Appropriations Committee Releases Fiscal Year 2013 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill

The House Appropriations Committee today released the fiscal year 2013 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. The bill funds the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other related agencies.

In total, the legislation contains $51.1 billion in funding. This is a reduction of $1.6 billion below last year’s level, and $731 million below the President’s request for these programs.

 “Given this time of fiscal crisis, it is important that Congress make tough decisions to cut spending where necessary to give priority to programs with broad national reach that have the most benefit to the American people. This legislation includes funding for some of the most critical aspects of government – the protection of our people here at home, the competiveness of our businesses and industries, and the scientific research that will help America continue to lead the world in innovation,” House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers said.

 “From bolstering the trade of U.S. goods abroad to promoting science research that will spur innovation for years to come, this legislation will help strengthen our economy, increase competitiveness, and create an environment for American businesses to grow.  And, through funding of important law enforcement activities, this bill will help keep American citizens and communities safe, while at the same time protecting the rights of individual citizens to protect themselves,” Rogers continued.

 “This legislation builds on significant spending reductions achieved in last year’s bill, while continuing to preserve core priorities. Those priorities continue to be job creation, fighting crime and terrorism, with a greater focus on cyber-security; and boosting U.S. competitiveness through smart investments in science. This bill makes job creation a top priority by maintaining and expanding the manufacturing and job repatriation initiatives, while increasing resources for trade enforcement against foreign competitors who are violating trade agreements.  It also includes a significant focus on expanding the FBI’s cyber-security efforts and on protecting U.S. networks from foreign espionage and cyber-attacks,” CJS Subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf said.

 Bill Highlights:

 Department of Commerce – The bill includes $7.7 billion for the Commerce Department – an increase of $96 million or 1.3% above fiscal year 2012, and $280 million or 3.5% below the President’s request. This includes funding for the following agencies:

• International Trade Administration (ITA) – The ITA administers and enforces U.S. trade laws, and protects U.S. interests and competitiveness abroad. The ITA is funded at $468 million in the legislation -- $3 million above fiscal year 2012. The additional funds will support high priority initiatives to boost U.S. exports and strengthen trade enforcement.
• Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) – The bill provides $2.9 billion for the PTO, which is equal to the requested level, and equal to the estimated amount of fees to be collected by the PTO during fiscal year 2013. It is an increase of $255 million or 9.5% above fiscal year 2012.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – NIST is funded at $830 million in the bill, which is $79 million above fiscal year 2012 and $27 million below the President’s request. Within this total, important core research activities to help advance U.S. competitiveness, innovation, and economic growth are increased by $54 million above fiscal year 2012. In addition, the bill includes $128 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program – which provides training and technical assistance to U.S. manufacturers – and $21 million for an Advanced Manufacturing competitive research initiative.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – The legislation contains $5.0 billion for NOAA, which is $68 million above fiscal year 2012 and $93 million below the President’s request. Within this total, National Weather Service operations and systems are funded at $22.3 million above the requested level, and $916 million, the full request, is included for the Joint Polar Satellite System weather satellite program to ensure the continuation of important weather data collection.  These weather programs are essential to maintain and improve weather forecasting to warn communities about potentially devastating natural disasters.
• Census Bureau – The Census Bureau is funded at $879 million in the bill, which is a cut of $10 million below fiscal year 2012.
• Economic Development Administration (EDA) – The bill includes $220 million in funding for the EDA – $38 million below fiscal year 2012.  This includes $5 million in grant funding to attract U.S. jobs that have gone to other countries back into the U.S., and $5 million in loan guarantees to help advance innovative manufacturing technologies.

Department of Justice (DOJ) – The bill funds DOJ at $27 billion, an increase of $11 million above fiscal year 2012 and $44 million below the President’s request. This funding level will provide for the continuation of critical investigation and prosecution activities at DOJ to keep families and communities safe, while trimming spending in lower priority areas – such as a cut of $118 million in unnecessary overhead and administrative costs at the DOJ.

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – The bill includes $8.3 billion for the FBI – an increase of $148 million above fiscal year 2012 and $34 million above the request. This includes increases for national security programs, investigations of cyber-attacks and violent crime and gang reduction programs.
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – The DEA is funded at $2.4 billion in the legislation, an increase of $50 million over fiscal year 2012 and $7 million below the President’s request. This includes an increase of $31 million for regulatory and enforcement efforts to combat prescription drug abuse, and $12.5 million (by transfer) to assist states and communities with hazardous material clean-up at meth lab sites.
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – The legislation contains $1.2 billion for the ATF, $1 million above fiscal year 2012 and the same as the request. To help protect individual rights, the bill continues a number of funding prohibitions related to firearms regulation. It also includes a prohibition on transfers of firearms to known members of drug cartels.
• U.S. Marshals Service – The Marshals Service is funded at $2.8 billion in the bill, including $1.65 billion for Federal prisoner detention, an increase of $67 million above fiscal year 2012.
• Federal Prison System – The Bureau of Prisons is funded at $6.9 billion, which is an increase of $269 million above fiscal year 2012 and the same as the request. This funding will activate completed prisons to ensure safe and adequate facilities to house the nation’s criminal population. The bill also prohibits funding for construction or acquisition of a prison within the U.S. to house Guantanamo detainees.
• General Legal Activities - The bill freezes funding for General Legal Activities. As in FY12, the bill reflects the fact that resources to support the defense of the Defense of Marriage Act and any associated litigation are no longer necessary under this account. Instead, the cost burden for appropriately defending this Federal statute has fallen to the House of Representatives.
• Grant Programs – The bill includes a total of $1.85 billion for various grant programs, $378 million below fiscal year 2012, to be allocated to the highest priority programs with national reach and broad purposes.
  
  Within the total, Violence Against Women programs are increased by $2.5 million, and Victims of Trafficking grants are increased by $3 million above fiscal year 2012 and the President’s request. Missing and exploited children programs are funded at $2 million above fiscal year 2012. Byrne Justice Assistance Grants are funded at $370 million, the same as fiscal year 2012. The bill also includes $72.5 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs, and $165 million for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP).

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – NASA is funded at $17.6 billion in the bill, which is $226 million below fiscal year 2012 and $138 million below the President’s request. This funding includes:

• $3.7 billion for Exploration – $59 million below fiscal year 2012. This includes funding to keep NASA on schedule for upcoming Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and Space Launch System flight milestones and to maintain progress in a reconfigured commercial crew program.
• $4 billion for Space Operations – $249 million below fiscal year 2012. The legislation will continue the closeout of the Space Shuttle program for a savings of $503 million.
• $5.1 billion for NASA Science programs – $5 million above fiscal year 2012. This includes $1.4 billion for planetary science to ensure the continuation of critical research and development programs that were imperiled by the President’s request. This also includes $628 million, as requested, for the James Webb Space Telescope.

National Science Foundation (NSF) – The legislation funds NSF at $7.3 billion, which is $299 million above fiscal year 2012 and $41 million below the President’s request. NSF’s entire increase is provided to core research and education activities, which are critical to innovation and U.S. economic competitiveness, including funding for an advanced manufacturing science initiative and for research in cyber-security and cyber-infrastructure.

Related agencies – The bill includes $51.3 million for the U.S. Trade Representative and $83 million for the International Trade Commission to negotiate and enforce international trade agreements and to investigate trade law violations.

 Other Provisions – The bill continues several general provisions, including:

• A prohibition on the transfer or release of Guantanamo detainees into the U.S.
• Multiple prohibitions on various import or export criteria related to firearms.
• A prohibition on NASA or the Office of Science and Technology Policy engaging in bilateral activities with China unless authorized or certified via procedures established in the bill.

For the subcommittee draft text of the legislation, please visit: /UploadedFiles/BILLS-112HR-SC-AP-FY13-CommerceJusticeScience.pdf

Updated 4/25/2012