On June 28, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies approved, by voice vote, the FY2018 Agriculture, FDA, Rural Development, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
According to the subcommittee summary, the legislation would allocate $144.9 billion in overall funding. This amount is $8.5 billion below FY2017 and $4.6 billion above the president’s request. This amount includes $20 billion in discretionary funding, which is $876 million below FY2017.
The bill would provide $2.8 billion in discretionary funding for the FDA and $5.2 billion in user fees. The discretionary amount is equal to the FY2017 level and includes $60 million for the 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255).
In addition, the measure includes $1.4 billion for the Title II Food for Peace Grant and $185.126 million for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition program.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) would receive $6.15 billion in discretionary funding, the same as the president’s request and $200 million below FY2017. The bill would provide $73.609 billion for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This amount is $4.87 billion below FY2017 and $2.6 million below the president’s request.
The measure also would allocate $24.28 billion in mandatory funding for the Child Nutrition Program and would include $640 million to ensure low-income children receive nutritious meals during summer months.
Additional information will be made available once the committee releases its report.
