Congress Inches Toward FY17 Funding as Deadline Looms

Congressional appropriators have one eye on the clock as they strive to find ways to fund the Federal government for the remainder of FY 17.  Notwithstanding the President’s recent supplemental funding requests, House and Senate funders are beginning to have confidence that they will have an Omnibus appropriations measure in place by the April 28 expiration of the current Continuing Resolution (CR).  While that date is several days away, there are only 8 days remaining when both the House and Senate are in session.  No one is excited about the prospect of extending the CR through September 30, the end of the Federal fiscal year, but that is as likely as possibility as an Omnibus appropriations measure.
Of course, and as we have come to expect, funding for EPA remains unresolved at this point.  Last July, the House passed its FY 17 EPA funding measure that would provide $7.97 billion for the Agency overall; $720 million for Science & Technology; $2.52 billion for Environmental Programs & Management; and $4.37 billion for State & Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG).  Within the STAG account, the House awarded $109.7 million for PWSS and $1.07 billion for the DWSRF.
Last June, Senate funding for EPA stalled at the Committee level.  At that stage, they agreed to provide an overall $8.1 billion for the Agency with $645.9 million in funding for Science & Technology; $2.53 billion for Environmental Programs & Management; and $3.61 billion for STAG.  Within the STAG account, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee awarded $109.7 million for PWSS and $1.02 billion for the DWSRF.