House Passes Omnibus Spending Package

Press Release

Last night, Thursday, December 11, 2014, the United States House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2015 Omnibus Appropriations Bill.

The legislation will provide discretionary funding for the federal government for the current fiscal year. Eleven of the Twelve annual Appropriations bills will be funded through the end of the fiscal year, September 30, 2014. The 12th bill, which provides funding for the Department of Homeland Security, is included in the legislation; however, it is funded under a temporary Continuing Resolution which will expire on February 27, 2014.

Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-21), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, the committee responsible for drafting this legislation, "Most of this bill is the result of months of work by the House Appropriations Committee. However, the Senate's refusal to pass a single Appropriations bill prevented Congress from budgeting through regular order. However, funding the federal government is the most basic duty of Congress, and this omnibus fulfills that responsibility."

He continued, "In addition to preventing a federal government shutdown, this bill also includes several important provisions for my constituents. For example, this bill ensures no additional federal dollars for California High Speed Rail, provides a $4,500,000 increase for specialty crop pest research, and prevents certain regulations that would allow harmful government interference in the livestock industry."

H.R. 83, Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 was passed by a vote of 219-206 on Thursday, December 11, 2014.

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