Six-Bill Funding Package Released to Avert Partial Shutdown
ECA Staff | 03/21/2024
Earlier this morning, congressional negotiators released the remaining FY24 appropriation bills in a $1.2 trillion government-funding package. Lawmakers face a Friday night deadline to avert a partial government shutdown. This $1.2 trillion deal would keep most government agencies open through September 30. This package includes increases for defense spending, while nondefense funds are flat.
This package also extends Section 170 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210), also known as the Price-Anderson Act. The Price Anderson Act which provides insurance to nuclear contractors has been extended to 2065 from 2025. It also increases the liability protection to $2 billion from $500 million.
Below is a breakdown of the six-bill package:
Defense: $824.3 billion; $26.8 billion increase
Financial Services: $26.1 billion, $1.1 billion cut
Homeland Security: $61.8 billion in discretionary funding; $1.1 billion increase
Labor-HHS-Education: $225.4 billion; $200 million cut
Legislative Branch: $6.8 billion; $150 million cut
State and Foreign Operations: $58.3 billion; $3.4 billion cut
This six-bill package can be expected to pass with no delay. However, procedural maneuvers may occur which would result in a delay and a short weekend lapse.