Last week the House Select Committee on Modernization unanimously approved a bipartisan package of recommendations to improve transparency in the legislative branch. 

The Select Committee was formed in the House Rules adopted by the 116^thCongress on January 4, 2019. The committee is led by Chairman Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Vice Chairman Tom Graves (R-GA). They are tasked with investigating, studying, making findings, holding public hearings, and developing recommendations on modernizing Congress. The recommendations can be on rules to promote a more modern and efficient Congress; procedures; policies to develop the next generation of leaders; staff recruitment, diversity, retention and compensation and benefits; administrative efficiencies including travel and outside services; technology innovation; and the work of the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards. 

The five recommendations approved by the committee include:

1. Adopting one standardized format for drafting, viewing, and publishing legislation to improve transparency and efficiency throughout the lawmaking process.
2. Providing resources to finish legislation comparison project on schedule and train staff to vastly improve the American public’s ability to understand how amendments change legislation, and the impact of proposed legislation to current law.
3. Modernizing the lobbying disclosure system to improve the filing process and more easily find and track individual disclosures. 
4. Developing a centralized, electronic HUB that would list all federal agency and program reauthorization expiration dates, by committee.
5. Developing a centralized, electronic HUB of committee votes that would be accessible via House.gov and in machine readable format.

The Select Committee does not have legislative jurisdiction, so all recommendations they make will be written into a report and sent to the respective committees of jurisdiction for next steps. The Select Committee plans to offer additional recommendations throughout the remainder of the year.

The House has marked up and reported out of committee eight of its 12 FY20 annual spending bills, and is on track for reporting out another two when they return from the Memorial Day recess.

Agriculture

The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee approved its $24.31B FY20 spending bill and reported it out by voice vote. The bill is funded at $1B above the FY19 enacted level. The bill includes language blocking the USDA’s proposal to relocate the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) outside the National Capital Region as well as USDA’s proposal to put ERS, currently under USDA’s research mission area, under the Office of the Chief Economist, which is under the Office of the Secretary. The bill also requires USDA to restore on its website in full all animal welfare and horse protection inspection reports that were taken down weeks after the Trump administration took office.

FY20 Agriculture Bill Text

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP01/20190523/109564/BILLS-1161-SC-AP-FY2020-Agriculture-AgricultureRuralDevelopmentFoodandDrugAdministrationandRelatedAgenciesFY2020AppropriationsAct.pdf

FY20 Agriculture Bill Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-agriculture-rural-development

Commerce Justice Science

The House Appropriations Committee marked up its $73.9B FY20 Commerce Justice Science spending bill today and reported it out by a party-line vote of 31 to 20. The bill is an increase of $9.78B above FY19 enacted levels. It funds the Department of Commerce at $16.43B ($5.02B above FY19 and $3.96 above the President’s FY20 budget request), the Department of Justice at $32B ($1.07B above FY19), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at $22.32B ($815M above FY19), the National Science Foundation (NSF) at $8.64B ($561.14M above FY19), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at $399.5M ($20M above FY19), and the Legal Services Corporation at $550M ($135M above FY19). The bill does not include the additional funding requested by the administration for the NASA 2024 lunar landing. It does include a provision preventing the U.S. Census Bureau from asking about citizenship on the 2020 census questionnaire. 

The committee adopted a manager’s amendment from subcommittee chair Jose Serrano (D-NY), but rejected an amendment from Rep. Aderholt (R-AL) that would have eliminated a $10M pilot program offering legal representation to immigrants entering the country illegally. The committee also defeated an amendment offered by Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL) to allow the Trump administration to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census. And they defeated an amendment offered by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) to prevent further funding for the transfer or release in the U.S. of suspected terrorists being detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

FY20 Commerce Justice Science Bill Text

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20CJS%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

FY20 Commerce Justice Science Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-commerce-justice-science

FY20 Commerce Justice Science Report

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20190522/109552/HMKP-116-AP00-20190522-SD002.pdf

OMB Letter to House Appropriations Chairwoman Lowey

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/CJS-Lowey-FINAL.pdf

Defense

The House Appropriations Committee approved its FY20 Defense spending bill by a party-line vote of 30 to 22. In total, the bill provides $690.2B for the Department of Defense (DOD), an increase of $15.8B above the FY19 enacted level, and $8B below the President’s budget request. The bill also includes $68.1B in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding. The bill limits DOD’s ability to transfer funds between accounts, which is aimed at the Administration’s plans to move defense funds to pay for a wall on the southern border. It also blocks the sale of the F-35 fighter jet to Turkey. 

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:

• Rep. Visclosky – The manager’s amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Rep. Lee #1 – The amendment repeals the 2001 AUMF after 240 days, giving Congress time to debate and vote on a new AUMF. The amendment was adopted on a party-line vote of 30 – 22.
• Rep. Ruppersberger #1 – The amendment prohibits funds for cooperation with the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, with certain exceptions. The amendment was adopted on a vote of 30 – 22.
• Rep. Fortenberry/Rep. Price – The amendment provides $241.2 million for procurement of equipment to aid in storm recovery at Offutt AFB, Nebraska and two Marine Corps bases in North Carolina, Cherry Point and New River. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Rep. Lee #3 – Provides that nothing in this Act may be construed as authorizing the use of force against Iran. The amendment was adopted on a vote of 30 – 22.

FY20 Defense Bill Text

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP02/20190515/109491/BILLS-116–AP-FY2020-Defense.pdf

FY20 Defense Bill Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-defense-funding-bill

FY 20 Defense Report

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20Defense%20Report%20Draft.pdf

OMB Letter to House Appropriations Chairwoman Lowey

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Defense-Lowey.pdf

Energy & Water

The House Appropriations Committee approved by voice vote its FY20 Energy & Water bill by a vote of 31 to 21. In total, the legislation invests $46.4B in Energy and Water Development programs, an increase of $1.8B from FY19. The bill provides $7.36B for the Army Corps of Engineers (an increase of $357M above FY19 and $2.53B above the FY20 PBR), $1.65B for the Department of the Interior/Bureau of Reclamation (an increase of $82.8M above FY19 level and $528M above the FY20 PBR), $37.1B for the Department of Energy (an increase of $1.4B above the FY19 level and $5.6 billion above the FY20 PBR), $130M for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (which is $95K below the FY19 level), $170M for the Appalachian Regional Commission (an increase of $5M above the FY19 level and the FY20 PBR), and $22M Northern Border Regional Commission (an increase of 10% above the FY19 level and $21 million above the FY20 PBR). The bill prevents the Army Corps funds from being used for a border wall.

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:

• Rep. Kaptur – The manager’s amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Rep. Newhouse #1 – The amendment shifts $5 million between Hanford cleanup accounts. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

FY20 Energy & Water Bill Text

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20E%26W%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

FY20 Energy & Water Bill Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-energy-and-water-funding-bill

FY20 Energy & Water Report

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20E%26W%20Report%20Draft.pdf

OMB Letter to House Appropriations Chairwoman Lowey

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/EW-Lowey.pdf

Interior, Environment

The House Appropriations Committee approved its FY20 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill by a vote of 30 to 21. In total, the draft bill includes $37.28B, an increase of $1.73B over the FY19 enacted level and $7.24B over the President’s FY20 request. There is also an additional $2.25B of funding provided under the fire suppression cap adjustment. 

The bill provides $523.9M for Land and Water Conservation Fund ($85M above FY19 and $491M above the FY20 PBR), $5.21 billion for Wildland Fire Management ($1.6B above FY19 and $49M above the FY20 PBR), $13.79B for the Department of the Interior ($833M above FY19 and $2.41B above the FY20 PBR), $9.52B for the Environmental Protection Agency ($672M above FY19 and $3.42B above the FY20 PBR), $6.3 billion for the Indian Health Service (an increase of $537M above FY19 and $431M above the FY20 PBR), $167.5M each for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, $1.07B for the Smithsonian Institution, $14M for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, $43.5M for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and $61M for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The committee adopted a manager’s amendment from subcommittee chair Betty McCollum (D-MN). 

FY20 Interior Bill Text

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20Interior%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

FY20 Interior Bill Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-interior-environment-funding

FY20 Interior Report

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20190522/109552/HMKP-116-AP00-20190522-SD003.pdf

OMB Letter to House Appropriations Chairwoman Lowey

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Interior-Lowey.pdf

Transportation HUD

The House Transportation HUD Appropriation Subcommittee approved its $137.1BB FY20 spending bill and reported it out by voice vote. The bill is funded at $6B above FY19 enacted levels and $17.3B above the President’s FY20 budget request. The bill includes $75.8B in discretionary funding, an increase of $4.7B over the FY19 enacted level and $17.3B over the President’s FY20 budget request. 

The bill blocks the administration’s public housing rule change on undocumented immigrants in affordable housing, prohibits NHTSA from finalizing a rule that would roll back fuel-economy standards and lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, prohibits future attacks on state meal and rest break laws, and requires all HUD grantees to develop a resiliency plan as part of the consolidated planning process.

FY20 Transportation HUD Bill Text

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20THUD%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

FY20 Transportation HUD Bill Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-transportation-housing-and

FY2020 Appropriations Bills Status

Subcommittee	House Action	Senate Action
Agriculture	Subcommittee: May 23
Commerce Justice Science	Subcommittee: May 17Full Committee: May 22
Defense	Subcommittee: May 15Full Committee: May 21
Energy & Water	Subcommittee: May 15Full Committee: May 21
Financial Services
Homeland Security
Interior Environment	Subcommittee: May 15Full Committee: May 22
Labor HHS Education	Subcommittee: April 30Full Committee: May 8
Legislative Branch	Subcommittee: May 1Full Committee: May 9
Military Construction VA	Subcommittee: May 1Full Committee: May 9
State Foreign Operations	Subcommittee: May 10Full Committee: May 16
Transportation HUD	Subcommittee: May 23

House

The House has marked up and reported out of committee four of its 12 FY20 annual spending bills, and is on track for reporting out another four by the end of next week.

Commerce Justice Science

The House Commerce Justice Science Appropriations subcommittee marked up its $73.9B FY20 spending bill today and reported it out of subcommittee by voice vote. The bill is an increase of $9.78B above FY19 enacted levels. It funds the Department of Commerce at $16.43B ($5.02B above FY19 and $3.96 above the President’s FY20 budget request), the Department of Justice at $32B ($1.07B above FY19), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at $22.32B ($815M above FY19), the National Science Foundation (NSF) at $8.64B ($561.14M above FY19), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at $399.5M ($20M above FY19), and the Legal Services Corporation at $550M ($135M above FY19). The bill does not include the additional funding requested by the administration for the NASA 2024 lunar landing. It does include a provision preventing the U.S. Census Bureau from asking about citizenship on the 2020 census questionnaire. The bill will be marked up in full committee next Wednesday.

FY20 Commerce Justice Science Bill Text

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20CJS%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

FY20 Commerce Justice Science Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-commerce-justice-science

Defense

The House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee approved by voice vote its FY20 spending bill. In total, the bill provides $690.2B for the Department of Defense (DOD), an increase of $15.8B above the FY19 enacted level, and $8B below the President’s budget request. The bill also includes $68.1B in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding. The bill limits DOD’s ability to transfer funds between accounts, which is aimed at the Administration’s plans to move defense funds to pay for a wall on the southern border. It also blocks the sale of the F-35 fighter jet to Turkey. The bill will be marked up in full committee next Tuesday.

FY20 Defense Bill Text

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP02/20190515/109491/BILLS-116–AP-FY2020-Defense.pdf

FY20 Defense Bill Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-defense-funding-bill

Energy & Water

The House Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee approved by voice vote its FY20 bill. In total, the legislation invests $46.4B in Energy and Water Development programs, an increase of $1.8B from FY19. The bill provides $7.36B for the Army Corps of Engineers (an increase of $357M above FY19 and $2.53B above the FY20 PBR), $1.65B for the Department of the Interior/Bureau of Reclamation (an increase of $82.8M above FY19 level and $528M above the FY20 PBR), $37.1B for the Department of Energy (an increase of $1.4B above the FY19 level and $5.6 billion above the FY20 PBR), $130M for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (which is $95K below the FY19 level), $170M for the Appalachian Regional Commission (an increase of $5M above the FY19 level and the FY20 PBR), and $22M Northern Border Regional Commission (an increase of 10% above the FY19 level and $21 million above the FY20 PBR). The bill will be marked up in full committee next Tuesday.

FY20 Energy & Water Bill Text

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20E%26W%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

FY20 Energy & Water Bill Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-energy-and-water-funding-bill

Interior, Environment

The House Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee approved by voice vote its FY20 bill. In total, the draft bill includes $37.28B, an increase of $1.73B over the FY19 enacted level and $7.24B over the President’s FY20 request. There is also an additional $2.25B of funding provided under the fire suppression cap adjustment. 

The bill provides $523.9M for Land and Water Conservation Fund ($85M above FY19 and $491M above the FY20 PBR), $5.21 billion for Wildland Fire Management ($1.6B above FY19 and $49M above the FY20 PBR), $13.79B for the Department of the Interior ($833M above FY19 and $2.41B above the FY20 PBR), $9.52B for the Environmental Protection Agency ($672M above FY19 and $3.42B above the FY20 PBR), $6.3 billion for the Indian Health Service (an increase of $537M above FY19 and $431M above the FY20 PBR), $167.5M each for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, $1.07B for the Smithsonian Institution, $14M for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, $43.5M for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and $61M for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The bill will be marked up in full committee next Wednesday.

FY20 Interior Bill Text

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20Interior%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

FY20 Interior Bill Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-interior-environment-funding

State Foreign Operations

The House Appropriations full committee approved its FY20 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill by a party-line vote of 29 to 23. In total, the bill provides $56.4B in base discretionary funding—$2.2B above the FY19 enacted level and $13.7B above the President’s FY20 budget request. The funding level includes $8B in OCO funding. The committee rejected the administration’s proposed steep cuts to diplomacy and foreign aid as well as several amendments on abortion, family planning, and climate change policies.

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:

• Rep. Lowey – The manager’s amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Rep. Fortenberry #1 – The amendment includes new language supportive of conservation programs in Kenya. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Rep. Stewart – The amendment strikes the permissive authority included in the bill to fund the Indo-Pacific Strategy and inserts a directive for $160 million to be made available for implementation of the strategy. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

FY20 State Foreign Operations Bill Text

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP04/20190510/109464/BILLS-116–AP-FY2020-StateForOp-FY2020DepartmentofStateForeignOperationsandRelatedProgramsSubcommitteeBill.pdf

FY20 State Foreign Operations Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-state-and-foreign-operations

FY20 State Foreign Operations Report

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20190516/109499/HRPT-116-FY2020_SFOPS_Report.pdf

OMB Letter to House Appropriators re: FY20 State Foreign Ops Bill

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SFOp-Lowery.pdf

Senate

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) initially said he hoped to wait for a bipartisan agreement on new spending caps before advancing his bills. But with no such deal in sight, he said last week he hoped to begin marking up bills this summer if the Senate agrees to “deem” a topline number for discretionary spending, as the House did last month. The Senate may propose topline spending levels that keep discretionary spending flat with FY19 levels. And the Senate could begin marking up as early as June. Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Shelley Moore Capito said she heard that her subcommittee would mark up the third week of June. 

FY2020 Appropriations Bills Status

Subcommittee	House Action	Senate Action
Agriculture
Commerce Justice Science	Subcommittee: May 17Full Committee: May 22
Defense	Subcommittee: May 15Full Committee: May 21
Energy & Water	Subcommittee: May 15Full Committee: May 21
Financial Services
Homeland Security
Interior Environment	Subcommittee: May 15Full Committee: May 22
Labor HHS Education	Subcommittee: April 30Full Committee: May 8
Legislative Branch	Subcommittee: May 1Full Committee: May 9
Military Construction VA	Subcommittee: May 1Full Committee: May 9
State Foreign Operations	Subcommittee: May 10Full Committee: May 16
Transportation HUD

The House Appropriations Committee marked up their Labor HHS Education, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs spending bills in full committee this week, and the State Foreign Operations spending bill in subcommittee. 

Labor HHS Education

The House Appropriations Committee approved the $189.876B FY20 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill and reported it out of committee by a vote of 30 to 23. The legislation includes funding for programs within the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and other related agencies, including the Social Security Administration. The bill provides an increase of $11.8B over the FY19 enacted level and $48B over the President’s FY20 budget request.

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:

• Rep. DeLauro #1 – The manager’s amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Rep. DeLauro #2 – The Chair’s amendment increases funding for several programs by allocating the remaining amount of funding available under the subcommittee allocation. It also includes several bill and report language provisions, including a general provision to maintain support for nonemergency medical transportation services for Medicaid beneficiaries who lack access to transportation to health care facilities. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Rep. Harris #1 – The amendment directs the Secretary of Homeland Security on how to allocate H-2B visas. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Rep. Graves – The amendment prohibits funds from being used to replace or diminish the quality of care provided by TRICARE or Medicare. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Rep. Lee – The amendment prohibits funds from being used to finalize, implement, or enforce a new Trump Administration rule that allows medical professionals and health workers to deny care based on personal beliefs. The amendment was adopted on a vote of 30 to 23.
• Rep. Harris #3 – The amendment increases funding for the Strategic National Stockpile by $300 million using unobligated balances from the Children’s Health Insurance Program to pay for the increase. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

FY20 Labor HHS Education Bill Text

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20190508/109441/BILLS-116-FC-AP-FY2020-AP00-FY2020Labor-HHS-EducationFullCommitteeDraftBill.pdf

FY20 Labor HHS Education Report

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20190508/109441/HRPT-116-FY2020_LHHSED_Report.pdf

OMB Letter to House Chairwoman Lowey re: FY20 Labor HHS Bill

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Lowey.pdf

Legislative Branch

The House Appropriations Committee approved their $3.972B FY20 Legislative Branch bill and reported it out of committee by a vote of 28 to 22. The legislation funds the Legislative Branch of the U.S. government, including the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressional Budget Office, and Capitol Police. The bill appropriates $164M more than what was enacted in FY19. It also restarts the Office of Technology Assessment, boosts funding for intern compensation, and permits “Dreamers” to work on the Hill. In keeping with longstanding practice whereby each chamber of Congress determines its own housekeeping requirements and the other concurs without intervention, the House bill does not include funds for the Senate or for Senate office buildings.

FY20 Legislative Branch Bill Text

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20190509/109454/BILLS-116-FC-AP-FY2020-AP00-FY2020LegislativeBranch.pdf

FY20 Legislative Branch Report

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20190509/109454/HRPT-116-FY2020_LegBranch_Report.pdf

OMB Letter to House Chairwoman Lowey re: FY20 Legislative Branch Bill

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/letter_fy2020_legislative_branch_appropriations_bill.pdf

Military Construction-Veterans Affairs

The House Appropriations Committee approved the $108.1B FY20 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill and reported it out of committee by a vote of 31 to 21. The legislation funds the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, and other related agencies, including the American Battle Monuments Commission and Armed Forces Retirement Home. The bill provides $10.1 billion above the FY19 enacted level. The $108.1B funding level includes $921M in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding as well as $2B for emergency needs related to Hurricanes Michael and Florence at military bases in North Carolina and Florida.

The bill included bill text and report language barring President Trump from using military constructing money to fund his border wall. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) offered an amendment during the full committee markup to eliminate this provision. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 22 to 31. Rep. Judge Carter (R-TX) then offered an amendment to add $7.2B to the bill for border security. His amendment also was defeated by a vote of 21 to 31. This language is unlikely to survive in the Senate, and is specifically called out in Acting OMB Director Russell Vought’s letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY). 

FY20 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Bill Text

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20190509/109454/BILLS-116–AP-FY2020-AP00-FY2020MilitaryConstructionandVeteransAffairs.pdf

FY20 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Report

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20190509/109454/HRPT-116-FY2020_MILCON_Report.pdf

OMB Letter to House Chairwoman Lowey re: FY20 MilCon-VA Bill

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/letter_fy2020_militaryconstruction_va_appropriations_bill.pdf

State Foreign Operations

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs approved its FY20 bill by voice vote. In total, the bill provides $56.4B in base discretionary funding—$2.2B above the FY19 enacted level and $13.7B above the President’s FY20 budget request. The funding level includes $8B in OCO funding. The committee rejected the administration’s proposed steep cuts to diplomacy and foreign aid. The bill next heads to the full Committee for markup.

FY20 State Foreign Operations Bill Text

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP04/20190510/109464/BILLS-116–AP-FY2020-StateForOp-FY2020DepartmentofStateForeignOperationsandRelatedProgramsSubcommitteeBill.pdf

FY2020 Appropriations Bills Status

Subcommittee	House Action	Senate Action
Agriculture
Commerce Justice Science
Defense	Subcommittee: May 15
Energy & Water
Financial Services
Homeland Security
Interior Environment
Labor HHS Education	Subcommittee: April 30Full Committee: May 8
Legislative Branch	Subcommittee: May 1Full Committee: May 9
Military Construction VA	Subcommittee: May 1Full Committee: May 9
State Foreign Operations	Subcommittee: May 10
Transportation HUD

The House kicked off the FY20 appropriations process this week and marked up three of their annual spending bills. All bills are expected to be marked up in the full committee next week. On the Senate side, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) said that he is waiting to see if congressional leaders can reach agreement on the spending caps before he starts marking up the FY20 spending bills.

	FY19 Enacted	FY20 (Cap)	FY20 President’s Budget Request	FY20 House Budget Committee	FY21 (Cap)	FY21 House Budget Committee
Defense	$647.0B	$576.2B	$576.0B	$664.0B	$590.1B	$680.119B
OCO & Emergency Defense	$69.0B		$174.0B	$69.0B		$69.0B
Total Defense	$716.0B	$576.2B	$750.0B	$733.0B	$590.1B	$749.119B
Non-Defense	$597.0B	$542.1B	$543.0B	$631.018B	$554.6B	$646.056B
OCO Non-Defense	$8.0B			$8.0B		$8.0B
Disaster Relief	$12.0B		$19.0B
Program Integrity Init.	$1.897B		$2.0B
Emergency Require.	$1.68B
Wildfire Suppression			$2.0B
Total Non-Defense	$620.577B	$542.1B	$567.0B	$639.018B	$554.6B	$654.056B

Labor HHS Education

The House Labor HHS Education Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its FY20 spending bill this week and passed it out of subcommittee by voice vote that appeared to be along party lines. 

The bill provides $189.8B in discretionary funding; an increase of $11.7B over FY19 enacted levels and $47.8B over the President’s FY20 budget request. The Department of Labor is funded at $13.3B ($1.2B above FY19 and $2.4B above the President’s budget request), the Department of Health and Human Services is funded at $99.0B ($8.5B above FY19 and $20.9B above the President’s budget request), and the Department of Education is funded at $75.9B ($4.4B above FY19 and $11.9B above the President’s budget request). The bill also provides $1.14B for the Corporation for National and Community Service, $495M for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, $257M for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, $342M for the National Labor Relations Board, and $13B for the Social Security Administration’s operating expenses.

Bill Text

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20LHHS%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-labor-hhs-education-funding

Legislative Branch

The House Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its FY20 spending bill in subcommittee this week and also approved it by a party line voice vote. 

The bill appropriates $3.943B for the legislative branch, $135M or 3.6% above FY19. In keeping with longstanding practice whereby each chamber of Congress determines its own requirements and the other concurs without intervention, the bill does not include funds for the Senate or for Senate office buildings. 

The bill includes an $11M funding increase to allow Congressional offices to pay their interns. It also restores the Office of Technology Assessment, which helps Congress understand the potential and the risks of technology developments and the policy options for addressing issues those developments raise. The bill also includes funding for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) (a $26M increase), the Architect of the Capitol (a $26M decrease), the Capitol Police (a $7M increase), and the Library of Congress (a $24M increase). Finally, the bill includes language permitting the Legislative Branch agencies to employ “Dreamers” – residents of the U.S. brought to the U.S. as children without proper immigration status – who hold employment authorization under the DACA program.

Bill Text

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20Leg%20Branch%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20Leg%20Branch%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

Military Construction-Veterans Affairs

The House Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its FY20 funding bill this week and approved it by voice vote (mostly along party line votes as Ranking Member Granger voted no, but Rep. Carter voted yes). 

The bill funds the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, and other related agencies, including the American Battle Monuments Commission and Armed Forces Retirement Home. In total, the legislation provides $108.1B in discretionary funding – $10B above the FY19 enacted level. This includes $921M in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding as well as $2B for emergency needs related to Hurricanes Michael and Florence at military bases in North Carolina and Florida.

Within this total, discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is increased by $7.8B (9%) over the FY19 enacted level, including funding to increase access to services for veterans, and to increase oversight and accountability within the department. Funding for military construction is 

Bill Text

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/democrats.appropriations.house.gov/files/FY2020%20MilCon-VA%20Sub%20Markup%20Draft.pdf

Summary

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/appropriations-committee-releases-fiscal-year-2020-military-construction

FY2020 Appropriations Bills Status

Subcommittee	House Action	Senate Action
Agriculture
Commerce Justice Science
Defense	Subcommittee: May 15
Energy & Water
Financial Services
Homeland Security
Interior Environment
Labor HHS Education	Subcommittee: April 30
Legislative Branch	Subcommittee: May 1
Military Construction VA	Subcommittee: May 1
State Foreign Operations
Transportation HUD