Subcommittee Approves FY2016 Agriculture Appropriations Bill

Press Release

The FY2016 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill was today given subcommittee approval, making the $143.8 billion measure available for consideration Thursday by the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies approved a bill that directs discretionary and mandatory funding toward federal agriculture and nutrition programs. The measure supports U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agriculture, rural communities and cooperative conservation programs. It invests in food and drug safety, and provides essential nutrition assistance for children, families and seniors.

In all, the bill recommends $143.8 billion in both discretionary and mandatory funding, $24 billion below the President's budget request and $3.7 billion below the FY2015 enacted level. The discretionary funding portion of the bill totals $20.51 billion, $65 million below the FY2015 enacted level. The bulk of the bill is comprised of mandatory funding totaling $123.3 billion.

"The appropriations bill passed out of subcommittee today balances a commitment to fiscal responsibility and continued investment in rural America," said U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. "The bill prioritizes agriculture research and extension activities, promotes rural development efforts, supports food safety and public health initiatives, and prioritizes the development of new medicines and medical devices. It also reins in regulatory overreach by the Obama administration by limiting the scope of the dietary guidelines and delaying the implementation of overly broad menu labeling rules."

"The investments made in this bill reaffirm our commitment to investing in production agriculture and public health innovations, and provide our rural communities with the ability to compete -- both here and abroad," Moran continued.

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