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Summary

On June 11, 2009, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees announced a conference agreement on H.R. 2346, a bill providing supplemental appropriations for the remainder of FY2009. Floor votes are expected the week of June 15. On key issues, the agreement includes $5 billion, as in the Senate bill, to support U.S. loans to the International Monetary Fund, does not include a Senate provision allowing the Secretary of Defense to exempt photos of military detainees from release under the Freedom of Information Act; does not include $80 million requested for the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice to facilitate closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison; prohibits the release of Guantanamo detainees in the United States and prohibits transfers of prisoners except to be prosecuted; provides $1.9 billion for pandemic flu preparedness (declared to be a pandemic by the World Health Organization on June 11), and $5.8 billion more, contingent on the President determining it is needed; and adds $1 billion for the Cash for Clunkers program to provide payments to consumers who trade in inefficient vehicles. Including the contingent influenza funding, the bill provides $106 billion in supplemental appropriations. The total includes $79.9 billion for defense and intelligence activities in Iraq and Afghanistan, $10.4 billion for international affairs; $5 billion for IMF loans; $7.7 billion for influenza measures; $250 million, as requested, for domestic fire fighting; $847 million, as in the Senate bill, in unrequested funds for the Corps of Engineers for flood control projects; $72 million, as requested, for Capitol Policy radios; and $1 billion for Cash for Clunkers. The decision to exclude the Senate provision on detainee photos was reportedly approved in the conference only after the President agreed in a letter to take steps to prevent release of photos or videos of prisoner abuse. Because the bill does not include that provision, Democratic leaders said they expect the measure to get enough support from House Democrats who initially opposed the bill to overcome opposition from Republicans who object to the IMF funding. H.R. 2346 provides funds, with some adjustments, that the Administration requested in four supplemental appropriations proposals, including an April 9 request for $83.4 billion in supplemental funding for defense, international affairs, domestic fire fighting, and other purposes; an April 30 request for $1.5 billion for influenza preparedness and response; and a May 12 request for $5 billion to support International Monetary Fund (IMF) borrowing authority. On June 2, the Administration submitted an additional request for $2.0 billion more for influenza response, for expanded authority to transfer funds from other appropriations for influenza measures, and for $200 million in additional humanitarian assistance to Pakistan.

Related Legislation:
• H.R.2346

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