The House Appropriations Committee today released the fiscal year 2015 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. The bill funds the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other related agencies.
The legislation contains $51.2 billion in total discretionary funding. This is a reduction of $398 million below the fiscal year 2014 enacted level. Within the bill, funding for law enforcement, national security, public safety initiatives, and programs with economic benefit to the nation are prioritized, while lower-priority programs are reduced.
"This bill maintains investments in some of the most critical functions of government -- protecting the life, liberty, and property of the American people," House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers said. "In addition to these important public safety efforts, this bill also helps to increase our economic security by funding programs that help bolster innovation and the competitiveness of our nation in the global marketplace."
"This legislation reduces discretionary spending while continuing to preserve core priorities such as job creation, fighting crime, gangs, terrorism and human trafficking, bolstering cybersecurity, and boosting U.S. competitiveness through smart investments in science and space exploration," CJS Subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf said. "The bill makes job creation a top priority by maintaining manufacturing and job repatriation initiatives, while focusing resources and oversight on trade enforcement against foreign competitors who are violating trade agreements. It also includes a significant focus on expanding the FBI's cybersecurity efforts and on protecting U.S. networks from foreign espionage and cyber-attacks."