Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2012 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 FY2012 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts.

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 provides a total of $61.092 billion for agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS. 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, $25.314 billion for the science agencies, and $917.9 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.

The sources for the FY2011-enacted amounts are based on a CRS analysis of the text of P.L. 112- 10. All FY2011-enacted amounts reflect changes made to CJS accounts in Title III of Division B of the act along with the 0.2% across-the-board rescission of budget authority for any discretionary account in Division B of the act. The calculated amounts presented below also assume that any offsetting receipts, unless specified in the act, are at FY2010 levels. 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 sources for the FY2012 requested amounts are the FY2012 budget justifications of the Department of Commerce, Department of Justice, Office of Science and Technology Policy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and National Science Foundation and the appendix to the Administration’s Budget of the United States Government, FY2012.


Date of Report: May 12, 2011
Number of Pages: 53
Order Number: R41721
Price: $29.95

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