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• U.S. Department of State

Summary

After planning to bring up a bill on May 8, the House has put off floor consideration of a measure to provide FY2008 and FY2009 supplemental appropriations for overseas military operations, international affairs, and domestic programs. As described by the House Appropriations Committee on May 7, the draft bill provides $183.7 billion in discretionary appropriations in FY2008 and FY2009. The bill also includes an expansion of veterans' education benefits at a cost of $52 billion in mandatory spending over the next ten years, and extended unemployment compensation at a cost of $11 billion. The bill provides $101.2 billion in FY2008 and $65.9 billion in FY2009 for the Department of Defense, including military construction; $5.9 billion in FY2008 and $5.1 billion in FY2009 for international affairs, including emergency food aid; $5.8 billion in FY2009 for Gulf Coast levee construction; and $644 million for other domestic programs. It also includes a measure to delay new Medicaid regulations that would reduce payments to the states. The Senate Appropriations Committee had planned to mark up its version of a supplemental appropriations bill on May 8, but that has been delayed until May 15. The Chairman's mark of the Senate bill provides $103 billion in FY2008 and $65.9 billion in FY2009 for the Department of Defense, including military construction; $10.4 billion for hurricane protection; $850 million in FY2008 and $395 million in FY2009 for P.L. 480 international food assistance; $1.2 billion for science programs in several agencies; and more than $2 billion for other domestic programs, including secure schools, VA trauma centers, law enforcement grants, highways, and the FDA. It also includes expanded GI bill education benefits and extended unemployment compensation, and it delays new Medicaid rules. Procedurally, the House bill is expected to be taken up directly on the floor without a committee markup. The vehicle for the bill is expected to be H.R. 2642, the FY2008 military construction/VA appropriations bill, that was incorporated into the FY2008 consolidated appropriations act. Three amendments to the bill will be offered, one providing defense funds, a second on Iraq policy, and a third providing domestic and international affairs funding. The Iraq policy amendment will require that most U.S. troops be withdrawn by December 2009. During its first session, the 110th Congress approved FY2008 emergency supplemental appropriations of $86.8 billion for the Department of Defense and $2.4 billion for international affairs, mainly for activities related to military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This left Administration requests for $102.5 billion for defense and $5.4 billion for international affairs unresolved. This CRS report will be updated regularly to report on congressional action on remaining FY2008 supplemental appropriations and on FY2009 supplemental funding included in supplemental funding bills. For congressional action on FY2008 supplemental funding provided through December 2007, see CRS Report RL34278, FY2008 Supplemental Appropriations for Global War on Terror Military Operations, International Affairs, and Other Purposes, which will not be updated further.

Related Legislation:
• H.R.2642

Related Reports:
• RL34451

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