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Senate Clears $410 Billion Spending
Legislation for Obama's Desk
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
10:00 PM |
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The
Senate today cleared for President Obama's desk the $410 billion omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 1105)
funding regular operations for
eleven
cabinet-level departments through the remainder of fiscal year
(FY) 2009. The House passed H.R. 1105 late last month on a
245 to 178 vote.
Obama is expected to sign the legislation into law this evening.
The
vote on final passage (a voice vote) was preceded by a procedural vote on whether to
end debate on the legislation that required a 60-vote majority. Eight
Republicans broke ranks to support moving to a final vote, three
Democrats crossed the aisle and voted to continue debate on the
legislation, and two senators -- Kennedy (D-MA) and Johanns (R-NE) --
did not vote. The final tally was
62 to 35.
Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)
postponed the
cloture vote last week after acknowledging he did not have the 60
votes at the time to end debate and move to final passage. |
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Today's
action closes out Congress' work on the annual
appropriations bills for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2009. The
omnibus package provides the following funding levels for regular,
day-to-day operations during the remainder of FY 2009: |
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Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA - $20.5 billion in
total funding, $2.5 billion above the FY 2008 enacted level,
including a $1.2 billion boost over last year for the Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
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Commerce, Justice, and Science - $57.7 billion in total
funding, $5.9 billion above the FY 2008 enacted level, including a
$495 million hike over last year for state and local law
enforcement grants.
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Energy and Water Development - $33.3 billion in total funding,
a net $2.4 billion above the FY 2008 enacted level, including a
$2.5 billion increase over last year -- aimed at building on the
economic stimulus bill -- for energy conservation and clean energy
initiatives.
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Financial Services and General Government - $22.7 billion in
total funding, a $2 billion increase above the FY 2008 enacted
level, including an additional $52 million over last year for the
Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission
to enhance enforcement and oversight.
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Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies - $27.6 billion in
total funding, $1.3 billion more than the FY 2008 enacted level,
including a $39 million increase over last year for global climate
change programs.
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Labor, Health, and Education - $151.8 billion in total funding,
$6.7 billion above the FY 2008 enacted level, including a $938
million increase over last year for the National Institutes of
Health.
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State and Foreign Operations - $36.6 billion in total funding,
a $3.8 billion increase above the FY 2008 enacted level, including
a $464 million hike over last year for diplomatic operations and to
hire an estimated 500 additional foreign and civil service
employees.
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Transportation, Housing and Urban Development - $55.0 billion,
$6.2 billion above the FY 2008 enacted level, including an
additional $484 million over last year for highway infrastructure
projects.
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© Copyright
Capitol Hill Reports, Inc. (2009). No claim to original government
works.
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