The full Senate Appropriations Committee approved and reported S. 2976, the FY 2019 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill (the Bill) on May 24 by a vote of 31-0.  

The attached memorandum is intended to provide you with an overview of the Committee’s recommendations, including items referenced in the Committee’s Report, Senate Report 115-259 (the Report).  The Bill has not yet been scheduled for Senate consideration. 

Click here to view the Bill. Discussion of Nutrition Assistance Programs begins on page 22.

Overview:

The legislation provides $145.4 billion in both mandatory and discretionary funding.  This is a decrease of $5.7 billion below FY 2018, and nearly $6.1 billion above the President’s request.  The mandatory funding in the Bill is $124.9 billion, of which more than $93.3 billion goes for food assistance programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Child Nutrition Programs.  Discretionary spending will be $23.235 billion in FY 2019, $225 million above FY 2018.   

During this markup session, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), a member of the Committee, said he believes that to complete action on appropriation bills it is likely that the Senate could in June begin the consideration of “minibus” bills, i.e. the combination of multiple bills into one.  Agriculture may be combined with the Energy and Water Appropriations bill.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Roger                                                                                                                       

Roger Szemraj                                  
Principal

OFW Law
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