House Passes Fiscal 2014 Spending Package

The House on Wednesday afternoon approved a $1.012 trillion fiscal 2014 appropriations package providing spending stability for agencies and removing the threat of another government shutdown for at least the next 9 months.

The Senate, which passed a three-day continuing resolution on Wednesday to keep the government open past Jan. 15, will vote on the omnibus on Thursday or Friday, said Vincent Morris, Senate Appropriations Committee communications director for the majority.

“This bill is not perfect,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., during floor remarks. “But it is a good one.” Rogers praised committee staff in both chambers, and his Senate counterpart Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., who worked through the holidays to get the omnibus package in shape for lawmakers to consider quickly in January. Appropriators had roughly a month to craft an agreement that incorporated 12 separate spending bills based on the top-line budget figures unveiled in late December by the budget conference committee.

While House and Senate lawmakers patted themselves on the back after reaching consensus on the budget deal, the agreement is a mixed bag for individual agencies. The omnibus bill restores funding to several agencies after a year of sequestration, but many more will be left without the full spending levels that their advocates say they need to accomplish their missions.