Congress Extends Government Funding; Appropriations Agreement to the Senate

March 7, 2024—Congress passed its fourth Continuing Resolution (CR) of the 2024 fiscal year at the end of February, extending government funding in a two-phased approach to March 8 and March 22, for different agencies of the government.

Meanwhile, an agreement to combine six appropriations bills into a “half-bus” was reached and passed the House with a wide, bipartisan margin. It must now pass the Senate by 11:59 PM, Friday to keep agencies running. Congress is also working on a second “half-bus” that will combine the remaining six appropriations bills that will get passed before the March 22 deadline. Total discretionary spending that Congress is considering is expected to amount to $1.66 trillion for the entire year, the news organization reported. There is wide expectation that both the House and Senate will finally fully fund the 2024 fiscal year and then begin work on the 2025 budget.

Agencies that are key to corn are set to be funded in this first bill. Follow this link for some highlights and takeaways that corn staff have taken interest in.

Agriculture Subcommittee

NCGA’s Aflatoxin Mitigation effort received an additional $500K. This is in addition to the $1 million programmatic increase allocated in FY23.

The Agricultural Genomes to Phenomes Initiative received $2 million for FY24. This is the same funding as received in FY23.

The bill funds the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children at $7 billion, $1 billion over the FY23 enacted level.

Energy & Water Subcommittee

The Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works mission received $8.7 billion. This reflects a $1.3 billion increase over the President’s FY24 request.

Interior Subcommittee

The bill cuts the EPA’s budget by 10% over FY23.

The bill does not include the Agriculture Labeling Uniformity Act (HR 4822) which was included in the House Interior Subcommittee’s mark. That provision would prevent states from instituting backdoor bans on pesticides through onerous labeling requirements that contradict EPA’s rigorous scientific reviews of their safety.

The bill includes report language stating: Renewable Fuel Standards – The Committees direct the Agency to provide a briefing within 90 days of enactment of this Act on planned actions related to the eRINS proposed rule. The Committees note that the process for renewable fuel pathways continues to suffer from significant delays an inefficiencies, creating uncertainty for biofuel producers. The Committees direct the Agency to provide a report, within 90 days of enactment of this Act, outlining recommendations on how to streamline and expedite the RFS pathway petition and approval process, as well as information on its hiring activity.

The bill includes report language stating: Small Refinery Relief – The Committees recognize that the Renewable Fuel Standard [RFS] under Clean Air Act Section 211(o)(9) provides that the Agency may exempt small refineries from compliance with the RFS in certain circumstances and that a small refinery “may at any time petition the Administrator for an exemption for the reason of disproportionate economic hardship.”