09.19.19

SUMMARY: FSGG Fiscal Year 2020 Senate Appropriations Bill

Washington, D.C. – The fiscal year 2020 Senate Financial Services and General Government bill provides $24.347 billion to related agencies, which is $924 million more than funding provided in fiscal year 2019, and $251 million higher than the President’s budget request.

Key Points & Highlights

The bill provides funding for the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and more than two dozen independent federal agencies. 

  • Election Security Grants

The bill, as amended, includes $250 million for election security grants.  Funding election security grants is a matter of national security, preserving our democracy, and maintaining full faith in our elections.  A vital issue this Committee has not funded since fiscal year 2018, despite a persistent – and confirmed – threat of interference in our elections by foreign adversaries.  This funding will build upon funding provided in fiscal year 2018 to continue to help states upgrade election technology, improve cybersecurity, and help prevent future cyberattacks. 

  • Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

The bill includes $11.414 billion for the IRS.  This is an increase of $188 million for IRS operations over the fiscal year 2019 level.  The bill includes $5.060 billion for IRS enforcement activities, an increase of $200 million over the enacted level.  Funding for IRS enforcement activities has been cut by roughly one-quarter since 2010 in inflation-adjusted terms.  Since the federal government relies on voluntary compliance with the tax code, for such compliance to continue, taxpayers must trust that the IRS is enforcing its laws fairly. This bill is a step in the right direction.

  • Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund

The bill provides $251 million for the CDFI Fund to promote economic and community development in low-income communities, equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.  The President had proposed eliminating this important program that leverages investments in the country’s poorest communities, often in rural America.

  • Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)

The bill includes $415 million for anti-drug programs, which is $1.4 million more than the fiscal year 2019 level and $387 million more than the budget request.  The Senate bill rejects the President’s proposed move of the HIDTA and DFC programs from ONDCP to other agencies.  The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program is funded at $280 million, the same level as last year.  The Drug-Free Communities program is funded at $100 million, the same level as last year. 

  • Federal Judiciary

The bill includes $7.418 billion for the Judiciary, an increase of $166 million more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $206 million less than the request.  Defender Services is funded at $1.235 billion, $84 million more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and the same level as the request. 

  • Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

The bill includes $305 million for the CFTC, $37 million more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $10 million less than the President’s request.  This amount includes funding for relocation and consolidation of new office space. The CFTC had been basically level-funded for four years prior to the increase in fiscal year 2019.

  • Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

The bill funds CPSC at $127 million, the same as both the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and the budget request.  The CPSC is the independent regulatory agency responsible for protecting the public against unreasonable risks of injury from consumer products. 

  • Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

The bill provides $339 million for the FCC, the same as the enacted level, and $3.3 million more than the budget request. Funds appropriated for the FCC are derived from offsetting collections. The bill continues to fund FCC activities to reduce annoying robocalls and to make sure that the United States is a leader in deploying 5G technology, including to rural communities. 

  • Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The bill provides $312 million for the FTC, an increase of $3 million over the enacted level and the same as the budget request.   Funds appropriated for the FTC are partially offset by various fee receipts.  The Committee continues to encourage the FTC to deter unfair and deceptive practices in consumer privacy and data security.

  • General Services Administration (GSA)

The bill provides, $9.581 billion for the Federal Buildings Fund, which is $296 million more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $623 million less than the request.  

  • Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

The bill rejects the reorganization of OPM, which was proposed to be merged into the General Services Administration.  The bill funds OPM at $339.3 million, which is $43 million more than both the fiscal year 2019 level and the budget request.

  • Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

The bill includes $1.756 billion for SEC operating costs, an increase of $82 million over the budget request.  The Committee also provides $10.5 million for lease renewal costs for the New York regional office.  Funds appropriated for the SEC are fully offset with transaction fee receipts. 

  • Small Business Administration (SBA)

The bill includes $876 million for the SBA, $160 million more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Within this amount, the bill provides $131 million for Small Business Development Centers, $18.5 million for Women’s Business Centers, and $11.7 million for the SCORE program. These programs offer personal training, assistance, and mentorship to small business owners and entrepreneurs. The bill also provides $177 million for the disaster loan program to support business owners, homeowners, and nonprofits that are rebuilding local communities in the wake of devastating natural disasters.

  • COLA

The bill is silent on the federal employee cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), allowing the President’s alternative pay plan of a 2.6 percent COLA for federal civilian employees to move forward.  The bill includes a provision freezing pay for the Vice President, SES, and political appointees.

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