House to Consider Second Appropriations Minibus This Week

In advance of Floor consideration this week, the House Appropriations Committee released a division-by-division summary of the second minibus of fiscal year 2020 appropriations bills. The House is expected to consider the legislation, H.R. 3055, beginning Wednesday, June 19.

The package includes five FY 2020 spending bills: Commerce-Justice-Science, Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development.

A division-by-division summary is below and available as a PDF here.

H.R. 3055
DIVISION-BY-DIVISION SUMMARY

H.R. 3055 totals $383.3 billion in discretionary budget authority and consists of five FY 2020 appropriations bills: Commerce-Justice-Science, Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development.

In total, the package provides:

• $16.5 billion in base defense funding;
• $353.8 billion in base nondefense funding;
• $921 million for defense Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO); and
• $12.1 billion through other cap adjustments.

Division-by-Division Table of Contents

Commerce-Justice-Science

Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA

Interior-Environment

Military Construction-Veterans Affairs

Transportation-Housing & Urban Development

Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act of 2019

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Division A – Commerce-Justice-Science

Overview:

The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill funds the Departments of Commerce and Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other related agencies.

The FY 2020 bill contains $73.895 billion in discretionary budget authority, an increase of $9.78 billion above the fiscal year 2019 level.

The bill provides a critical funding increase for the Census Bureau to conduct the 2020 Decennial Census. The bill additionally provides strong funding increases to help create jobs; fix the country’s infrastructure; support U.S. manufacturing; research and prepare for climate change; promote civil rights; reduce gun violence, other violent crime, and cybercrime; address the opioid crisis; and help keep schools safe. Furthermore, the bill provides strong funding increases for science research, science education, and legal services for underserved communities.

Bill Summary:

Department of Commerce – The bill includes $16.43 billion for the Commerce Department, an increase of $5.02 billion above the 2019 enacted level and $3.96 billion above the Administration’s request. This includes funding for the following agencies.

• Census Bureau – The bill provides $8.45 billion for the Census Bureau, including a strong increase to enable the Bureau to conduct a thorough and accurate 2020 Decennial Census that counts all persons, as required by the Constitution. This funding enables the Bureau to conduct its largest and most technologically advanced decennial census in its 230-year history. 
• Economic Development Administration (EDA) – The legislation includes $540 million for the EDA, an increase of $236 million above the fiscal year 2019 level. These funds will help improve our nation’s infrastructure, boost economically recovering communities, and launch innovative community development efforts.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – NIST is funded at $1.04 billion in the bill, including $154 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, an increase of $14 million above fiscal year 2019. $751 million is also included for core NIST research activities to help advance U.S. competitiveness, economic growth, and cybersecurity.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – The legislation contains $5.49 billion for NOAA, which is $64.28 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and more than $1 billion above the Administration’s request. Funding will help address important priorities such as climate research, improvements in weather forecasting, the reduction of harmful algal blooms, and fisheries management.

Anti-Opioid Abuse – Opioid abuse is a national epidemic, killing more people than car crashes each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bill provides $501 million for grant programs to help stem this abuse, including for drug courts, treatment, prescription drug monitoring, overdose-reversal drugs, and at-risk youth programs.  The bill also increases Federal law enforcement resources to investigate and prosecute drug traffickers.

Gun Crimes and School Safety – The bill increases resources for programs that reduce violent and gun crime, including: full funding for the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System; more funds for U.S. Attorneys and the Marshals Service to address violent crime; $80 million in grants to States to improve their records used in background checks; $125 million as authorized by the STOP School Violence Act; $100 million for youth mentoring programs; and $20 million for police active shooter training.

Department of Justice (DOJ) – The bill funds DOJ at $32 billion, an increase of $1.07 billion above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. These investments will give Federal law enforcement more tools to thwart violent crime, fight drug and human traffickers, bring criminals to justice, and protect civil rights.  This includes funding for the following:

• Justice Grant Programs – The bill includes a total of $3.4 billion for various state and local law enforcement assistance grant programs, including:
  • $582.5 million for Violence Against Women Act programs
  • $530.25 million for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants
  • $260 million for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program
  • $142 million for DNA Initiative Grants
  • $49 million for Reduce Sexual Assault Kits Backlog grants
  • $100 million for Anti-Human Trafficking grants
  • $375 million for Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act grants
  • $85 million for Missing and Exploited Children programs.
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – The bill includes $9.46 billion for FBI Salaries and Expenses – $263.8 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.  The bill adds funding for critical FBI missions, including anti-cybercrime, counterintelligence, human trafficking investigations, and NICS gun background checks.
• Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) – $672.97 million is provided, an increase of $109.56 million above fiscal year 2019. This increase will allow for the hiring of additional immigration judge teams to address the immigration case backlog.
• Community Relations Service (CRS):  The bill includes $17 million for CRS, a $1.5 million increase above fiscal year 2019.
• Bureau of Prisons (BOP) – BOP Salaries and Expenses is funded at $7.32 billion, $75 million above the fiscal year 2019 level.
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) –DEA Salaries and Expenses receives $2.36 billion – $89.9 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.  This enables DEA to undertake more robust anti-opioid and other illegal drug enforcement efforts.  In addition, the bill provides $570 million for Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces, a $10 million increase over the current level, to target major drug trafficking organizations.
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – The legislation contains $1.44 billion for the ATF, $122.32 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. This funding will provide additional resources to reduce violent gun crime.
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – NASA is funded at $22.32 billion, $815 million above the 2019 enacted level. This funding includes:
  • $7.16 billion for NASA Science programs – $255.6 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. 
  • $123 million for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Engagement, $13 million above fiscal year 2019 and rejecting the Administration’s request to eliminate funding for these programs, which help inspire and train the country’s future STEM workforce.
  • $5.1 billion for Exploration – $79.1 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. This includes funding to continue the development of the Orion crew vehicle, Space Launch System, and related ground systems.
• National Science Foundation (NSF) – The legislation funds NSF at $8.64 billion – $561.14 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Research and related activities are funded at $7.1 billion, $586.3 million above the current level. These funds will foster innovation and U.S. economic competitiveness, including funding for research on advanced manufacturing, physics, mathematics, cybersecurity, neuroscience, and STEM education. The bill also invests in important scientific infrastructure such as modernization of Antarctica facilities along with telescopes and research vessels.
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:  $399.5 million is provided, an increase of $20 million above fiscal year 2019 and $43.7 million above the Administration’s request.
• Legal Services Corporation:  The legislation provides $550 million for the Legal Services Corporation, an increase of $135 million above fiscal year 2019, to help increase the availability of legal assistance in underserved communities.

Division B – Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA

Overview:

The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill 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 FY 2020 bill is $24.310 billion, which is $1.3 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.

The bill funds important agricultural and food programs and services, including food and medical product safety, animal and plant health programs, rural development, farm services, agricultural trade, financial marketplace oversight, and nutrition programs, both domestic and international.

Bill Summary:

Rural Development and Infrastructure – The bill provides a total of more than $3.943 billion for rural development programs. These programs help create an environment for economic growth by providing business and housing opportunities and building sustainable rural infrastructure for the modern economy.

• Critical Infrastructure – The legislation includes responsible investments in infrastructure to help rural areas of the country access basic utilities. This includes $1.45 billion for rural water and waste program loans, and over $655 million in water and waste grants for clean and reliable drinking water systems and sanitary waste disposal systems. An additional $6.9 billion in loan authority is provided for rural electric and telephone infrastructure loans.
• Rural Broadband – The legislation invests over $680 million in the expansion of broadband service to provide economic development opportunities and improved education and healthcare services.  These significant investments in broadband reflect a commitment to enabling Americans in rural communities to access digital tools necessary to improve health, educational, and economic outcomes.
• Rural Housing Loans and Rental Assistance – The bill provides a total of $24 billion in loan authority for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program. The bill includes $1 billion in direct single family housing loans, meeting the estimated need for these loans, which provide home loan assistance to low-income rural families, many of whom would have few loan options for purchasing a home because of their geographical location. In addition, $1.375 billion is provided for rental assistance for affordable rental housing for low-income families and the elderly in rural communities for renewal of all existing rental assistance contracts.

Food and Nutrition Programs – The legislation contains discretionary funding, as well as mandatory funding required by law, for food and nutrition programs within the Department of Agriculture. This includes funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and child nutrition programs.

• Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) – The bill provides $6 billion in discretionary funding for WIC, which is $75 million below the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Because of declining enrollments in the program, WIC has large carryover balances left over from previous years. The bill rescinds $800 million in these unobligated balances, which will have no impact on participation in the program.
• Child nutrition programs – The bill provides for $23.956 billion in required mandatory funding – which is outside the discretionary funding jurisdiction of the Appropriations Committee – for child nutrition programs. This is $873 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. This funding will provide free or reduced-price school lunches and snacks for children who qualify for the program. The bill provides approximately $552 million for the Summer Food Service Program to ensure low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. In addition, the bill provides $50 million for the Summer EBT program, $35 million for school kitchen equipment grants, and $10 million for school breakfast expansion grants – the first time since 2012 the program has been funded. 
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – The bill provides for $71.1 billion in required mandatory spending for SNAP.  This includes $5 billion for the SNAP reserve fund.

International Food Assistance Programs – The legislation contains $2.1 billion for international food aid and to promote U.S. agricultural exports overseas. This includes $1.85 billion for Food for Peace grants and $235 million for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition program. These programs work to reduce famine and increase food security overseas.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – The FDA receives a total of $3.26 billion in discretionary funding in the bill, $184 million above the 2019 enacted level. Total funding for the FDA, including revenue from user fees, is $5.86 billion. Within this total, the Committee provides target increases for medical product and food safety activities, including new initiatives to revolutionize the safety of the nation’s blood supply and to enable faster responses to foodborne illness outbreaks. In addition, the bill includes a strong focus on continuing FDA’s efforts to advance generic drug reviews and increase medical product manufacturing in the U.S. The bill also appropriates $75 million to accelerate medical product development as authorized in the 21st Century Cures Act.

Food Safety and Inspection Service – The legislation includes $1.05 billion for food safety and inspection programs. These mandatory inspection activities help ensure the safety and productivity of the country’s meat and poultry industry, and keep safe, healthy food on American tables. The funding provided will maintain nearly 8,800 frontline inspection personnel for meat, poultry, and egg products at more than 6,400 facilities across the country. 

Marketing Programs – The bill provides $183 million, $24 million above 2019 and $68 million above the request, to facilitate the movement of agriculture products and open market opportunities. This includes $18 million for the National Organic Program to protect the integrity of the USDA Organic label and $16.5 million for the new hemp production program. The bill also provides $23.4 million in discretionary funds to the Agricultural Marketing Service and Rural Development for the Local Agriculture Market Program to continue supporting local food and value-added agriculture.

Farm Programs – The legislation provides $1.802 billion for farm programs, which is $32.1 million above the fiscal year 2019 level. This includes an increase of $30 million for 2018 farm bill implementation. This funding will continue support for various farm, conservation, and emergency loan programs, and help American farmers and ranchers. It will also meet estimates of demand for farm loan programs.

Animal and Plant Health – The legislation includes $1.04 billion – $23 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level – for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. This funding will support programs to help control or eradicate plant and animal pests and diseases that can be crippling to U.S. producers. The funding level provides increases that will help address harmful pests and diseases such as cattle fever ticks and chronic wasting disease, while maintaining increases from past years for citrus greening.

Conservation Programs – The bill provides $996.6 million to help farmers, ranchers, and other private landowners conserve and protect their land. This includes $167 million for infrastructure for watershed and flood prevention and watershed rehabilitation projects.

Agricultural Research – The bill provides $3.28 billion ($410 million above the budget request)  for agriculture research programs, including the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This funding will support research at all ARS facilities to help mitigate and stop devastating crop diseases, improve food safety and water quality, increase production, and combat antimicrobial resistance. Continued investment in ARS buildings and facilities is included to address deferred maintenance needs. This funding also includes important research investments in U.S. land-grant colleges and universities, including a significant increase for the 1890 institutions, and for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s premier competitive research program.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) – Included in the bill is $315 million for the CFTC, which is the same as the request and $47 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.

Bill language –

• The bill includes language blocking USDA’s proposal to relocate the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) outside the National Capital Region.
• The bill also blocks USDA’s proposal to put ERS, currently under USDA’s research mission area, under the Office of the Chief Economist, which is under the Office of the Secretary.
• The bill requires USDA to restore on its website in full all animal welfare and horse protection inspection reports that were taken down weeks after the Trump administration took office.
• The bill prevents USDA from finalizing a rule related to swine slaughter inspection until the USDA Office of Inspector General has reported on the data used to support the design of the proposed program and until USDA has resolved the issues identified by the Inspector General.
• The bill includes language preventing USDA from transferring the functions of the Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center or altering the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture with  respect to the Center.
• The bill carries previously-enacted language related to gene editing.

Division C – Interior-Environment

Overview:

The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill includes funding for programs within the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other related agencies, including the Indian Health Service.

In total, the FY 2020 bill includes $37.28 billion, an increase of $1.73 billion over the 2019 enacted level and $7.24 billion over the President’s 2020 request. There is also an additional $2.25 billion of funding provided under the fire suppression cap adjustment.

Increases in funding will help protect and preserve public lands, build resilience to climate change, strength the environmental workforce, and ensure access to safe drinking water.

Bill Summary:

Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) - The bill provides $523.9 million for LWCF, including $244 million for the federal program and $280 million for state programs.  The total is $85 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $491 million above the President’s budget request.

Wildland Fire Management (WFM) - The bill provides $5.21 billion for WFM, which includes $2.25 billion in cap adjusted fire suppression funding. The total funding is $1.6 billion above the 2019 enacted level and $49 million above the President’s budget request.

Department of the Interior (DOI) – The bill provides a total of $13.79 billion in discretionary appropriations for DOI – $833 million above the 2019 enacted level and $2.41 billion above the President’s budget request. Of this amount, the bill includes:

• $1.4 billion for the Bureau of Land Management, $66 million above the 2019 enacted level and $224 million above the President’s budget request. Within this amount, the bill includes:
  • $73 million for sage-grouse conservation, $5 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $28 million above the President’s budget request.
• $1.7 billion for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, $74 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $324 million above the President’s budget request. Within this amount, the bill includes:
• $289 million for Ecological Services, $37 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $49 million above the President’s budget request.
• $514 million for National Wildlife Refuge System, $26 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $5 million above the President’s budget request.
• $71 million for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants, $6 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $39 million above the President’s budget request.
• $3.39 billion for National Park Service, $168 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $649 million above the President’s budget request. Within this amount, the bill includes:
  • $2.65 billion for Operation of the National Park System, $144 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $221 million above the President’s budget request. This increase includes funding for 500 new staff at park units.
  • $74 million for National Recreation and Preservation, $9 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $41 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $122 million for the Historic Preservation Fund, $19 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $89 million above the President’s budget request. Within this amount, the bill includes $67 million for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, $16 million for Save America’s Treasures grants, $23 million for competitive grants to preserve the sites and stories of underrepresented community civil rights, and $10 million for grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
• $3.5 billion for Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education, $432 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $739 million above the President’s budget request. The bill accepts the proposed separation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education. Amounts below reflect the separation. Within the $3.5 billion, the bill includes:
  • $1.7 billion for operation of Bureau of Indian Affairs Operation of Indian Programs, $141 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level for the same programs and $188 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $146 million for Bureau of Indian Affairs Construction, $26 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level for the same programs and $88 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $12.8 million for the Indian Guaranteed Loan Program, $2 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $12 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $1 billion for Bureau of Indian Education Operation of Indian Programs, $96 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level for the same programs and $133 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $387 million to Bureau of Indian Education Construction, $149 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level for the same programs and $318 million above the President’s budget request.
  • Fully funds Contract Support Costs.
• $466 million for Departmental Offices, $7 million above the 2019 enacted level and $28 million above the President’s budget request. Within this amount, the bill includes:
  • $117 million for Office of Insular Affairs, $13 million above the 2019 enacted level and $33 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $56 million for Office of Inspector General, $4 million above the enacted level and $4 million above the President’s budget.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – The bill provides a total of $9.53 billion in for EPA – $677 million above the 2019 enacted level and $3.30 billion above the President’s budget request. Of this amount, the bill includes:

• $3.43 billion for EPA’s core science and environmental program work, an increase of $131 million above the 2019 enacted level and $823 million above the President’s budget request. Within these amounts, the bill includes:
  • $502 million for Geographic Programs which help with restoration of nationally significant bodies of water like the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, and Long Island Sound. This is an increase of $45 million above the 2019 enacted level and $195 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $511 million for compliance monitoring and enforcement activities, a $40 million increase above the 2019 enacted level and $63 million above the President’s request.
  • $18 million in additional funding for scientific and regulatory work on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), needed to establish a drinking water standard and cleanup standards. This level of funding more than doubles current spending levels for this work.
• $4.62 billion for State and Tribal Assistance Grants, a $490 million increase above the 2019 enacted level and $1.85 billion above the President’s budget request. Within this amount, the bill includes:
  • $3.08 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, an increase of $319 million above the 2019 enacted level and $1.1 billion above the President’s budget request.
  • $70 million for targeted grants for drinking water contaminants like lead, nitrates, or other health hazards.
  • $105 million for Brownfields cleanups, a $20.8 increase above the 2019 enacted level and $43 million increase above the President’s budget request.
• $1.21 billion for Superfund, an increase of $55 million above the 2019 enacted level and $169 million above the President’s request.
• $10.2 million for Environmental Justice activities, a 47% increase above the 2019 enacted level nearly four-fold increase above the President’s budget request.    

Related Agencies –

• $3.68 billion for the Forest Service (non-fire), a programmatic increase of $257 million above the 2019 enacted level and $895 million above the President’s budget request. The bill eliminates cost pools from the Forest Service account and instead provides funding for forest service operations in a new account.  Additional details are available here.
• $6.3 billion for the Indian Health Service, an increase of $537 million above the 2019 enacted level and $431 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $4.6 billion for health services, $454 million above the 2019 enacted level and $270 million above the President’s budget request. This rejects the President’s proposed program cuts and includes $81 million for Urban Indian programs, $91 million to recruit and retain health professionals, $25 million for a new electronic health records system, and $25 million to begin a Community Health Aide Program.
  • $964 million for health facilities construction, $85 million above the 2019 enacted level and $161 million above the President’s budget request. This includes an additional $60 million for replacement facilities, including $20 million for small health clinics, $20 million for staff quarters, and $10 million to invest in green infrastructure.
• $167.5 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, which is $12.5 million more than the 2019 enacted levels and rejects the President’s budget request proposal to eliminate the Agencies.
• $1.07 billion for the Smithsonian Institution, an increase of $28 million above the 2019 enacted level and $93 million above the President’s budget request.
• $14 million for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, an increase of $2 million above the 2019 enacted level and $6 million above the President’s budget request.
• $43.5 million for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, an increase of $2.2 million above the 2019 enacted level and $3.8 million above the President’s budget request.
• $61 million for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, $2 million above the enacted level and the President’s budget request.

Division D – Military Construction-Veterans Affairs

Overview:

The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill funds the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, and other related agencies, including the American Battle Monuments Commission and Armed Forces Retirement Home.

In total, the FY 2020 bill provides $108.4 billion in discretionary funding – $10.4 billion above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. This includes $921 million in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding as well as $2.3 billion for emergency needs related to Hurricanes Michael and Florence at military bases in North Carolina and Florida, as well as needs related to flooding in the Midwest.

The funding in this bill provides needed resources for our servicemembers to face existing and emerging threats, to care for military families, and to uphold our commitment to veterans.

Bill Summary:

Military Construction – The bill provides a total of $10.5 billion for military construction projects – an increase of $207 million above the enacted fiscal year 2019 level. In addition to this amount, $921 million is provided in OCO funding for projects in countries with ongoing U.S. operations and the European Deterrence Initiative to combat Russian aggression. These funds will provide for the construction of facilities to enable our military to fight current and emerging threats, to support increased troop levels, and to sustain services for military families. This includes operational facilities, training facilities, hospitals, family housing, National Guard readiness centers, barracks, and other important resources. In total, 145 military construction projects across the country and overseas receive funding in the bill.

• Military Family Housing – The bill provides $1.5 billion to fund construction, operation, and maintenance of military family housing for fiscal year 2020. This is $117.8 million below the fiscal year 2019 level and $140.8 million above the budget request. The additional funds above the request are provided to address family housing issues such as mold, vermin, and lead in military family housing. This funding will ensure quality housing for all 2,006,171 military families currently served by the program.
• Guard and Reserve – The bill includes $502.4 million for construction or alteration of Guard and Reserve facilities in states and territories, the same as the budget request.
• NATO Security Investment Program (NSIP) – The bill provides $172 million, $28 million above the budget request, for infrastructure necessary for wartime, crisis, and peace support and deterrence operations, and training requirements. The funds will support responses to the challenges posed by Russian aggression as well as the risks and threats emanating from the Middle East and North Africa. 

Department of Veterans Affairs – The legislation includes a total of $217.5 billion in both discretionary and mandatory funding for VA, an increase of $20.3 billion above the fiscal year 2019 level. This funding will help address many of the problems currently facing VA and provide for better and increased access to care for our Veterans. Discretionary funding alone for VA programs in the bill totals $94.3 billion, an increase of $7.7 billion above the fiscal year 2019 level. Approximately $75.6 billion of this discretionary total was provided last year via advance funding in the fiscal year 2019 Appropriations bill. These additional funds will provide resources for important priorities within VA, such as healthcare access for women Veterans, suicide prevention, claims processing, homeless prevention and care, opioid addiction, rural health, and medical research.

• VA Medical Care – The bill funds VA medical care at $80.4 billion – providing for approximately seven million patients to be treated in fiscal year 2020. Within this total, funding includes: $9.5 billion in mental healthcare services; $222 million in suicide prevention outreach activities; $582 million for gender-specific care for women; $1.9 billion for homeless assistance programs; $397 million for opioid abuse prevention; and $270 million in rural health initiatives.
• VA Electronic Health Record – The bill contains $1.6 billion to continue implementation of the VA electronic health record system. This will ensure the implementation of the contract creating an electronic record system for VA that will be interoperable with the system being developed for DOD. These two identical systems will ensure our Veterans get proper care, with timely and accurate medical data transferred between VA, DOD, and the private sector. The bill also continues GAO oversight of this program to ensure that the EHR system is implemented in a timely manner.
• Disability Claims Processing Backlog – Reducing the disability claims backlog is essential to ensuring adequate compensation and care for the more than 450,000 Veterans still wading through the VA bureaucracy to get a final decision on their claims. The bill will help speed up this process and get Veterans the decisions they are awaiting by providing $25 million above the request for the Veterans Benefits Administration for hiring additional claims and appellate staff, digital scanning of health records, and overtime pay. In addition, the bill continues rigorous reporting requirements to track each regional office’s performance on claims processing and appeals backlogs.
• Construction – Major and minor construction within the VA is funded at $1.6 billion. In addition, $1 billion is provided in an administrative provision for seismic corrections at VA facilities nationwide ($850 million) and minor construction ($150 million).
• VA Mandatory Funding – The bill fulfills mandatory funding requirements such as: Veteran disability compensation programs for 5.3 million Veterans and their survivors; education benefits for almost one million Veterans; and vocational rehabilitation and employment training for almost 150,000 Veterans.
• Advance Appropriations – The bill contains $87.6 billion in advance fiscal year 2021 funding for Veterans’ medical programs – the same level as the President’s request. This funding will provide for medical services, medical community care, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities, and will ensure that our Veterans have continued, full access to their medical care needs. The bill includes $129.5 billion in advance funding for VA mandatory benefit programs, as requested in the President's budget.

Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) – The bill includes $211.8 million for ANC, which is $141 million above the fiscal year 2020 budget request and $97.4 million above the enacted level. The additional funds provide a $10 million increase for salaries and expenses, the same as was enacted for fiscal year 2019, as well as $131 million for the planning and design and construction of Southern Expansion. Combined with past years, this brings the total funds available for the Southern Expansion project and road realignments to $350 million, which is the current estimate needed to complete this project and extend the life of the cemetery.

American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) – The bill includes $104 million for ABMC, equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and an increase of $28.9 million over the fiscal year 2020 budget request. These funds will support unfunded requirements for high-priority projects.

Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) – The bill provides $70.3 million, an increase of $6 million above the fiscal year 2020 budget request and the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The increase will support anticipated increases in personnel costs and contract cost inflation, as well as allow more funds to be used for urgently needed capital projects, such as roof replacement, elevator repair, and water and electric system modernization.

Division E – Transportation-Housing and Urban Development

Overview:

The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies bill funds the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other related agencies, including the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.

In total, the FY 2020 legislation provides $137.1 billion in budgetary resources, an increase of $6 billion above the 2019 enacted level and $17.3 billion above the President’s budget request. The bill includes $75.8 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of $4.7 billion over the 2019 enacted level and $17.3 billion over the President’s 2020 budget request.

The bill invests in America’s infrastructure, improves transportation safety, protects vulnerable populations, builds resilience to climate change, and expands access to safe, affordable, and fair housing.

Bill Summary:

Department of Transportation (DOT) — The bill provides a total of $86.6 billion in total budgetary resources for DOT - $167 million above the 2019 enacted level and $3.7 billion above the President’s budget request.  Of this amount, the bill includes:

• $1 billion for National Infrastructure Investments (TIGER/BUILD), $100 million above the 2019 enacted level and equal to the President’s budget request.
• $10 million to start a new Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence. This program was not in the 2019 enacted bill or the President’s budget request.
• $17.7 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), $267 million above the 2019 enacted level and $614 above the President’s budget request.
  • $1.6 billion for Aviation Safety, $267 million above the 2019 enacted level and $276 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $500 million for discretionary Airport Improvement Grants, equal to the 2019 enacted level and $500 million above the President’s budget request.
• $48.9 billion for the Federal Highway Administration, $404 million below the 2019 enacted level and $1.7 billion above the President’s budget request.
  • $1.75 billion for discretionary Highway Infrastructure Programs, $1.5 billion below the 2019 enacted level and $1.45 billion above the President’s budget request.
• $677 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, $10 million above the 2019 enacted level and $1 million above the President’s budget request.
• $1 billion for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, $44 million above the 2019 enacted level and $81 million above the President’s budget request.
• $3 billion for the Federal Railroad Administration, $96 million above the 2019 enacted level and $877 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $350 million for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements, $95 million above the 2019 enacted level and $20 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $350 million for Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair, $50 million below the 2019 enacted level. The President’s budget request proposed eliminating this program.
  • $2 billion for Amtrak, $50 million above the 2019 enacted level and $1.1 billion above the President’s budget request.
    • $700 million for Northeast Corridor Grants, $50 million above the 2019 enacted level and $375 million above the President’s budget request.
    • $1.3 billion for National Network Grants, equal to the 2019 enacted level and $681 million above the President’s budget request.
• $13.5 billion for the Federal Transit Administration, $60 million above the 2019 enacted level and $1.1 billion above the President’s budget request.
  • $2.3 billion for Capital Investment Grants, equal to the authorized level, $251 million below the 2019 enacted level, and $797 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $750 million for Transit Infrastructure Grants, $50 million above the 2019 enacted level and $250 million above the President’s budget request.
• $40 million for the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, $4 million above the 2019 enacted level and $12 million above the President’s budget request.
• $1.1 billion for the Maritime Administration, $63 million below the 2019 enacted level and $395 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $300 million for the Maritime Security Program, equal to the 2019 enacted level and the President’s budget request.
  • $225 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, $68 million below the 2019 enacted level. The President’s budget request did not include funding for this program.
  • $300 million for schoolship construction, equal to the 2019 enacted level and $95 million above the President’s budget request.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) — The bill provides a total of $50.1 billion for HUD - $5.9 billion above the 2019 enacted level and $13.4 billion above the President’s budget request.  FHA and GNMA receipts are -$7.4 billion, $2.1 billion less in receipts than the 2019 enacted bill.  Of the $50.1 billion, the bill includes: 

• $32.7 billion for the Office of Public and Indian Housing, $1.7 billion above the 2019 enacted level and $6.9 billion above the President’s budget request.
  • $23.8 billion for Tenant-based Rental Assistance, $1.2 billion above the 2019 enacted level and $1.6 billion above the President’s budget request.
    • $40 million for HUD/VA Supportive Housing for Homeless Veterans, equal to the 2019 enacted level. The President’s budget request proposed eliminating this program.
    • $5 million for HUD/VA Supportive Housing for Homeless Native American Veterans, $1 million above the 2019 enacted level. The President’s budget request proposed eliminating this program.
  • $2.9 billion for the Public Housing Capital Fund, $80 million above the 2019 enacted level.  The President’s budget request proposed eliminating this program.
  • $4.8 billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund, $100 million above the 2019 enacted level and $1.9 billion above the President’s budget request. 
  • $300 million for the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, $150 million above the 2019 enacted level.  The President’s budget request proposed eliminating this program.
  • $855 million for Native American Programs, $35 million above the 2019 enacted level and $255 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $150 million for Self-Sufficiency Programs, $20 million above the 2019 enacted level and $75 million above the President’s budget request.
• $8.6 billion for the Office of Community Planning and Development, $917 million above the 2019 enacted level and $5.7 billion above the President’s budget request.
  • $410 million for Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS, $17 million above the 2019 enacted level and $80 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $3.6 billion for Community Development Block Grants, $300 million above the 2019 enacted level. The President’s budget request proposed eliminating this program.
  • $1.75 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership Program, $500 million above the 2019 enacted level. The President’s budget request proposed eliminating this program.
  • $40 million for Section 4 Capacity Building, $5 million above the 2019 enacted level. The President’s budget request proposed eliminating this program.
  • $2.8 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants, $164 million above the 2019 enacted level and $201 million above the President’s budget request.
• $13.7 billion for the Office of Housing, $1.1 billion above the 2019 enacted level and $846 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $12.6 billion for Project-Based Rental Assistance, $843 million above the 2019 enacted level and $570 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $803 million for Housing for the Elderly, $125 million above the 2019 enacted level and $159 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $259 million for Housing for Persons with Disabilities, $74 million above the 2019 enacted level and $102 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $60 million for Housing Counseling, $10 million above the 2019 level and $15 million above the President’s budget request.
• $98 million for Policy Development and Research, $2 million above the 2019 enacted level and $11 million above the President’s budget request.
• $75.3 million for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, $10 million above the 2019 enacted level and $13 million above the President’s budget request.
• $290 million for the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, $11 million above the 2019 enacted level and equal to the President’s budget request.

Related Agencies — The bill provides $380 million for the related agencies in the bill, $19 million above the 2019 enacted level and $146 million above the President’s budget request.

• $170 million for NeighborWorks, $18 million above the 2019 enacted level. The President’s budget request proposed eliminating this program.
• $4.1 million for the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, $500,000 above the 2019 enacted level. The President’s budget request proposed eliminating this program.

Policy Provisions –

• Blocks the administration’s public housing rule change on undocumented immigrants in affordable housing, which would threaten the housing tenure of 55,000 children who are citizens or legal residents.
• Prohibits NHTSA from finalizing a rule that would roll back fuel-economy standards and lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.
• Prohibits future attacks on state meal and rest break laws.
• Requires all HUD grantees to develop a resiliency plan as part of the consolidated planning process.

Division F – Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act of 2019

The Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act of 2019 ensures back compensation for low-wage employees of government contractors affected by 2018-2019 government shutdown.