May 14, 2010
J.R. Reskovac
Sarah Strup
Appropriations
Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $58.8 billion FY10 supplemental appropriations bill that includes a little more than half of the Obama Administration’s emergency request in response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) included $68 million in the Disaster Relief and Summer Jobs Act of 2010 (HR 4899) in order to begin tackling the drilling accident that has already leaked millions of gallons of oil in the gulf. On May 12, Obama had asked Congress for roughly $118 million for the spill, but Inouye said an initial review indicated that many of the requested items would need more time to be approved by the committees of jurisdiction.
Yesterday, a manager’s package was adopted by voice vote and includes $29 million for the Department of the Interior to examine offshore drilling operations, $2 million for the Environmental Protection Agency to review the safety of chemical dispersants being used in the cleanup and $10 million for the Department of Justice for legal expenses related to the spill. The Food and Drug Administration would also receive $2 million to monitor seafood for effects of the spill.
