Most people who follow political news are all too familiar with last fall’s disappointing budget fights. But what’s far less prominent, and arguably just as important, is appropriations season, which is just kicking into gear.
Just recently, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed the FY2015 appropriations bill on commerce, justice and science out of subcommittee. Some specifics of the bill include the following:
- Department of Justice: FY2015’s level is $27.8 billion, an increase of $383 million above the FY2014 enacted level. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Prison System all received budget increases. Nearly $73 million is cut from various grant programs, but those cuts provide increased support for violence against women and victim trafficking programs.
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration: The FY2015 level is $17.9 billion, which is $250 million above the 2014 enacted level. New space programs such as the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, planetary science research, airspace safety and aviation competition are main areas of funding.
- Department of Commerce: The FY2015 level is $8.35 billion, which is an increase of $171 million above the fiscal year 2014 enacted level. The Patent and Trademark Office, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Census Bureau, and the Economic Development Administration all received funding equal or higher than FY2014.
- National Science Foundation: FY2015’s level is $7.4 billion, an increase of $237 million above the FY2014’s enacted level.
The legislation clocks in at $51.2 billion for various discretionary agencies. This total is $398 million below FY2014’s spending, but it is nearly $1 billion above what the President requested for those areas.
Despite this unsettling little note, it isn’t all bad news. Because of the Ryan-Murray budget agreement, Congressional appropriators must stay below $1.014 trillion in discretionary spending. This bill adheres to those levels despite the increase in spending in science, justice and commerce, and it does so by rescinding, or saving, $744 million in these areas of the budget.
For too long, Congress has treated federal spending like an endless blank check, adding more spending on top of, well, more spending, with no thought to the future. Here, though, much new spending is offset by cuts elsewhere. This step is an encouraging one in the right direction and shows signs that Congress is beginning to be willing to follow the rules they set for themselves – a definite change from recent decisions.
The Ryan-Murray budget, which blew through sequester caps, is not exactly an ideal situation. But the fact that Congress has thus far adhered to this level of spending through being willing to make cuts is at least a first step toward spending restraint.
