On June 6, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government approved, by voice vote, its FY2013 Financial Services and General Government spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
The measure would provide $21.15 billion for the District of Columbia, Small Business Administration (SBA), the Treasury Department, and several other agencies. This amount is $376 million below FY2012 and $2 billion below President Obama’s FY2013 budget request.
The legislation would provide $1.2 billion for the SBA, $240 million over FY2012 and $85 million over the president’s request. The SBA administers several programs for women-owned small businesses, including the Women’s Business Centers program, National Women’s Business Council, Microloan Technical Assistance program, and Small Business Development Centers.
The bill maintains the ban against the use of federal and local funds for abortion in the District of Columbia and against the use of federal funds to pay for abortions within the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
More details on these and other programs important to women and their families will be made available once the committee releases its report.