House
The House of Representatives considered the FY19 Energy & Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs appropriations minibus on the House floor this week. The bill was passed by a vote of 235 to 179. The White House sent a Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) to Congress before the considered the minibus spending package.While the White House had some concerns over funding levels for specific programs in the three bills as well as the overall higher non-defense spending caps for FY19, the SAP did not include a veto threat.
White House Statement of Administration Policy on FY19 Energy & Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Spending Bills
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/saphr5895hr_20180605.pdf
House FY19 Defense Appropriations Bill
The House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee approved its $674.6B FY19 spending bill this week. The bill provides $606.5B in base discretionary funding (an increase of $17.1B above FY18) and $68.1B in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding. House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Kay Granger (R-TX) expects the full committee to markup the bill next week.
House FY19 Defense Appropriations Bill Text
House FY19 Defense Appropriations Bill Summary
https://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395335
House FY19 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill
The House Appropriations Committee approved its $35.252 FY19 Interior and Environment spending bill by a vote of 25 to 20. The bill’s FY19 funding level is equal to its FY18 enacted level.
Republicans defeated most Democratic attempts to attach amendments related to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s long list of ethical, spending and personnel entanglements. One such amendment, limiting the amount the EPA can spend on individual fountain pens to $50, earned bipartisan support after reports that Administrator Pruitt ordered a $1,560 set of 12 fountain pens.
The full committee adopted the following amendments to the bill:
- Calvert– The Manager’s amendment makes technical and non-controversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Newhouse– The amendment prohibits funding to reintroduce grizzly bears into certain areas in the State of Washington. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Aderholt/Rep. Visclosky –The amendment ensures that existing “Buy America” standards at the EPA are maintained. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Cole– The amendment adds report language regarding EPA’s 2010 guidance issued under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act to provide clarity to states and tribes on certain certifications. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Stewart– The amendment adds bill language allowing the Department of Interior to use sterilization in the management of wild horses and burros. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Amodei– The amendment prohibits funding for the Interior Department to issue a final rule on the “Bi-State” district population of the greater Sage Grouse. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Herrera Beutler– The amendment prohibits funding for U.S. Fish and Wildlife to require certain additional land to be set-aside for conservation of the marbled murrelet. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Valadao– The amendment adds language exempting certain California water projects from additional judicial review, which causes unnecessary delays. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Harris– The amendment adds report language related to the E-15 education outreach program at the EPA. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Kaptur– The amendment adds report language encouraging the EPA to review the backlog of applications related to biogas fuel pathways under the Renewable Fuels Program. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Amodei– The amendment prohibits funding for the EPA to require the transfer of groundwater rights as a condition for approving certain permits. The amendment was adopted on a vote of 26-21.
- Cole– The amendment adds bill language ensuring that trust and treaty obligations are met related to Alaska Native oil and gas revenue sharing. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
- Kaptur– The amendment prohibits funding for the EPA to purchase fountain pens costing more than $50 each. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.
House FY19 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill Text
House FY19 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill Summary
https://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395297
House FY19 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill Report Language
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20180606/108402/HRPT-115-HR.pdf
Senate
The Senate Appropriations Committee marked up the FY19 Energy & Water and Agriculture spending bills and reported them out of the full committee on May 24. Mick Mulvaney, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget Administration, sent letters to Chairman Shelby (R-AL) this week that addressed the administration’s concerns with the Senate bills. The letters don’t threaten a veto, but instead end with a comment that the administration wants to work with the Senate to address their concerns.
OMB Letter to Senate Appropriators re: FY19 Agriculture Bill
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Shelby_Agriculture.pdf
OMB Letter to Senate Appropriators re: FY19 Energy & Water Bill
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Shelby_Energy_Water.pdf
Senate FY19 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its $97.1B FY19 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs spending bill in subcommittee and full committee this week, and reported the measure out of full committee by a vote of 31 to 0. The FY19 recommended funding level is $5.1B above the FY18 enacted level.
The bill provides $10.3B to fund 169 military construction projects ($228M above the FY18 level) and $86.4B in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs ($5B above FY18). The bill also provided $75.7B in FY2020 advance discretionary funding for veterans health care, and $121.3B in FY2020 advance mandatory funding for veterans benefits. And the legislation includes funding for the American Battle Monuments Commission ($81M), U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims ($35M), Arlington National Cemetery ($137.4M), and the Armed Forces Retirement Home ($64.3M).
Senate FY19 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill Text
Senate FY19 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill Summary – Republicans
Senate FY19 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill Summary – Democrats
Senate FY19 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill Report Language
Senate FY19 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill Manager’s Package
Senate FY19 Transportation HUD Appropriations Bill
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its $71.417B FY19 Transportation HUD spending bill in subcommittee and full committee this week and reported the bill out of full committee by a vote of 31 to 0. The FY19 recommended funding level is $1.117B above the FY18 enacted level and $23.421B more than the President’s FY19 budget request. The bill provides $26.6B in discretionary appropriations for the Department of Transportation ($698M above FY18) and $44.5B for the Department of Housing and Urban Development ($1.8B above FY18).
Senate FY19 Transportation HUD Appropriations Bill Text
Senate FY19 Transportation HUD Appropriations Bill Summary – Republicans
Senate FY19 Transportation HUD Appropriations Bill Summary – Democrats
Senate FY19 Transportation HUD Appropriations Bill Report Language
Senate FY19 Transportation HUD 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 |
Subcommittee: June 12
Full Committee: June 14 |
| Defense | Subcommittee: June 7
Full Committee: June 13 |
Week of June 25-29 |
| Energy & Water | Subcommittee: May 7
Full Committee: May 16 Floor: June 8 |
Subcommittee: May 22
Full Committee: May 24 |
| Financial Services | Subcommittee: May 24
Full Committee: June 13 |
Week of June 18-22 |
| Homeland Security | Week of June 18-22 | |
| Interior Environment | Subcommittee: May 15
Full Committee: June 6 |
Subcommittee: June 12
Full Committee: June 14 |
| Labor HHS Education | Subcommittee: Week of June 11
Full Committee: Week of June 18 |
Week of June 25-29 |
| Legislative Branch | Subcommittee: April 26
Full Committee: May 8 Floor: June 8 |
Full Committee: June 14 |
| Military Construction VA | Subcommittee: April 26
Full Committee: May 8 Floor: June 8 |
Subcommittee: June 5
Full Committee: June 7 |
| State Foreign Operations | Subcommittee: June 13 | Week of June 18-22 |
| Transportation HUD | Subcommittee: May 16
Full Committee: May 23 |
Subcommittee: June 5
Full Committee: June 7 |