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Category: 115th Congress

More Progress Seen on Appropriations Front

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Both chambers of Congress continue to make progress on the FY2019 appropriations bills.

The House is expected to start its debate on its first “minibus” package of bills today.  The measure includes the Energy and Water Development, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bills.  The Appropriations Committee approved its Interior spending bill yesterday evening.

On the Senate side, the Appropriations Committee earlier this morning approved both the Transportation-Housing and Urban Development and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs bills.  Four of the 12 spending bills have been cleared by the committee in the Senate so far.  Seven bills have been approved by the House committee.

Trump to Announce Sweeping Reorg of Federal Gov’t

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Today Politco is reporting that “The Trump administration is preparing to release a sweeping plan for reorganizing the federal government that includes a major consolidation of welfare programs — and a renaming of the Health and Human Services Department.

The report, set to be released in the coming weeks by the White House OMB, seeks to move safety-net programs, including food stamps, into HHS, two sources with knowledge of the plan told POLITICO. The plan would also propose changing the name of the sprawling department, while separately seeking cuts at USAID and the State Department.”

Read more from Politico and check back here for more information as it’s available.

Most of August Recess for Senate Canceled

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today that he is cancelling most of the traditional month-long August recess.  Under the new schedule, the Senate would have a week-long recess at the beginning of August but would return to Washington for the rest of the month.

Read more about McConnell’s decision here, here, and here.  It is still possible that the August recess could be extended.

The House has not announced any changes to its August schedule.

Congress in Recess

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Congress is currently in recess for Memorial Day and both chambers are scheduled to return next week.  The Appropriations Committees in both chambers are expected to continue to move forward on the FY2019 appropriations process after they reconvene.

 

 

 

DOE Office of Science Funded at $6.7 Billion in Senate Bill

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The FY2019 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday would fund the Department of Energy Office of Science (Science) at $6.65 billion.  The office is currently funded at $6.26 billion and the Administration requested $5.39 billion for it in FY2019.

Within Science, Fusion would be funded at $425.0 million.

Additional details about the Senate bill are available here.