Commerce Appropriations Bill Moving in House

The House Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill, which provides annual funding for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other related agencies. In total, the legislation contains $50.2 billion in funding. This is a reduction of $3.1 billion or 6% below last year’s level, and $7.4 billion or 13% below the President’s request for these programs. This amount is also 3% below the pre-stimulus, pre-bailout level of 2008. The bill provides $40.6 million funding for National Telecommunications and Information Administration, $15 million below the amount requested in President Obama’s budget proposal.