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
FY20 Agriculture Bill Summary
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
FY20 Commerce Justice Science Summary
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
FY 20 Defense Report
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
FY20 Energy & Water Bill Summary
FY20 Energy & Water Report
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
FY20 Interior Bill Summary
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
FY20 Transportation HUD Bill Summary
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 |