July 23, 2010
J.R. Reskovac
Sarah Strup
Appropriations- Subcommittee Markups
Commerce/Justice/Science
Thursday, Senate Appropriators approved a $60.1 billion discretionary bill, $400 million less than requested and $4.3 billion below 2010. This is primarily because 2010 spending for the Census Bureau was significantly boosted for the agency to conduct its required 10-year count. The bill ratifies the compromise NASA human spaceflight strategy approved last week by the Senate Commerce Committee.
Energy/Water
Senate Appropriations on Thursday approved a $35.0 billion bill, which is $1.5 billion more than current funding but $376 million below the request. Appropriators rejected an effort to restore funding for the proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.
Interior/Environment
The House subcommittee on Thursday approved a $32.2 billion discretionary measure, which is the same as current funding but $134 million less than requested. The measure would take several actions in response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, including temporary suspensions of further offshore leasing or pre-leasing activities for oil drilling along most U.S. coasts and doubling the number of offshore federal inspectors.
Transportation/HUD
Senate Appropriations approved a $67.9 billion discretionary bill yesterday, which the subcommittee says matches current funding but is about $800 million below the request. On Tuesday, House Appropriations approved its $67.4 billion discretionary version, which is expected to go to the floor next week.
Budget/Economy
The Senate sent a $58.8 billion fiscal 2010 supplemental spending bill back to the House last night hoping the long- delayed measure will reach final passage. Top of FormThe Senate’s plan is focused on funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, veterans’ programs and disaster relief, unlike the $82 billion House version that includes funding for numerous domestic programs.
The Senate effectively rejected the House version of the measure (HR 4899) in a procedural vote late Thursday, 46-51. It then sent a cut-back version of the supplemental, originally passed in May, back to the House by unanimous consent.
In other budget related news, Senate Democrats also invoked cloture on a key amendment to the Small Business Lending Fund Act of 2010 (HR 5297) last night. The bill will help establish a $30 billion lending fund for small businesses, but the timetable for a final verdict on the issue is uncertain.
Senators voted 60-37, to add the fund to a package that already includes about $14 billion in tax incentives and expansions to government programs that assist small businesses. Those provisions are generally not controversial. The fund is also strongly backed by the White House, and would give preferential interest rates to community banks that increase loans to small firms.
Environment
As part of the continuing congressional response to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the House on Wednesday passed by voice vote a pair of bills to promote safer deep-water drilling technologies and improve cleanup responses to future spills. One bill (HR 5716) would overhaul the Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Resources Program, which was created in a 2005 energy law (PL 109-58) intended to promote research and development for deep-water oil and natural gas production. The research and development bill would require a greater focus on, and direct more money toward, safety and environmental protection.
The other bill (HR 2693) would more than double the authorized funding for the Interagency Oil Spill Research and Development Program, which was created by the 1990 Oil Pollution Act (PL 101-380) and is designed to coordinate federal research into new technologies that would prevent and respond to oil spills.
Employment
The House cleared on Thursday an extension of unemployment benefits that President Obama swiftly signed into law. The measure (HR 4213) passed 272-152, and would extend federal unemployment benefits for workers who have exhausted their normal six months of benefits through November 30 and make that extension retroactive to June 2, when the benefits last expired.
The legislation also would provide 100 percent federal funding to state unemployment programs to cover additional implementation costs. It does not however, include an additional $25 in weekly benefits that were originally provided by the 2009 economic stimulus law (PL 111-5).
Washington Outlook
Next week in the Senate, a subcommittee markup of the FY11 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill is slated for Tuesday, July 27. Also scheduled next Tuesday is a subcommittee markup of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies, FY11 appropriations bill.
The House is expected to bring the first two FY11 appropriations bills to the floor next week- the Transportation-HUD and the Military Construction-VA spending bills (HR 5822). The Military Construction-VA legislation includes increased funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, in part to help pay for new medical claims from thousands of Vietnam War veterans exposed to the defoliant Agent Orange.
Next Tuesday, the House has scheduled a Defense Subcommittee markup and full committee markups for the FY11 Agriculture and Homeland Security bills. In an effort to wrap up legislative loose ends before leaving town, the House will also take up numerous measures under suspension of the rules next week. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) left open the possibility of a Saturday session.
The Senate may also consider an energy bill next week, although not the comprehensive proposals that Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) had hoped to advance.
