Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Energy and Water, Defense, LHHS, and Financial Services Appropriations Bills

08.01.24

Committee unanimously approves Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies bill in 28-0 vote

Committee unanimously approves Defense bill in 28-0 vote

Committee approves Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies bill in 25-3 vote

Committee unanimously approves Financial Services and General Government bill in 27-0 vote

***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray's opening remarks***

Washington, D.C. - Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee met for a full committee markup and approved the fiscal year 2025 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies; Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies; and Financial Services and General Government appropriations bills.

"We have now passed eleven of our twelve bills-and have done so with the support of the overwhelming majority of our Committee," said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "These bills will send essential resources back to our communities, and they provide a clear roadmap to fund our government in the coming months as we work to negotiate and pass final bills with the House."

"By working together, finding common ground, and rejecting dangerous cuts and extreme policy, we have once again produced strong, bipartisan bills that increase support for families, strengthen our national security, invest in our economy and competitiveness, and can actually be signed into law," added Chair Murray.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has now advanced 11 of 12 annual appropriations bills in overwhelming bipartisan votes. At Thursday's markup, Chair Murray noted that Senate appropriators will continue working to reach bipartisan agreement on the Homeland Security bill, stating: "We are continuing to work hard to get to a bipartisan agreement on the Homeland Security bill. The additional time will allow us to take a closer look at issues such as the Secret Service budget as we learn more from the assassination attempt of former President Trump just over two weeks ago, and my hope is that we will be able to mark that up when we return."

In a 28-0 vote, the Committee unanimouslyapproved the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

The Fiscal Year 2025 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act provides $61.467 billion in total funding for the Department of Energy, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and independent agencies.

"This bipartisan bill delivers new investments to advance cutting-edge scientific research happening at labs across the country, to support critical water infrastructure, and to prepare communities for extreme weather events. It sustains our investments in renewable energy and climate research-and our efforts to help strengthen and build up our energy grid as we transition to clean energy sources," said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. "This bill increases funding to maintain our nation's ports and harbors, which are so important to our economy. Importantly, this bill also supports critical nuclear nonproliferation efforts and strengthens funding to clean up the Hanford Site and other environmental cleanup sites across the country."

A full summary of the bill is available HERE.

Final bill text and report, as well as adopted amendments and Congressionally Directed Spending projects included in the bill, will be made available later today HERE.

In a 28-0 vote, the Committee unanimouslyapproved the Defense Appropriations bill.

The Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations Act provides $852.2 billion in total funding-a $27.2 billion, or 3.3% increase over fiscal year 2024.

"As Chairman of the Senate committee that sets our military's budget, my top priority is ensuring our armed forces have the necessary resources to keep our nation safe and maintain our position as the greatest country in the world," said Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. "This strong, bipartisan budget will accelerate investments to allow our military to stay ahead of the threat of China, provide certainty for our servicemembers, and keep Montana and our country safe here at home. I'm glad to see my defense budget advance to the Senate floor and I will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats to get it across the finish line on time."

"This bipartisan bill builds on our efforts in the National Security Supplemental to strengthen our defenses in key regions, deter conflict, promote stability, and ultimately, keep our nation safe-with new investments to ensure our military remains the best in the world while supporting our servicemembers and standing with our allies," said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "I am especially glad this bill provides new resources to make sure the men and women who keep our country safe can make ends meet and take care of their families as they serve our nation."

A full summary of the bill is available HERE.

Final bill text and report, as well as adopted amendments, will be made available later today HERE.

In a 27-0 vote, the Committee unanimouslyapproved the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill.

The Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act provides $27.885 billion to fund the operations of the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, the federal judiciary, the District of Columbia, the Small Business Administration, and more than two dozen independent federal agencies.

"Creating an economy that works for all Americans should be at the heart of everything we do. That's why, within this bipartisan legislation, we secured funding to support our small businesses and community-based lenders, protect consumers, build out our broadband infrastructure, and ensure the security of our financial system. This bill invests in these key priorities and more-including providing resources to tackle the opioid epidemic and improve our election security as well as continued funding for one of my top Maryland priorities: building the new FBI headquarters in Prince George's County. While this legislation does maintain some provisions I do not support, on balance, this bipartisan product will strengthen our economy and our communities," said Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee.

"Our economy thrives when working families and small businesses thrive, so I am really glad this bipartisan bill delivers new funding to protect consumers and help people start and grow small businesses. This bill invests in protecting retiree's nest eggs, promoting stable and fair financial markets, looking out for the little guy, and growing our economy from the middle out," said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "This bill sustains funding for critical functions of government and to address the opioid epidemic, and it delivers new resources for states to administer elections, make critical security improvements, and ensure every American can make their voice heard in free and fair elections."

A full summary of the bill is available HERE.

Final bill text and report, as well as adopted amendments and Congressionally Directed Spending projects included in the bill, will be made available later today HERE.

In a 25-3 vote, the Committee approved the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

The Fiscal Year 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides $231.34 billion in base discretionary funding.

"Our bill addresses the kitchen table issues I hear about every day from Wisconsinites-lowering childcare costs for families, connecting more Americans with good-paying jobs, expanding access to mental health care, and taking on the opioid and fentanyl crisis," said Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. "We're also investing in groundbreaking research that will help us find cures and treatments to diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's for families across the country. As chair of this subcommittee, I am proud to give Wisconsinites a seat at the table and deliver for working families."

"This bill makes major new investments to help Americans in every part of the country get a great education, make ends meet, and get the support and services they need to stay healthy and thrive," said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "As families struggle to afford child care and our economy suffers the consequences, this bill delivers $2.3 billion more to help families get the child care and pre-K they need to ensure their kids are safe and cared for. As patients battle Alzheimer's disease, mental illness, cancer, and other serious conditions, this bill offers new hope with a $2 billion increase in funding to advance life-saving biomedical research. As communities work to tackle the devastating opioid and mental health crises, this bill provides significant new funding to support their efforts. It provides new resources to support our K-12 schools and help students pursue a higher education. This bipartisan bill also delivers funding to help protect workers' rights and ensure they get the paychecks they are owed, and it will help reduce wait times for Americans simply looking to get the Social Security benefits they have earned."

A full summary of the bill is available HERE.

Final bill text and report, as well as adopted amendments and Congressionally Directed Spending projects included in the bill, will be made available later today HERE.

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