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‘Minibus’ Congressional appropriations by the numbers

The House and the Senate voted to approve appropriations bills for Agriculture; Commmerce, Justice and Science agencies; and the Departments of Transportation a...

Federal News Network Staff

November 18, 2011 6:21 am

< a min read

By Jack Moore
Federal News Radio

Facing unceasing partisan wrangling and top-line spending numbers dictated by last summer’s debt ceiling compromise, Congress has opted for a different sort of budget-making process.

Judging from House and Senate votes Thursday approving grouped-together appropriations bills covering $182 billion in agency spending — it just might be working.

The House and the Senate voted to approve appropriations bills for Agriculture; Commerce, Justice and Science agencies; and the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. Taken together this is the “minibus.”

A continuing resolution was also attached to the spending bills, funding the government through the middle of next month.

Below, find the budget numbers for various agencies and departments covered by the spending bills.

Under the August debt ceiling compromise, 2012 discretionary spending was capped at $1.043 trillion, which is about $7 billion less than 2011 levels.

Agriculture

Department/agency

2012 funding

Comparison

Highlights/details

Agriculture Department

$19.8 billion

— $350 million below 2011 levels

— $2.5 billion below president’s request

The measure cuts funding for agriculture research and conservation programs, while the Food Safety and Inspection Service, funded at $1 billion, remains unchanged.

Food and Drug Administration

$2.5 billion

— $50 million above 2011 levels

— $234 million below president’s request

Commerce

Department/agency	2012 funding	Comparison	Hightlights/details
*Commerce Department*	$7.6 billion	— $26 million above 2011 levels — $1.2 billion below president’s request
*Patent and Trademark Office*	$2.7 billion	— $588 million above 2011 levels — fulfills president’s full request	Under the legislation, PTO will also be able to keep and use the excess fees it collects.
*NIST*	$751 million	— $33 million above 2011
*NOAA*	$4.9 billion	— $306 million above 2011 levels — $592 million below president’s request	Includes $924 million for the Joint Polar Satellite Systems, but does not include funding to establish a new NOAA Climate Service.
*Census Bureau*	$888 million	— $261 million below 2011 levels	Lower level funding levels are due to the end of the 2010 census, lawmakers said.

Justice

Department/agency

2012 funding

Comparison

Hightlights/details

Justice Department

$27.1 billion

— $18 million above 2011 levels

— $1.3 billion below president’s request

FBI

$8.1 billion

— $200 million above 2011 levels

Funding will increase for the cybersecurity division as well as its weapons-of-mass-destruction programs

Science agencies

Department/agency

2012 funding

Comparison

Hightlights/details

NASA

$17.8 billion

— $648 million below 2011 levels

— $924 million below president’s request

Funding for space exploration and space operations has decreased, while funding for the James Webb Space Telescope will increase.

National Science Foundation

$7 billion

— $173 million above 2011 levels

— $734 million below president’s request

Transportation/HUD

Department/agency

2012 funding

Comparison

Hightlights/details

Transportation Department

$17.8 billion

— $4.1 billion above 2011 levels

— $14.7 billion below president’s request

Includes $500 million for National Infrastructure Investments. Another $39.9 billion was set aside for the federal highway program in the latest surface transportation extension act.

FAA

$12.5 billion

— $137 million above 2011 levels

Includes $878 million for the NextGen program.

Housing and Urban Development

$37.3 billion

— $3.8 billion below 2011 levels

— $4.7 billion below president’s request

Source:
House Appropriations Committee
Senate Appropriations Committee.

(NOTE: Numbers are approximate.)