Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018

Bill: 115-hr-3267
Sponsor: Rep. Culberson, John Abney [R-TX-7]
Introduced: 2017-07-17 in the House
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-17
text: 

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018

 
Provides FY2018 appropriations to the Department of Commerce; the Department of Justice (DOJ); science agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF); and several related agencies. 
 

Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 2018

 
Provides appropriations to the Department of Commerce for: 
 
 
 the International Trade Administration, 
 
the Bureau of Industry and Security, 
 
 the Economic Development Administration, 
 
 the Minority Business Development Agency, 
 
the Bureau of Economic Analysis, 
 
 the Bureau of the Census, 
 
 the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 
 
 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 
 
 the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
 
 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and 
 
 Departmental Management. 
 
 

Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2018

 
Provides appropriations to DOJ for: 
 
 
 General Administration; 
 
 the U.S. Parole Commission; 
 
 Legal Activities; 
 
 the U.S. Marshals Service; 
 
 the National Security Division; 
 
 Interagency Law Enforcement; 
 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation; 
 
 the Drug Enforcement Administration; 
 
 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and 
 
the Federal Prison System. 
 
 
Provides appropriations to DOJ for State and Local Law Enforcement Activities, including: 
 
 
 the Office on Violence Against Women, 
 
 the Office of Justice Programs, and 
 
 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). 
 
 

Science Appropriations Act, 2018

 
Provides appropriations for science agencies, including: 
 
 
 the Office of Science and Technology Policy, 
 
 NASA, and 
 
 the NSF. 
 
 
Provides appropriations to related agencies, including: 
 
 
 the Commission on Civil Rights, 
 
 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 
 
 the U.S. International Trade Commission, 
 
 the Legal Services Corporation, 
 
 the Marine Mammal Commission, 
 
 the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and 
 
 the State Justice Institute. 
 
 
 Sets forth permissible and prohibited uses for funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts. 

action_date: 2017-07-17
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
 

Highlights: 

 
This bill provides FY2018 appropriations to the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice (DOJ), science agencies, and several related agencies. 
 
The bill funds agencies with a wide range of responsibilities for issues such as: addressing violent crime, drug trafficking, financial fraud, terrorism, espionage, and cybercrime; conducting the census; forecasting the weather; managing fisheries; exploring space; advancing science; providing legal services for the poor; enforcing employment discrimination laws; and overseeing patents, trademarks, and trade policy. 
 
The bill decreases overall FY2018 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies funding below FY2017 levels. Compared to FY2017 levels, the bill increases funding for DOJ and science programs while decreasing funding for the Department of Commerce. 
 
The bill includes provisions that restrict or prohibit the use of funds for: 
 
 
 the transfer of Guantanamo detainees or the construction of a new facility in the United States to house them,
 
 the enforcement of certain restrictions and reporting requirements for firearms, 
 
 bilateral activities with China by NASA or the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and 
 
 issuing certain trademarks related to property confiscated in Cuba. 
 
 

Full Summary: 

 

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018 

 
Provides FY2018 appropriations for the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice (DOJ), science agencies, and several related agencies. 
 

Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 2018 

 
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
 
Provides appropriations to the Department of Commerce for: 
 
 
 the International Trade Administration, 
 
 the Bureau of Industry and Security, 
 
 the Economic Development Administration, 
 
 the Minority Business Development Agency, 
 
 the Bureau of Economic Analysis, 
 
 the Bureau of the Census, 
 
 the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and 
 
 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. 
 
 
Provides appropriations to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for: 
 
 
 Scientific and Technical Research and Services, 
 
 Industrial Technology Services, and 
 
 Construction of Research Facilities. 
 
 
Provides appropriations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for: 
 
 
 Operations, Research, and Facilities; 
 
 Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction; 
 
 Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery; 
 
 the Fishermen's Contingency Fund; 
 
 Fisheries Disaster Assistance; and 
 
 the Fisheries Finance Program Account. 
 
 
Provides appropriations for Departmental Management, including: 
 
 
 Salaries and Expenses, 
 
 Renovation and Modernization, and 
 
 the Office of Inspector General. 
 
 
(Sec. 101) Permits funds provided by this bill to be used for advanced payments (prior to the receipt of goods, services, or other assets) that are not otherwise authorized only if designated Commerce officials certify that the payments are in the public interest. 
 
(Sec. 102) Permits funds provided by this bill to be used for hiring passenger motor vehicles, employment of temporary or intermittent experts and consultants, and the purchase of uniforms. 
 
(Sec. 103) Permits the transfer of funds between Commerce accounts, subject to specified limitations and requirements. Requires Commerce to notify Congress prior to the acquisition or disposal of any capital asset not provided for in an Act providing appropriations to Commerce. 
 
(Sec. 104) Extends requirements for NOAA to make and report to Congress on determinations regarding the identification and management of technical, cost, and schedule risk; the reliance on demonstrated technologies; and compliance with relevant policies, prior to entering into a contract for a major program with a life cycle cost of more than $250 million. 
 
Specifies the life cycle costs for the Joint Polar Satellite System and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series Program. 
 
(Sec. 105) Permits Commerce to: (1) furnish services to facilitate the use or occupancy of Department of Commerce buildings, and (2) credit specified reimbursements received for the services to the appropriation or fund which bears the cost of the services. 
 
(Sec. 106) Specifies that grant recipients may continue to deter child pornography, copyright infringement, or any other unlawful activity over their networks. 
 
(Sec. 107) Permits NOAA to use, with consent and reimbursement, resources of other federal, state, local, and international entities to carry out the responsibilities of any statute administered by NOAA. 
 
(Sec. 108) Prohibits the National Technical Information Service from charging for copies of reports or documents generated by the legislative branch unless the service has provided information on how a copy may be obtained for free online. Requires any charge to be limited to the service's cost. 
 
(Sec. 109) Permits NOAA to work with federal and non-federal agencies and governments by entering into agreements; using land, services, equipment, personnel, and facilities provided by the entities; or receiving and expending funds made available on a consensual basis. 
 

Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2018 

 
TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 
 
Provides FY2018 appropriations to the Department of Justice (DOJ). 
 
Provides appropriations to DOJ for General Administration, including: 
 
 
 Salaries and Expenses, 
 
 Justice Information Sharing Technology, 
 
 the Executive Office for Immigration Review, and 
 
 the Office of Inspector General. 
 
 
Provides appropriations to the U.S. Parole Commission. 
 
Provides appropriations for Legal Activities, including: 
 
 
 General Legal Activities, 
 
 the Antitrust Division, 
 
 the U.S. Attorneys, 
 
 the U.S. Trustee System Fund, 
 
 the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, 
 
 Fees and Expenses of Witnesses, 
 
 the Community Relations Service, and 
 
 the Assets Forfeiture Fund. 
 
 
Provides appropriations to the U.S. Marshals Service for: 
 
 
Salaries and Expenses, 
 
 Construction, and 
 
 Federal Prisoner Detention. 
 
 
Provides appropriations to DOJ for: 
 
 
 the National Security Division; 
 
 Interagency Law Enforcement; 
 
 the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); 
 
 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); 
 
 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and 
 
 the Federal Prison System. 
 
 
Provides appropriations to the Office On Violence Against Women for Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs. 
 
Provides appropriations to the Office of Justice Programs for: 
 
 
 Research, Evaluation, and Statistics; 
 
 State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance; 
 
 Juvenile Justice Programs; and 
 
 Public Safety Officer Benefits. 
 
 
Provides appropriations for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs. 
 
(Sec. 201) Provides additional funds to the Attorney General for official reception and representation expenses. 
 
(Sec. 202) Prohibits funds provided by this title from being used to pay for an abortion, except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term, or in the case of rape or incest. 
 
(Sec. 203) Prohibits funds provided by this title from being used to require any person to perform or facilitate the performance of an abortion. 
 
(Sec. 204) Specifies that: (1) section 203 of this bill does not remove the obligation of the Bureau of Prisons to provide escort services to an inmate receiving an abortion outside of a federal facility, and (2) nothing in this section diminishes the effect of section 203 intended to address the philosophical beliefs of individual employees of the Bureau of Prisons. 
 
(Sec. 205) Sets forth requirements and procedures for transferring and reprogramming DOJ funds provided by this bill. 
 
(Sec. 206) Prohibits the FBI or the U.S. Marshals Service from using funds provided by this title to transport prisoners classified as maximum or high security, other than to a facility certified by the Bureau of Prisons as appropriately secure. 
 
(Sec. 207) Prohibits federal prisons from using funds provided by this bill to purchase cable television services, or to rent or purchase audiovisual or electronic media or equipment used primarily for recreational purposes. Includes exceptions for inmate training, religious, or educational programs. 
 
(Sec. 208) Prohibits funds provided by this title from being used for a new or enhanced information technology program with estimated development costs exceeding $100 million unless the Deputy Attorney General and the Department Investment Review Board certify to Congress that the program: (1) has appropriate program management controls and contractor oversight mechanisms in place, and (2) is compatible with DOJ enterprise architecture. 
 
(Sec. 209) Requires DOJ to follow reprogramming procedures for any deviation from the program amounts specified in this bill or the report or for any use of deobligated funds provided by this title in previous years. 
 
(Sec. 210) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used for a public-private competition for work performed by employees of Federal Prison Industries, Incorporated. 
 
(Sec. 211) Prohibits U.S. Attorneys from holding dual or additional responsibilities that exempt them from statutory residency requirements. 
 
(Sec. 212) Specifies percentages of grant and reimbursement funds provided to the Office of Justice Programs that may be used for: (1) training and technical assistance; and (2) criminal justice research, evaluation and statistics. 
 
(Sec. 213) Permits DOJ to use specified funds made available for grant and reimbursement programs for tribal criminal justice assistance without regard to the authorizations for the grant or reimbursement programs. 
 
(Sec. 214) Waives the requirement that DOJ reserve certain funds provided for offender incarceration for payments for incarceration on tribal lands. 
 
(Sec. 215) Prohibits funds, other than funds for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System established under the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, from being used to transfer an operable firearm to a known or suspected agent of a drug cartel if law enforcement personnel do not continuously monitor or control the firearm. 
 
(Sec. 216) Establishes limitations and requirements for the obligation of specified funds from the Department of Justice Working Capital Fund and the Assets Forfeiture Fund. 
 

Science Appropriations Act, 2018 

 
TITLE III--SCIENCE 
 
Provides appropriations to the Office of Science and Technology Policy. 
 
Provides appropriations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for: 
 
 
 Science; 
 
 Aeronautics; 
 
 Space Technology; 
 
 Exploration; 
 
 Space Operations; 
 
 Education; 
 
 Safety, Security, and Mission Services; 
 
 Construction and Environmental Compliance and Restoration; and 
 
 the Office of Inspector General. 
 
 
Includes administrative provisions for NASA that establish requirements and procedures for the availability of funds for an announced prize, the reprogramming and transfer of funds provided by this bill, and NASA's spending plan.
 
Provides appropriations to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for: 
 
 
 Research and Related Activities, 
 
 Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction, 
 
 Education and Human Resources, 
 
 Agency Operations and Award Management, 
 
 the Office of the National Science Board, and 
 
 the Office of Inspector General. 
 
 
Establishes requirements for the transfer or reprogramming of funds provided by this bill to the NSF. 
 
TITLE IV--RELATED AGENCIES 
 
Provides appropriations for related agencies, including: 
 
 
 the Commission on Civil Rights, 
 
 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 
 
 the U.S. International Trade Commission, 
 
 the Legal Services Corporation, 
 
 the Marine Mammal Commission, 
 
 the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and 
 
 the State Justice Institute. 
 
 
Specifies restrictions, terms, and conditions on the use of funds by the Legal Services Corporation. 
 
TITLE V--GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
(Sec. 501) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used for publicity or propaganda purposes that are not authorized by Congress. 
 
(Sec. 502) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from remaining available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year, unless expressly permitted in the bill. 
 
(Sec. 503) Limits expenditures for consulting services to contracts where the expenditures are a matter of public record and available for public inspection, unless otherwise provided by law or executive order. 
 
(Sec. 504) Provides that if any provision of this bill or the application of the provision is held invalid, the remainder of the bill is not affected. 
 
(Sec. 505) Establishes restrictions and requirements for the reprogramming of funds provided by this bill. 
 
(Sec. 506) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to award contracts or subcontracts to a person who has been found to have intentionally affixed a ''Made in America'' label to any product that was not made in America. Requires promotional items purchased using funds provided by this bill to be manufactured, produced, or assembled in the United States or its territories or possessions, to the extent it is practicable. 
 
(Sec. 507) Requires Commerce, DOJ, the NSF, and NASA to provide quarterly reports to Congress regarding the status of balances of appropriations at the account level. 
 
(Sec. 508) Requires costs incurred by agencies for personnel actions due to funding reductions in this bill to be absorbed within the budgetary resources available to the department or agency. Provides transfer authority between appropriation accounts to carry out this provision, subject to reprogramming procedures. Specifies that this section applies to Commerce actions taken for the care and protection of loan collateral or grant property. 
 
(Sec. 509) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to promote the sale or export of tobacco or tobacco products or to seek the reduction or removal of foreign restrictions on the marketing of tobacco products, except for restrictions which are not applied equally to all products of the same type. 
 
(Sec. 510) Establishes obligation limits for funds from the Crime Victims Fund. Requires specified funds to be used for grants to Indian tribal governments to improve services and justice for victims of crime.
 
(Sec. 511) Prohibits DOJ from using funds provided by this bill to discriminate against or denigrate the religious or moral beliefs of students who participate in programs for which financial assistance is provided, or of the parents or legal guardians of the students. 
 
(Sec. 512) Prohibits the transfer of funds provided by this bill to a department, agency, or instrumentality of the U.S. government, unless the transfer is pursuant to an appropriations Act. 
 
(Sec. 513) Specifies that funds included in this this bill to implement E-Government Initiatives are subject to reprogramming procedures and requirements. 
 
(Sec. 514) Prohibits Commerce, DOJ, NASA, or the NSF from using funds provided by this bill to acquire certain information systems unless the agency has: 
 
 
 reviewed the supply chain risk for the information systems against criteria developed by NIST and the FBI, 
 
 reviewed the supply chain risk from the presumptive awardee against available and relevant threat information provided by the FBI and other agencies, 
 
 conducted an assessment of any risk of cyber-espionage or sabotage associated with the acquisition of the system, 
 
 developed a mitigation strategy for any identified risks, and 
 
 determined that the acquisition is in the national interest. 
 
 
(Sec. 515) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to support or justify the use of torture by any official or contract employee of the U.S. government. 
 
(Sec. 516) Prohibits funds from being used to require export licenses for exporting components, parts, or attachments for certain firearms to Canada. 
 
(Sec. 517) Prohibits funds from being used to deny certain import applications for firearms, parts, or ammunition that are curios or relics. (Curios or relics are firearms which are of special interest to collectors by reason of some quality other than is associated with firearms intended for sporting use or as offensive or defensive weapons.) 
 
(Sec. 518) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this bill to include specified patent provisions from the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement, or the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement in any new bilateral or multilateral trade agreement. 
 
(Sec. 519) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to authorize or issue a national security letter (NSL) in violation of specified laws authorizing the FBI to issue an NSL. (An NSL is a written directive, comparable to an administrative subpoena, used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to demand certain information from third parties such as telecommunication providers, financial institutions, and consumer credit reporting agencies.) 
 
(Sec. 520) Requires congressional notification regarding Commerce, DOJ, NSF, or NASA projects that total more than $75 million and are expected to have cost increases of at least 10%. 
 
(Sec. 521) Deems funds provided by this bill for intelligence or intelligence related activities as authorized by Congress during FY2018 until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2018. 
 
(Sec. 522) Prohibits contracts or grant awards above $5 million unless the prospective contractor or grantee certifies that the organization has filed all federal tax returns, has not been convicted of a criminal offense under the Internal Revenue Code, and has no unpaid federal tax assessment. 
 
(Sec. 523) Rescinds specified unobligated balances from prior appropriations to DOJ and Commerce and requires the departments to submit reports to Congress regarding the rescissions. 
 
(Sec. 524) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to purchase first class or premium airline travel in violation of specified federal travel regulations. 
 
(Sec. 525) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to pay for the attendance of more than 50 department or agency employees at any single conference outside the United States, unless it is a law enforcement training or operational event where the majority of federal attendees are law enforcement personnel stationed outside the United States. 
 
(Sec. 526) Prohibits funds from being used to transfer or release any individual detained at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Guantanamo) who is not a U.S. citizen or member of the Armed Forces into the United States, its territories, or possessions. 
 
(Sec. 527) Prohibits funding from being used to construct, acquire, or modify any U.S. facility (other than the facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) to house any individual detained at Guantanamo. 
 
(Sec. 528) Requires the Office of Management and Budget to direct departments, agencies, and instrumentalities funded by this bill to track undisbursed balances in expired grant accounts and include specified details in annual performance and accountability reports. 
 
(Sec. 529) Prohibits NASA or the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) from using funds provided by this bill to: (1) engage in bilateral activities with China or a Chinese-owned company unless the activities are authorized by a law enacted after enactment of this bill, or (2) host official Chinese visitors at NASA facilities. Includes an exception if NASA or OSTP have made a specified certification to Congress regarding an activity. 
 
(Sec. 530) Prohibits funds from being used to deny or fail to act on application for the importation of any shotgun model if: (1) all other requirements of law with respect to the proposed importation are met, and (2) no application for the importation of models in the same configuration had been denied by DOJ prior to January 1, 2011, on the basis that the shotgun was not particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes. 
 
(Sec. 531) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used for a computer network that does not block pornography, except for law enforcement purposes. 
 
(Sec. 532) Requires specified agencies funded by this bill to submit spending plans to Congress. 
 
(Sec. 533) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this bill to implement the Arms Trade Treaty regulating international trade in conventional arms until it is ratified by the Senate. 
 
(Sec. 534) Requires Commerce, NASA, NSF, and the OSTP to report monthly to Congress on official travel of employees to China. 
 
(Sec. 535) Requires at least 10% of the funds provided by this bill for specified programs to be allocated for assistance in persistent poverty counties. Defines a &quot;persistent poverty county&quot; as county that has had at least 20% of its population living in poverty over the past 30 years, as measured by the 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses and the most recent Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. 
 
(Sec. 536) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to approve the registration, renewal, or maintenance of the registration of a mark, trademark, trade name, or commercial name that is the same or substantially similar to a mark, trade name, or commercial name that was used in connection with a business or assets that were unlawfully confiscated in Cuba unless the original owner or a bona-fide successor-in-interest has expressly consented. 
 
(Sec. 537) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to require a person licensed for importing, manufacturing, or dealing in firearms to report information to DOJ regarding the sale of multiple rifles or shotguns to the same person. 
 
(Sec. 538) Permits a state to bring a civil action against the United States in a U.S. district court for declaratory and injunctive relief (including preliminary injunctive relief) as may be necessary to restore the sovereignty reserved to the states by the Constitution. Requires courts to advance on the docket and to expedite to the greatest possible extent the disposition of any such action. 
 
(Sec. 539) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from be used to relocate the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Canine Training Center or the ATF National Canine Division. 
 
(Sec. 540) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to enter into a civil settlement agreement on behalf of the United States that requires any party-defendant to the agreement to make a donation to a non-party. 
 
(Sec. 541) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to implement or enforce the designation of any area of the Chesapeake Bay watershed as critical habitat for the Atlantic sturgeon pursuant to the proposed rule published by NOAA on June 3, 2016. 
 
(Sec. 542) Prohibits the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from using funds provided by this bill for the collection of certain information from employers relating to employees' earnings and hours worked, pursuant to the notice published by the EEOC in the Federal Register on July 14, 2016.
 
 (Sec. 543) Establishes a spending reduction account for the amount by which spending proposed in this bill exceeds the subcommittee's allocation under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Specifies that the amount is $0. (Under the Rules of the House of Representatives, any savings included in the spending reduction account are not available for further appropriation during consideration of the bill.) 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-17
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 164.
action_date: 2017-07-17
text: The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 115-231, by Mr. Culberson.
action_date: 2017-07-17
text: The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 115-231, by Mr. Culberson.
action_date: 2017-07-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-06-29
text: Committee on Appropriations Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. Hearings held prior to introduction and/or referral. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-162.
action_date: 2017-06-13
text: Committee on Appropriations Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. Hearings held prior to introduction and/or referral. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-162.
action_date: 2017-06-08
text: Committee on Appropriations Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. Hearings held prior to introduction and/or referral. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-162.
action_date: 2017-04-04
text: Committee on Appropriations Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. Hearings held prior to introduction and/or referral. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-162.