CQ Homeland Security | Teeing Them Up

The House this week begins what could be this year¹s busiest stretch offloor work on spending bills, with three fiscal 2013 appropriationsmeasures due to hit the floor over the next week and a half.The House Rules Committee on Wednesday is expected to pave the way forlawmakers to conduct a freewheeling debate on the bills by agreeing toallow the measures to come to the floor with unlimited amendments. TheMilitary Construction-VA bill will go first and is likely to move quicklythrough the open amendment process. The $71.7 billion bill receivedbipartisan support in committee and is largely in line with the versionapproved by Senate appropriators. Indeed, the bill, which providesfunding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, has traditionally wonquick, near-unanimous approval in both chambers ‹ and this year is likelyto be no different. During floor consideration of the fiscal 2012measure, lawmakers only voted on a handful of amendments, several ofwhich were related to the enforcement of prevailing wage requirements.After voting on the Military Construction-VA bill, the House is expectedto turn to the Energy-Water spending bill ‹ perhaps as early as thisweek. While the $32.1 billion spending bill received broad bipartisansupport in committee, amendments are likely to alter some fundingprovisions. As they did last year, lawmakers of both parties are eyeingchanging funding ratios for energy-efficiency and renewable-energyprograms, as well as for fossil fuel energy research and development. Inaddition, Democrats may attempt to strip a provision added to the fiscal2013 bill (HR 5325<https://www.cq.com/displaybillcard.do?fL=3&billNumber=HR5325&congress=112&noparent=true&productId=4> ) during the full committee markup on April25. The provision would bar the Energy Department from implementing aprovision of a 2007 energy law (PL 110-140<https://www.cq.com/displaylawcard.do?fL=3&lawNumber=&congress=&noparent=true&productId=4> ) that requires new federal buildings and those thatundergo major renovations to reduce their fossil fuel energy consumption.The Appropriations panel adopted the amendment, offered by RodneyAlexander, R-La., by voice vote. Alexander says the rules would increaseboth building and energy costs for the federal government. However, acoalition of environmentalists and green-building advocates haveundertaken a campaign to fight the provision, with supporters of thefederal building energy consumption rules arguing that the buildingrequirements garnered bipartisan support in 2007.The third bill, the Homeland Security spending measure (HR 5855<https://www.cq.com/displaybillcard.do?fL=3&billNumber=HR5855&congress=112&noparent=true&productId=4> ), is due on the floor next week. The billtraditionally has been relatively non-controversial. Lawmakers completeddebate on the bill in two days when it came to the floor under an openrule last year. This year¹s measure would set spending at $39.1 billion,$484 million below current levels and $393 million less than the Obamaadministration requested. With few accounts receiving funding boosts,House members with varying priorities are likely to use the open rule totry to shift funds between accounts. For instance, lawmakers in bothchambers have expressed concern about provisions in both the House andSenate versions of the annual spending bill that would provide fundingfor the Coast Guard¹s relocation to a new consolidated Department ofHomeland Security facility. The House measure would provide $10 millionfor the move in 2013, while the Senate bill includes the $89 millionrequested by the administration for the St. Elizabeths facility overall.New Jersey Republican Frank A. LoBiondo, who chairs the HouseTransportation subcommittee charged with overseeing the Coast Guard, hasexpressed concern about the administration¹s request for funds tocontinue the move. But Homeland Security Appropriations SubcommitteeChairman Robert B. Aderholt, R-Ala., has argued that it is important tomove forward with the project, given the investments already made.It¹s not yet clear if the House will consider any additional spendingmeasures before the August recess.