Inside (the Beltway) Scoop

By: Ellen Kuo
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Senate Appropriators Pass Two Key Federal Research Spending Bills Before Recess

The Senate adjourned for the August recess, one week after the House left a week earlier than expected. Before leaving, Senate appropriators completed the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, and the Energy and Water bills. 

The Senate Appropriations Committee provides $50.3 billion in base discretionary funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—an increase of $2.05 billion over fiscal year (FY) 2024. In addition, it includes $127 million in Cures Act authorized funding, for a total of $50.35 billion for NIH to propel lifesaving and life-changing cures and treatments across NIH’s 27 institutes and centers and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The bill sustains $1.5 billion for ARPA-H.

Under the Cures Act, $45.5 million is transferred to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, $45.5 million to the National Institute of Mental Health for the BRAIN Initiative, and $36 million to the Office of the Director for the All of Us precision medicine initiative. The committee also includes $1.4 billion in transfers available under section 241 of the PHS Act (Public Law 78–410 as amended), for a total program level for NIH of $50.3 billion. The Department of Energy Office of Science received $8.6 billion, an increase of $360 million compared to the final FY 2024 level. The committee could not finish all 12 bills before the recess, leaving the Homeland Security bill unconsidered. The Senate has not taken any of its spending bills to the floor.

The House has passed five of 12 FY 2025 spending bills that continue to push the Republican party line of enormous federal spending cuts and culture war riders that Democrats oppose vehemently.  When lawmakers return to Washington on September 9, they will need to address the September 30 cutoff for FY 2024 funding by passing a continuing resolution that could last until after the November election and possibly as long as mid-December. Generally, lawmakers also want to pass a disaster supplemental. However, there is a different view from ranking Senate Appropriator Susan Collins, who advocates for a continuing resolution to only cover funding bills that both chambers cannot pass by the September 30 deadline. Many believe this scenario is less likely because of the time needed to conference those bills by both chambers and have them signed into law.