Ben Miksch, State and Federal Policy Associate

You might remember we had a federal action alert earlier this week asking you to tell Senator Patty Murray, chairperson of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) to stand strong and protect Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding for various affordable housing and homelessness programs. Many of you took action, and we thank you for that!

So, what happened?

Well, the House and Senate appropriations committees passed funding bills for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). And while the Senate's budget is a little better than the House's budget, it still stinks - especially for low-income and homeless folks across the nation.

Our friend Douglas Rice over at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has this great post at their off the charts blog comparing the damage of these budgets: A Tale of Two Bills.

What happens next after the jump.

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OK, now what?

Both appropriations bills will be heading to their respective chambers to be voted on, probably in July/August. Theoretically, the House and Senate conference committees would then resolve their differences and agree on final versions of the spending bills, which would then be signed by the President. They would go into effect before the new fiscal year begins on October 1. Given the drastic differences between the House and Senate's overall budget positions (not to mention the debt ceiling agreement expiring in November), it seems more likely that we will instead have another knock-out, drag-out fight on the edge of yet another fiscal cliff.

Stay tuned and in-touch with your legislators!

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