Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2012 Appropriations

Nathan James, Coordinator
Analyst in Crime Policy

Jennifer D. Williams, Coordinator
Specialist in American National Government

John F. Sargent Jr., Coordinator
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

This report provides an overview of actions taken by Congress to provide FY2012 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts.

On October 5, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-36). The act continues appropriations for the agencies and bureaus funded under the annual CJS bill at 1.503% below the FY2011-enacted levels until November 18, 2011, or until the FY2011 CJS bill is passed by Congress and signed into law by the President.

On September 15, 2011, the Senate Committee on Appropriations reported S. 1572, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012. The bill would provide a total of $60.278 billion for the bureaus and agencies funded by the bill. The amount recommended by the committee is 4.0% more than the amount recommended by the House Committee on Appropriations, but it is 7.3% below the Administration’s request and 1.5% less than the FY2011-enacted appropriation. The bill includes $7.827 billion for the Department of Commerce, $26.907 billion for the Department of Justice, $24.643 billion for the science agencies, and $901.1 million for the related agencies.

On July 20, 2011, the House Committee on Appropriations reported the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 (H.R. 2596). The bill would provide a total of $57.949 billion for CJS. The amount recommended by the committee is 10.9% less than the Administration’s FY2012 request for CJS and 5.3% below the FY2011-enacted level. The bill includes $7.161 billion for the Department of Commerce, $26.323 billion for the Department of Justice, $23.649 billion for the science agencies, and $814.8 million for the related agencies.

For FY2012, the Administration requests a total of $64.93 billion for the agencies and bureaus funded as part of the annual CJS appropriations bill. The FY2012 request is $3.839 billion, or 6.3%, more than the FY2011-enacted amount of $61.092 billion. The proposed reduction in overall funding for CJS is almost entirely attributable to the Administration requesting nearly $6.3 billion less for the Census Bureau because the 2010 decennial census is complete. The Administration’s FY2012 request includes $8.761 billion for the Department of Commerce, $28.68 billion for the Department of Justice, $26.498 billion for the science agencies, and $991.4 million for the related agencies.

On April 15, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-10). The act provided a total of $61.092 billion for agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS for FY2011. The $61.092 billion provided by the act includes $7.578 billion for the Department of Commerce, $27.281 billion for the Department of Justice, $25.315 billion for the science agencies, and $917.9 million for the related agencies.

The source for the FY2011-enacted amounts, the FY2012-requested amounts, and the House Committee on Appropriations-recommended amounts is H.Rept. 112-169. The Senate Committee on Appropriations-recommended amounts are taken from S.Rept. 112-78.


Date of Report: October 6, 2011
Number of Pages: 72
Order Number: R41721
Price: $29.95

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