Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
december 2014

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budget

Congress passes fiscal year 2015 spending bill

December 13, 2014

After passing a 2-day extension of the existing continuing resolution (CR), which funded the federal government through December 11, Congress passed a fiscal year (FY) 2015 omnibus spending bill on December 13 and avoided a government shutdown. The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, also dubbed the “CRomnibus,” provides yearlong funding for 11 of the 12 appropriations bills. The 12th bill, which funds the Department of Homeland Security, is only funded through February 27, 2015.

Under the new spending bill, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will see a slight increase in its budget to $1.045 billion, up 1.3 percent from FY 2014. Within USGS, five of the six mission directorates will also receive slight increases in their budgets: Natural Hazards will receive $135.2 million, a 5.2 percent increase from 2014; Energy, Minerals, and Environmental Health will receive $92.3 million, a 0.9 percent increase; Water Resources will receive $211.3 million, a 1.9 percent increase; Ecosystems will receive $157 million, a 2.7 percent increase; and Climate and Land Use Change will receive $136 million, a 3 percent increase. Conversely, Core Science Systems will receive $107.2 million, a 1.5 percent decrease from 2014.

For more information on geoscience appropriations, please visit the AGI website. For more information on Department of Homeland Security appropriations, see H.R. 83, Division L.

Sources: House Committee on Rules