Legislative Update

BIA and IHS Budgets Come Out of House Subcommittee with Increases

Native News Network Staff in Native Briefs. Discussion »

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, the House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee endorsed by voice vote a draft of Fiscal 2013 spending bill that would provide $28 billion for the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Forest Service, and other related agencies.

US House Budgets
Out of Subcommittee

This is $1.2 billion less than fiscal 2012 and $1.7 billion less than the president's budget request.

The bill would provide the Department of the Interior with $10.3 billion, $57 million over fiscal 2012 and $79 million below the president'’s budget request. The measure also would provide $7 billion for the EPA, which is 17 percent less than fiscal 2012.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is funded at $2.6 billion, which is $37 million above fiscal 2012 level and includes funding for the federal governments contractual obligations to tribes in line with the recent US Supreme Court ruling on Salazar v. Ramah Navajo Chapter.

The spending measure also includes $4.5 billion for the Indian Health Service, which is $187 million, or four percent over last year's level.

The funding items must now pass the full House of Representatives.

posted June 21, 2012 6:50 am edt