RSC Appropriations Bills Amendments
As part of their ongoing work to reduce government spending and avert a fiscal crisis, RSC members will be offering amendments to many of the appropriations bills to be considered by the House this year. Each of these amendments would cause total appropriations in a bill to be lowered to an amount consistent with the RSC budget’s discretionary spending allocation.
Amendment #1: Homeland Security
The FY 2012 Homeland Security bill provided a spending level of $40.6 billion, which is $1 billion less than last year. The RSC amendment, introduced by Rep. Rokita, would have increased this savings total to $3.5 billion—an increase of $2.5 billion—by cutting all accounts in the bill by 10% except: 1) U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and 2) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Amendment Text; Dear Colleague; Press Release
Amendment #2: Agriculture
The FY 2012 Agriculture appropriations bill provides a spending level of $17.25 billion, which is $2.7 billion less than last year. The RSC amendment would increase this savings total to $4.5 billion—an increase of $1.8 billion. The amendment achieves this savings by: 1) reducing duplication in the Department’s research agencies, and 2) by eliminating the “Food for Peace” foreign aid program. Amendment Text; Press Release
Amendment #3: Energy and Water
The FY 2012 Energy and Water bill provides a spending level of $30.6 billion, which is $1 billion less than last year. The McClintock/RSC Amendment would increase this savings total to 4.25 billion—an increase of $3.25 billion. The $3.25 billion savings would be transferred to the Spending Reduction Account. The cuts are:
• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Subsidies: Eliminate this spending, savings of $1.304 billion.
• Nuclear Energy Subsidies: Reduce by $289.4 million.
• Fossil Fuels Research Subsidies: Eliminate and save $477 million.
• Office of Science, Department of Energy: Reduce by $820 million.
• Advanced Research Projects Agency: Eliminate and save $100 million.
• Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program: Eliminate and save $160 million.
• Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program: Eliminate and save $6 million.
• Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs: Fund at President’s request and save $500,000.
• Eliminate the Regional Commissions—Appalachian, Delta, Denali, Northern Border, and Southern Crescent: Save $90 million.
Outside Support: Americans for Tax Reform, FreedomWorks, Heritage Action, National Taxpayers Union
Amendment #4: Energy and Water
The Garrett/RSC amendment would cut $500 million of wasteful energy research and development accounts and transfer the funds into the Spending Reduction Account. The amendment reduces spending for 16 programs that subsidize energy research that is not economically viable.
Outside Support: Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, National Taxpayers Union
Amendment #5: Interior
The FY 2012 Interior bill provides a spending level of $27.5 billion, which is $2.1 billion less than last year. The Huelskamp/RSC Amendment would increase this savings total to $5.1 billion—a savings increase of $3 billion over the committee level. The specific cuts are:
• Cuts funding for the EPA by $1.9 billion.
• Eliminates funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, saving $135 million.
• Eliminates funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities, saving $135 million.
• Eliminates funding for National Heritage Areas (YouCut winner), saving $9 million.
• Eliminates $20 million in further federal land acquisition.
• Cuts funding for the National Gallery of Art by 10%, saving $12 million.
• Cuts $70 million from the Bureau of Land Management.
• Cuts $85 million from Fish and Wildlife Services.
• Eliminates the $432 million increase in Indian Health Services funding (including the $392 million increase in the underlying bill), returning this funding back to FY 2011 levels.
• Cuts $75 Million from the Office of the Secretary of the Interior.
• Cuts $9 million from National Institutes of Health (NIH).
• Cuts $47 million from Wildland and Fire Management.
Outside Support: Heritage Action
Amendment #6: Commerce, Justice, and Science
The FY 2013 Commerce-Science-Justice bill provides a spending level of $51.1 billion, which is $1.6 billion less than last year. This amendment would cut an additional $2.7 billion—for a total savings of $4.3 billion over last year—by cutting all accounts in the bill by 12.2% except: 1) NASA, 2) FBI, and 3) US Marshals. Amendment Text
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