President Biden submitted his Fiscal Year 2024 Budget to Congress on March 9, 2023. Totaling $6.9 trillion, this proposal includes critical investments in Jewish Federation priorities including support for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, Holocaust survivors, Israel, and health care. Jewish Federations will continue to advocate to Congress to ensure these priorities and more are included in the final Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which must pass before September 30, 2023.
Nonprofit Security Grant Program: $360 million
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides grants to nonprofits to help fund security measures such as inspection and screening systems, physical barriers, and development of emergency preparedness plans. The Administration would increase funding for this crucial lifeline to $360 million, up from $305 million secured in FY 23 and $250 million in FY 22. Jewish Federations are advocating for no less than $360 million in the final FY 24 spending package.
"President Biden's continued proposal to increase Nonprofit Security Grant Program funding to $360 million is an extremely important element for keeping the Jewish community and other faith communities safe. Nearly half of all applications for Nonprofit Security Grants remain unfunded, even as the terrorist and domestic extremist threats to our communities continue rising at a terrifying pace, fueled by an increase in antisemitic rhetoric and tropes. We commend the Biden administration for requesting this increase and call on Congress to advance it." said Elana Broitman, Jewish Federations Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, in response to the President's proposed increase to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program
Holocaust Survivors: $8.5 million
The Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program is a public-private partnership between Jewish Federations, the Administration for Community Living, Jewish family service agencies, and other partners to address the unique needs of the country’s aging Holocaust survivor population, other older adults who have experienced trauma, and their caregivers. Congress funded the program at $8.5 million in FY 23, an increase from $6 million in FY 22. Jewish Federations are advocating for $10 million in the final FY 24 spending package.
Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act: $15 million
The Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, which Jewish Federations helped enact in 2021, is funded at $15 million in the proposed budget, $5 million higher than Congress appropriated in FY 23. This program seeks to address the rising hate threatening communities throughout the United States by assisting the FBI in collecting hate crimes data and providing the Department of Justice with better tools to analyze these crimes. Jewish Federations are advocating for $20 million in the final FY 24 spending package.
Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS): $28.1 million
Through providing community-based trainings to facilitate, mediate, and improve conflict prevention and response, the Department of Justice CRS is a critical tool to build local communities’ capacity to prevent and respond to hate crimes. Jewish Federations will continue to advocate that this program be funded at $40 million in FY 24.
Israel & International Relations
Israel’s Defense: $3.1 billion & $500 million
The President’s FY 24 budget includes $3.1 billion in security assistance and $500 million in missile defense spending in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding negotiated during the Obama Administration.
Middle East Partnership for Peace Act: $50 million
In 2020, Jewish Federations were proud to be a lead advocate in support of The Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA), which authorizes up to $250 million over five years to fund people to people programs between Israelis and Palestinians. The President’s FY 24 budget includes $50 million in support for this program, Jewish Federations’ requested level.
Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism: $1.7 million
This crucial State Department role enables the United States to lead in the international fight against antisemitism, particularly during this time antisemitism is on the rise across the globe. The President’s budget proposal includes the same amount of funding for the office as FY 23 - $1.5 million – and an additional $219,000 to add one additional staffer to the office. Jewish Federations will advocate for $2 million in the final FY 24 appropriations package.
Human Services
Refugee Support: $17.8 billion
The budget proposal would provide $10.5 billion to the Department of State to assist with the resettlement of up to 125,000 refugees, including through programs such as Uniting for Ukraine and the Welcome Corps. Additionally, the budget proposal would provide $7.3 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)—up from $6.3 billion in the FY23 request—to support health and human services for refugees arriving in the United States, including cash and medical assistance.
Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit
The budget proposal includes the restoration of the Child Tax Credit as enacted in the American Rescue Plan, a key Jewish Federations priority. This credit cut child poverty in half in 2021, to the lowest level in history. The budget would expand the credit from $2,000 per child to $3,000 per child for children six years old and above, and to $3,600 per child for children under six. The Budget would also permanently reform the credit to make it fully refundable. The budget would also make the Earned Income Tax Credit expansion for childless workers permanent, a proven anti-poverty program for low-income workers. Jewish Federations will advocate for the inclusion of these credits in the final FH 24 appropriations package.
Child Care and Early Learning
The budget proposal includes the largest investment in child care and early learning programs ever proposed in a presidential budget with $22.1 billion for existing early care and education programs, up 10.5% from the 2023 enacted level, including $9 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and $13.2 billion for Head Start.
Health & Mental Health
Medicaid & Medicare Innovations for Partner Agencies
President Biden’s FY 24 budget proposes robust Medicaid and Medicare investments and bold innovations in care for older adults and people with disabilities, in addition to addressing the nation’s mental health crisis. The budget infuses both health programs with prevention and wellness initiatives proven to hold down costs while helping people lead healthier lives. The budget proposes $1.7 billion over the next decade to expand
Medicare benefits to cover nutrition and obesity counseling for beneficiaries, building a healthier older adult population by 2030.
Health & Long-Term Workforce
The FY 24 budget proposal includes a $150 billion investment in Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services over 10 years and $450 million per year for Medicaid’s Money Follows the Person program – both Jewish Federations priorities - to ensure that more older adults and people with disabilities can receive services in their communities while enhancing funding for direct care workers and increasing supports for family caregivers.