Appropriations Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2020 Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA Funding Bill
WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations Committee today approved the fiscal year 2020 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill on a vote of 29 to 21. The legislation funds agencies and programs within the Department of Agriculture, the Farm Credit Administration, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Food and Drug Administration.
Total discretionary funding in the legislation is $24.310 billion – $1 billion above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. In total, the bill allows for $155.3 billion in both discretionary and mandatory funding – $3.2 billion above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
“I am proud our bill invests in America’s fundamental needs and rejects the Administration’s requests for drastic cuts,” said House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Chairman Sanford Bishop, Jr. “This bill ensures Americans have access to safe, high quality, and low-cost food, medicine, and medical devices. We made sure to increase funding for rural communities including broadband, community facilities, water, and waste water. We included more funding for agricultural research so American agriculture continues to be the best in the world.”
“The Fiscal Year 2020 Agriculture Appropriations bill rejects the President’s misguided budget and instead invests in important initiatives for the people. The bill would reduce hunger at home and abroad, support rural development and our farmers, and ensure the FDA is properly funded to meet the growing needs of regulating our food, medicines, and more,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey. “The bill would provide a record $50 million for Summer EBT – a program the President proposed eliminating – because educating our children, having a productive workforce, and continuing to lead in the 21st century means firmly addressing hunger today. I’m particularly proud that the bill carries language urging FDA to expedite pre-market review of e-cigarettes, establish a national track and trace system on tobacco products, and expand The Real Cost advertising campaign to warn of dangers of nicotine addiction.”
The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:
Rep. Bishop #1 – The manager’s amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
Rep. Aderholt #1 – The amendment restores language relating to genetic modification of embryos carried in the last four years. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
Rep. DeLauro #1, cosponsored by Rep. Price – The amendment blocks the USDA from issuing a final rule on swine inspection pending OIG study. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
Rep. Newhouse #1 – The amendment blocks the USDA from transferring or altering the jurisdiction over the Forest Service Job Corps. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
A summary of the bill is here. The text of the bill is here. The bill report is here.
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