Home\Latest News\Stopgap Spending Bill Postpones Decisions on EPA Funding for Two Weeks

Stopgap Spending Bill Postpones Decisions on EPA Funding for Two Weeks

Date: December 07, 2018

Congress passed a two-week stopgap spending bill last Thursday that will delay the chance of a partial government shutdown until Dec. 22 as lawmakers and President Donald Trump negotiate over his demands to pay for a wall on the southern border. Congress and the president will have until Dec. 21 to approve a fiscal 2019 spending package that includes appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The House Appropriations Bill contains $7.9 billion for EPA, including $2.6 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. The Senate bill contains $8.05 billion for EPA, including over $2.86 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.

Negotiations were delayed by memorial services last week for former President George H.W. Bush. President Trump says he wants $5 billion for parts of a concrete wall on the southern border and is willing to shut down the government if he doesn’t get it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has said Democrats will provide no more than $1.6 billion for “border security,” because the wall is a waste of money.

Other key water infrastructure programs were funded in September as part of the FY 2019 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill, which included $1.55 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation and $20 million for the Title XVI Competitive Grant Program.

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