House Passes Six Appropriations Bills; White House Objects to Insufficient NASA Funds

On July 31, the House passed a package of six appropriations bills totaling $1.3 trillion that fund the departments of Defense, Commerce, Justice, Energy, Treasury Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. The White House has objected to the package on the grounds of insufficient NASA funding. The White House has also raised questions regarding other aspects of the package, including opposing $23.5 billion in emergency spending for the Department od Energy and concerns regarding the increase in funding for the National Science Foundation. No Republicans voted for the measure.

The bill includes $22.6 billion for NASA, which is inline with the previous year’s funding, but falls $2.6 billion short of the Administration’s request. Additionally, the bill would prevent the administration from being able to shift any more military funds to the development of a boarder wall. The bill also incudes $210 billion in emergency funds to help fight the coronavirus pandemic, and advance other priorities. The Committee states in a press release that the emergency funding appropriated in the bill is meant to rebuild aging infrastructure and strengthen public health systems. President Trump has threatened to veto the bill, though it is clear the bills will not pass in the Republican controlled Senate.

The House has now passed 10 of 12 appropriations bills with the Homeland Security bill and the Legislative Branch bill outstanding.