The House and Senate Appropriations Committees continued work on their FY19 spending bills this week. The House Appropriations Committee marked up its Financial Services spending bill in subcommittee and its Transportation HUD spending bill in full committee. The committee was scheduled to mark up its Interior Environment spending bill in full committee on Tuesday, but postponed the markup as the chairman was ill.
The House will consider a minibus FY19 appropriations package on the House floor when they return the week of June 4. The minibus will include the Energy & Water, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and Legislative Branch spending bills. These three bills tend to be less controversial and easier to pass. Members of Congress wishing to offer amendments to this minibus spending bill must submit them by 10 am on Wednesday, May 30.
The Senate Appropriations Committee marked up their Energy & Water and Agriculture spending bills in subcommittee and full committee this week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that the Senate will follow the House lead on considering bills in a minibus strategy and will begin taking up their bills in June.
House
House FY19 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill
The House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee marked up and reported out its $23.4B FY19 spending bill this week. The bill provides funding for the Treasury Department, the Judiciary, the Small Business Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, and other related agencies. The proposed overall FY19 funding level for the bill is equal to the FY18 enacted level.
The bill funds the Internal Revenue Service at $11.6B (increase of $186M over FY18), the FCC at $355M, the SBA at $737M, the General Services Administration at $8.6B, and the SEC at $1.66B ($201M below FY18. The bill also includes $150M for the Technology Modernization Fund for upgrades and improvements to IT systems across the government.
The bill also includes some policy riders that prohibit the following: federal and local funds from being used for abortion, further marijuana legalization, federal funds from being used for needle exchanges and the supervised consumption of any Schedule I substances in the District of Columbia, funds for the DC Death with Dignity Act and fully repeals the local legislation, funds for enforcement of the DC Reproductive Non-Discrimination Act, the use of funds in the Federal Employee Health Benefits program for abortion, funding to require that entities applying for or conducting work under federal contracts disclose campaign contributions. And the bill includes a provision maintaining the six-day mail delivery requirement for the Postal Service.
House FY19 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill Text
House FY19 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill Summary
https://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395326
House FY19 Transportation, HUD, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
The House Appropriations Committee approved its $71.8B FY19 Transportation HUD spending bill by a vote of 34 to 17. The bill is $1.5B over the FY18 enacted level and $23.8B above the President’s FY18 budget request. The bill includes $27.8B for the Department of Transportation ($542M above FY18) and $43.6B for the Department of Housing and Urban Development ($941M above FY18).
The full committee adopted the following amendments to the bill:
- Diaz-Balart – The manager’s amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Fleischmann – The amendment adds report language directing the Department of Transportation to report on any updated findings on the impact of increasing the length of twin-trailer trucks to 33 feet. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Wasserman Schultz – The amendment adds $46 million to the Housing for the Elderly program, offset by a decrease in highway grants. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
House FY19 Transportation, HUD, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill Text
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20180523/108366/BILLS-115-FC-AP-FY2019-AP00-THUD_Bill.pdf
House FY19 Transportation, HUD, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill Summary
https://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395298
House FY19 Transportation, HUD, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill Report Language
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20180523/108366/HRPT-115-HR.pdf
OMB Letter to the House on the FY19 THUD Appropriations Bill
Senate
Senate FY19 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its $145.1B FY19 Agriculture spending bill in subcommittee and full committee, and reported the measure out of full committee by a vote of 31-0. The FY19 recommended funding level is $710M below the FY18 enacted level. The discretionary funding level of $23.235B is $225M above the FY18 enacted level. Mandatory funding in the bill totals $121.8B.
Senate FY19 Agriculture Appropriations Bill Text
Senate FY19 Agriculture Appropriations Bill Summary
https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/committee-advances-fy2019-agriculture-appropriations-bill
Senate FY19 Agriculture Appropriations Bill Report Language
Senate FY19 Agriculture Appropriations Bill Manager’s Package
https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/052418-FY19%20Ag%20Manager’s%20Package1.pdf
Senate FY19 Energy & Water Appropriations Bill
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its $43.8B FY19 Energy & Water spending bill in subcommittee and full committee this week and reported the bill out of full committee by a vote of 30-1. The FY19 recommended funding level is $566M over the FY18 enacted level.
Senate FY19 Energy & Water Appropriations Bill Text
Senate FY19 Energy & Water Appropriations Bill Summary
Senate FY19 Energy & Water Appropriations Bill Report Language
Senate FY19 Energy & Water Appropriations Bill Manager’s Package
FY2019 Appropriations Bills Status
| Subcommittee | House Action | Senate Action |
| Agriculture | Subcommittee: May 9
Full Committee: May 16 |
Subcommittee: May 22
Full Committee: May 24 |
| Commerce Justice Science | Subcommittee: May 9
Full Committee: May 17 |
Week of June 11-15 |
| Defense | Week of June 25-29 | |
| Energy & Water | Subcommittee: May 7
Full Committee: May 16 |
Subcommittee: May 22
Full Committee: May 24 |
| Financial Services | Subcommittee: May 24 | Week of June 18-22 |
| Homeland Security | Week of June 18-22 | |
| Interior Environment | Subcommittee: May 15
Full Committee: May 22 |
Week of June 11-15 |
| Labor HHS Education | Week of June 25-29 | |
| Legislative Branch | Subcommittee: April 26
Full Committee: May 8 |
Week of June 11-15 |
| Military Construction VA | Subcommittee: April 26
Full Committee: May 8 |
Week of June 4-8 |
| State Foreign Operations | Week of June 18-22 | |
| Transportation HUD | Subcommittee: May 16
Full Committee: May 23 |
Week of June 4-8 |