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Summary of Senate Subcommittee Markup on Interior Bill
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The Senate Subcommittee reported out the 2008 Interior appropriations bill Tuesday, June 19 with a unanimous voice vote.
The bill is $27.2 billion in total as compared to the House bill of $27.6 billion and the President's budget of $25.7 billion.
For Interior the Senate provides $10.1 billion, $406 million above the President's budget of $9.7 billion. The House included $10.2 billion, $450 million above the budget.
For National Parks:
- The Senate includes the entire discretionary increase for operations (+$196 million) excluding Hetch- Hetchy and FBMS funding. This is comparable to the House.
- The Senate did not include funding for the matching, mandatory piece of the Centennial proposal.
- US Park Police are funded at the request of $88 million by both House and Senate
- The Senate funds heritage areas at $15 million as compared to the House level of $20 million and the budget of $10 million.
- The Senate provides $5 million for Preserve America as compared to the $10 million included in the President’s budget and House. The Senate moves the Preserve America program from the Historic Preservation Fund to the National Recreation and Preservation Account.
- The Senate funds Save America's Treasures at $30 million. The House provided $20 million and the budget included $10 million.
- The Senate includes a general provision that maintains the status quo on snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand Teton through the upcoming winter use season. The House included no such provision.
For Wildland Fire:
- The Senate increases funding for the Wildland Fire account over the House level. The Senate provides $829.5 million as compared to the House level of $806.6 million and the budget level of $801.8 million.
- The Senate restores full funding for preparedness, an increase of $17.7 million above the budget.
- The Senate also funds fire assistance grants at $8 million, which is zero in the budget and in the House mark.
- The Senate funds fire science at $6 million instead of the budget of $4 million.
- The Senate funds the fuels program at the request level of $202.8 million.
For LWCF:
- State grants are funded at $30 million as compared to the House level of $50 million and the budget of zero.
- Federal land acquisition is funded at $111.7 million as compared to the House level of $118 million and the budget of $50 million
BLM
- Operations is funded at $1.01 billion as compared to the House level of 998.9 million and the budget of $989.7 million.
- The Senate funds $6 million of the $15 million requested for Healthy Lands. The budget included $15 million.
- The Senate includes an increase of $8 million for the NLCS as compared to the House increase of $10 million over the budget.
- The Senate restores $4.7 million for the wild horse and burro program - just as the House did.
- The Senate reduces the Alaska energy program ($12.4 million increase) by $2.5 million based on the lack of authorization for ANWR.
For FWS:
- The Senate funds operations at $1.08 billion as compared to the House level of $1.1 billion and the budget of $1.03 billion.
- For refuges, the Senate provides an increase of $19 million above the budget. The House mark includes an increase of $56 million.
- The Senate funds ESA programs at $155.5 million as compared to the House funding level of $152.5 million and the budget of $146.5 million.
- The Senate funds Fisheries at $130 million as compared to the House level of $126.2 million and the budget of $124.8 million.
- FWS grants are funded as follows:
| |
Budget |
House |
Senate |
| LIP/PSG |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Cooperative Endangered |
80 |
81 |
80 |
| North American |
42.6 |
42.6 |
42.6 |
| Multinational Species |
4.3 |
10 |
8 |
| Neotropical Birds |
4 |
5 |
4 |
| State and Tribal WL Grants |
69.5 |
85 |
72.5 |
USGS;
- The Senate funds USGS at $1.01 billion as compared to the House $1.03 billion and the budget $975 million.
- Both House and Senate restored funding to the minerals program which was proposed for a $21 million reduction in the budget.
- The House and Senate restored funding for the Water Resources Research Institute ($6.4 million) proposed for elimination in the budget.
- Both House and Senate fully fund Landsat.
Minerals Management
- The Senate funds MMS at $166.4 million as compared to the House $160 million and the budget of $161.5 million
- The House and the Senate included the net receipts sharing proposal, whereby States begin to pay a portion of the costs for administration of the mineral leasing programs. This results in an increase in revenue to Treasury of $43 million.
- The Senate includes a general provision that prohibits MMS from issuing new leases to holders of leases that do not have limitations on royalty relief. The proviso allows for exceptions in cases where the lessee renegotiates or reaches a settlement agreement.
- The Senate adds a new provision that allows MMS to accept contributions to complete environmental clearances.
OSM
- The Senate funds OSM at 174.2 million as compared to the House level of $170.1 million and the budget of $168.3 million.
- The Senate increases funding for State regulatory grants by $6 million while the House added $2 million over the budget request. The budget included an increase of $4.2 million.
BIA
- For Operation of Indian Programs, the Senate provides $2.05 billion. The House provided $2.09 billion and the budget included $2.0 billion.
- The Senate restores the Johnson O'Malley program as did the House +$16.5 million.
- The House and Senate fund the budget increase of $6 million for contract support.
- The Senate restores $3 million or one-half the proposed reduction to welfare. The House restored $6 million, the total reduction.
- The Senate restores $9.4 million or one-half of the reduction to the Housing Improvement Program. The House restored the entire reduction of $18.8 million.
- The Senate funds the budget request of $16 million for the methamphetamine initiative. The House funded the Initiative at $31 million.
- The Senate funds the Indian Education Initiative at the request of $15 million. The House funded the Initiative at $26 million.
- The Senate fully funds the request for Indian land and water settlements of $34.1 million as did the House.
Office of the Special Trustee
- The Senate provides $185.9 million for OST including $60 million for Historical Accounting. The House provides $182.5 million for OST and $56.4 million for Historical Accounting.
- Both House and Senate provide $10 million for the Indian Land Consolidation program.
Office of the Secretary/Other offices:
- The Senate and House fund the Office of the Secretary at the request level including fixed costs and central service increases.
- The Senate funds the OIG at $3.25 million above the request and the House mark was $1.5 million above the request.
- The Senate and House add an increase of $500,000 to the Office of the Solicitor.
- The Senate funds FBMS in the Working Capital Fund at $38.9 million, an increase of $16.7 million. The House funds FBMS in the Office of the Secretary at $35.3 million.
PILT: The House and Senate fund PILT at $232.5, an increase of $42.5 million over the budget request of $190 million.
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