HOUSE APPROPRIATORS UNVEIL SHORT-TERM CR THROUGH DEC. 15

The House Appropriations Committee has unveiled a short-term Continuing Resolution that would fund the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration and other federal agencies through Dec. 15, but no DOE programs will receive preferential treatment in the stopgap funding legislation. The National Nuclear Security Administration’s weapons program has received exceptions in recent CRs, allowing it to spend at the level of the President’s request. This time around, the weapons program will get a slight boost as language allows it to continue to spend at the level of the Fiscal Year 2013 full-year CR ($7.58 billion), though that’s about $290 million less than the President’s FY 2014 request. USEC would also be allowed to spend at the level of the FY 2013 full-year CR ($100 million) on its American Centrifuge Project, another holdover from the last CR. Other programs, like the Office of Environmental Management, would be limited to spending at approximately FY 2012 levels. Overall, the bill provides funding at a rate of $986.3 billion, which is slightly less than the current, post-sequestration level. House lawmakers are expected to take up the bill next week, leaving little time for the Senate to act before the start of the fiscal year Oct. 1.