Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition, Memo to Members, Aug 6
The Senate adjourned on August 5 without passing funding for the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF). As previously reported, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) had hoped to move an amendment, which included the NHTF and tax extenders, on H.R. 5297, the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 (see Memo, 7/30). However, the Senate was unable to complete that legislation before adjourning for the August recess.
Before its adjournment, the Senate did pass legislation to provide increased Medicaid aid for the states and fund a program to help avoid layoffs for teachers. While this aid package to cash-strapped states is important, its passage does further complicate the passage of the extenders bill. To pay for this increased spending, the Senate used an offset that had been previously part of the extenders package, leaving the extender package without a complete offset.
The House will return briefly from its recess on August 10 to vote on the Medicaid bill, but it is unlikely to take up any other legislation during this abbreviated session. Consequently, additional action on the NHTF and the tax extenders package will have to wait until mid-September when the House and Senate return.
