Congress Completes FY 2019 Appropriations, President Declares Emergency

Congress has passed a bipartisan spending and border security package that includes fiscal year (FY) 2019 funding for the federal agencies that were shuttered during the 35-day partial government shutdown in December 2018 and January 2019. Included in the spending package was $1.375 billion for barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. President Trump agreed to sign the legislation, but declared a national emergency to transfer funds from other government programs to fund wall construction.
Congress completed its work on FY 2019 appropriations by passing the spending package, which includes seven funding bills for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice and Science; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies; Homeland Security; and State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.
The spending package provides:

$8.1 billion (+$308 million) to the National Science Foundation, with $6.5 billion (+$185 million) for Research and Related Activities.
$5.4 billion to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a decrease of $484 million from FY 2018.
$21.5 billion to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, an increase of $764 million from FY 2018.
$985 million (-$213 million) for the National Institute of Science and Technology.
$13 billion (-$95 million) to the Interior Department...

Source: Public Policy Reports - February 19, 2019 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news