2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The GOP FY 2018 Budget Resolution,
Which Started The Process Towards Tax Reform. In October 2017,
Fitzpatrick voted against a budget resolution that would have, according
to The Hill, "The spending blueprint is key to Republicans' efforts to
pass tax reform because it includes instructions that will allow the
plan to avoid a Democratic filibuster. [...] The budget, meant to
outline spending for the fiscal year, was widely viewed as a mere
vehicle for passing tax reform. [...] The budget would allow the
Senate GOP's tax plan to add up to $1.5 trillion to the deficit over a
decade, a proposal that has raised concerns with fiscal hawks in the
GOP. Its instructions call for the Senate Finance Committee to report a
tax bill by Nov. 13. Still, the document outlines the Senate GOP's
political vision. It maintains spending at 2017 levels for the year, but
would then cut nondefense spending in subsequent years, leading to a
$106 billion cut in 2027. It would also allow defense levels to
continue rising at their current rates, reaching $684 billion at the
end of a decade. The resolution also proposes $473 billion in cuts to
Medicare's baseline spending over a decade and about $1 trillion from
Medicaid, though those provisions are not enforceable without additional
legislation." The vote was on a motion to concur in the Senate
amendment. The House agreed to the motion, thereby agreeing to the
budget by a vote of 216 to 212. [House Vote 589,
10/26/17; The Hill,
10/19/17;
Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted For A February 2018 Two-Year Budget Deal
Which, Among Other Things, Increased Spending By $300 Billion,
Suspended The Debt Ceiling, Reauthorized Community Health Centers For
Two Years And Extended Numerous Tax Breaks. In February 2018,
Fitzpatrick voted for a two-year budget deal that re-opened the
government after a brief shutdown. According to the New York Times,
"With Mr. Trump's signature, the government will reopen before many
Americans were aware it had closed, with a deal that includes about
$300 billion in additional funds over two years for military and
nonmilitary programs, almost $90 billion in disaster relief in response
to last year's hurricanes and wildfires, and a higher statutory debt
ceiling." In addition, according to Congressional Quarterly, the
legislation "would provide funding for federal government operations and
services at current levels through March 23, 2018 [...] [and]
retroactively extends numerous tax breaks that expired at the end of
2016. It also extends the CHIP program for another four years (through
FY 2027) and funds community health centers for another two years." The
vote was on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House
amendment to the bill. The House agreed to the motion, essentially on
passage, by a vote of 240 to 186. The bill was then sent to the
president, who signed it into law. [House Vote 69,
2/9/18; New York Times,
2/8/18;
Congressional Quarterly,
2/9/18; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
1892]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted For A February 2018 Two-Year Budget Deal
Which, Among Other Things, Increased Spending By $300 Billion,
Suspended The Debt Ceiling And Provided $90 Billion In Disaster Relief
For The 2017 Hurricanes And Wildfires. In February 2018, Fitzpatrick
voted for a two-year budget deal that re-opened the government after a
brief shutdown. According to the New York Times, "With Mr. Trump's
signature, the government will reopen before many Americans were aware
it had closed, with a deal that includes about $300 billion in
additional funds over two years for military and nonmilitary programs,
almost $90 billion in disaster relief in response to last year's
hurricanes and wildfires, and a higher statutory debt ceiling." In
addition, according to Congressional Quarterly, the legislation "would
provide funding for federal government operations and services at
current levels through March 23, 2018 [...] [and] retroactively
extends numerous tax breaks that expired at the end of 2016. It also
extends the CHIP program for another four years (through FY 2027) and
funds community health centers for another two years." The vote was on a
motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the
bill. The House agreed to the motion, essentially on passage, by a vote
of 240 to 186. The bill was then sent to the president, who signed it
into law. [House Vote 69,
2/9/18; New York Times,
2/8/18;
Congressional Quarterly,
2/9/18; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
1892]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For Trump's Emergency Harvey Relief, Debt
Ceiling And CR Deal With The Democrats Which Suspended The Debt Ceiling
For Three Months. In September 2017, Fitzpatrick voted for legislation
that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "ma[d]e
available $15.25 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal
2017 to partially cover the costs of responding to multiple natural
disasters, including Hurricane Harvey. The amendment would [have]
suspend[ed] the public debt limit from the bill's date of enactment
until Dec. 8, 2017, and would [have] provide[d] for government
operations to be funded at fiscal 2017 levels until Dec. 8." The vote
was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 316 to 90. The
Senate earlier had agreed to the legislation and President Trump then
signed the legislation into the law. [House Vote 480,
9/8/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/7/17; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
601]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For A Continuing Resolution Through January
19, 2018, Waiving PayGo For Tax Reform And A Temporary Patch Of CHIP
Through March 31, 2018. In December 2017, Fitzpatrick voted for
legislation that would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "provide
funding for federal government operations and services at current levels
through Jan. 19, 2018. The bill, as amended, would authorize $2.1
billion for the Veterans Choice Program, $2.9 billion in mandatory
funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program and $550 million
in funding to Community Health Centers through Mar. 31. The bill would
exempt funding provided to the Children's Health Insurance Fund and
other health programs, as well as the tax overhaul package, from
statutory pay-as-you-go requirements. It would provide $4.7 billion in
emergency supplemental funds for missile defense and Navy ship repairs.
It would also extend authorities under the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act through Jan. 19, including FISA Section 702, which
allows U.S. intelligence agencies to obtain data from electronic service
providers or non-U.S. persons who reside outside the U.S." The vote was
on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment with an amendment. The
House agreed to the motion by a vote of 231 to 188. The Senate later
agreed to the bill and President Trump later signed the bill into law.
[House Vote 708,
12/21/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/21/17; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
1370]
Bill Temporary Extended FISA Through April, 2018. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "The bill extends through Jan. 19, 2018,
authorities under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA),
which includes FISA Section 702. Section 702 allows U.S.
intelligence agencies to obtain data from electronic service
providers on non-U.S. persons who reside outside the United States,
including email, chat, photos, videos, stored data and file
transfers. It also allows the NSA to perform 'upstream collection'
of data that cites or mentions potential intelligence targets.
Current FISA authorities were extended in 2012 for five years by the
FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act (PL 112-238) and are due to
expire Dec. 31, 2017 (although many experts believe the government
could continue to carry out surveillance until April 2018)."
[Congressional Quarterly,
12/20/17]
Legislation Extended CHIP Through April, 2018. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "The bill appropriates $2.9 billion in
mandatory funding for one semi-annual allotment for the Children's
Health Insurance Program (CHIP) covering the first two quarters of
FY 2018 --- i.e., through March 31, 2018." [Congressional
Quarterly,
12/20/17]
Bill Waived PayGo Cuts From This Bill And The 2017 Trump Tax
Reform Bill. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The bill
exempts from statutory pay-as-you-go requirements the bill's
funding for CHIP and other health programs, as well as the
reconciliation tax cut bill that was just cleared by Congress. It
also delays any possible automatic sequestration in January of
discretionary spending in order to give Congress more time to reach
agreement on revised discretionary spending caps for FY 2018."
[Congressional Quarterly,
12/20/17]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For A Two-Week CR Through December 22nd, 2017
And For Allowing CHIP To Distribute Money To Keep The Program Solvent
Through The End Of 2017. In December 2017, Fitzpatrick voted for
legislation that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"provide[d] funding for federal government operations and services at
current levels through Dec. 22, 2017, at an annualized rate of $1.23
trillion for federal departments and agencies covered by the 12
unfinished fiscal 2018 spending bills, of which an annualized rate of
$621.5 billion would be designated for defense and an annualized rate
of $511 billion for nondefense discretionary spending. The bill would
[have] allow[ed] state Children's Health and Insurance Programs to
receive extra redistribution funds beyond what is currently allowed,
supporting the program's operations through the end of December." The
vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 235 to 193.
The Senate later passed the bill and President Trump signed it into law.
[House Vote 670,
12/7/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/7/17; Congressional
Actions, H. J. Res.
123]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted For A February 2018 Two-Year Budget Deal Which
Funded The Government Through March 23rd, Among Other Things, Increased
Spending By $300 Billion, Suspended The Debt Ceiling, Extended CHIP's
Authorization For Four More Years And Extended Numerous Tax Breaks
Through March 23rd, Among Other Things, Increased Spending By $300
Billion, Suspended The Debt Ceiling, Extended CHIP's Authorization For
Four More Years And Extended Numerous Tax Breaks. In February 2018,
Fitzpatrick voted for a two-year budget deal that re-opened the
government after a brief shutdown. According to the New York Times,
"With Mr. Trump's signature, the government will reopen before many
Americans were aware it had closed, with a deal that includes about
$300 billion in additional funds over two years for military and
nonmilitary programs, almost $90 billion in disaster relief in response
to last year's hurricanes and wildfires, and a higher statutory debt
ceiling." In addition, according to Congressional Quarterly, the
legislation "would provide funding for federal government operations and
services at current levels through March 23, 2018 [...] [and]
retroactively extends numerous tax breaks that expired at the end of
2016. It also extends the CHIP program for another four years (through
FY 2027) and funds community health centers for another two years." The
vote was on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House
amendment to the bill. The House agreed to the motion, essentially on
passage, by a vote of 240 to 186. The bill was then sent to the
president, who signed it into law. [House Vote 69,
2/9/18; New York Times,
2/8/18;
Congressional Quarterly,
2/9/18; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
1892]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For An FY 18 'Minibus' Appropriations Bill
That Included The Defense Spending, Energy And Water, Military
Construction, Veterans Affairs And Legislative Funding. In July 2017,
Fitzpatrick voted for legislation that would have, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "provide[d] $788 billion in discretionary
funding for fiscal 2018 to various departments, agencies and legislative
operations, including $658.1 billion in funding for Defense programs;
$88.8 billion in net appropriations subject to discretionary caps for
fiscal 2018 that would provide funding for military construction
activities and for VA programs and activities; $37.6 billion in net
appropriations subject to discretionary caps for fiscal 2018 that would
provide funding for the Energy Department, Army Corps of Engineers,
Bureau of Reclamation and related agencies; and $3.6 billion in funding
fiscal 2018 for operations of the House of Representatives, joint
House-Senate items and legislative branch entities such as the Library
of Congress, the Capitol Police, and the Government Accountability
Office. The bill would [have] provide[d] $1.6 billion in funding to
U.S. Customs and Border Protection for procurement, construction and
improvement of a barrier along the southern U.S. border." The vote was
on the bill. The House adopted the bill by a vote of 235 to 192. The
Senate took no substantive action on the legislation. [House Vote 435,
7/27/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/27/17; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
3219]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The House GOP FY 2018 Budget
Resolution, Which Started The Process Towards Tax Reform And Called For
Ending Medicare As We Know It. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted
against the House GOP FY 2018 budget resolution. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "Adoption of the concurrent resolution that
would provide for $3.2 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018,
not including off-budget accounts. It would assume $1.22 trillion in
discretionary spending in fiscal 2018. It would assume the repeal of the
2010 health care overhaul law. It also would propose reducing spending
on mandatory programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and changing
programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also
known as food stamps). It would call for restructuring Medicare into a
'premium support' system beginning in 2024. I would also require the
House Ways and Means Committee to report out legislation under the
budget reconciliation process that would provide for a revenue-neutral,
comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. tax code and would include
instructions to 11 House committees to trigger the budget reconciliation
process to cut mandatory spending. The concurrent resolution would
assume that, over 10 years, base (non-Overseas Contingency Operations)
discretionary defense spending would be increased by a total of $929
billion over the Budget Control Act caps and non-defense spending be
reduced by $1.3 trillion." The vote was on passage. The House passed
the budget resolution by a vote of 219 to 206. A modified version was
later agreed to by both the House and the Senate. [House Vote 557,
10/5/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/5/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted For An FY 2018 Continuing Resolution Funding
The Government Through February 8, Ending the Government Shutdown. In
January 2018, Fitzpatrick voted for legislation that would have,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "provide[d] funding for federal
government operations and services at current levels through Feb. 8,
2018. The measure would [have] fund[ed] the state Children's Health
and Insurance Programs at $21.5 billion annually starting in fiscal
2018 and would gradually increase the funding annually through fiscal
2023." In addition, also according to Congressional Quarterly, "The bill
also suspends or delays for one or two years three health-related taxes
that were enacted as part of the 2010 health care overhaul to help
finance the law --- the medical device tax, the tax on high-value
employer-sponsored health insurance plans (the so-called 'Cadillac'
tax), and annual fees on health insurance companies." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 266 to 150. The Senate
had already agreed to the version of the bill. President Trump later
signed it into law. [House Vote 44,
1/22/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/22/18; Congressional
Quarterly,
1/22/18; CBS,
1/23/18;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
195]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted For An FY 2018 Continuing Resolution Funding
The Government Through February 16, But Did Not Offer Any Fixes For DACA
Recipients. In January 2018, Fitzpatrick voted for legislation that
would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "provide[d] funding
for federal government operations and services at current levels through
Feb. 16, 2018, at an annualized rate of $1.23 trillion for federal
departments and agencies covered by the 12 unfinished fiscal 2018
spending bills, of which an annualized rate of $621.5 billion would be
designated for defense and an annualized rate of $511 billion for
nondefense discretionary spending. The measure would [have] fund[ed]
the state Children's Health and Insurance Programs at $21.5 billion
annually starting in fiscal 2018 and would gradually increase the
funding annually through fiscal 2023." In addition, also according to
Congressional Quarterly, "The bill suspends or delays three
health-related taxes that were enacted as part of the 2010 health care
overhaul to help finance the law --- the medical device tax, the tax on
high-value employer-sponsored health insurance plans (the so-called
'Cadillac' tax), and annual fees on health insurance companies." The
vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 230 to 197.
The Senate later blocked the bill, shutting down the government for
three days. A revised version of the legislation, funding the government
through February 8th was later signed into law. [House Vote 33,
1/18/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/18/18; Congressional
Quarterly,
1/17/18;
Congressional Quarterly, 1/22/18;
CBS,
1/23/18;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
195]
The Senate Did Not Agree To The Legislation, Shutting Down the
Government. According to Congressional Quarterly, "A partial
government shutdown began just after midnight Saturday, after the
Senate could not muster the 60 votes necessary to bring debate to a
close on the four-week CR, which the House passed on Thursday."
[Congressional Quarterly,
1/19/18]
Democrats Wanted A Deal That Protected DACA Recipients.
According to NPR, "While many Senate Democrats had remained
entrenched in their opposition to any funding deal that didn't
include a DACA fix, a growing number of moderate lawmakers were wary
of an extended shutdown fight." [NPR,
1/22/18]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted For The $1.3 Trillion FY 2018 Omnibus
Spending Deal Which Raised Spending By $138 Billion Over FY 2017
Levels. In March 2018, Fitzpatrick voted for the FY 2018 Omnibus
spending bill. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Combined, the
spending measures would provide about $1.3 trillion in discretionary
spending, with $1.2 trillion subject to discretionary spending caps,
and $78.1 billion designated as Overseas Contingency Operations funds.
The measure's spending levels are consistent with the increased defense
and non-defense budget caps set by the two-year budget deal agreed to
last month. That agreement increased the FY 2018 defense cap by $80
billion and the non-defense cap by $63 billion. Given that the previous
caps were set to reduce overall discretionary spending by $5 billion,
the net increase provided by the omnibus is $138 billion over the FY
2017 level." The vote was on the motion to concur in the Senate
Amendment with an Amendment. The House agreed to the motion, thereby
passing the bill, by a vote of 256 to 167. The Senate later agreed to
the legislation, sending it to the president, who signed it into law.
[House Vote 127,
3/22/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/22/18; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
1625]
Omnibus Increased Defense Spending By $80 Billion And In Domestic
Spending By $63 Billion. According to the Washington Post, "Under
that agreement, defense spending generally favored by Republicans is
set to jump $80 billion over previously authorized spending levels,
while domestic spending favored by Democrats rises by $63 billion.
The defense funding includes a 2.4 percent pay raise for military
personnel and $144 billion for Pentagon hardware. The domestic
spending is scattered across the rest of the federal government, but
lawmakers are highlighting increases in funding for infrastructure,
medical research, veterans programs and efforts to combat the opioid
epidemic. Civilian federal employees get a 1.9 percent pay raise,
breaking parity with the military for the first time in several
years." [Washington Post,
3/22/18]
Legislation Did Not Defund So-Called "Sanctuary Cities."
According to Vox, "The bill doesn't defund 'sanctuary cities' that
attempt to protect unauthorized immigrant residents from federal
immigration officials, despite Trump's last-minute push to defund
the cities as part of the omnibus." [Vox,
2/23/18]
Legislation Provided $1.6 Billion In Border Security Fencing, But
Not For The Wall. According to the Washington Post, "The bill
provides $1.6 billion for barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border but
with serious strings attached. Of the total, $251 million is
earmarked specifically for 'secondary fencing' near San Diego, where
fencing is already in place; $445 million is for no more than 25
miles of 'levee fencing'; $196 million is for 'primary pedestrian
fencing' in the Rio Grande Valley; $445 million is for the
replacement of existing fencing in that area; and the rest is for
planning, design and technology --- not for wall construction. The
biggest catch is this: The barriers authorized to be built under the
act must be 'operationally effective designs' already deployed as of
last March, meaning none of President Trump's big, beautiful wall
prototypes can be built." [Washington Post,
3/22/18]
The Omnibus Spending Bill Did Nothing To Target Planned
Parenthood. According to Vox, "On Wednesday night, congressional
leaders unveiled the 'omni': a massive 2,232-page, $1.3 trillion
spending bill covering everything from defense to border security to
opioids. In Congress, a spending bill spanning multiple budget areas
is known as an 'omnibus.' On Thursday, the House and Senate passed
the bill. [...] Nor does the bill do anything to target Planned
Parenthood, a common target of Republican ire." [Vox,
3/23/18]
Legislation Did Not Address DACA. According to Vox, "While
Democratic leaders have appeared willing to accept an omnibus that
doesn't revive the DACA program, other Democratic members of
Congress have suggested they'd oppose any funding bill that doesn't
protect DACA. The House and Senate-passed does nothing on DACA.
Trump, who has offered to provide permanent protection for DACA
recipients in exchange for draconian cuts to legal immigration,
appeared to be frustrated that such a deal hasn't made it into the
omnibus." [Vox,
3/23/18]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The FY 2018 Congressional Progressive
Caucus's Budget Resolution, Which Among Other Things, Increased Taxes On
The Rich And Corporations And Called For Creating A Public Option In The
ACA's Marketplace. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against an FY
2018 CPC budget resolution. According to Congressional Quarterly, the
resolution would "provide for $3.8 trillion in new budget authority in
fiscal 2018, not including off-budget accounts. It would raise overall
spending by $3.5 trillion over 10 years and would increase revenues by
$8.2 trillion over the same period through policies that would increase
taxes for corporations and high-income individuals. It would repeal the
Budget Control Act sequester and caps on discretionary spending, would
modify the tax code by adding five higher marginal tax rates, would
create a public insurance option to be sold within the current health
insurance exchanges and would call for implementation of comprehensive
immigration overhaul." The amendment was a substitute amendment for the
GOP's FY 2018 budget resolution in part designed to start the process
for tax reform. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 108 to
314. [House Vote 553,
10/4/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/4/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Amdt.
453;
Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted Against A Recession Spending Package That
Cancelled $14.8 Billon In Approved Spending, Including $7 Billion In
CHIP Funding And $4.3 Billion In Funding From The Energy Department's
Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program. In June 2018,
Fitzpatrick voted against a recession package. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "Passage of the bill that would cancel
approximately $14.8 billion in previously approved spending, including
reductions in budget authority for mandatory programs. It would rescind
allocated funding across various departments and programs, including $7
billion from the Children's Health Insurance Program, $4.3 billion from
the Energy Department's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan
Program, $683 million from Innovative Technology Loan Guarantees, and
$800 million in mandatory funding from the Center for Medicare and
Medicaid Innovation. It would not rescind any of the funding provided by
the fiscal 2018 omnibus appropriations measure." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 210 to 206. The Senate
later rejected the bill. [House Vote 243,
6/7/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/7/18; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
3]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The FY 2018 Republican Study Committee
Budget Resolution. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against a budget
resolution that would in part, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"provide for $2.9 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018. It
would balance the budget by fiscal 2023 by reducing spending by $10.1
trillion over 10 years. It would cap total discretionary spending at
$1.06 trillion for fiscal 2018 and would assume no separate Overseas
Contingency Operations funding for fiscal 2018 or subsequent years and
would incorporate funding related to war or terror into the base defense
account. It would assume repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul and
would convert Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program into
a single block grant program. It would require that off budget programs,
such as Social Security, the U.S. Postal Service, and Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac, be included in the budget." The underlying legislation was
an FY 2018 House GOP budget resolution. The House rejected the RSC
budget by a vote of 139 to 281. [House Vote 555,
10/5/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/5/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Amdt.
455;
Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For Trump's Emergency Harvey Relief, Debt
Ceiling And CR Deal With The Democrats Which Funded The Government Via A
Continuing Resolution Through December 8th. In September 2017,
Fitzpatrick voted for legislation that would have, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "ma[d]e available $15.25 billion in
emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 2017 to partially cover the
costs of responding to multiple natural disasters, including Hurricane
Harvey. The amendment would [have] suspend[ed] the public debt limit
from the bill's date of enactment until Dec. 8, 2017, and would [have]
provide[d] for government operations to be funded at fiscal 2017
levels until Dec. 8." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill
by a vote of 316 to 90. The Senate earlier had agreed to the legislation
and President Trump then signed the legislation into the law. [House
Vote 480, 9/8/17;
Congressional Quarterly, 9/7/17;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
601]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For The House GOP's FY 2018 Omnibus That
Included Funding For Trump's Wall. In September 2017, Fitzpatrick
voted for an FY 2018 Omnibus appropriations bill that. According to The
Hill, "The House on Thursday completed its work on the annual
appropriations bills for 2018, ahead of expected negotiations at the end
of this year to keep the government funded. By a vote of 211-198, the
House passed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills to fund wide
swaths of the federal government, ranging from the Department of
Homeland Security to the Environmental Protection Agency. [...] The
package included eight new bills, plus four previously passed
appropriations bills that advanced through the House in July. Regular
order for appropriations typically involved passing each of the bills
individually, not in groups of 4 or 8. [...] Together, the bills
appropriate $621.5 billion for defense spending and $511 billion for
nondefense discretionary spending. It also devotes another $87 billion
in Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) funding, which does not count
toward budget cuts. Of that, $75 billion went to defense, $12 billion
to nondefense." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a
vote of 211 to 198. The Senate took no substantive action on the overall
legislation. [House Vote 528,
9/14/17; The Hill,
9/14/17;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3354]