Budget Update: Continuing Resolution Amendment Round Up

The House concluded its consideration of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Continuing Resolution (CR) appropriating funds for the remainder of this fiscal year at around 4:30 AM Saturday morning, February 19, 2011. The bill passed on an almost party-line vote of 235–189, with all Democrats voting against and all but three Republicans voting for the CR.

The bill and its amendments make major cuts to federal discretionary domestic and international spending, including vital programs in clean energy, health care, and education. Overall, every category of spending was cut, with the one exception of the Department of Defense and war spending.

There were hundreds of amendments offered in the House. With the exception of the successful Rooney amendment to cut funds for the second F-35 engine, those amendments which sought to responsible cuts to military spending were defeated. Here are some of the amendments we were watching:

Jones Amendment No. 95
Defeated 135 – 294

• Would have cut $400 million in funds for Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund
• Roll call: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll047.xml

Nadler, Lee, Stark Amendment No. 232:
Defeated 98 – 331

• Would have cut all but $10 billion for the war in Afghanistan, with the remaining money to be used to withdraw troops
• Roll call: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll091.xml

Polis Amendment No. 46:
Defeated 74 – 351

• Would have cut Armed Forces personnel in Europe to no more than 35,000
• Roll call: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll118.xml

Lee Amendment No. 141:
Defeated 76 – 344

• Would have cut Pentagon funding to Fiscal Year 2008 levels.
• Roll call: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll128.xml

Lee Amendment No. 222:
Failed on point of order

• Would have limited Department of Defense spending until an audit is completed.

Other amendments to cut the defense budget offered by Members of both parties were also defeated. The Council for a Livable World offers a complete list here.

Also troubling was the adoption of an amendment that would eliminate the US Institute for Peace. Created by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan, USIP is the only independent U.S. government agency that is dedicated solely to conflict prevention and resolution:

Weiner Amendment No. 100:
Passed 268 – 163

• Eliminates the $43 million that the bill provides for the U.S. Institute of Peace, and increases by the same amount the State Department Foreign Operations portion of the  bill's spending reduction account.
• Roll call: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll076.xml

The Senate has yet to consider the CR. While the current CR expires on March 4, it is expected that an extension will be passed to allow more time for Senate consideration and for negotiation between the House and Senate. We can expect to see more about funding for FY 2011 this spring.