House proposes cuts for Commerce, Justice, Science spending

{mosads}Under the bill, NASA is cut by $1.1 billion compared to what President Obama was seeking and $928 million below the fiscal year 2013.

Justice is cut by 3 percent or $720 million below 2013, with the Bureau of Prisons getting a $110 million cut. 

The National Science Foundation would get $631 million below Obama’s request but the Patent and Trademark Office, which is funded through fees, receives the $3 billion it says it needs to function. 

“The bill makes job creation a top priority by maintaining manufacturing and job repatriation initiatives, while focusing resources and oversight on trade enforcement against foreign competitors who are violating trade agreements. It also includes a significant focus on expanding the FBI’s cybersecurity efforts and on protecting U.S. networks from foreign espionage and cyber-attacks,” Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf (R-Va.) said. 

The CJS bill will be marked up in subcommittee on Wednesday for a likely floor vote before the August recess.

Because of differences with the Senate and a blanket Obama veto threat on all House appropriations bills, the CJS bill is unlikely to be enacted before the fiscal year starts on Oct. 1. A stopgap measure passed then could temporarily end the sequester only to see indiscriminate cuts reimposed 15 days after this session of Congress ends.