On May 14, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies approved, by voice vote, the FY2016 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). The legislation provides funding for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, and science programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, among others.
According to the committee summary, the measure would allocate $51.4 billion in discretionary funds for FY2016. This amount is $1.3 billion over FY2015, but $661 million below President Obama’s request.
The Department of Justice would receive $27.5 billion in FY2016. This amount represents an increase of $852 million over FY2015; the administration requested $28.654 billion for FY2016. Included in this amount is $474 million for the Office on Violence Against Women (an increase of $44 million over FY2015 and equal to the president’s request), and $68 million for missing and exploited children.
The bill would continue provisions that restrict federal funding for abortions.
Additional information will be made available when the committee releases its report.
