Big US gov’t funding boost for FY2020

SBA budget increased, too

      The massive $1.4 trillion fiscal 2020 spending bills approved by Congress and signed by the president have significant funding increases for a number of agencies, including the Small Business Administration.

      The House and Senate agreed on a package of 12 appropriations bills days before the most recent continuing resolution expired on Dec. 20.

      With $738 billion for defense and $632 billion for civilian agencies, the total package of discretionary spending contains $49 billion more than last year’s budget, according to Politico. The deal is expected to add billions to the U.S. deficit in the coming years.

      The Defense Dept. alone got a $22 billion increase, but other agencies, including the SBA, also benefited.

      The SBA received appropriations of $998 million, which was more than what President Trump requested, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-MD, ranking Democrat on the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, said in a statement.

      “I am pleased Congress rejected the Administration’s proposed program eliminations, funding cuts, and fee increases,” Cardin said.

      For example, Congress provided $13 million in additional funds for SBA’s entrepreneurial development programs, while the White House sought to cut $67 million from those programs, Cardin said.

      Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-NY, chair of the House Small Business Committee, also praised the SBA’s 2020 budget.

      “I am pleased the 2020 spending bill passed in the House today includes funding that will strengthen SBA programs across the board,” Velazquez said in a statement. “Importantly, this bill provides 22% more funding to the SBA than was requested by the Trump administration, which sought to slash valuable small business programs.”

      Other notable funding changes included:

• $41.7 billion for medical research at NIH, a 7% increase
• $7.6 billion for the 2020 Census, which is an increase of 23% above president’s request
• $1.375 billion for the president’s border wall
• $425 million in election security grants
• $25 million for gun violence studies, and
• 3.1% pay raise for civilian federal employees

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