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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2011 Appropriations


Nathan James, Coordinator
Analyst in Crime Policy

Oscar R. Gonzales, Coordinator
Analyst in Economic Development Policy

Jennifer D. Williams, Coordinator
Specialist in American National Government


This report provides an overview of actions taken by Congress to provide FY2011 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS). It also provides an overview of FY2010 appropriations for agencies and bureaus funded under the CJS bill. The sources for the FY2010-enacted amounts are S.Rept. 111-229 and the United States Patent and Trademark Office Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-224). The source for the Administration’s FY2011 requested amounts is S.Rept. 111-229. The amounts for the House-passed Full-Year CR were taken from the text of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (H.R. 1, referred to as the “Full-Year CR”).

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), included a total of $68.834 billion in new budget authority for CJS. For FY2011, the Administration requests a total of $66.109 billion for CJS, a 4.0% decrease in budget authority compared with FY2010 appropriations. On February 11, 2011, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (H.R. 1) was introduced in the House. The bill passed the House on February 19, 2011. The House-passed Full-Year CR would provide a total of $60.133 billion for CJS agencies, a proposed decrease of 12.6% compared to FY2010 appropriations and 9.0% less than the Administration’s FY2011 request.

On July 29, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-212), which provides $49.0 million to the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for long-term disaster relief, recovery, and restoration of infrastructure in states that experienced damage due to severe storms and flooding during March 2010 through May 2010. In addition, the law provides $5.0 million in EDA funding to states affected by the incidents related to gulf coast oil spill that began with the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform. The law also provides $10.0 for the Department of Justice for litigation expenses related to the gulf coast oil spill.

On August 10, 2010, President Obama signed into law the United States Patent and Trademark Office Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-224). The law provides an additional $129.0 million for salaries and expenses at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for FY2010.

On August 13, 2010, the President signed into law H.R. 6080 (P.L. 111-230), which provides a total of $196.0 million for the Department of Justice for increased law enforcement activities related to Southwest border enforcement.

On December 22, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Continuing Appropriations and Surface Transportation Extensions Act, 2011 (P.L. 111-322). The act continued appropriations for most agencies and bureaus funded under the annual CJS bill at FY2010 enacted levels—with the exception of the Census Bureau, which was funded at an annualized rate of $1.223 billion—until March 4, 2011. The Further Continuing Appropriations Amendments, 2011 (P.L. 112-4), signed into law by the President on March 2, 2011, extended annualized funding under P.L. 111-322 until March 18, 2011.



Date of Report: March 7, 2011
Number of Pages: 52
Order Number: R41161
Price: $29.95

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