To: All Members of the National Rehabilitation Association

From: Fredric Schroeder, Executive Director

Subject: Washington Alert – Congress Passes $1.3 Trillion Spending Bill

The Congress has adopted a $1.3 spending bill to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year, September 30, 2018. The bill finally cleared the Senate very early this morning and is on its way to the President for signature.

The final vote was 65 in favor and 32 against the spending plan.

The omnibus spending bill funds the vocational rehabilitation program at the federal fiscal year 2017 level.

While the President had requested eliminating the Supported Employment State Grants program and both the House and Senate budget bills followed suit, Supported Employment is included in the omnibus bill, albeit with a $5 million reduction in funds. This is a real and important victory not just for supported employment services but for employment related services for people with disabilities generally.