$56 Billion in Funding for NASA, the DOJ, and the Dept. of Commerce (H.R. 2578)
Do you support or oppose this bill?
What is H.R. 2578?
(Updated January 31, 2018)
Update June 15, 2016: Originally, this bill served as the House's appropriations proposal for fiscal year 2016 for the Dept. of Justice (DOJ), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Dept. of Commerce, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other related agencies. As it was rendered moot by the Bipartisan Budget Agreement, it was re-purposed by the Senate to serve as an appropriations package for those agencies to use in fiscal year 2017.
The bill would authorize a total of $56.3 billion in appropriations — which is $563 million more than the previous year, but $183 million below the President’s budget request.
It's also worth noting Democrats in the Senate filibustered this bill
in an attempt to attach gun control measures to it in the wake of the Orlando terror attack. Their goal is to get this bill to pass through the Senate
with two amendments attached:
- One would ban the sale of guns to people on the FBI terrorist watch list like what this House legislation proposed;
- The other would close the so-called “gun-show loophole,” which allows gun purchases at private gun shows and over the internet without completing a background check.
The Dept. of Justice (DOJ)
The DOJ would receive a total of $29.2 billion in appropriations, which is an increase of $156 million from fiscal year 2017. $9.45 billion of the total would go to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) — a $156 million increase from the prior year. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) funding would be increased by $34.1 million to a total of $2.49 billion. DOJ grant programs would receive a total of $2.36 billion in appropriations, which is a decrease of $334 million from the previous year.
NASA
Funding for NASA would be set at $19.3 billion for fiscal year 2017, which is an increase of $21 million from 2015. Of this, $4.63 billion would be used for exploration activities, like the Space Launch Flight System program and the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle. Another $5.4 billion would go to NASA Science programs — $194 million less than what those programs received in 2016.
Dept. of Commerce
The Dept. of Commerce would receive $9.3 billion in appropriations — an increase of $70.8 million from fiscal year 2016’s funding level. There would be $3.2 billion allocated to the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), and historically this figure is based on the amount of fees the PTO expects to collect in the fiscal year. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) would see its budget increase by $10 million from the preceding fiscal year to $974 million.
Also within the Department of Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would receive $5.7 billion in funding, $33.5 million more than it received in fiscal year 2016.
Census
The Census Bureau would be allocated $1.5 billion — a $148 million increase from the prior year. The increased funding is for research and planning for the 2020 census. This bill provides $7.5 billion in funding to the National Science Foundation (NSF), which is an increase of $0 from 2016, and spending would be targeted to programs fostering innovation, creating 3 Regional Class Research Vessels (really big ships), economic competitiveness, and STEM education.Argument in favor
Providing an additional $563 million in funding from the year before is significant, but not excessive. Focusing much of that increase on the DOJ and NASA is wise, and increasing funding at all with federal deficits the way they are is generous enough.
Argument opposed
Increasing funding from year-to-year doesn’t mean that the new funding level is sufficient. Funding these programs at the level the President requested would come closer to adequately facilitating commerce and research, and enforcing federal laws.
Impact
Federal agencies receiving funding through this bill — including DOJ, NASA, the Department of Commerce, the NSF, among others; taxpayers who support and benefit from these agencies; Congress; the President.
Cost of H.R. 2578
A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.
Additional Info
In-Depth: The Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Thad Cochran (R-MS) praised the bill
because:
“American competitiveness is directly linked to American scientific innovation. This bill continues to invest in important science and space programs, while also supporting commerce and law enforcement needs.”
Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL)
concurred, writing that:
“Within prudent budgetary boundaries, this bill achieves a careful balance between the competing priorities of law enforcement, national security, economic development, scientific research, and space exploration.”
Through the Office of Management and Budget, the White House expressed disapproval with multiple parts of the bill. Specifically, the White House disagreed with the bill’s “inadequate funding of research, testing, and implementation activity for the 2020 Decennial Census,” further stating that the bill “fails to provide the funding necessary for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to … help enforce existing gun laws and keep guns out of the wrong hands.” The White House also wasn’t satisfied with the bill’s appropriations for NASA, writing that it overfunded certain sections of NASA by more than $1 billion while underfunding other parts of the organization.
Media:
Summary by Chris Conrad and Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Flickr user wales_gibbons)
The Latest
-
SCOTUS Hears Arguments of Abortion Pill Mifepristone CaseUpdated March 27, 2024, 12:30 p.m. EST On Tuesday, March 26, the Supreme Court heard arguments about the mifepristone case, read more... Women's Health
-
IT: ⛑️ It's American Red Cross Giving Day, and... How will you give back today?Welcome to Wednesday, March 27th, philanthropists and entrepreneurs... It's American Red Cross Giving Day - a time to ensure the read more...
-
Moscow Concert Hall, Russia’s Deadliest Attack in DecadesOn Friday, March 22, at least four men fired automatic weapons into a sold-out show at the Crocus City Hall auditorium in read more... Public Safety
-
Discover Gravvy — A New Way to Support What Matters MostDiscover Gravvy — A New Way to Support What Matters Most Are you ready to optimize your giving? read more...