The House Appropriations Committee (HAC) approved the FY2012 Military Construction/Veterans Affairs and the Homeland Security appropriations bills this week, the first FY2012 appropriations bills to complete committee action. Earlier this month, HAC chair Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY) released a schedule that called for the HAC to complete action on all 12 FY2012 appropriations bills before the August recess. Keeping to that schedule, Rogers said the next full committee action will take place on May 31 when the HAC will mark up the FY2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill.
The HAC FY2012 Military Construction/Veterans Affairs appropriations bill provides $14 billion for total Military Construction appropriations, $750 million below the president’s request. The bill cuts funding for military facilities construction projects by $650 million. According to the committee press release, the bill provides $1.1 billion for construction of 16 DoD hospitals and clinics and $1.3 billion for National Guard and Reserve component construction. The HAC bill fully funds the requests for Family Housing, Chemical Demilitarization construction, the NATO Security Investment Program, and BRAC requirements. Another $100 million reduction is from prior-year rescissions due to BRAC bid savings.
The HAC FY2012 Homeland Security Appropriations bill provides $40.6 billion in FY2012 discretionary budget authority, about $3 billion below the request. Within this total amount, the bill funds $10.1 billion for the Coast Guard, essentially equal to the request (excluding a $.2 million Overseas Contingency Operations transfer).
Floor action on the FY2012 Military Construction/Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security appropriations bills has not yet been scheduled.
