Washington State Government
The Washington State Legislature is a bicameral body (meaning it has two legislative bodies, not one) with 49 members in the Senate and 98 members in the House of Representatives. There are 49 legislative districts and each district is served by one Senator and two House members.
The citizen Legislature meets annually on the second Monday in January in the ornate Capitol building in Olympia. In odd-numbered years (2011) -- the budget year -- the Legislature meets for 105 days, and in even-numbered years (2012) -- the policy year -- for 60 days. If necessary, the Governor can call legislators in for a special session for a 30-day period. Legislators can call themselves into special session with a two-thirds vote of the two bodies. In the odd-numbered years, or “long sessions”, the Legislature sets a two-year budget (a biennial budget); the following, even-numbered years are used to adjust that budget according to need. This process results in a ‘supplemental budget’ as it supplements information in the first budget.
Special Session 2011:
Due to a continued budget crisis that produced an anticipated $2 billion shortfall, the Governor called the Legislature back this year for a special session. This session began on November 28th, so it can technically last until December 27th, but it is expected to be over early. The purpose is to adopt a supplemental budget to meet the revenue shortfall. The Governor has proposed her budget, and it is now the Legislature’s job to develop and adopt a final one. Given the large task and short time to accomplish it, it’s expected that the Legislature will complete not it in the spe- cial session. This will leave this work to be done during the 2012 session that begins January 9th.
Budget Proposal From the Governor:
There are several budget items that directly link to anti-hunger efforts in Washington: • Support state food banks - $1.5 million
Increases funding for state food banks that serve 1.5 million clients annually. Funding will provide 4.4 million meals annually.
• Eliminate State Food Assistance program - $13.9 million
Halts food assistance to an estimated 11,400 individuals each month who are not eligible for federal food assistance under federal law. This includes green card holders who have lived here for five years, witnesses in domestic violence and human traficking cases, and indviduals who live here under special agreements between the U.S. and their countries of origin to work and/or receive medical treatment because of harm that U.S. actions in their home countries.
• Eliminate Farmers Market Nutrition Programs for WIC and Seniors - $100,000
Ends state and federal funding for program that benefits low income mothers, young children and seniors, as well as local farm jobs.
The Washington State Legislature is a bicameral body (meaning it has two legislative bodies, not one) with 49 members in the Senate and 98 members in the House of Representatives. There are 49 legislative districts and each district is served by one Senator and two House members.
The citizen Legislature meets annually on the second Monday in January in the ornate Capitol building in Olympia. In odd-numbered years (2011) -- the budget year -- the Legislature meets for 105 days, and in even-numbered years (2012) -- the policy year -- for 60 days. If necessary, the Governor can call legislators in for a special session for a 30-day period. Legislators can call themselves into special session with a two-thirds vote of the two bodies. In the odd-numbered years, or “long sessions”, the Legislature sets a two-year budget (a biennial budget); the following, even-numbered years are used to adjust that budget according to need. This process results in a ‘supplemental budget’ as it supplements information in the first budget.
Special Session 2011:
Due to a continued budget crisis that produced an anticipated $2 billion shortfall, the Governor called the Legislature back this year for a special session. This session began on November 28th, so it can technically last until December 27th, but it is expected to be over early. The purpose is to adopt a supplemental budget to meet the revenue shortfall. The Governor has proposed her budget, and it is now the Legislature’s job to develop and adopt a final one. Given the large task and short time to accomplish it, it’s expected that the Legislature will complete not it in the spe- cial session. This will leave this work to be done during the 2012 session that begins January 9th.
Budget Proposal From the Governor:
There are several budget items that directly link to anti-hunger efforts in Washington: • Support state food banks - $1.5 million
Increases funding for state food banks that serve 1.5 million clients annually. Funding will provide 4.4 million meals annually.
• Eliminate State Food Assistance program - $13.9 million
Halts food assistance to an estimated 11,400 individuals each month who are not eligible for federal food assistance under federal law. This includes green card holders who have lived here for five years, witnesses in domestic violence and human traficking cases, and indviduals who live here under special agreements between the U.S. and their countries of origin to work and/or receive medical treatment because of harm that U.S. actions in their home countries.
• Eliminate Farmers Market Nutrition Programs for WIC and Seniors - $100,000
Ends state and federal funding for program that benefits low income mothers, young children and seniors, as well as local farm jobs.
Federal Government
The Budget Process:
Each year, Congress must go through a budget and appropriations process, determining the
funding for federal programs, agencies, and departments. Federal fiscal years start on October 1,
so a budget must be passed by September 30 each year. If Congress fails to pass a budget by that
time, they can pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to avoid a government shut down while budget
talks continue.
The 2011 Federal Deficit:
Our country faces a huge deficit. This past summer, Congress debated whether we should raise our debt ceiling, the maximum amount that the U.S. is allowed to borrow money from other countries to help pay for our budget’s spending, or else risk defaulting on these loans. Default- ing on our loans would have dramatically worstened the on-going worldwide economic process. Congress was split along party lines over raising the debt ceiling.
The debt ceiling crisis was resolved in August with a proposal to appoint a bipartisan committee made up of members of both the House and the Senate, to propose ways to lower our country’s deficit. This was the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or “the Super Committee” that was co-chaired by Sen. Patty Murray. The committee was charged with finding $1.3 trillion in deficit reducing options that would take place over a 10 year period. Unfortunately, the committee was split along party lines and could not come to agreement on a proposal.
Under the debt ceiling agreement that created the Super Committee, there will now be automatic deep cuts to military and domestic spending, although entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and SNAP are left harmless from cuts. The cuts will start in 2013, and Congress has this upcoming year to determine what cuts will be made.
The 2011 Federal Deficit:
Our country faces a huge deficit. This past summer, Congress debated whether we should raise our debt ceiling, the maximum amount that the U.S. is allowed to borrow money from other countries to help pay for our budget’s spending, or else risk defaulting on these loans. Default- ing on our loans would have dramatically worstened the on-going worldwide economic process. Congress was split along party lines over raising the debt ceiling.
The debt ceiling crisis was resolved in August with a proposal to appoint a bipartisan committee made up of members of both the House and the Senate, to propose ways to lower our country’s deficit. This was the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or “the Super Committee” that was co-chaired by Sen. Patty Murray. The committee was charged with finding $1.3 trillion in deficit reducing options that would take place over a 10 year period. Unfortunately, the committee was split along party lines and could not come to agreement on a proposal.
Under the debt ceiling agreement that created the Super Committee, there will now be automatic deep cuts to military and domestic spending, although entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and SNAP are left harmless from cuts. The cuts will start in 2013, and Congress has this upcoming year to determine what cuts will be made.
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