House Panel Eyes BIS Funding Cut in FY 2025
The House Appropriations Committee on June 25 unveiled a FY 2025 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Bill that would provide $186.7 million to the Bureau of Industry and Security, $4.3 million below the FY 2024 enacted level and $36.7 million below President Joe Biden’s budget request.
The Commerce Department said in March that it needs more money to enhance dual-use export restrictions for China and other countries (see 2403110065). But House Republicans have said BIS must do a more effective job with its existing resources before they will back a funding increase.
A House Appropriations subcommittee plans to mark up the bill June 26, the same day Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is scheduled to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce about her department’s FY 2025 budget request.
The White House said in a statement June 24 that it opposes language in the House version of the FY 2025 State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Bill that would “constrain” the president’s ability to "manage defense exports." Although the statement didn't elaborate, House Democrats have objected to a provision that would require the administration to stop blocking the delivery of certain offensive weapons to Israel.
Reps. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking members of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees, respectively, have asked the House Rules Committee to allow them to offer an amendment to remove the Israel provision when the full House considers the State-Foreign Operations bill this week. The White House raised a host of concerns about the bill and said Biden would veto it if it reached his desk.
The Senate Appropriations Committee has not taken up any of its 12 FY 2025 appropriations bills yet. Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., said last week that she plans to begin markups the week of July 8 and that she intends to "write and pass strong, bipartisan Senate appropriations bills."