This week, Congress approved a second continuing resolution to fund government programs and the District of Columbia until December 8, 2006. The Senate approved the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies spending bill. To date, only two of the eleven FY2007 spending bills have been signed into law: Department of Defense and Homeland Security.
Continuing Resolution
On November 15, the House approved, by voice vote, a second continuing resolution (H. J. Res. 100) to fund government programs until December 8, 2006. The Senate approved the resolution by unanimous consent later the same day. A previous continuing resolution expires at midnight on November 17. The president is expected to sign the bill into law.
Under the continuing resolution, government programs and the District of Columbia would be funded at their FY2006 level, the FY2007 level set in the House-passed bill, or the FY2007 level set in the Senate-passed bill, whichever is lowest.
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
On November 14, the Senate approved, by voice vote, the FY2007 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies spending bill (H.R. 5385). The bill would provide $94.3 billion for FY2007, including $16.3 billion for military construction and family housing projects, $77.9 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and $143 million for veterans’ spending at other agencies, including the American Battle Monuments Commission. The House-approved version would provide $94.7 billion in discretionary spending for FY2007. The House approved the bill on May 19 (see The Source, 5/19/06). A House and Senate conference committee will now meet to work out differences in the two versions of the bill.
An amendment by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) to direct $18 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs to Vet Centers for mental health services for veterans who served in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan was approved by voice vote. An amendment by Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) to require the secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a study of costs associated with the Comprehensive Service Programs for homeless veterans was approved by unanimous consent.
Department of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would receive $36.493 billion in discretionary funding for FY2007, $2.241 billion more than FY2006 and an amount equal to the administration’s request.
