Legislative Activity
Markups on Appropriations Bills Begin in the House this Week with FY2018 MilCon-VA Bill; House Republican Members Push for an Omnibus Before August Recess
Appropriations subcommittees in the House will commence FY 2018 spending bill markups this week, with the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) subcommittee markup scheduled for this evening. Still lacking a comprehensive FY 2018 budget resolution, the committee is reportedly planning to release the top-line discretionary spending level (302A) later this month.

The Republican Study Committee joined Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA), who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, in supporting his strategy to move directly to a 12-bill omnibus, with the intent to send it to the Senate prior to the August recess. While proponents of the plan recognize the challenge in achieving this goal, given the House is only in session six weeks before the August recess, they feel it will provide leverage as they eventually work through an FY 2018 compromise with the Senate.