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-18625.htm
ARRA News
GENERAL
1) Grants.gov will be hosting a three-part series on finding and applying for
ARRA
money on Grants.gov. Registration for the series will open on August 10, 2009.
Details
on the series are available at: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/recovery_webinar.jsp
2) The Office on Management and Budget (OMB) recently posted a series of
Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQs) related to ARRA Section 1512 reporting requirements for
recipients
of federal financial assistance. OMB also provided clarification to the June
22, 2009, memo
on ARRA reporting requirements. The FAQs and clarification can be viewed at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/recovery_faqs/
During the week of July 20, 2009, OMB hosted a seven-part series of webinars on
ARRA reporting requirements. The training included a discussion of the new
central
reporting solution, www.federalreporting.gov,
which should be accessible for registration
beginning August 17, 2009. Presentation slides and the webinar
audio files are available
for download at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/recovery/webinartrainingmaterials
On August 4, 2009, the Recipient Reporting Data Dictionary, which describes the
data
elements specifically required for Section 1512 recipient reporting under ARRA,
became
available for viewing on www.recovery.gov
(http://www.recovery.gov/). This model
is
intended for use for the October 10, 2009 reporting deadline.
BROADBAND
On August 7, 2009, the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration
(NTIA), at the Department of Commerce, released a notice clarifying the
information
collection requirements for the State Broadband Data and Development Grant
Program
(Broadband Mapping Program), originally put forth in a
July 1, 2009, Notice of Funds
Availability. The notice can be found at:
http://broadbandusa.sc.egov.usda.gov/broadband_mapping.htm
States have until August 14, 2009, to submit applications for the Broadband
Mapping
Program.
ENVIRONMENT
1) On August 4, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced
that
55 state or local governments will receive a total of $55 million in
supplemental funding
for Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund grants to help
communities carry out cleanup
activities and redevelopment projects. The grants include $42 million from
ARRA and
$13 million from the EPA's general program funding for Brownfields.
For more information
and a list of grantees, see: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/eparecovery/index.htm
2) On August 4, 2009, EPA announced that 14 communities in eight states
(California,
Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Ohio, and Washington) will
share
$6.8 million in ARRA Brownfields Job Training
Grants geared toward cleaning up
contaminated properties and turning them into productive community assets:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/eparecovery/index.htm
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
On July 31, 2009, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report
regarding
its review of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) calculation
of
additional Medicaid funding awarded under ARRA for the first two quarters of FY
2009.
The report, available at http://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region9/90900080.pdf,
found
that CMS calculated the amounts in accordance with federal law.
HOUSING
On July 27, 2009, the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Capital
Improvements published a clarification of the procurement policy requirements
for
ARRA public housing capital fund formula grants.The
document can be viewed at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/capfund/ocir/recvactprcreq.pdf
TRANSPORTATION
1) On July 28, 2009, the Department of Transportation (DOT) updated its
ARRA
Question and Answers document to provide information on issues raised by state
DOT's in regards to contracting methods. Theupdated document is available at:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/economicrecovery/qandas.htm
2) DOT published a reminder of upcoming deadlines on its website:
http://www.fta.dot.gov/index_9440_10398.html.
Specifically, by September 1, 2009,
50% of the ARRA apportionments for three transportation programs must
be obligated
to avoid losing the balance of that amount remaining unobligated.
These programs are
the Section 5307 Urbanized Areas Program ($5.4 billion), the Section 5311
Non-Urbanized
Areas Program ($765.8 million), and the Section 5309 Fixed Guideway Modernization Program
for urbanized areas ($742.5 million).
The balance of the initial apportionment must be obligated by March 5,
2010. All funds,
including balances withdrawn from areas that did not meet the obligation
deadlines and
redistributed to other areas that met the deadlines, must be obligated by
September 30,
2010. Once obligated, funds must be disbursed by September 30,
2015. Any balances
remaining after that date will revert to the U.S. Treasury.
Weekly News
FY 2010
APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
Transportation/Housing and Urban Development (T/HUD)
On July 30, 2009, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its fiscal year
(FY)
2010 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development appropriations
bill. Unlike the House
version, the Senate bill does not include direct funding for a national
infrastructure bank
and would appropriate $1.2 billion for high-speed rail grants, compared to $4
billion in the
House bill.
On July 29, 2009, the Department of Education awarded $82 million in
charter school
grants to five states to increase public school options. Visit this website for
more information:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/charter/index.html
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
1) On July 31, 2009, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a health
care
reform bill (H.R. 3200), making it the third House committee to pass reform
legislation.
The House Democratic leadership and the chairmen of the Energy and Commerce,
Education
and Labor and Ways and Means committees will work to merge the three proposals,
with the
goal of bringing a bill to the House floor for a vote this fall. The House is
in recess until
September 8.
2) OSCE Releases New Guidance for State
On July 28, 2009, the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) released a
Q&A document
related to the assignment of support rights and distribution of child support
collections under
the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The document is available at:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/AT/2009/at-09-03.htm
3) Estimated FY 2010 SSBG Allocations Released
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released estimated FY 2010
allotments for the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG):
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/ssbg/docs/esalloc10.html
HOMELAND SECURITY
Senate Committee Favorably Reports PASS ID
On July 29, 2009, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Committee
passed the PASS ID Act (S. 1261). The committee adopted an amendment that would
require the verification of birth record information beginning six years after
the issuance
of final regulations. The amendment authorizes $150 million in a new grant
program to help
states digitize their birth records, link death records to birth records, and
link DMVs to the
system. Another amendment clarifies that a person not presenting a PASS ID
may be permitted
or denied boarding an airplane "at the unreviewable
discretion" of the secretary or his/her
designee. Finally, the committee adopted an amendment to require a report
regarding the privacy
implications of PASS ID.
HOUSING
See House and Senate Approve Trust Fund Bill below.
JUSTICE
FY 2009 Victims of Crime Awards Announced
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has released the
FY 2009 Crime Victims
Fund Compensation and Assistance allocations,
which are available here
on a state-by-state basis.
LABOR
See House and Senate Approve Trust Fund Bill below.
TRANSPORTATION
1) House and Senate Approve Trust Fund Bill
On July 29, 2009, the House passed a bill (H.R.
3357) that would infuse additional money
into three federal programs facing imminent shortfalls. The bill authorizes the
transfer of
$7 billion from the general fund into the Highway Trust Fund, which should keep
it solvent
through the end of September. The bill also authorizes an open-ended
appropriation for the
Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and increases the Federal Housing
Administration's
insurance cap from $315 billion to $400 billion, as well as increases the loan
cap for the
Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie
Mae") program from $300 billion to
$400 billion. The Senate passed the bill on July 30, 2009. The bill will now go
to the
president for signing.
2) Annual Materials Report on
Rehabilitation (2006-2007)
On July 29, 2009, the Federal Highway Administration released tables on the
new,
replaced, and rehabilitated bridge project costs for FY 2006 and FY 2007. These
tables list state-by-state numbers and construction type for bridge
projects that
were
works. To view these tables go to: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbi/matreport2008.cfm
ARRA News
GENERAL
1) The U.S.
General Services Administration (GSA), on behalf of the Recovery
Accountability and Transparency Board, recently awarded Smartronix
Inc. with
a contract to build a new Recovery.gov website. For more information, go
to:
http://www.recovery.gov/?q=node/765
2) The GSA marked a major milestone in its implementation of ARRA, as it
brought
its total investments in construction projects to date to more than $1 billion.
For
a list of projects, go to:
http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?pageTypeId=8199&P=
&channelId=-24825&contentType=GSA_BASIC&contentId=28346
AGRICULTURE
1) Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of
Agriculture
(USDA) is accepting applications for up to $1.7 billion to fund projects that
help spur
business activity and economic growth in rural communities. For more
information, go to:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/arranews?navid=NEWS_AUSUMS&parentnav=USDA_
ARRA&edeployment_action=retrievecontent&contentid=2009/07/0346.xml
2) USDA announced the selection of $154.8 million in water and environmental
project
loans and grants that are being funded through ARRA. The projects will help
provide safe
drinking water and improved wastewater treatment systems for rural towns and
communities in 15 states and
for water and environmental project loans and grants, benefitting
people throughout the
country. For a list of the newest projects, go to:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_3JL/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent
/.c/6_1_2KE/.ce/7_1_4Q5/.p/5_1_4D3/.d/0/_th/J_1_V9/_s.7_0_A/7_0_3JL?PC_7_1_4Q5_
navid=NEWS_AUSUMS&PC_7_1_4Q5_contentid=2009/08/0363.xml&PC_
7_1_4Q5_parentnav=USDA_ARRA#7_1_4Q5
3) Secretary Vilsack announced the selection of $58 million in community
facilities
projects that are being funded with funds provided through ARRA. Altogether,
USDA
has announced nearly $179.6 million in ARRA funding for community facility
projects
to date. For a list of new projects, go to: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_3JL/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_1_2KE/.ce/7_1_4Q5/.p/5_1_4D3/
.d/1/_th/J_1_V9/_s.7_0_A/7_0_3JLPC_7_1_4Q5_navid=NEWS_AUSUMS&PC_7_1_4Q5_contentid=
2009/07/0347.xml&PC_7_1_4Q5_parentnav=USDA_ARRA#7_1_4Q5
4) Secretary Vilsack announced more than $274 million in ARRA funds for forest
facilities and trails and related ecosystems and watersheds. The 191 projects
are
located on Forest Service lands in 32 states. Including today, more than $936
million
in Forest Service investments have been announced. For a list of new projects,
go to:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_3JL/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/
6_1_2KE/.ce/7_1_4Q5/.p/5_1_4D3/.d/2/_th/J_1_V9/_s.7_0_A/7_0_3JL?PC_7_1_4Q5_navid=NEWS_AUSUMS&PC_7_1_4Q5_contentid=2009/07/0327.xml&PC_7_1_4Q5_parentnav=USDA_ARRA#7_1_4Q5
5) Secretary Vilsack announced the selection of 145 recipients for more than
$15.3
million in grants to start or expand businesses in rural communities. Through
Recovery
Act funding, businesses will be able to access critical capital that will help
with start-up
and working capital loans, building and plant renovations, transportation
improvements,
project planning and other business needs. For a list of projects, go to:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_3JL/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/
.c/6_1_2KE/.ce/7_1_4Q5/.p/5_1_4D3/.d/1/
_th/J_1_V9/_s.7_0_A/7_0_3JLPC_7_1_4Q5_navid=NEWS_AUSUMS&PC_7_1_4Q5_contentid
=2009/07/0344.xml&PC_7_1_4Q5_parentnav=USDA_ARRA#7_1_4Q5
EDUCATION
1) On July 29, 2009, the Department of Education published in the Federal
Register
a notice of proposed requirements, definitions, and approval criteria for Phase
II of the
approximately $12.6 billion in State Fiscal Stabilization Funding available to
states that
are implementing significant education reforms across four assurance areas.
Public
comments are due by August 28, 2009:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-17906.htm
2) On July 29, 2009, the Department of Education published in the Federal
Register
proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for $4.3
billion in
Race to the Top funds. Grants to states will be awarded on a competitive
basis and
are designed to encourage and reward states that are implementing significant
education
reforms across four assurance areas. The public comment period ends
August 28, 2009:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-17909.htm
3) On July 29, 2009, the Department of Education published in the Federal
Register a
notice inviting applications for $245 million in grants to state education
agencies to design,
develop, and implement statewide, longitudinal data systems. Deadline for
transmittal of
applications is November 19, 2009: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-17908.htm
ENERGY
1) On July 29, 2009, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced two new loan
guarantee
solicitations that are being funded partly through ARRA and partly through FY
2009
appropriations. The department will provide up to $30 billion in loan
guarantees, depending
on the applications and market conditions, for renewable energy
projects. Another $750
million will support several billion dollars more in loan guarantees for
projects that increase
the reliability, efficiency, and security of the nation's transmission system. For
more
information, see: http://www.lgprogram.energy.gov/
2) On July 31, 2009, the Department of Energy and the Department of the
Treasury
announced that they are now accepting applications for a program that will make
direct payments in lieu of tax credits to companies that create and place in
service
renewable energy facilities. The two departments estimate distributing at least
$3
billion in financial support to approximately 5,000 bio-mass, solar, wind, and
other
types of renewable energy production facilities. Companies interested in
applying for
the program can visit the application submission page for more information:
https://treas1603.nrel.gov/
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
1) HHS will likely change the way it calculates the increased FMAP rates under
ARRA.
Initially, the methodology for the unemployment bonus relied on unemployment
data
for the most recent three-month period for which data are available prior to
the
beginning of the quarter for which the FMAP is being determined. This data
included
both preliminary and final data and the months used depended on the data
available
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It appears that HHS will now calculate
preliminary
quarterly FMAP rates at the time preliminary monthly data for the month prior
to the
start of the quarter is available (this data will not be available until after
the start of
the quarter). HHS will then calculate final quarterly FMAP rates at the time
final monthly
data for the month prior to the start of quarter is available. Attached is a
notice
describing this change and providing the ARRA adjustments to the FMAP for the
third
quarter of FY 2009. Because of the change in methodology, these rates differ
from those
estimated by FFIS. This notice can be found here (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-18544.htm)
in the Federal Register.
2) On July 28, 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
announced
the availability of $200 million in ARRA funds to expand health professions
training programs.
The funds will be directed to several programs and awarded on a competitive
basis.
Additional information is available at:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/07/20090728c.html and
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/recovery/
3) On July 30, 2009, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
issued
a Dear State Medicaid Director (SMD) Letter providing policy guidance to States
on
section 5001 of ARRA as it applies to prompt pay provisions. These requirements
must
be met to qualify for the increased FMAP and have been expanded to include
hospital
and nursing home claims (in addition to practitioner claims). The letter and
technical
appendix is available at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/smdl/downloads/SMD073009.pdf
and http://www.cms.hhs.gov/smdl/downloads/SMD073009ATT.pdf
4) On July 30, 2009, HHS announced that 12 states would receive $572,250 in
ARRA
funding to survey more than 125 ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) to ensure that the
facilities are following Medicare's health and safety standards. A list of
awards and
additional information is available by clicking here.
(http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=3479&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&srchOpt=0&srchData=&keywordType=All&chkNewsType=1,+2,+3,+4,+5&intPage=&showAll=&pYear=&year=&desc=&cboOrder=date)
HOMELAND SECURITY
1) On July 28, 2009, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary
Napolitano,
announced approximately $7.7 million in ARRA funding for closed-circuit
television
systems at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Ronald Reagan Washington
National, Spokane International, Gerald R. Ford International and
To learn more about closed circuit surveillance projects, visit: www.dhs.gov/recovery
2) On July 29, 2009, Secretary Napolitano announced nearly $78 million in
awards for
the ARRA FY 2009 Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP). Funding
is provided for
approximately 240 new law enforcement officers at 15 transit systems across the
country.
Funds for the program will be used by transit agencies to hire new law
enforcement officers
and by police departments with dedicated transit bureaus to hire anti-terrorism
personnel,
purchase anti-terrorism equipment and obtain and train explosive detection
canines. For
more information, please see the following two links:
http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1248891182416.shtm and
www.fema.gov/grants
HOUSING
1) The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the
remaining
26 awards for the Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP). TCAP formula grants are
awarded to state housing credit agencies in all 50 states plus the
and the
http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr09-134.cfm
2) On July 27, HUD revised its notice on the implementation of the Tax Credit
Assistance
Program (TCAP). The notice sets forth the submission requirements, eligible
uses of funds,
and program requirements. The revised noticed can be viewed by clicking here
(http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/RECOVERY/programs/TCAP_RESOURCES/TCAP%20FUNDING%20NOTICE.PDF).
3) On July 17, 2009, and July 24, 2009, the HUD Office of Capital Improvements
published additional Q&A documents for ARRA public housing capital fund
formula
grants and an updated Q & A for ARRA capital fund competitive grants. The
documents
can be found through at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/capfund/ocir.cfm
JUSTICE
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has published updated lists of awardees,
as of
July 29, 2009, for ARRA High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) awards
and ARRA
Rural Law Enforcement Assistance awards. Lists of awards can be viewed here:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/recovery/awards.htm