On November 20, Congress approved an omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 4818) that contained nine of the thirteen remaining spending bills. On the same day, both the House and Senate approved a continuing resolution (H. J. Res. 114) to keep government programs operating through December 3. Despite final approval, during its consideration of the conference report, the Senate stripped a provision that would have allowed the Appropriations chairs and their staff to review individuals’ tax returns. As a result, the House will return on November 24 to act on that correction, which will then send the legislation to the White House for President Bush’s signature. Both the House and Senate may return the week of December 6 for the possible consideration of a conference report for the intelligence overhaul bill.
The House approved, 344-51, the conference report for the FY2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 4818) on November 20. The Senate approved the measure later that day by a vote of 65-30. The final bill incorporates the following nine spending bills that were still pending when Congress recessed for the 2004 election: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development; Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs; Department of Interior and Related Agencies; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies; Legislative Branch; Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies; and Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies.
Prior to the lame duck session, only four of the thirteen spending bills had been enacted into law: Department of Defense (P.L. 108-287), Military Construction (P.L. 108-324), Department of Homeland Security (P.L. 108-334), and District of Columbia (P.L. 108-335).
WPI will publish a FY2005 Appropriations Summary on November 23.
