FY 2010 Appropriations Likely to Take Center Stage on House and Senate Floors in July

With three months remaining in FY 2009, Congress has yet to pass all twelve FY 2010 appropriations before the October 1st start of the fiscal year. The House has passed four of its bills, the Senate none. The House is scheduled to vote on four more this week while the Senate hopes to complete action on two. The House Appropriations Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee approved by voice vote today a FY 2010 spending bill that would provide $160.7 billion in discretionary spending, about $5 billion more than the 2009 enacted level and $52 million below what the president requested. Housing and Urban Development has not yet been considered. Labor-HHS-Education and T-HUD are tentatively scheduled for action on the House floor before the summer recess.