More than three weeks after the hotly contested 2018 midterm elections, the 116th Congress, its leadership, and committee membership are starting to take shape and one thing is quite clear: the House and Senate will look quite different in January 2019. 

There are only a few weeks left until August and while many of us may be heading for vacation, it is important to remember that August is a crucial month for advocacy.

On July 13, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) fiscal year (FY) 2018 Appropriations bill. The bill reduces the CDFI Fund’s budget from FY17 funding level of $248 million to $190 million, a decrease of 23 percent. The bill continues the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program (BGP) with $500 million in guarantee authority.

Next week will be a busy one in our nation’s capital as the White House releases the full FY18 budget proposal and administration officials testify before Congress about the budget proposal. Below is a recap of what to watch for next week.

Tuesday, May 23

We're exhausted but also feeling great and heartened by our experiences at yesterday's OFN Advocacy Day in DC!