The House Appropriations Committee has released the Fiscal Year 2025 bill for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. The bill will be considered in subcommittee on June 26 at 8:30 a.m. The markup will be live-streamed on the Committee’s website.
Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) stated, “This bill strategically balances federal funding to support American values and priorities by investing in programs that strengthen our economy and policies that protect our constitutional rights while cutting wasteful spending and pushing back on blatant attempts to weaponize our justice system for political gain. This pro-law enforcement legislation provides much-needed tools to make our communities safer and specifically reins in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. As we continue to battle the nation’s opioid epidemic and the deadly rise in fentanyl overdoses, we are empowering the Drug Enforcement Administration to enhance its successful work to shut down the pervasive trafficking of illicit drugs from China and Mexico. This bill also ensures that America remains the global leader in science and space explorations as adversaries like China ramp up global aggression."
Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) commented, “This bill prioritizes fiscal sanity and the liberties of the American people. It halts the weaponization of the federal government against its citizens and enhances congressional oversight to ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. Investments support our brave men and women in blue, combat crime, and stop the deadly scourge of illicit drugs from reaching our communities. The legislation also safeguards U.S. innovation by confronting China’s efforts to target every aspect of American enterprise. Utilizing his many years of experience, Chairman Rogers put together a strong bill that strengthens the safety of our communities.”
The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $78.288 billion, which is effectively $1.275 billion (2%) below the Fiscal Year 2024 spending level.
The bill allocates $71.932 billion for non-defense discretionary spending and $6.356 billion for defense discretionary spending.
The legislation aims to reduce bureaucracy by rightsizing agencies and programs while directing funds towards combating fentanyl distribution, supporting state and local law enforcement, and countering initiatives from China.
Key aspects include holding the FBI accountable by reducing its budget; preventing new headquarters construction; mandating recorded interviews; defunding certain ATF rules; eliminating Attorney General Garland's memorandum targeting parents at school board meetings; defunding Executive Order 14092 calling for an assault weapons ban; stopping efforts to federalize policing practices; reducing funds for specific DOJ components due to FACE Act abuses; increasing DOJ grant program oversight; eliminating unnecessary programs.
National security measures involve re-establishing DOJ's China Initiative; supporting research enterprises against China's investments in technology development; investing in emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing; backing NASA's Artemis program against China's space ambitions; protecting U.S. research from Chinese theft through NSF's Office of Research Security Strategy Policy.
Law enforcement support includes maintaining robust funding for Byrne JAG formula grants & COPS Hiring grants aiding state/local agencies; focusing DOJ grants on addressing opioid crisis/child exploitation/rape kit backlog/school violence prevention; enhancing multi-agency efforts against transnational organized crime & reducing availability of illicit drugs like fentanyl.
American values are upheld by maintaining legacy firearms riders & adding Second Amendment protections provisions; preserving Hyde prohibition preventing DOJ funds use for abortion payments; bolstering child exploitation combat funds; eliminating progressive criminal leniency grant programs; protecting religious discrimination victims' rights prohibiting DOJ censorship/classification lawful speech misinformation ensuring intended state/local law enforcement resources usage not promoting progressive ideologies.
A summary of this bill is available here.
Bill text is available here.
