Seven months into the federal fiscal year, and after two partial government shutdowns and 13 short-term funding extensions, congressional conferees and the Administration have finally resolved the remaining contentious issues in the 1996 federal budget. The measure was signed by President Clinton Friday, April 26.
The $160 billion continuing resolution (H.R. 3019) funds the remaining fiscal appropriations bills through the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30. The compromises add back nearly $5 billion of the $8 billion the president requested for his social and environmental program priorities.
Despite the add-backs, the FY96 budget contained $23 billion in reductions. County programs receiving funds from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Interior, Justice, HUD and the EPA will finally have stable funding. (See p. ? for list.)
Congressional and Administration negotiators resolved a number of White House-opposed provisions easing environmental regulations. The riders would have scaled back federal enforcement activities in some federal preserves and forests and affected the implementation of the Endangered Species Act. Only two of the riders remained in the bill, and the president has the ability to waive their implementation.
Mark up of the FY97 budget blueprint is expected to be on the House and Senate budget committees’ schedules as early as this week, with final action on the blueprint before Memorial Day.
Because of the fundamental policy differences remaining between the GOP and the Administration and election year politics, it is unclear how the congressional leadership will advance the issues remaining from FY96. There may be separate spending cut bills and a tax relief proposal, as well as welfare and Medicaid reform proposals. The first FY97 budget items expected on the floor are the 13 appropriations bills, which the House plans to complete by June 30.