107th Congress

2002 Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act

P.L. 107-67(H.R. 2590, House Report 107-152, S. 1398, Senate Report 107-57, and Conference Report 107-253)

Impact of Public Law

Public Law (P.L.) 107-67, the 2002 Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, which was enacted on November 12, 2001, provides $32.8 billion for the U.S. Treasury Department, U.S. Postal Service, Executive Office of the President, and certain independent agencies. The law includes general provisions that pertain to all Federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The following is a summary of some provisions included in P.L. 107-67 that are of interest to NIH.

• Federal Employee Pay Raise: Section 646 of Conference Report 107-253 mandates a 4.6-percent salary increase for Federal civilian and military employees for 2002.
• Contraception and Abortion Coverage: Section 643 of the Conference Report maintains coverage for contraceptives under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) and continues the prohibition on abortion coverage under FEHBP, except in cases of rape and incest or if the life of the mother is in danger.
• Presidential Rank Awards: Section 641 of the Conference Report makes senior (GS-15 and above) career Federal employees working in certain technical positions eligible to receive Presidential Rank Awards.
• Child Care for Federal Employees: Section 630 of the Conference Report gives Federal agencies permanent authority to use appropriated funds to pay for child care expenses. Section 638 includes a provision that requires agencies using appropriated funds for employee child care facilities to submit a progress report to the Office of Personnel Management within 60 days after the close of fiscal year 2001.
• Prohibition of Contributions to Interagency Commissions and Councils: Section 632 of the Conference Report prohibits agencies from contributing to interagency commissions, councils, or similar groups without statutory authority, except for contributions to the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is directed to submit a report on the budget to the NSTC 90 days after the enactment of P.L. 107-67.
• Reauthorization of Breast Cancer Research Special Postage Stamp: Section 650 of the Conference Report reauthorizes the breast cancer research stamp through July 29, 2008. Funds collected from the sale of the stamp are distributed to the National Cancer Institute and the U.S. Department of Defense for breast cancer research activities.
• Issuance of Domestic Violence Stamp: Section 653 of the Conference Report authorizes the establishment of a Domestic Violence Stamp through December 31, 2006. Funds earned from the sales of the stamp will be transferred to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for funding of domestic violence programs.
• Making Federal Information User Friendly: House Report 107-152 contains language that directs OMB to establish and publish guidelines for Federal agencies to disclose Federal identifying codes on Web sites and public.

Legislative History

On July 23, 2001, Representative Ernest Jim Istook, Jr. (R-OK) introduced H.R. 2590, the 2002 Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, and filed House Report 107-152. On July 25, 2001, the House passed H.R. 2590, along with several amendments, through a roll call vote of 334 to 94.

On September 4, 2001, the Senate version of the legislation, S. 1398, was introduced by Senator Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND), and Senate Report 107-57 was filed. On November 14, 2001, the Senate voted by unanimous consent to indefinitely postpone consideration of S. 1398.

The Senate passed H.R. 2590 with amendments by unanimous consent on September 19, 2001.

On October 31, 2001, the House passed Conference Report 107-253 by roll call vote. The Senate approved the Conference Report by a vote of 83 to 15 on November 1, 2001. The 2002 Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, P.L. 107-67, was signed by the President on November 12, 2001.