Inside (the Beltway) Scoop

By: Ellen Kuo
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Senate Appropriators Begin Markup of Science Funding Bills at Full Committee

The Senate Appropriations Committee completed its full committee consideration of the Agriculture, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (VA), and Legislative Branch measures before leaving for a two-week recess in July. The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative received $445.2 million and the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research Program $878 million. All bills passed the full committee on a 27–0 vote. The Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies bill will be brought up at full committee on Thursday, July 25.

During the markup, Chair Patty Murray made it clear that the committee will consider the White House request for $23 billion in emergency supplemental funding Murray and ranking member Susan Collins also agreed that beyond the Fiscal Responsibility Act caps there will be additional funding of $13.5 billion for nondefense discretionary and $21 billion for defense programs.

Collins also urged members to complete fiscal year (FY) 2025 spending bills and not leave any portion of the government’s operations under a continuing resolution by January 1, 2025, otherwise the discretionary cap resets to a level that is 1 percent less than FY 2023 enacted amounts. By April 30, 2025, revised caps would be enforced unless all spending bills are completed for FY 2025.

The Senate Appropriations Committee may bring the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill to the floor by August 1. Additionally, it is not clear if other House spending bills will pass the House floor given the chamber’s recent defeat of the Legislative Branch bill on the final floor vote. The Legislative Branch bill typically is not controversial whereas the LHHS bill often is one of the most difficult to pass.