Washington Update

FY25 Appropriations Update 
The House and Senate are on recess until September 9. Upon returning, the chambers will need to act to prevent a funding lapse with Fiscal Year 2024 funding only approved through September. Prior to the recess, both chambers continued their consideration of FY25 appropriations bills.  

House Republicans hoped to pass all 12 Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bills through the chamber before the August recess but left for recess having passed five. Multiple appropriations bills were pulled from floor consideration due to insufficient support as Democrats remained united in opposition and Republicans splintered. 

The Senate Appropriations Committee enters the August recess having passed 11 bills, all of which received substantial bipartisan support. None of the bills were scheduled for votes on the floor. 

For details on funding levels of APLU priorities within both chambers’ respective bills, please see APLU’s appropriations priorities chart. 

Remaining Hurdles and Next Steps 
The House marked up appropriations bills to the levels found in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which set defense spending limits at $895 billion and non-defense discretionary limits at $711 billion, while the Senate went higher. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME) reached an agreement to include $34.5 billion in emergency spending within the committee’s bills this year, with $21 billion going towards defense and $13.5 billion towards non-defense discretionary.  

The “emergency spending” provides additional funds for the Senate Appropriations Committee to go beyond the budget levels previously agreed to within the Fiscal Responsibility Act. As such, the House and Senate are not on the same page as it relates to overall levels of spending. Additionally, the chambers will need to reconcile differences in subcommittee allocations, funding levels by program, and controversial policy riders. 

It is clear a Continuing Resolution will be needed to give Congress more time to address Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations. In all likelihood, both political parties will want to assess the outcomes of the November elections in determining the path forward.