The Spending Bill Containing the Monsanto Protection Act (H.R. 933)

What is H.R. 933?

(Updated July 13, 2017)

This bill was enacted on March 26, 2013

A 1,582 page spending bill containing the controversial "Monsanto Protection Act," (explained in further detail below). Finances the government through September 30th, 2014. Notably, the bill:

-Increases spending by $26 billion over 2013 fiscal spending; 

-Increases spending on agriculture by 1.7%;

-Increases spending on Commerce-Science-Justice by 3%, with, notably, the FBI getting $232 million more than last year and the National Science Foundation receiving $82 million less;

-Keeps defense spending virtually the same as last year, with a .2% increase;

-Increases Energy-Water funding by 2.3%, with far less funding for energy-effeciency research than the Obama administration had hoped for; 

-Increases financial services spending by 2.7%, with, notably, the IRS receiving $526 million less than it did last year; 

-Keeps homeland security spending low, with a .8% increase, with, notably, large increases for Border Patrol and cuts for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA); 

-Increases Interior-Environment spending by .8%, with notable cuts to the EPA, an agency that has had 20% of it budget cut since 2010;

-Increases Labor-Health and Human Services and Education spending by 2%, with $1 billion in additional funding to school readiness program Head Start and an 8.2% increase in funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 

-Provides federal workers and military personnel with 1 percent pay increases;

-Scales back cuts to the Pentagon;

-Blocks the United States Postal Service from eliminating Saturday service;

-Contains the Farmers Assurance Provision, or what critics call the "Monsanto Protection Act". More information on this provision is below. 

Argument in favor

Keeps the government open and running through September. Keeps congressional spending on its own operations flat. Big boost to education funding.

Argument opposed

Monsanto Protection Act sets precedent of corporations being able to work around consumer safety provisions and courts if they can obtain congressional help in doing so.

Impact

Affects myriad aspects of American society.

Cost of H.R. 933

Additional Info

Media:

CNN: Spending Bill Summary

Washington Post: Spending Bill Winners and Losers 

Of Note:

-26 Republican senators voted against the bill. Among them are Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Sen. Mike Johanns of Nebraska: members of the Appropriations Committee that wrote the bill.

-The bill blocks the Department of Energy from implementing or enforcing a phaseout of energy-ineffecient incandescent lightbulbs. 

-The bill also blocks funding for the high-speed rail system sought by the Obama administration. 

The Monsanto Protection Act

-Perhaps the most controversial portion of the spending bill is the so-called Monsanto Protection Act. Section 735 of the spending bill, and officially known as the Farmers Assurance Provision, this bill effectively bars federal courts from being able to halt the sale of or planting of controversial genetically-modified seeds, also known as GMOs. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) worked closely with Monsanto to the craft the bill's language, and many members of Congress were supposedly unaware that the provision was contained in the massive spending bill. More than 250,000 people signed a petition opposing the provision. The bill remains  in effect for six months. 

Monsanto Protection Act: Media

Fox Business: Monsanto Sows Seeds of Protest

HuffPo (Video)

Jezebel: What's the Monsanto Protection Act and Why Is It All Over Facebook? 

Salon: How the Monsanto Protection Act Snuck Into Law