Congress Completes Appropriations Work with Passage of “Megabus” Bill

On December 16, the House approved, 296-121, the conference report for the FY2012 omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 3671). The Senate approved the legislation on December 17, by a vote of 67-32. The measure combines the nine outstanding FY2012 spending bills: Defense; Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Legislative Branch; Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies; and State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. The legislation complies with the provisions of the Budget Control Act (P.L. 112-25), which capped discretionary spending at $1.043 trillion. The president is expected to sign the legislation into law.

On December 16, Congress passed a short-term continuing resolution to fund the government through December 23, which would allow time for the enactment of the “megabus” bill.

In November, Congress approved a “minibus” spending bill (P.L. 112-55) that included the FY2012 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies spending bills and contained the current CR (see The Source, 11/18/11).

According to the House Appropriations Committee summary of the conference report, the legislation would provide $915 billion in discretionary funding for FY2012. This amount is $6 billion below FY2011 and more than $70 billion below President Obama’s request.

The charts below recap funding levels for various programs important to women and their families.

Defense

The conference report would provide $518.1 billion in discretionary funds in FY2012 for programs at the Department of Defense. This amount is $5.1 billion over FY2011, but $20.8 billion below the president’s request. The House approved its version of H.R. 2219 on July 8 (see The Source, 7/11/11). The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version on September 15 (see The Source, 9/16/11).

School districts that educate significant numbers of military-dependent children would receive $45 million in FY2012.

Financial Services and General Government

The measure would provide $21.5 billion in discretionary funding for FY2012. This amount is $222 million below FY2011 and $4.2 billion below the administration’s request. The House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the bill (H.R. 2434) on June 23 (see The Source, 6/24/11); the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its bill (S. 1573) on September 15 (see The Source, 9/16/11).

The report maintains the ban against the use of federal and local funds for abortions in the District of Columbia, as well as the ban against the use of federal funds for abortions within the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

The legislation would provide $5 million for HIV/AIDS prevention in the District of Columbia.

Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies

The conference report provides $156.3 billion in discretionary funds for FY2012. The total is $1.1 billion below FY2011 and $24.5 billion below the administration’s request. The amount includes $14.5 billion for the Department of Labor, $69.7 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, and $71.3 billion for the Department of Education.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its bill (S. 1599) on September 21 (see The Source 9/23/11). The House Appropriations Committee did not consider its version of the legislation (H.R. 3070).

The report provides $5 million for abstinence education. The program was not funded in FY2011 and it was not included in the president’s FY2012 budget request.

Legislative Branch

The measure would provide $4.3 billion in FY2012. This amount is $237 million below FY2011 and $550 million below the agencies’ requests. The House passed its version of the legislation on July 31, while the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its bill on September 15 (see The Source, 7/22/11, 9/16/11).

The conference report does not specify funding levels for the House and Senate child care facilities.

Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies

The conference report provides $71.7 billion in discretionary funds for military construction projects and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs in FY2012. This amount is $1.4 billion below FY2011 and $2.1 billion below the administration’s request. The House approved its version of H.R 2055 on June 14 (see The Source, 6/17/11), while the Senate passed its version on July 20 (see The Source, 7/22/11).

State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs

The conference report would provide $42.1 billion in discretionary funds for programs at the State Department, USAID, and other international organizations. According to the summary, this amount is more than $6 billion below FY2011 and $8.7 billion below the president’s request.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the measure (S. 1601) on September 21 (see The Source, 9/23/11). The House Appropriations Committee did not draft a spending bill.

The overall amount provided for bilateral economic assistance is $21.3 billion, which the summary notes is $2.2 billion below FY2011 and $4.9 billion below the president’s request.

The measure continues the prohibition on funding for abortions (Helms Amendment); funding to international organizations that support coercive or involuntary abortions (Kemp-Kasten Amendment); and ensures that all family planning programs are voluntary (Tiahrt Amendment). The conference report does not reinstate the Mexico City policy that bans funding to international organizations that perform abortions.

*The measure would provide $36 million in overall funding to combat trafficking in persons. It does not specify an amount for the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

**Reflects FY2010 funding levels, as programs within International Organizations and Programs continued to operate under continuing resolution P.L. 111-242.