Budget Alert: January 31, 2007

HOUSE PASSES FY 2007 APPROPRIATIONS;
SENATE TO DEBATE NEXT WEEK

Today (Wednesday) the House of Representatives passed H.J.Res. 20, a nearly half trillion dollar FY '07 omnibus appropriations measure setting forth funding levels for all discretionary programs (other than defense and homeland security funding which were the only appropriations measures completed last fall). "Discretionary" programs are subject to Congress' annual funding decisions (unlike entitlements which automatically disburse Federal funds according to eligibility criteria set forth in law). The joint resolution passed 286-140, with 57 Republicans joining 229 Democrats in supporting the appropriations measure.

Text of H.J.Res. 20

Debate in the House was brief because the House Rules Committee limited debate and prohibited amendments to the resolution. Senate rules, however, are designed to protect the rights of individual Senators. In the Senate, the general practice is that all measures are open to unlimited debate and amendment. Therefore, Senate debate on this joint resolution, and the ability of Senators to amend the resolution, will be limited only if the two parties can reach a unanimous consent agreement to limit debate and amendments, or if Majority Leader Harry Reid can get 60 Senators to "invoke cloture" (a procedure which limits debate to 30 hours and requires all amendments to be strictly "germane"). Alternatively, the Democratic Leadership could adopt a strategy of seeking to table all amendments. The Senate must act on the bill prior to expiration of the current continuing resolution on February 15.

The Office of Management and Budget's "Statement of Administration Policy" disagreed with some provisions of the bill but did not threaten a veto.

Statement of Administration Policy

Backgrounder on the FY '07 Funding Resolution

     Charles S. Konigsberg, President | (202) 587-2984 (ph) | (202) 587-2983 (fax) | ckonigsberg@federalbudgetgroup.com