The Natural Resources and Environment Function in the FY2000 Federal Budget: A Description of Programs and Funding

Publication Date: January 2000

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Environment

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Abstract:

Function 300 of the federal budget funds activities related to natural resources and the environment and includes five subfunctions for water resources, conservation and land management, recreational resources, pollution control and abatement, and research and technical support. For these activities, the Administration requested $23.95 billion in budget authority and $23.75 billion in outlays for FY2000. To remain within the discretionary spending caps, the FY2000 budget resolution assumed lower funding levels for Function 300 than the Administration requested.

The House passed the conference report on the FY2000 budget resolution ( H.Con.Res. 68, H.Rept. 106-91) on April 14, 1999, and the Senate passed it on April 15, 1999. The conference committee adopted the House's proposal of $22.80 billion in budget authority and $22.60 billion in outlays for Function 300. The Senate had proposed lower funding levels of $21.70 billion in budget authority and $22.40 billion in outlays. The conference committee also adopted the sense of the Senate on prohibiting the use of federal funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol prior to Senate ratification. Based on the amounts agreed upon in the budget resolution, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees allocated funding for Function 300 to various federal agencies under six separate appropriations bills.