Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations
Released: 2014-04-15T00:00:00

Introduction and Overview

This report tracks and provides an overview of actions taken by the Administration and Congress to provide FY2014 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. It also provides an overview of enacted FY2013 appropriations for agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS. The FY2013 post-sequestration amounts were provided by the Departments of Commerce and Justice, the science agencies (i.e., the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation), and each of the respective related agencies. The FY2014-requested appropriations were taken from S.Rept. 113-78 . The amounts recommended by the House Committee on Appropriations were taken from H.Rept. 113-171 and the amounts recommended by the Senate Committee on Appropriations were taken from S.Rept. 113-78 . FY2014-enacted appropriations were taken from the joint explanatory statement to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 ( P.L. 113-76 ), printed in the January 15, 2015, Congressional Record .

FY2014 Appropriations

For FY2014, the Administration requested a total of $63.310 billion for the agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual CJS bill. The Administration's request included $8.596 billion for the Department of Commerce, $28.405 billion for the Department of Justice, $25.347 billion for the science agencies, and $962.1 million for the related agencies.

On July 17, 2013, the House Committee on Appropriations approved its version of the FY2014 CJS appropriations bill ( H.R. 2787 ). The committee recommended a total of $58.601 billion for the CJS agencies and bureaus. The bill included $7.544 billion for the Department of Commerce, $26.658 billion for the Department of Justice, $23.599 billion for the science agencies, and $800.5 million for the related agencies.

On July 18, 2013, the Senate Committee on Appropriations approved S. 1329 , the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014. The committee recommended $63.586 billion for CJS. The bill included $8.679 billion for the Department of Commerce, $28.503 billion for the Department of Justice, $25.442 billion for the science agencies, and $962.1 million for the related agencies.

On January 17, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 ( P.L. 113-76 ). The act provides a total of $61.623 billion for CJS, of which $8.181 billion is for the Department of Commerce, $27.737 billion is for the Department of Justice, $24.824 billion is for the science agencies, and $881.8 million is for the related agencies.

FY2013 Appropriations

On March 26, 2013, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 ( P.L. 113-6 , hereinafter "Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act"). The act provided a total of $60.638 billion for CJS. After rescissions and sequestration, the act provided a total of $57.936 billion for CJS, of which $7.510 billion was for the Department of Commerce, $25.830 billion was for the Department of Justice, $23.769 billion was for the science agencies, and $827.9 million was for the related agencies.

Section 3001 of the act provided for a series of rescissions of FY2013 budget authority. Discretionary non-security (as defined at 2 U.S.C. §900(c)(4)(A)) accounts were subject to a 1.877% rescission while discretionary security (as defined at 2 U.S.C. §900(c)(4)(B)) accounts were subject to a 0.1% rescission. Most accounts in the CJS appropriations act were subject to the 1.877% rescission. Only the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission and the International Trade Commission accounts were subject to the 0.1% rescission. Also, per Section 3001, rescissions were applied proportionately to each discretionary account and each item of budget authority and each program, project, or activity (PPA) within each account or item of budget authority (with PPAs being delineated in the act or the explanatory statement published in the March 11 edition of the Congressional Record ).

Section 3004 of the act was intended to eliminate any amount by which the new budget authority provided in the act exceeded the FY2013 discretionary spending limits in Section 251(c)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011 and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. As enacted, this section provided two separate across-the-board rescissions—one for non-security budget authority and one for security budget authority—of 0%, to be applied at the program, project, and activity level. The section required the percentages to be increased if the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) estimated that additional rescissions are needed to avoid exceeding the limits. Subsequent to the enactment of P.L. 113-6 , OMB calculated that additional rescissions of 0.032% of security budget authority, and 0.2% of non-security budget authority, would be required. Only the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission and the International Trade Commission accounts were subject to the 0.032% rescission. The appropriations provided by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act for each CJS account do not reflect any reductions that resulted from the sequestration ordered by President Obama on March 1, 2013, pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011 ( P.L. 112-25 ).

The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 ( P.L. 113-2 , hereinafter "the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act"), included a total of $363.3 million in supplemental appropriations for CJS agencies. Of the $363.3 million appropriated pursuant to the act, $326.0 million was for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; $10.0 million was for the Federal Bureau of Investigation; $1.0 million was for the Drug Enforcement Administration; $230,000 was for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; $10.0 million was for the Bureau of Prisons; $15.0 million was for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and $1.0 million was for the Legal Services Corporation. The FY2013-enancted amounts presented in the tables below reflect these supplemental appropriations.

The amounts in this report reflect only new appropriations. Therefore, the amounts do not include any rescissions of unobligated or de-obligated balances that may be counted as offsets to newly enacted appropriations, nor do they include any scorekeeping adjustments, such as the balance on the Crime Victims Fund.

Table 1 shows the FY2013-enated appropriations (after sequestration), the Administration's FY2014 request, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees' recommended amounts, and the FY2014-enacted appropriations for the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, the science agencies, and the related agencies. Table 14 shows enacted appropriations for these agencies, in detail, for FY2005 through FY2014 .

Survey of Selected Issues

Department of Commerce

Some issues Congress might have considered while debating FY2014 funding for the Department of Commerce include the following:

Whether to have accepted the Administration's proposed $20.1 million increase for the International Trade Administration (ITA) to support the interagency Trade Enforcement Center for the purpose of strengthening U.S. government capacity to monitor and enforce U.S. trade rights under international agreements and other domestic and international trade enforcement authorities. Whether to have provided additional funding for ITA to support the Administration's Asia Rebalance and the U.S. strategy toward Sub-Saharan Africa and enable identification of more export opportunities for U.S. companies, more rapid and timely business counseling, and enhanced commercial diplomacy and advocacy support. Whether to have accepted the Administration's proposal for additional ITA funding to support implementation of the SelectUSA program, which was established in 2011 by presidential Executive Order to encourage, facilitate, and accelerate foreign direct investment in the United States to create jobs and spur economic growth. The progress of the President's Export Control Reform Initiative under the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), including oversight of the rebuilding of the control lists and the transfer of items previously controlled as munitions by the Department of State to BIS. Whether to have funded two new initiatives (the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Fund and Regional Export Challenge Grants) that would have been administered by the Economic Development Administration and would have supported private sector job creation through regional innovation clusters focusing on the export of manufactured goods and services. Whether to have funded a new program to assess technologies for sharing radio frequency spectrum under the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The funding level for the Census Bureau as it seeks to complete data collection for the 2012 economic census, disseminate information from the 2012 census of governments, and continue research and testing in preparation for the 2020 decennial census. Whether to have accepted the Administration's request under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of $1.978 billion for environmental satellite acquisition, which is a significant portion (36.3%) of the request for NOAA.

Department of Justice (DOJ)

Some issues Congress might have considered while determining funding levels for DOJ accounts included the following:

Does the Bureau of Prisons have the resources it needs to continue to safely confine a growing federal inmate population? Whether to have accepted the Administration's proposal to eliminate funding for several grant programs under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance account, including the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), the Matching Grant Program for Bulletproof Vests, and the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences program. Whether to have combined the drug and mental health courts program into a problem solving justice program as proposed by the Administration. How to prioritize funding for juvenile justice programs—both the formula grant programs as well as the competitive grants? Whether to have funded the Administration's request for $150.0 million for a comprehensive school safety program under the Community Oriented Policing Services account. Whether to have accepted the Administration's proposal to set aside 7% of the amount appropriated under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance, Juvenile Justice Programs, and Research, Evaluation, and Statistics accounts for tribal criminal justice assistance. Whether to have accepted the Administration's proposal to increase the obligation limit on the Crime Victims Fund in order to provide support to the Vision 21 program.

Science Agencies

Among the issues facing the science agencies that Congress may have opted to address in the FY2014 appropriations process were the following:

Whether the current direction for the U.S. human spaceflight program, established in October 2010 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 ( P.L. 111-267 ), can be implemented successfully in a period of increased budgetary constraint, as well as the potential impact of human spaceflight's funding needs on the availability of funding for other National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programs, such as science, aeronautics, and education. Whether and how to prioritize research initiatives at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Whether to have continued efforts to double funding at NSF and other targeted accounts as previously proposed by the Administration and authorized by Congress, and if so, at what pace. Whether to have adopted the Administration's proposed government-wide science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education program reorganization and consolidation, including proposed changes at NSF, NASA, and the Department of Commerce. Whether to have continued to restrict the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) from engaging in certain activities with China or any Chinese-owned company by prohibiting, with limited exceptions, the use of appropriated funds for such activities.

Related Agencies

Some of the issues Congress might have considered while determining the FY2014 funding levels for the related agencies include the following:

Whether to have adopted the Administration proposal to eliminate the Legal Service Corporation's restrictions on class action suits and attorneys' fees. Whether to have approved increased funding for U.S. Trade Representative to add resources and hire additional staff for the purpose of enhancing overall trade enforcement capabilities and supporting the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center (ITEC) to identify and address unfair trade practices among foreign trading partners.

Department of Commerce5

The Department of Commerce (Commerce Department) originated in 1903 with the establishment of the Department of Commerce and Labor. The separate Commerce Department was established on March 4, 1913. The department's responsibilities are numerous and quite varied; its activities center on five basic missions: (1) promoting the development of U.S. business and increasing foreign trade; (2) improving the nation's technological competitiveness; (3) encouraging economic development; (4) fostering environmental stewardship and assessment; and (5) compiling, analyzing, and disseminating statistical information on the U.S. economy and population.

The following agencies within the Commerce Department carry out these missions:

International Trade Administration (ITA) seeks to develop the export potential of U.S. firms and improve the trade performance of U.S. industry; Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) enforces U.S. export laws consistent with national security, foreign policy, and short-supply objectives; Economic Development Administration (EDA) provides grants for economic development projects in economically distressed communities and regions; Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) seeks to promote private- and public-sector investment in minority businesses; Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) , excluding the Census Bureau, provides (1) information on the state of the economy through preparation, development, and interpretation of economic data and (2) analytical support to department officials in meeting their policy responsibilities; Census Bureau , a component of ESA, collects, compiles, and publishes a broad range of economic, demographic, and social data; National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) advises the President on domestic and international communications policy, manages the federal government's use of the radio frequency spectrum, and performs research in telecommunications sciences; United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) examines and approves applications for patents for claimed inventions and registration of trademarks; National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) assists industry in developing technology to improve product quality, modernize manufacturing processes, ensure product reliability, and facilitate rapid commercialization of products on the basis of new scientific discoveries; and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides scientific, technical, and management expertise to (1) promote safe and efficient marine and air navigation; (2) assess the health of coastal and marine resources; (3) monitor and predict the coastal, ocean, and global environments (including weather forecasting); and (4) protect and manage the nation's coastal resources.

FY2013 and FY2014 Appropriations

Table 2 presents the following funding information for the Department of Commerce as a whole and for each of its agencies or bureaus: the amounts provided for FY2013, after sequestration; the Administration's FY2014 request; the amounts recommended by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations; and the FY2014-enacted appropriation.

International Trade Administration (ITA)8

The International Trade Administration (ITA) provides export promotion services, works to ensure compliance with trade agreements, administers trade remedies such as antidumping and countervailing duties, and provides analytical support for ongoing trade negotiations. ITA's mission is to improve U.S. prosperity by strengthening the competitiveness of U.S. industry, promoting trade and investment, and ensuring compliance with trade laws and agreements. ITA strives to accomplish this through several organizational units. ITA went through a major organizational change in October 2013 in which it consolidated four organizational units into three more functionally aligned units. The new organizational units consist of the following: (1) the Global Markets unit, which assists and advocates for U.S. businesses in international markets to help foster U.S. economic prosperity; (2) the Industry and Analysis unit, which brings together ITA's industry, trade, and economic experts to advance the competitiveness of U.S. industries through the development and execution of international trade and investment policies and export promotion strategies; and (3) the Enforcement and Compliance unit, which is responsible for safeguarding and enhancing the competitiveness of U.S. industries against unfair trade practices through the enforcement of U.S. trade laws and for ensuring compliance with U.S. free trade agreements.

The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, provided $438.5 million for ITA in direct appropriations for FY2013 (after sequestration). The act anticipated the collection of $11.4 million in user fees, raising total FY2013 resources for ITA to $449.9 million. The Administration requested $519.8 million for ITA for FY2014 and anticipated the collection of $9.4 million in user fees, which would have raised available funds to $529.2 million. The House committee-reported bill would have provided $441.6 million in direct appropriations for this account. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $490.6 million for ITA in direct appropriations. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, provides $460.6 million for ITA in direct appropriations. It anticipates the collection of $9.4 million in user fees, resulting in $470.0 million in total resources for ITA programs.

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)9

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) administers export controls on dual-use goods and technology through its licensing and enforcement functions. It cooperates with other nations on export control policy and provides assistance to the U.S. business community to comply with U.S. and multilateral export controls. BIS also administers U.S. anti-boycott statutes and is charged with monitoring the U.S. defense industrial base. Authorization for the activities of BIS, the Export Administration Act (50 U.S.C. App. 2401, et seq.), last expired in August 2001. On August 17, 2001, President George W. Bush invoked the authorities granted by the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1703(b)) to continue in effect the system of controls contained in the act and in the Export Administration Regulations (15 C.F.R., Parts 730-799), and these authorities have been renewed yearly. P.L. 113-6 provided $93.6 million ($99.7 million after rescissions, reduced to $93.6 million after sequestration) for BIS. The President proposed $112.1 million in FY2014 for BIS. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $94.0 million, and the Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended the President's full proposal of $112.1 million. P.L. 113-76 provides $101.5 million.

Economic Development Administration (EDA)10

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) was created pursuant to the enactment of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, with the objective of fostering growth in economically distressed areas characterized by high levels of unemployment and low per-capita income levels. Federally designated disaster areas and areas affected by military base realignment or closure (BRAC) are also eligible for EDA assistance. EDA provides grants for public works, economic adjustment in case of natural disasters or mass layoffs, technical assistance, planning, and research.

The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, appropriated $218.3 million in total funding for EDA (after sequestration), including $183.4 million in support of EDA programs and activities and $34.8 million for salaries and expenses.

The Administration's FY2014 budget request proposed a reduction to what is EDA's most highly funded program, public works grants. The proposed budget would have placed greater emphasis on projects intended to support job creation through regional innovation clusters, including those that would support the export of manufactured goods and services. For FY2014, the Administration requested $320.9 million, including $282.0 million for EDA programs and activities and $38.9 million for salaries and expenses. The specific programs and their requested funding levels for FY2014 included

$40.5 million for the Public Works Program; $66.0 million for the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program; $27.0 million for the Partnership Planning Grants Program (the proposed successor to the EDA Planning Program); $12.0 million for Technical Assistance; $1.5 million for Research and Evaluation; and $10.0 million for Trade Adjustment Assistance.

The Administration also requested funding for two new initiatives that would have been administered by EDA:

$113.0 million for the new Investing in Manufacturing Communities Fund; and $12.0 million for the new Regional Export Challenge Grants.

The Administration described both programs as being consistent with the creation of regional innovation strategies authorized under 42 U.S.C. Section 3722 of the America COMPETES Act ( P.L. 111-358 ).

H.R. 2787 , as reported by the House Committee on Appropriations, recommended $220.5 million in total appropriations for EDA, including salaries and expenses. A Senate measure, S. 1329 , as reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations, recommended $276.2 million in total funding for EDA, including salaries and expenses. The bill reported by the Senate committee was $55.7 million more than recommended by the House committee. The additional funds recommended by the Senate committee included significantly higher amounts for Economic Adjustment Assistance and Trade Adjustment Assistance grants than recommended by the House committee. In addition, S. 1329 included $25.0 million for EDA's Regional Innovation Program (RIP), which awards grants and loan guarantees as authorized under the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. RIP supports investments in science parks, regional innovation clusters, and the i6 Challenge program. The accompanying committee report ( S.Rept. 113-78 ) included language encouraging EDA to consider funding innovative manufacturing and export programs within this amount. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, P.L. 113-76 , appropriates $246.5 million for EDA, including $209.5 million for EDA programs and $37.0 million for salaries and expenses. P.L. 113-76 requires that the $15.0 million appropriated for the Innovative Manufacturing Loan Guarantee and the RIP programs is to be administered and awarded in accordance with the requirements of Section 26 and Section 27 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act (15 U.S.C. 3721 and 3722) rather than EDA's authorizing statute, the Public Works and Economic Development Act (42 U.S.C. 3121, et seq.).

Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)13

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), established by Executive Order 11625 on October 13, 1971, is charged with the lead role in coordinating all of the federal government's minority business programs. As part of its strategic plan, MBDA seeks to develop an industry-focused, data-driven, technical assistance approach to give minority business owners the tools essential for becoming first- or second-tier suppliers to private corporations and the federal government in the new procurement environment. Progress is measured in increased gross receipts, number of employees, and size and scale of firms associated with minority business enterprise.

The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, provided $27.5 million for the MBDA account (after sequestration). For FY2014, the Administration requested $29.3 million in support of MBDA. According to the budget justification document, the proposed MBDA funding level would have assisted in the creation of 5,000 new jobs and $2 billion in contracts and financing. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $27.0 million for MBDA funding, while the Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $29.3 million for MBDA activities. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, appropriates $28.0 million for MBDA activities.

Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA)15

The Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) provides economic data, analysis, and forecasts to government agencies and, when appropriate, to the public. ESA includes the Census Bureau (discussed separately) and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). ESA has three core missions: to maintain a system of economic data, to interpret and communicate information about the forces at work in the economy, and to support the information and analytical needs of the executive branch. Funding for ESA includes two primary accounts: ESA headquarters and BEA. ESA headquarters staff provide economic research and policy analysis in support of the Secretary of Commerce, as well as oversight of the Census Bureau and BEA. The BEA account funds BEA activities, among which are producing estimates of national gross domestic product and related measures.

P.L. 113-6 provided $93.3 million for the Economics and Statistics Administration (after sequestration). The Administration's budget request for ESA in FY2014 was $104.0 million. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $93.4 million, and the Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended the amount requested. Under P.L. 113-76 , ESA receives $99.0 million for FY2014.

Census Bureau16

The U.S. Constitution requires a population census every 10 years, to serve as the basis for apportioning seats in the House of Representatives. Decennial census data also are used for within-state redistricting and in certain formulas that determine the annual distribution of more than $450 billion in federal funds to states and localities. The Census Bureau, established as a permanent office on March 6, 1902, conducts the decennial census under Title 13 of the U.S. Code , which also authorizes the Bureau to collect and compile a wide variety of other demographic, economic, housing, and governmental data.

P.L. 113-6 provided $840.6 million for the Census Bureau for FY2013 (after sequestration), including $238.2 million in the salaries and expenses account and $620.4 million in the periodic censuses and programs account.

In FY2014, the Bureau expects, among other activities, to complete data collection for the 2012 economic census, disseminate information from the 2012 census of governments, and continue research and testing in preparation for the 2020 decennial census.

The Administration's FY2014 budget request for the Bureau was $982.5 million. Of this amount, $256.0 million was for salaries and expenses, and $726.4 million was for periodic censuses and programs.

The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $844.7 million for the Bureau in FY2014, with $238.9 million for salaries and expenses and $605.9 million for periodic programs. Of the $605.9 million, $390.9 million was to be used for 2020 census preparation. In the view of the ranking Members of the committee and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, this amount, "a reduction of $95.7 million (20%) below the request," threatened "research efforts that would allow the 2020 Census to be conducted at a lower cost."

The Senate Committee on Appropriations' FY2014 recommendation for the Bureau was $972.5 million, of which $256.0 million was for salaries and expenses and $716.4 million was for periodic censuses and programs. The committee directed "the Bureau to continue to use the WCF only as a repository for reimbursable funds from other agencies and to obligate and execute that funding expeditiously." The committee further directed the Bureau to provide, no later than 120 days after enactment of the act, an updated report on "efforts to evaluate" American Community Survey (ACS) questions "and the steps being taken by the ombudsman position" established by the Bureau in FY2013 "to ensure that the ACS is conducted as efficiently and unobtrusively as possible."

H.R. 2787 and S. 1329 contained identical language stating that $1.0 million of the Census Bureau's appropriation would "be transferred to the 'Office of Inspector General' account for activities associated with carrying out investigations and audits related to the Bureau.... "

P.L. 113-76 provides $945.0 million for the Bureau in FY2014. The total includes $252.0 million for salaries and expenses and $693.0 million for periodic censuses and programs.

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)23

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is the executive branch's principal advisory office on domestic and international telecommunications and information technology policies. Its mandate is to provide greater access for all Americans to telecommunications services, support U.S. attempts to open foreign markets, advise on international telecommunications negotiations, and fund grants for new technologies and their applications. Its role in federal spectrum management includes acting as a facilitator and mediator in negotiations among the various federal agencies regarding usage, priority access, causes of interference, and other radio spectrum questions. In recent years, one of the responsibilities of the NTIA has been to oversee the transfer of some radio frequencies from the federal domain to the commercial domain. Many of these frequencies have subsequently been auctioned to the commercial sector and the proceeds paid into the U.S. Treasury.

The NTIA administers some grant programs created by Congress, including the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). BTOP grant programs are in the final stages of completion. The NTIA is managing a $135 million grant program to help states plan for participation in a new, nationwide public safety broadband network, as required by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 ( P.L. 112-96 ). To deploy the new network, the act established the First Responder Network Authority, or FirstNet, as an independent agency within the NTIA and assigned the agency various responsibilities to support FirstNet. FirstNet is funded through the Public Safety Trust Fund, established by Congress to receive revenues from auctions of certain spectrum licenses. FirstNet received an advance of nearly $2 billion from the U.S. Treasury against expected proceeds of sales of spectrum licenses. Another $5 billion in funding is expected from the Public Safety Trust Fund as auction revenues are deposited in the account. The NTIA will also be responsible for collecting auction proceeds and making distributions from the Public Safety Trust Fund until the authorization expires at the end of FY2022.

P.L. 113-6 provided $42.7 million for the NTIA for FY2013 (after sequestration). The President's budget request for FY2014 was $52.1 million for salaries and expenses, which included $7.5 million for a new program to assess technologies for sharing radio frequency spectrum. The program would encompass pilot projects over a period of two years in 10 major metropolitan areas. The FY2014 request for broadband grant program oversight was for $24.7 million, roughly 40% of the total budget request.

The House Committee on Appropriations recommended an appropriation of $42.9 million for FY2014. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended an appropriation of $52.1 million, the amount requested by the President. The Consolidated Appropriations Act provides $46.0 million to the NTIA for salaries and expenses and enacts a rescission of $8.5 million for unexpended grants from the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP). The PTFP was last funded in FY2010 with an appropriation of $20.0 million, half the NTIA's enacted appropriation for that fiscal year.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)26

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) examines and approves applications for patents on claimed inventions and administers the registration of trademarks. It also helps other federal departments and agencies protect American intellectual property in the international marketplace. The USPTO is funded by user fees paid by customers that are designated as "offsetting collections" and subject to spending limits established by Congress.

For FY2013, P.L. 113-6 provided the USPTO with new budget authority of $2.784 billion (after sequestration). Before sequestration, the enacted budget authority for the USPTO was $2.931 billion (which includes a $2.0 million transfer to the Office of the Inspector General); offsetting fees (not subject to sequestration) were $2.933 billion, so that the offsetting fees exceeded the new budget authority.

The President's FY2014 budget request included $3.071 billion in budget authority for the USPTO, the full amount of fees expected to be collected (as determined by the Administration). All fees collected by the USPTO are to be used only for the USPTO, per P.L. 112-29 .

Both the House Committee on Appropriations' report to accompany H.R. 2787 and the Senate Committee on Appropriations' report to accompany S. 1329 recommended providing the USPTO with the budget authority to spend $3.024 billion, the "full amount of fiscal year 2014 fee collections estimated by the Congressional Budget Office." This amount was 1.5% below the figure in the President's request. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, provides $3.024 billion in budget authority for the USPTO in FY2014 for user fee collections.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)27

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a laboratory of the Department of Commerce with a mandate to increase the competitiveness of U.S. companies through appropriate support for industrial development of pre-competitive, generic technologies and the diffusion of government-developed technological advances to users in all segments of the American economy. NIST research also provides the measurement, calibration, and quality assurance techniques that underpin U.S. commerce, technological progress, improved product reliability, manufacturing processes, and public safety.

P.L. 113-6 appropriated $769.3 million in FY2013 funding for NIST (after sequestration). Of this amount, $579.8 million was for in-house research under the Scientific and Technical Research and Services (STRS) account; $120.0 million was for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program; $13.5 million was for the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia (AMTech); and $56.0 million was for the Construction of Research Facilities (CRF) account.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 ( P.L. 113-76 ), provides $850.0 million for NIST in FY2014. This figure includes $651.0 million for the STRS account, $128.0 million for the MEP program, $15.0 million for AmTech, and $56.0 million for the CRF account. The funding provided for the STRS account includes increases for advanced manufacturing initiatives at the NIST labs ($30.0 million), cyber security research ($5.0 million), and disaster resilience research ($1.0 million). The STRS funding also includes $15.0 million for the establishment and operation of two centers, one focused on advanced manufacturing competitiveness and commercialization technology in carbon nanomanufacturing and the other focused on forensic measurement science, technology, and standards.

The President's FY2014 budget request would have provided $928.3 million for NIST. The request included $693.7 million for the STRS account, $153.1 million for the MEP program, $21.4 million for AMTech, and $60.0 million for the CRF account.

In addition to the appropriations included in the budget proposal that were to be addressed through the annual appropriations process, the Administration included two new programs that were to be funded through mandatory appropriations (spending that is typically "provided in permanent or multi-year appropriations contained in the authorizing law, and therefore, the funding becomes available automatically each year, without legislative action by Congress"). According to the budget request, NIST was to receive $100.0 million generated by the proceeds of the spectrum auction to "conduct public safety research and development" as part of the Wireless Innovation (WIN) Fund (under provisions of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012). In addition, the President proposed $1.000 billion for the establishment of a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation.

The House Committee on Appropriations' report to accompany H.R. 2787 recommended funding NIST at $784.0 million, 15.5% below the budget request. The $609.0 million provided for the STRS account was 12.2% less than the Administration's proposal, while the $120.0 million for MEP was 21.6% below the President's figure. No funding was provided for AMTech. The $55.0 million for construction was 8.3% less than the budget request.

The Senate Committee on Appropriations' report to accompany S. 1329 included $947.5 million for NIST, 2.1% more than proposed by the President. Funding for the STRS account would have amounted to $703.0 million, 1.3% higher than the budget request. Support for MEP would have totaled $153.1 million, the same as the Administration's proposal; however, the $31.4 million for AMTech represented a 46.7% increase over the President's recommendation. The $60.0 million for the CRF account was identical to the budget request.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)28

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducts scientific research in areas such as ecosystems, climate, global climate change, weather, and oceans; supplies information on the oceans and atmosphere; and manages coastal and marine resources. NOAA was created in 1970 by Reorganization Plan No. 4. The reorganization plan was designed to unify a number of the nation's environmental activities and to provide a systematic approach for monitoring, analyzing, and protecting the environment. NOAA's current administrative structure has evolved into five line offices, which include the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS); the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS); the National Ocean Service (NOS); the National Weather Service (NWS); and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). In addition to NOAA's five line offices, Program Support (PS), a cross-cutting budget activity, includes the NOAA Education Program, Corporate Services, Facilities, and the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO).

The FY2013-enacted appropriation for NOAA (after sequestration) was $5.051 billion. NOAA's budget is divided into two main accounts, Operations, Research, and Facilities (ORF) and Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction (PAC). P.L. 113-6 included (after sequestration) $2.891 billion for ORF, $1.794 billion for PAC, $60.4 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, $324,000 for the Fishermen's Contingency Fund, and negative $4.0 million for the Fisheries Finance Program account. In addition, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 ( P.L. 113-2 ), included $309.7 million for NOAA (after sequestration).

For FY2014, the Administration requested a total of $5.440 billion for NOAA. The Administration proposed funding ORF at $3.278 billion, PAC at $2.118 billion, the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund at $50.0 million, the Fishermen's Contingency Fund at $350,000, and the Fisheries Finance Program at negative $6.0 million. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended a total of $4.916 billion for NOAA. The House committee-reported bill would have funded ORF at $2.907 billion, PAC at $1.979 billion, the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund at $35.0 million, the Fishermen's Contingency Fund at $350,000, and the Fisheries Finance Program at negative $6.0 million. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended a total of $5.590 billion for NOAA. The Senate committee-reported bill would have funded ORF at $3.296 billion, PAC at $2.084 billion, the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund at $65.0 million, the Fishermen's Contingency Fund at $350,000, and the Fisheries Finance Program at negative $6.0 million. The Senate bill also would have provided $150.0 million for a new Fisheries Disaster Mitigation Fund. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 ( P.L. 113-76 ), provides a total of $5.315 billion for NOAA. It funds ORF at $3.157 billion, PAC at $2.023 billion, the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund at $65.0 million, the Fishermen's Contingency Fund at $350,000, and the Fisheries Finance Program at negative $6.0 million. P.L. 113-76 also provides $75.0 million for Fisheries Disaster Assistance. Funding will be used for fishery disasters declared by the Secretary of Commerce in calendar years 2012 and 2013.

The Administration's FY2014 request for NESDIS satellite systems acquisition was $1.976 billion, which was 93.3% of the Administration's request for the entire PAC account and 36.3% of the total request for NOAA. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $1.943 billion for NESDIS systems acquisition funding, while the House Committee on Appropriations recommended $1.855 billion. P.L. 113-76 provides $1.895 billion for NESDIS systems acquisition.

Department of Justice (DOJ)31

Established by an act of 1870 with the Attorney General at its head, DOJ provides counsel for the government in federal cases and protects citizens through law enforcement. It represents the federal government in all proceedings, civil and criminal, before the Supreme Court. In legal matters, generally, the department provides legal advice and opinions, upon request, to the President and executive branch department heads. The major functions of DOJ agencies and offices are described below.

United States Attorneys prosecute criminal offenses against the United States; represent the federal government in civil actions; and initiate proceedings for the collection of fines, penalties, and forfeitures owed to the United States. United States Marshals Service (USMS) provides security for the federal judiciary, protects witnesses, executes warrants and court orders, manages seized assets, detains and transports unsentenced prisoners, and apprehends fugitives. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigates violations of federal criminal law; helps protect the United States against terrorism and hostile intelligence efforts; provides assistance to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies; and shares jurisdiction with Drug Enforcement Administration over federal drug violations. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigates federal drug law violations; coordinates its efforts with state, local, and other federal law enforcement agencies; develops and maintains drug intelligence systems; regulates legitimate controlled substances activities; and conducts joint intelligence-gathering activities with foreign governments. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) enforces federal law related to the manufacture, importation, and distribution of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives. It was transferred from the Department of the Treasury to DOJ by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( P.L. 107-296 ). Federal Prison System ( Bureau of Prisons, BOP ) provides for the custody and care of the federal prison population, the maintenance of prison-related facilities, and the boarding of sentenced federal prisoners incarcerated in state and local institutions. Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) coordinates legislative and other initiatives relating to violence against women and administers grant programs to help prevent, detect, and stop violence against women, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Office of Justice Programs (OJP) manages and coordinates the activities of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office of Victims of Crime. Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) advances the practice of community policing by awarding grants to law enforcement agencies to hire and train community policing professionals, acquire and deploy crime-fighting technologies, and develop and test innovative policing strategies.

Most crime control has traditionally been a state and local responsibility. With the passage of the Crime Control Act of 1968 (P.L. 90-351), however, the federal role in the administration of criminal justice has increased incrementally. Since 1984, Congress has approved five major omnibus crime control bills, designating new federal crimes, penalties, and additional law enforcement assistance programs for state and local governments.

FY2013 and FY2014 Appropriations

The FY2013-enacted appropriation (after sequestration) for the DOJ was $25.830 billion. This included $25.808 billion the DOJ received under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act (after sequestration) and $21.3 million in supplemental appropriations under the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act. The Administration requested a total of $28.405 billion for DOJ for FY2014 (see Table 4 ). The House committee-reported bill included a total of $26.658 billion for the DOJ while the Senate committee-reported bill included $28.503 billion. P.L. 113-76 includes $27.737 billion for the DOJ. For FY2014, Congress funded all of the DOJ's law enforcement agencies (the USMS, FBI, DEA, and ATF) at a rate below the Administration's request. In addition, the FY2014 appropriation for the U.S. Attorneys Office and the federal prison system were below the Administration's request.

General Administration

The General Administration account provides funds for salaries and expenses for the Attorney General's office, the Inspector General's office, and other programs designed to ensure that the collaborative efforts of DOJ agencies are coordinated to help represent the government and fight crime as efficiently as possible. For FY2013, the General Administration account received $503.3 million, after sequestration. The Administration's FY2014 request included $563.0 million for General Administration. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended nearly $514.3 million for this account. The Senate committee-reported bill would have provided $567.0 million for General Administration. P.L. 113-76 includes $533.2 million for the General Administration account.

General Administration

The General Administration account includes funding for Salaries and Expenses for DOJ administration as well as for Justice Information Sharing Technology. Prior to the National Drug Intelligence Center's (NDIC's) closure, it was funded through the General Administration account. In addition, this account previously funded Law Enforcement Wireless Communications before funding for related activities was shifted to the FBI.

After sequestration, General Administration received $135.7 million for FY2013. The Administration's FY2014 request included almost $152.1 million for these activities. The House committee-reported bill would have provided $129.7 million for General Administration. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended nearly $152.1 million for this account. P.L. 113-76 includes $135.8 million for General Administration.

Administrative Review and Appeals (ARA)

Administrative Review and Appeals (ARA) includes the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) and the Office of the Pardon Attorney (OPA). The Attorney General is responsible for the review and adjudication of immigration cases in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) efforts to secure the nation's borders. The EOIR handles these matters, and the OPA receives and reviews petitions for executive clemency.

The FY2013 appropriation for Administrative Review and Appeals was 287.9 million (after sequestration). The Administration's FY2014 request included $329.1 million for this account. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $303.0 million for Administrative Review and Appeals. The Senate committee-reported bill would have provided $329.1 million for this account. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $311.0 million for Administrative Review and Appeals.

Office of the Inspector General (OIG)

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is responsible for detecting and deterring waste, fraud, and abuse involving DOJ programs and personnel; promoting economy and efficiency in DOJ operations; and investigating allegations of departmental misconduct. For FY2013, the OIG's appropriation was $80.0 million, after sequestration. The Administration's FY2014 request included $85.8 million for OIG activities. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $81.5 million for this account. The Senate committee-reported bill would have provided $85.8 million for OIG activities. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $86.4 million for the OIG.

U.S. Parole Commission

The U.S. Parole Commission adjudicates parole requests for prisoners who are serving felony sentences under federal and District of Columbia code violations. The Parole Commission received a total of $11.9 million for FY2013 (after sequestration). The Administration's FY2014 request for the commission was $13.0 million. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $12.0 million for the commission for FY2014 while the Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $13.0 million. The commission's FY2014-enacted appropriation is $12.6 million.

Legal Activities

The Legal Activities account includes several subaccounts: general legal activities, U.S. Attorneys, and other legal activities. For FY2013, Congress provided, after sequestration, approximately $2.990 billion for Legal Activities. The Administration's FY2014 request included nearly $3.282 billion for this account. The House committee-reported bill would have provided $3.077 billion for Legal Activities. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $3.284 billion for this account. P.L. 113-76 includes nearly $3.181 billion for Legal Activities.

General Legal Activities

The General Legal Activities account funds the Solicitor General's supervision of the department's conduct in proceedings before the Supreme Court. It also funds several departmental divisions (tax, criminal, civil, environment and natural resources, legal counsel, civil rights, INTERPOL, and dispute resolution). The General Legal Activities account received $819.3 million for FY2013 (after sequestration). The Administration requested $902.6 million for this account for FY2014. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $822.2 million for General Legal Activities. The Senate committee-reported bill would have provided $905.6 million for this account. P.L. 113-76 includes $867.0 million for General Legal Activities.

Office of the U.S. Attorneys

The U.S. Attorneys enforce federal laws through prosecution of criminal cases and represent the federal government in civil actions in all of the 94 federal judicial districts. For FY2013, Congress appropriated $1.830 billion (after sequestration) for the U.S. Attorneys. For FY2014, the Administration's request included $2.008 billion. The FY2014 request included an increase of $26.5 million to address a rise in financial and mortgage fraud cases. While the House-reported bill included $1.887 billion for the U.S. Attorneys, the Senate-reported bill included the same amount as requested by the Administration.

Under P.L. 113-76 , for FY2014, Congress has appropriated $1.944 billion for the U.S. Attorneys, or $63.7 million less than the Administration's request. In the joint explanatory statement accompanying the act, Congress has directed the U.S. Attorneys to prosecute financial and mortgage fraud and sexual exploitation of children cases at a level of effort not less than the FY2013 level. For FY2014, Congress has also directed the U.S. Attorneys to report to the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations on at least a semi-annual basis on their work in support of human trafficking task forces.

Other Legal Activities

Other Legal Activities includes the Antitrust Division, the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund, the U.S. Trustee System Fund (which is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the U.S. bankruptcy system by, among other things, prosecuting criminal bankruptcy violations), the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, the Fees and Expenses of Witnesses, the Community Relations Service, and the Assets Forfeiture Fund. After sequestration, the Other Legal Activities accounts received $340.0 million for FY2013. The Administration's FY2014 request included almost $370.9 million for these accounts. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $367.9 million for Other Legal Activities. The Senate committee-reported bill would have provided nearly $370.9 million for these accounts. P.L. 113-76 includes $369.8 million for Other Legal Activities.

U.S. Marshals Service (USMS)

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) is responsible for the protection of the federal judicial process, including protecting judges, attorneys, witnesses, and jurors. In addition, the USMS provides physical security in courthouses, safeguards witnesses, transports prisoners from court proceedings, apprehends fugitives, executes warrants and court orders, and seizes forfeited property. Under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, Congress eliminated funding for the Office of the Federal Detention Trustee account and instead provided funding for a Federal Prisoner Detention account under the USMS. Funding under this account will be used to cover the costs associated with the care of federal detainees.

For FY2013, Congress appropriated a total of $2.656 billion for the USMS (after sequestration), which included $1.112 billion for its Salaries and Expenses (S&E) account, $9.8 million for its Construction account, and $1.534 billion for the Federal Prisoner Detention account. The Administration requested $2.850 billion for the USMS for FY2014, which included $1.204 billion for the S&E account, $10.0 million for the Construction account, and $1.636 billion for the Federal Prisoner Detention account. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended a total of $2.685 billion for the USMS, which includes $1.155 billion for the S&E account and $1.520 billion for the Federal Prisoner Detention account. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended a total of $2.857 billion for the USMS for FY2014, which includes $1.212 billion for the S&E account and $1.636 billion for the Federal Prisoner Detention account. For FY2014, Congress appropriated $2.728 billion for the USMS, which includes $1.185 billion for the Marshals' S&E account and $1.533 billion for the Federal Prisoner Detention account.

National Security Division (NSD)

The National Security Division (NSD) coordinates DOJ's national security and terrorism missions through law enforcement investigations and prosecutions. The NSD was established in DOJ in response to the recommendations of the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD Commission), and authorized by Congress on March 9, 2006, in the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005. Under the NSD, the DOJ resources of the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review and the Criminal Division's Counterterrorism and Counterespionage Sections were consolidated to coordinate all intelligence-related resources and to ensure that criminal intelligence information is shared, as appropriate. For FY2013, Congress appropriated, after sequestration, $83.8 million for the NSD. For FY2014, the Administration requested $96.2 million for the NSD. While the House-reported bill would have provided $91.8 million, the Senate-reported bill would have provided the same amount as requested by the Administration. For FY2014, Congress has appropriated $91.8 million for the NSD, the same amount included in the House-reported bill, but $4.4 million less than the Administration's request.

Interagency Law Enforcement

The Interagency Law Enforcement account reimburses departmental agencies for their participation in the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. Organized into nine regional task forces, this program combines the expertise of federal agencies with the efforts of state and local law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle major narcotics-trafficking and money-laundering organizations. From DOJ, the federal agencies that participate in OCDETF are the DEA; the FBI; the ATF; the USMS; the Tax and Criminal Divisions of DOJ; and the U.S. Attorneys. From the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard participate in OCDETF. In addition, from the Department of the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Office of Enforcement also participate in OCDETF. Moreover, state and local law enforcement agencies participate in approximately 90% of all OCDETF investigations.

The FY2013 appropriation for the Interagency Law Enforcement account was $484.4 million (after sequestration). For FY2014, the Administration requested $523.0 million for this account. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $486.0 million for the Interagency Law Enforcement. The Senate committee-reported bill would have provided $523.0 million for this account. P.L. 113-76 includes $514.0 million for the OCDETF program.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The FBI is the lead federal investigative agency charged with defending the country against foreign terrorist and intelligence threats; enforcing federal laws; and providing leadership and criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies and partners. Since the September 11, 2001 (9/11), terrorist attacks, the FBI has reorganized and reprioritized its efforts to focus on preventing terrorism and related criminal activities. From FY2001 through FY2012, Congress has more than doubled direct appropriations for the FBI from $3.32 billion to $8.118 billion, or a 144.5% increase. For FY2013, Congress appropriated $7.559 billion for the FBI (after sequestration). This amount includes a supplemental appropriation for disaster relief the FBI received under P.L. 113-2 .

For FY2014, the Administration's request included $8.443 billion: this amount included $8.362 billion for FBI salaries and expenses and $81.0 million for construction. The amount for salaries and expenses included the following increases:

$86.6 million for next generation cyber initiative; $100.0 million for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS); $7.4 million to support the FBI Biometric Center of Excellence and the Department of Defense Biometrics Fusion Center; $6.0 million to improve surveillance requirements; and $15.0 million to bolster financial and mortgage fraud crimes.

The requested $100 million increase for NICS anticipated that Congress will pass legislation to require background checks for intrastate, private firearms transfers, as proposed by the President under his gun violence reduction plan. While the Senate considered such legislation, a final vote has not been taken on this legislation. And, to date, it has not been passed. The House-reported bill included $8.122 billion for the FBI; the Senate-reported bill, $8.473 billion. Under P.L. 113-76 , for FY2014, Congress has appropriated $8.343 billion for the FBI, or $99.4 million less than the Administration's request. This amount includes $8.246 billion for salaries and expenses, of which $4.9 billion is allocated for counter-intelligence and national security programs. It also includes $97.5 million for construction

In the joint explanatory statement accompanying the act, Congress has directed to the FBI to sustain its FY2013 levels of effort with the amount appropriated for FY2014 in the following areas: (1) cybercrime, (2) anti-gang efforts, (3) mortgage and other financial fraud, and (4) child exploitation. Congress has also noted that the FY2014 appropriation included $30.0 million to continue FBI efforts to counter improvised explosive devices and $60 million to expand the capacity of NICS to meet the rising volume of gun-related background checks.

Congress has further directed the FBI to meet the level of funding and effort as envisioned in the Senate report language (and the FY2014 request) to improve surveillance capabilities (a $6 million increase over FY2013). Congress has the adopted Senate report language that addressed FBI headquarters consolidation. And, Congress has called on FBI to report back to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on its efforts to (1) thwart human trafficking, (2) counter insider threats, (3) liaison with other law enforcement agencies, (4) implement 9/11 Commission recommendations, and (5) assess potential threats posed by in-flight use of mobile phones.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is the only single-mission federal agency tasked with enforcing the nation's controlled substance laws in order to reduce the availability and abuse of illicit drugs and the diversion of licit drugs for illicit purposes. DEA's enforcement efforts include the disruption and dismantling of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations through drug interdiction and seizures of illicit revenues and assets derived from these organizations. DEA continues to face evolving challenges in limiting the supply of illicit drugs as well as reducing drug trafficking across the Southwest border with Mexico into the United States. DEA plays a key role in the Administration's Southwest Border Initiative to counter drug-related border violence, focusing on the convergent threats of illegal drugs, drug-related violence, and terrorism in the region. DEA also has an active role in the Administration's Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan, targeting improper prescribing practices and promoting proper disposal of unused prescription drugs.

For FY2013, the DEA received a total of $1.907 billion (after sequestration). This amount includes supplemental disaster funding the DEA received under P.L. 113-2 . The President's FY2014 budget request for the DEA included $2.068 billion. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $1.970 billion for the DEA account, while the Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $2.068 billion. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $2.018 billion for the DEA.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

The ATF enforces federal criminal law related to the manufacture, importation, and distribution of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives. ATF works independently and through partnerships with industry groups; international, state, and local governments; and other federal agencies to investigate and reduce crime involving firearms and explosives, acts of arson, and illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco products. From FY2001 through FY2012, Congress has increased the direct appropriation for ATF, from $771.0 million to $1.152 billion, a 49.4% increase. For FY2013, Congress appropriated $1.072 billion for ATF (after sequestration), which includes supplemental funding the ATF received under P.L. 113-2 .

For FY2014, the Administration's request included $1.23 billion for ATF. The FY2013 request included $51.1 million to improve the capabilities of the National Tracing Center (NTC), and $22.0 million to upgrade National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). While the House-reported bill would have provided ATF with $1.142 billion, the Senate-reported bill would have matched the Administration's request.

As part of P.L. 113-76 , for FY2014, Congress has appropriated $1.179 billion for ATF, or $50.5 million less than the Administration's request. In the joint explanatory statement accompanying the act, Congress has directed ATF to improve both its enforcement and regulatory efforts, and upgrade NIBIN, with the amount appropriated for FY2014. In addition, Congress has directed ATF to report back to both the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 60 days of enactment (March 18, 2014) on its funding allocations for violent crime reduction, regulatory efforts, firearms tracing, and ballistic imaging.

Also, the Administration requested the elimination of two long-standing provisos, in the ATF salaries and expenses appropriations language, that prohibit ATF from

altering the regulatory definition of "curios and relics," and requiring federally licensed gun dealers to conduct physical inventories.

Under P.L. 113-6 , Congress included futurity language (in the current fiscal year and any fiscal year thereafter) in both of these provisions that appears to be intended to make these provisos permanent law. Neither the House- nor Senate-reported bill addresses either of these provisions, nor were they addressed by Congress in P.L. 113-76 . The House-reported bill, however, included additional "futurity language" (in the current fiscal year and any fiscal year thereafter) in two other standalone provisions, which also appears to be intended to make these provisions permanent law:

Section 517 would address the export of certain firearms parts and accessories to Canada, and Section 518 would address the importation of "curios or relics" firearms, parts, or ammunition.

As in years past, the Senate-reported bill included similar provisions, but they did not include "futurity language." In P.L. 113-76 , Congress has included the Senate language and omitted the House futurity language (in the current fiscal year and any fiscal year thereafter).

Also, in response to a controversial Southwest border gun trafficking investigation conducted by ATF, known as Fast and Furious, Section 216 of both bills would have prohibited any federal agent from facilitating the transfer of an operable firearm to any individual associated with a drug cartel, unless that firearm were to be continuously monitored or under the federal agent's control at all times. Congress has included this provision in P.L. 113-76 .

Federal Prison System (Bureau of Prisons, BOP)

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) was established in 1930 to house federal inmates, to professionalize the prison service, and to ensure consistent and centralized administration of the federal prison system. The mission of the BOP is to protect society by confining offenders in prisons and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities for inmates so that they can become productive citizens after they are released. The BOP currently operates 119 correctional facilities across the country. The BOP also contracts with Residential Re-entry Centers (RRCs) (i.e., halfway houses) to provide assistance to inmates nearing release. RRCs provide inmates with a structured and supervised environment along with employment counseling, job placement services, financial management assistance, and other programs and services.

Congress funds the BOP's operations through two accounts under the Federal Prison System heading: Salaries and Expenses (S&E) and Buildings and Facilities (B&F). The S&E account (i.e., the operating budget) provides for the custody and care of federal inmates and for the daily maintenance and operations of correctional facilities, regional offices, and BOP's central office in Washington, DC. It also provides funding for the incarceration of federal inmates in state, local, and private facilities. The B&F account (i.e., the capital budget) provides funding for the construction of new facilities and the modernization, repair, and expansion of existing facilities. In addition to appropriations for the S&E and B&F accounts, Congress usually places a cap on the amount of revenue generated by the Federal Prison Industries (FPI) that can be used for administrative expenses in the annual CJS appropriations bill. Although Congress does not appropriate funding for the administrative expenses of FPI, the administrative expenses cap is scored as enacted budget authority.

For FY2013, the BOP received a total of $6.447 billion (after sequestration), which includes disaster supplemental funding under P.L. 113-2 .

The Administration requested $6.939 billion for the BOP for FY2014, of which $6.831 billion is for the S&E account and $105.2 million is for the B&F account. For FY2014 the Administration requested $97.1 million under the BOP's S&E account to staff and open three prisons (Thomson, IL; Hazelton, WV; and Yazoo City, MS) and $43.0 million to expand residential drug treatment, prisoner re-entry, and rehabilitative programs. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $6.673 billion for the BOP, which includes $6.580 billion for the S&E account and $90.0 million for the B&F account. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended a total of $6.939 billion for the BOP, which included $6.831 billion for the S&E account and $105.2 million for the B&F account. The Senate committee-reported bill would have fully funded the Administration's request to staff and open new prisons and expand residential drug treatment, prisoner re-entry, and rehabilitative programs.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $6.862 billion for the BOP, which includes $6.769 billion for the BOP's S&E account and $90.0 million for the B&F account. The joint explanatory statement to accompany the act directed the BOP to submit a plan to address prison population growth using currently authorized programs and policies. Congress also directs the BOP to continue efforts, within the funding provided, to expand prisoner reentry and drug abuse treatment programs.

A recurring issue is whether the BOP has adequate resources, both in terms of personnel and infrastructure, to properly manage the burgeoning federal prison population. Prison population growth and prison crowding continue to be a major concern for the BOP. The number of inmates held in BOP facilities grew from 125,560 in FY2000 to 176,849 in FY2014. During that same time period, prison crowding grew from 32% over rated capacity to 36% over rated capacity, even though the number of facilities operated by BOP increased from 97 to 119. The BOP estimates that by FY2018 the federal prison system will be operating at 41% over rated capacity. The growing federal prison population has not only resulted in more crowded prisons, but it has also strained the BOP's ability to properly manage and care for federal inmates. The BOP reports that the staff-to-inmate ratio has increased from 3.57 to 1 in FY1997 to 4.84 to 1 in FY2012. As a point of comparison, in FY2009 the five states with the highest prison populations had an average inmate-to-staff ratio of 3.1 to 1. The growing federal prison population has also required the BOP to dedicate more resources to caring (e.g., providing health care, food, and clothing) and providing programming (e.g., substance abuse treatment, educational programming, and work/vocational opportunities) for inmates. In addition, the Second Chance Act of 2007 ( P.L. 110-199 ) required BOP to develop comprehensive reentry planning for federal inmates.

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) was created to administer programs created under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 and subsequent legislation. These programs provide financial and technical assistance to communities around the country to facilitate the creation of programs, policies, and practices designed to improve criminal justice responses related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

The FY2013 appropriation for the OVW, after sequestration, was $387.9 million. The President's FY2014 budget request for OVW included $412.5 million for OVW. The House committee-reported bill would have provided $413.0 million for this account, and the Senate Committee on Appropriations would have provided $417.0 million for the OVW account. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $417.0 million for OVW.

Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) manages and coordinates the National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Victims of Crimes, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and related grant programs. For FY2013, Congress appropriated, after sequestration, $1.518 billion for OJP. The Administration's request for OJP for FY2014 was $1.553 billion. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $1.472 billion for OJP while the Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $1.642 billion. The FY2014-enacted appropriation for OJP is $1.569 billion.

Research, Evaluation, and Statistics

The Research, Evaluation, and Statistics account (formerly the Justice Assistance account), among other things, funds the operations of the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Institute of Justice. The post-sequestration FY2013 appropriation for the Research, Evaluation, and Statistics account was $119.1 million. The Administration's FY2014 request for this account was $134.4 million. The House committee-reported bill included $114.0 million for this account. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $129.0 million for the Research, Evaluation, and Statistics account. Congress provides $120.0 million for this account for FY2014.

State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance

The State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance account includes funding for a variety of grant programs to improve the functioning of state, local, and tribal criminal justice systems. Some examples of programs that have traditionally been funded under this account include the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, the Drug Courts program, the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), and DNA backlog reduction grants. The State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance account received a total of $1.060 billion for FY2013 (after sequestration). The Administration requested $1.005 billion for this account for FY2014. The House committee-reported bill included $1.065 billion for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance while the Senate committee-reported bill included $1.137 billion. The FY2014-enacted appropriation for this account is $1.172 billion.

As a part of the FY2014 request for the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance account, the Administration proposed eliminating funding for a variety of programs, including the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), the border prosecution initiative, the John R. Justice program, the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science program, and the Matching Grant Program for Bulletproof Vests. In its FY2014 congressional budget submission, OJP stated that the proposed elimination of these programs is "to ensure that OJP's limited funding is focused on addressing the nation's most important criminal justice priorities." One issue Congress might have considered during deliberations of the FY2014 CJS appropriations bill was whether it should adopt the Administration's proposal to eliminate funding for these programs. Both the House and Senate committee-reported bills included funding for SCAAP (see Table 7 ), but the House Appropriations Committee adopted the Administration's proposal to eliminate funding for the John R. Justice program, border prosecution initiatives, Paul Coverdell Forensic Science program, and the Matching Grant Program for Bulletproof Vests. The Senate committee-reported bill included funding for the John R. Justice program, border prosecution initiatives, the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science program, and the Matching Grant Program for Bulletproof Vests. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 did not include funding for the border prosecution initiative, but it did include funding for SCAAP, the John R. Justice program, the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences program, and the Matching Grant Program for Bulletproof Vests.

The Administration proposed consolidating funding for the drug and mental health courts into a "problem solving justice" program. The Administration requested $44.0 million for this program. The proposed program would assist state, local, and tribal governments with developing and implementing strategies, including specialized courts, which can divert offenders with drug, mental health, and special needs away from prosecution and incarceration. The proposed program would provide grants, training, and technical assistance to help state, local, and tribal governments develop and implement drug, mental health, and other problem solving courts. As Congress moved forward with its consideration of the CJS appropriations bill, policy makers might have considered whether to adopt the Administration's proposal to replace the drug and mental health court programs with the proposed problem solving courts program. Both the House and the Senate Committees on Appropriations rejected the Administration's proposal. Both committees recommended funding for both the drug and mental health court programs. Congress ultimately decided to fund each program separately for FY2014.

The Administration requested $85.0 million to expand its Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI). The proposed JRI would have three elements:

It would provide targeted technical assistance to help units of state, local, and tribal governments analyze data on their criminal justice systems, identify what factors are driving prison and jail population growth and develop strategies to reduce costs, improve public safety, reduce unnecessary confinement, and help ex-offenders with the transition back into mainstream society. The proposed funding would be used to award implementation grants to the jurisdictions which have adopted significant policy and legislative changes resulting from in-depth data analyses and consensus-based recommendations. Funding would also be used to provide incentive grants to participating states to encourage investments in evidence-based criminal justice activities.

OJP reports that 17 states are currently engaged in JRI, a public/private partnership involving OJP's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Pew Center on the States, the Vera Institute of Justice, and the Council of State Governments Justice Center. Five states (Kansas, Missouri, Oregon, South Dakota, and West Virginia) are receiving assistance with initial data analysis and policy recommendation development. In the past year, six states (Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania) have passed criminal justice reform packages and are currently developing detailed implementation plans and requests for implementation funding. An additional six states (Arkansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and South Carolina) that have previously passed criminal justice reform laws and developed implementation plans have been approved for funding by BJA to implement their plans. The House committee-reported bill included $25.0 million for JRI while the Senate committee-reported bill included $30.0 million. For FY2014, Congress appropriated $27.5 million for JRI.

The Administration also requested $50.0 million for the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP). The NCHIP helps states and territories improve the quality, timeliness, and immediate accessibility of criminal history and related records for use by federal, state, and local law enforcement. According to OJP, "these records play a vital role in supporting criminal investigations, background checks related to firearm purchases, licensing, employment, and the identification of persons subject to protective orders or wanted, arrested, or convicted for stalking and/or domestic violence." The Administration requested $50.0 million for the NCHIP to "provide states [with] stronger incentives to make available several key categories of relevant records and data, including criminal history records and records of persons prohibited from having guns for mental health reasons." In addition to the request for NCHIP, the Administration requested $5.0 million for National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP) grants. NARIP grants seeks to "improve the quality of ... background checks and eliminate gaps in records that might allow unauthorized individuals to legally purchase firearms." The House Committee on Appropriations proposed to consolidate NCHIP and NARIP under a proposed "National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Initiative grants" program. The House committee-reported bill included $55.0 million for this proposed program. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $50.0 million for NCHIP and $12.0 million for NARIP. Congress provided at total of $58.5 million for National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Initiative grants, of which not less than $12.0 million is to be made available for states meeting the requirements of NARIP. In the joint explanatory statement, Congress specified that it was consolidating the authorities of both the NCHIP and NARIP programs under the new NICS Initiative, so that grants under the program could be made pursuant to both authorities.

The Administration did not request funding for a tribal assistance grant program for FY2014. However, the Administration's request for OJP included a proposal to set aside 7% of the amount made available for grant or reimbursement programs under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance, Juvenile Justice Programs, and Research, Evaluation, and Statistics accounts for tribal justice assistance. The Senate committee-reported bill included language that would have allowed OJP to set aside up to 5% of the amount made available for grant or reimbursement programs under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance, Juvenile Justice Programs, and Research, Evaluation, and Statistics accounts for tribal justice assistance. The House committee-reported bill did not include comparable language. Rather, the House Committee on Appropriations recommended $30.0 million under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance account for tribal assistance. For FY2014, Congress provides $30.0 million under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance account for tribal assistance.

Juvenile Justice Programs

The Juvenile Justice Programs account includes funding for grant programs to reduce juvenile delinquency and help state, local, and tribal governments improve the functioning of their juvenile justice systems.

For FY2013, Congress appropriated, after sequestration, $261.0 million for juvenile justice programs. The Administration's FY2014 request included $332.5 million for juvenile justice programs. Within this request, the Administration requested additional funding for existing programs as well as for establishing new programs and initiatives. For instance, the Administration requested additional funding for the Title V Incentive Grants to establish the Juvenile Justice Education Collaboration Assistance (JJECA) initiative. This initiative is proposed to, among other things, provide funding for evidence-based practices and programs to create positive school environments (including in correctional education settings) and enhance student behavior and academic success. The Administration also proposed a competitive grant focusing on the gender-specific needs of girls in the juvenile justice system. The FY2014 request also included funding for a proposed Juvenile Justice Realignment Incentive Grants program to provide competitive grants to states that use their Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) funding for evidence-based programs. In addition, the FY2014 request included funding for a projected web portal to support children of incarcerated parents.

The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $196.0 million for Juvenile Justice Programs. This proposal would have eliminated funding for a number of programs including the Title V Incentive Grants program and the JABG program. The Senate committee-reported bill would have provided $279.0 million for this account. P.L. 113-76 includes $254.5 million for Juvenile Justice Programs. The act eliminates funding for the long-funded Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Program. In addition, while it does not provide funding for the proposed Juvenile Justice Realignment Incentive Grants program, the act does, among other things, provide funding for the proposed competitive grant focusing on the gender-specific needs of girls in the juvenile justice system and for the web portal to support children of incarcerated parents.

Public Safety Officers Benefits Program (PSOB)

The Public Safety Officers Benefits (PSOB) program provides three different types of benefits to public safety officers and their survivors: death, disability, and education. The PSOB program is intended to assist in the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and first responders and to offer peace of mind to men and women who choose careers in public safety. The FY2013 appropriation for PSOB was $77.9 million (after sequestration). The Administration requested $97.3 million for this account for FY2014. Both the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees recommend funding the PSOB program at a level equal to the Administration's request. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 includes $97.3 million for PSOB.

Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)

The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office awards grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies throughout the United States so they can hire and train law enforcement officers to participate in community policing, purchase and deploy new crime-fighting technologies, and develop and test new and innovative policing strategies. The COPS program received $209.7 million for FY2013 (after sequestration). The Administration requested $439.5 million for this account for FY2014. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended eliminating the COPS account. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $393.5 million for this account. Congress provides $214.0 million for the COPS account for FY2014.

The Administration's FY2014 request for COPS included $150.0 million for a proposed comprehensive schools safety program. The proposed program would provide funding for hiring school safety personnel, including school resource officers, civilian public safety positions, school psychologists, social workers, and counselors. Funding would also be available for purchasing school safety equipment; developing and updating public safety plans; conducting threat assessments; and training crisis intervention teams. The stated purpose of the program is to "bring the law enforcement, mental health, and education disciplines together to provide a comprehensive approach to school safety." The Administration reported that the program would require law enforcement and school districts, in consultation with school mental health professionals, to apply for funding together and use the grant to fill the gaps in their own school safety and security efforts. The House committee-reported bill included $75.0 million for the proposed school safety program as a set aside from appropriations for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program (see Table 7 ). Language in H.Rept. 113-171 directed the National Institute of Justice to develop and implement the school safety program. The Senate Committee on Appropriations included $150.0 million for the proposed program under the COPS account (see Table 9 ). P.L. 113-76 includes $75.0 million for a comprehensive school safety initiative under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance account. Congress describes the comprehensive school safety initiative as a "research-focused initiative to increase the safety of schools nationwide." Funding under the program would be used for "research[ing] the root causes of school violence, develop[ing] technologies and strategies for increasing school safety, and provid[ing] pilot grants to test innovative approaches to enhance school safety across the [n]ation."

The Crime Victims Fund

The Crime Victims Fund (CVF) was established by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 ( P.L. 98-473 , VOCA). It is administered by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), and provides funding to the states and territories for victim compensation and assistance programs. This account does not receive appropriations (thus the amount for the CVF is not included in Table 4 ) but instead is largely funded by criminal fines, forfeited bail bonds, penalties, and special assessments that are collected by U.S. Attorneys' Offices, U.S. courts, and the BOP.

For FY2013, P.L. 113-6 set the obligation limit at $730.0 million. The obligation limit for the CVF was not subject to sequestration. For FY2014, the Administration requested that the obligation limit on the Crime Victims Fund be set at $800.0 million. In the FY2014 request, the Administration specified that $45.0 million was for the Vision 21 Initiative, and $10.0 million was for Victims of Trafficking Grants. Of the $45.0 million for Vision 21, $20.0 million would have been allotted for Tribal Assistance for Victims of Violence and $25.0 million would have been allotted for additional victims' services and initiatives. The House committee-reported bill would have set the CVF obligation limit at 745.0 million. The House Committee on Appropriations specified that OVC could implement Vision 21 within available resources. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $765.0 million for the obligation limit and proposed $25.0 million in support of the Vision 21 Initiative; however, the Senate committee-reported bill would have provided funding for Vision 21 through discretionary sources instead of the CVF (see Table 7 ). The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 sets the obligation limit on the Crime Victims Fund at 745.0 million and provides $21.0 million in discretionary funding under the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance account for the Vision 21 Initiative.

Science Agencies66

The Science Agencies fund and otherwise support research and development (R&D) and related activities across a wide variety of federal missions, including national competitiveness, energy and the environment, and fundamental discovery.

FY2013 and FY2014 Appropriations

The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act ( P.L. 113-6 ) provided $23.755 billion in FY2013 funding for the Science Agencies after sequestration. The Administration requested a total of $25.347 billion for the Science Agencies for FY2014. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended a total of $23.599 billion for the science agencies; the Senate committee-reported bill would have provided $25.442 billion. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 ( P.L. 113-76 ) provides $24.824 billion for the science agencies in FY2014.

Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)67

Congress established the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) through the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 ( P.L. 94-282 ). The act states that "the primary function of the OSTP director is to provide, within the Executive Office of the President, advice on the scientific, engineering, and technological aspects of issues that require attention at the highest level of Government." The OSTP director, often referred to informally as the President's science advisor, also manages the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), which coordinates science and technology policy across the executive branch of the federal government, and co-chairs the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), a council of external advisors that provides advice to the President on matters related to science and technology policy. OSTP is one of two offices in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) that is funded in the CJS appropriations bill.

The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, ( P.L. 113-6 ) provided $5.5 million for OSTP in FY2013 (after sequestration). The Administration had requested $5.7 million for FY2014. The House committee-reported bill would have provided $5.5 million for OSTP. The Senate committee-reported bill would have provided $5.7 million. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 ( P.L. 113-76 ) includes $5.6 million for OSTP in FY2014.

According to the Administration, its request would have restored "funding to levels that enables [sic] OSTP to carry out its significant national security emergency preparedness communications responsibilities that must be performed in times of national crisis," and supported the director of OSTP, the federal Chief Technology Officer, three Senate-confirmed associate directors, and other professional staff members.

Congress has for several years restricted OSTP from engaging in certain activities with China or any Chinese-owned company by prohibiting the use of appropriated funds for these activities. The OSTP may proceed with activities that it certifies pose no risk of transferring technology or information with security implications to China and will not involve knowing interactions with officials who have been determined by the United States to have direct involvement with violations of human rights. Such certification must be submitted to the House and Senate Committees at least 30 days prior to such activities. Congress may continue its interest in the debate over its ability to restrict the activities of OSTP and the scope of such restrictions. The joint explanatory statement continues these restrictions. The House committee-reported bill would have extended the current restrictions on OSTP use of funds to "develop, design, plan, promulgate, implement, or execute a bilateral policy, program, order, or contract of any kind to participate, collaborate, or coordinate bilaterally in any way with China or any Chinese-owned company." The Senate committee-reported bill lacked comparable language.

In its FY2014 budget, the Administration proposed a reorganization of federal STEM education programs. The joint explanatory statement for P.L. 113-6 directed OSTP to produce a federal STEM education strategic plan within 45 days of enactment of the law. According to OSTP, the strategy document informed the proposed reorganization plan, though OSTP had not yet published the strategy document at the time of the President's FY2014 budget release. The National Science and Technology Council released the federal STEM education strategic plan on May 31, 2013.

Neither the House nor Senate committee supported the proposed reorganization, and the joint explanatory statement explicitly does not adopt the proposed reorganization. The joint explanatory statement directs that all STEM activities be funded in their existing programmatic structures unless explicitly noted elsewhere in the joint explanatory statement or through unmodified or non-superseded language in the House or Senate report. The joint explanatory statement directs OSTP to reexamine other possible reorganizations of federal STEM programs after engaging in an inclusive development process and taking into consideration evaluations and other evidence of program success. The joint explanatory statement also directs that OSTP report within 90 days of passage on the resources and authorities necessary to develop a "one stop" style website containing findings from federal research on STEM education. In addition, the House committee identified flaws in the subsequent federal STEM strategic plan, including the proposed mechanism for dissemination of federal STEM education research and findings. The Senate committee report would defer action on such consolidation until OSTP finalizes STEM program assessments and require OSTP to work with non-federal education and outreach communities on any subsequent reorganization proposal.

In February 2013, OSTP directed federal agencies with more than $100 million in research and development expenditures to "develop plans to make the published results of federally funded research freely available to the public within one year of publication and requiring researchers to better account for and manage the digital data resulting from federally funded scientific research." The joint explanatory statement directs OSTP to report on each agency's progress in developing and implementing its plan for public access to federally funded research findings. This OSTP report is due within 45 days of enactment with semi-annual updates thereafter. The House report would have directed OSTP to report semiannually to the committee on the status of agencies' plan development and implementation. The Senate report would have directed OSTP to report to the committee and appropriate authorizing committees regarding the Administration's coordinated plan to support increased public access as well as implementation guidelines across the affected agencies and scientific disciplines.

The joint explanatory statement incorporates language from the House report that expresses support for OSTP-mediated federal agency collaboration on neuroscience and directs OSTP to identify possible opportunities for international collaboration. In addition, the House report would encourage OSTP to report to the committee semi-annually on its efforts in this area. The House report also expresses support for OSTP efforts to reassess and update the criticality of strategic mineral supply chains. The House report urges leverage of these results into an interagency plan to reduce dependence on foreign sources and would direct OSTP to report to the committee regarding the results of these efforts.

The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, included $2.8 million for the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI), a federally funded research and development center that supports OSTP. The National Science Foundation requested $4.9 million in FY2014 funding for STPI. Of this $4.9 million, $1.5 million was to support OSTP leadership, in coordination with the U.S. Group on Earth Observations Subcommittee of the NSTC, of a new interagency Big Earth Data initiative to improve coordination and management of federal Earth system observations, data, and information.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)76

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created by the 1958 National Aeronautics and Space Act (P.L. 85-568) to conduct civilian space and aeronautics activities. The agency is managed from headquarters in Washington, DC. It has nine major field centers around the country, plus the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is operated under contract by the California Institute of Technology.

The Administration requested $17.715 billion for NASA for FY2014. The FY2013 appropriation (after sequestration) was $16.880 billion. For FY2014, the House committee recommended $16.598 billion, while the Senate committee recommended $18.010 billion. The final appropriation is $17.647 billion. See Table 11 for a breakdown of these amounts by appropriations account. There is no authorized level for NASA funding in FY2014; the most recent authorization act (the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, P.L. 111-267 ) authorized appropriations through FY2013.

The FY2014 request for Science was $5.018 billion. The FY2013 appropriation (after sequestration) was $4.782 billion. The House and Senate committees recommended $4.781 billion and $5.154 billion respectively. The final appropriation is $5.151 billion.

Within the Science account, the request for Planetary Science ($1.218 billion) included $40.5 million for observation of near-Earth objects and $50 million for management of a Department of Energy (DOE) program to produce plutonium-238, which some spacecraft use for power generation. In the past, congressional policy makers disagreed about whether NASA or DOE should fund DOE production of plutonium-238 for NASA. The House and Senate committee recommendations for Planetary Science were respectively $1.315 billion and $1.318 billion. Among other differences relative to the request, the House committee recommended increases for exploration of Mars and the outer planets and no funding for plutonium-238 production. The Senate committee's recommended increase was entirely for Mars exploration. The final appropriation for planetary science is $1.345 billion. This total included increases for exploration of Mars the outer planets and up to the requested amount for plutonium-238 production.

Also in the Science account, the request for Earth Science was $1.846 billion. The FY2013 appropriation for Earth Science (after sequestration) was $1.659 billion. The Earth Science request included $30 million to begin development of future land imaging capabilities to replace the current Landsat satellites, operated by the U.S. Geological Survey, as well as funds to assume responsibility for certain Earth-observing satellite instruments previously held by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The House committee recommended $1.659 billion for Earth Science, and its report stated that no funds should be spent on the proposed Landsat and NOAA-related activities. The Senate committee recommended approximately the requested amount for Earth Science, including the requested funds for land imaging, but its report expressed concern about the Administration's approach and directed NASA to submit a plan for implementing future Landsat satellites at substantially lower cost. The final appropriation for Earth Science is $1.826 billion. The explanatory statement took the Senate report's position on land imaging and directed NASA to submit a plan to Congress before expending funds on some of the disputed sensors for NOAA.

The request for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), also funded in the Science account, was $658.2 million. NASA expects FY2014 to be the peak funding year for JWST and states that the budget and schedule for the JWST program remain consistent with the 2011 revised plan. In the FY2012 appropriations conference report, Congress capped the formulation and development cost of JWST and mandated annual reports on the program by the Government Accountability Office. The House committee recommended $584.0 million for JWST in FY2014. The Senate committee recommended the requested amount. The final appropriation is the requested amount.

The request for Aeronautics was $565.7 million. The FY2013 appropriation (after sequestration) was $529.5 million. The request for Integrated Systems Research included a new program on advanced composite materials and structures. In the Fundamental Aeronautics program, NASA planned to explore options for the future of its rotorcraft research; this planning was to be coordinated with other government agencies and industry partners. The House committee recommended $566.0 million for Aeronautics, while the Senate committee recommended $558.7 million. The final appropriation is $566.0 million.

For Space Technology, the Administration requested $742.6 million. The FY2013 appropriation (after sequestration) was $614.5 million. The requested increase was to support existing projects that are moving from the planning and design phase to the more expensive tasks of hardware manufacture and demonstration. The request also included funds to accelerate the development of high-power solar electric propulsion technology for future spacecraft. The House and Senate committee recommendations were respectively $576.0 million and $670.1 million. The final appropriation is $576.0 million.

The Administration's request for Exploration in FY2014 was $3.916 billion. The FY2013 appropriation (after sequestration) was $3.706 billion. This account funds development of the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) and the Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket, mandated by the 2010 authorization act for human exploration beyond Earth orbit. The account also funds development of a commercial crew transportation capability for future U.S. astronaut access to the International Space Station. The request of $821.4 million for commercial crew was more than the FY2013 appropriation, while the request of $2.730 billion for Orion, the SLS, and related ground systems (known collectively as Exploration Systems Development) was less than the FY2013 appropriation. As in previous years, this apparent difference in human spaceflight priorities between Congress and the Administration was controversial. According to NASA, the amounts requested were consistent with the planned schedules for both Orion/SLS and commercial crew. NASA officials stated that the request for commercial crew was necessary to make commercial crew transportation services available in 2017, while the request for Orion and SLS was sufficient for an uncrewed flight of the SLS in 2017 and a crewed flight in 2021. The House committee recommended $3.612 billion, including $500 million for commercial crew and $2.825 billion for Exploration Systems Development. The Senate committee recommended $4.209 billion, including $775 million for commercial crew and $3.118 billion for Exploration Systems Development. The final appropriation is $4.113 billion, including $696 million for commercial crew and $3.115 billion for Exploration Systems Development.

The FY2014 request for Space Operations was $3.883 billion. The FY2013 appropriation (after sequestration) was $3.725 billion. The Space Operations account funds the International Space Station (ISS) and the Space and Flight Support program. The House committee recommended $3.670 billion, while the Senate committee recommends the requested amount. The final appropriation is $3.778 billion.

The request for Education was $94.2 million. The FY2013 appropriation (after sequestration) was $116.3 million. The Administration proposed to consolidate NASA education programs as part of a government-wide reorganization of programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Among the programs included in the FY2014 request for the Education account were the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program ($24 million), the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR, $9 million), and the Minority University Research Education Program (MUREP, $30 million). In the past, other NASA accounts also funded some education activities; in most cases, these additional education funds were not included in the FY2014 request for those accounts. The House committee recommended $122.0 million for Education, including the requested amounts for Space Grant, EPSCoR, and MUREP. The House report mandated the internal consolidation of NASA education activities, whereby the Education account would be NASA's "exclusive source of appropriated funds for education and public outreach activities"; it stated that this would improve coordination, efficiency, and accountability and reduce fragmentation. The Senate committee recommended $116.6 million for Education, including $40 million for Space Grant, $18 million for EPSCoR, and $30 million for MUREP. The Senate report stated that while the committee encouraged the streamlining and consolidation of education activities within NASA, it did not support the Administration's proposal to terminate certain NASA education activities in order to fund additional STEM education activities at other agencies. The final appropriation for Education is $116.6 million, including the same amounts as the Senate report for Space Grant, EPSCoR, and MUREP. In addition, the explanatory statement maintained funding for education and public outreach within the Science account, "consistent with longstanding NASA practice."

The Administration has proposed a NASA mission to capture a small asteroid robotically, redirect it into orbit around the Moon, and explore it with astronauts as one of the first destinations for Orion and the SLS. The FY2014 budget request included initial funding for this mission in three different accounts: $20 million in Science for identification and characterization of a suitable asteroid, $45 million in Exploration for mission definition and planning and development of capture mechanisms, and $40 million in Space Technology for development of the solar electric propulsion technology that would be used to redirect the asteroid's orbit. The House report called the proposed asteroid mission "premature" and stated that the House committee's recommendation "does not include any of the requested increases associated with the asteroid retrieval proposal." The Senate report was silent about this mission. Noting that the proposed mission was "still an emerging concept," the joint explanatory statement stated that "NASA has not provided Congress with satisfactory justification materials," and additional groundwork "is needed ... prior to NASA and Congress making a long-term commitment to this mission concept."

National Science Foundation (NSF)78

The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports basic research and education in the non-medical sciences and engineering. Congress established the foundation as an independent federal agency in 1950 and directed it to "promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes." The NSF is a primary source of federal support for U.S. university research. It is also responsible for significant shares of the federal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education program portfolio and federal STEM student aid and support.

For FY2014 the Administration sought $7.626 billion in funding for the NSF. NSF indicated that its overarching priorities for FY2014 would include six programs: Cyber-enabled Materials, Manufacturing, and Smart Systems (CEMMS, $300.4 million); Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21 st Century Science, Engineering, and Education (CIF21, $155.5 million); NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps, $24.9 million); Integrated NSF Support Promoting Interdisciplinary Research and Education (INSPIRE, $63.0 million); Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES, $222.8 million); and Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC, $110.3 million). Congress has not enacted specific funding authorization levels for NSF in FY2014. FY2013 current plan funding for NSF was $6.884 billion.

The House Committee on Appropriations recommended a total of $6.995 billion for NSF in FY2014. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended a total of $7.426 billion. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $7.172 billion to NSF in FY2014.

Since FY2006, overall increases in the NSF budget have been at least partially driven by the so-called "doubling path policy." Under the doubling path policy, Congress and successive Administrations have sought to double funding for the NSF, Department of Energy's Office of Science, and National Institute of Standards and Technology's core laboratory and construction accounts (collectively "the targeted accounts"). However, actual funding for the targeted accounts did not typically reach authorized levels during the authorization period, which ended in FY2013. It is unclear if policy makers will seek to continue the doubling path policy in FY2014 or beyond.

Congress typically appropriates to NSF at the major account level. NSF's major accounts are Research and Related Activities (R&RA), Education and Human Resources (E&HR), Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC), Agency Operations and Awards Management (AOAM), the National Science Board (NSB), and the Office of Inspector General (IG). In some cases, such as the Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF), program funding may come from two or more of these accounts.

R&RA is the largest NSF account and the primary source of research funding at the NSF. The Administration sought $6.212 billion in funding for R&RA in FY2014 noting "strong support for cross-cutting research priorities such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy and sustainability, break-through materials, robotics, cyberinfrastructure, and cybersecurity." NSF consolidated certain R&RA sub-accounts in FY2013, moving from 11 directorates and offices to 8. FY2013 current plan funding for R&RA was $5.544 billion. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $5.809 billion to R&RA in FY2014.

The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $5.676 billion for R&RA in FY2014. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $6.018 billion. The House report would have provided $13.9 million for new investments in cognitive science and neuroscience research, offered the requested levels for various (unspecified) R&RA advanced manufacturing proposals, and supported a temporary reduction in Antarctic research funding in order to provide funds for the implementation of certain recommended safety and management changes. The Senate report directed NSF to apply the $194.0 million reduction to R&RA (from the requested level) to the so-called OneNSF initiatives. Among other things, the Senate report also would have provided the full request for SEES ($222.8 million). The Joint Explanatory Statement that accompanied the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014—referred to hereafter as the "explanatory statement"—incorporates the Administration's proposed R&RA reductions, provides the requested amount for the International Ocean Discovery Program ($50.0 million) and rejects Senate report limitations on OneNSF initiatives.

The FY2014 request for R&RA's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program was $163.6 million. FY2013 current plan funding for EPSCoR was $147.8 million. The Senate report would have provided the requested level to EPSCoR in FY2014. The House report was silent on the question. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $158.2 million to EPSCoR in FY2014.

The Administration sought $880.3 million in funding for E&HR in FY2014. E&HR is the primary source of funding for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at the NSF. FY2013 current plan funding for E&HR was $833.3 million. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $825.0 million for E&HR in FY2014. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $880.3 million. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $846.5 million to E&HR in FY2014.

For FY2014 the Administration proposed a reorganization and consolidation of many federal STEM education programs. Under the Administration's plan, NSF would have played a leadership role in federal undergraduate and graduate STEM education efforts. (The Department of Education and Smithsonian Institution would focus on K-12 education and informal STEM education, respectively.) The House and Senate reports both rejected the proposed reorganization plan for programs within the purview of the FY2014 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations act. The House report noted that there may be ind ividual instances in which the c ommittee accepts a change. The Senate report deferred action on the reorganization until the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) finalizes STEM education program assessments as required by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 ( P.L. 111-358 ). The explanatory statement rejects the proposed reorganization (unless expressly noted) and directs OSTP to examine—in consultation with federal agencies and major external stakeholders—other possible reorganizations of the federal STEM education effort.

The foundation's FY2014 budget request for E&HR highlighted several changes associated with the Administration's plan for STEM education: establishment of the Catalyzing Advances in Undergraduate STEM Education (CAUSE) program; expansion of the GRF to serve the whole of the federal enterprise; and creation of the NSF Research Traineeship (NRT), which would have replaced the Integrative Graduate Education Research Traineeship (IGERT). The House report specifically rejected the establishment of the CAUSE program or the change to a federal government-wide GRF program. The Senate report asked NSF to work with OSTP to determine "how NSF could implement a broader program for graduate and undergraduate programs across the entire Federal Government, and to identify which programs across Government could benefit from such a program."

The FY2014 NSF request also sought to shift certain programs between E&HR divisions and to merge the Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) and Computing Education for the 21 st Century (CE21) programs. The merged program would be called, "Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, including Computing Partnerships (STEM-C Partnerships)." The FY2014 request for STEM-C was $57.1 million. The Senate report accepted the proposed changes to these programs and would have provided $57.1 million for STEM-C Partnerships.

Other E&HR accounts in the FY2014 budget request included Advanced Technological Education (ATE, $64.0 million), Robert Noyce Scholarship (Noyce, $60.9 million), and CyberCorps: Scholarships for Service (SFS, $25.0 million). Both House and Senate reports would have provided the requested level for ATE. The Senate report would have provided $60.9 million for Noyce and $45.0 million for the SFS program. The Senate report would have provided the FY2012 level for the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program ($61.4 million); however, the explanatory statement reduces this amount to $55.0 million. The House report directed NSF to continue disseminating the findings of a report on best practices in STEM education and to develop methods to track and evaluate the implementation of recommendations from that report.

Selected broadening participation programs from the FY2014 request include Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP, $31.9 million), Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (T-CUP,$13.3 million), Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP, $45.6 million), and Centers for Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST, $20.2 million). Both House and Senate reports would have provided the requested level for HBCU-UP and LSAMP. The House report also would have provided the requested level for T-CUP; the Senate report would have provided $190,000 more. The Senate report would have provided the requested levels for CREST and Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP). The explanatory statement provides Senate levels for HBCU-UP ($31.9 million), LSAMP ($45.6 million), T-CUP ($13.3 million), and AGEP ($7.8 million) in FY2014. It also provides the FY2013 current plan funding level for CREST ($23.0 million). Provisions in the explanatory statement direct NSF to comply with both House and Senate report provisions related to (1) the foundation's efforts to meet the needs of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) through existing programs, and (2) to consider establishment of an HSI-specific program similar to other NSF broadening participation programs.

The FY2014 request for the MREFC account was $210.1 million. NSF indicated that this amount would provide a final year of funding for the Advanced Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (AdvLIGO) and Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), as well as the first year of funding for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). Funding for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope and National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) would continue. The House report would have provided an amount ($182.6 million) that is equal to the funding request for continuing projects, but that would not have covered costs of the first year of construction for the LSST. The Senate report would have provided the requested level and welcomed the start of LSST construction. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $200.0 million to MREFC in FY2014. The explanatory statement notes that funds are provided for all projects for which construction has begun and directs any remainder to the LSST project. Additionally, the explanatory statement authorizes the foundation to submit a transfer proposal to provide additional funds for the LSST if such funds become necessary.

The FY2014 NSF budget request also included funding for three multi-agency initiatives: National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI, $430.9 million), Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD, $1.227 billion), and U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP, $326.4 million).

On September 7, 2012, the NSF announced the realignment of four directorates and offices within the Research and Related Activities account. Under the new account structure, the Office of Cyberinfrastructure became a division within the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering. The Office of Polar Programs became a division within the Geosciences directorate. The Office of International Science and Engineering and the Office of Integrative Activities merged to become the Office of International and Integrative Activities.

Related Agencies

The related agencies received a total of $827.9 million, after sequestration, for FY2013. For FY2014, the Administration requested a total of $962.1 million for the related agencies. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $800.5 million for the related agencies while the Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $962.1 million. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 includes $881.8 million for the related agencies.

Commission on Civil Rights

Established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (the Commission)

investigates allegations of citizens who may have been denied the right to vote based on color, race, religion, or national origin; studies and gathers information on legal developments constituting a denial of the equal protection of the laws; assesses the federal laws and policies in the area of civil rights; and submits reports on its findings to the President and Congress when the Commission or the President deems it appropriate.

For FY2013, the Commission received $8.7 million, after sequestration. The Administration requested $9.4 million for the Commission for FY2014. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $8.8 million for the Commission while the Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $9.4 million, the same as the Administration's request. The FY2014-enacted appropriation for the Commission is $9.0 million.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)94

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces several laws that ban employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. In recent years, appropriators were particularly concerned about the agency's ability to reduce the pending inventory of charges due to rising caseloads and limited staff. Due to new hires of enforcement staff and developments in technology, the EEOC continues to reduce the pending inventory of cases.

The pending inventory of private sector cases filed with the EEOC reduced from 78,136 at the end of FY2011 to 70,312 at the end of FY2012, a 10% decline. According to the EEOC, the decline reflects investments in staffing, training, and technology.

The EEOC federal sector hearings workload reduced from 8,847 in FY2011 to 8,687 hearings in FY2012. The EEOC continues to implement strategies to reduce both federal and private sector cases by implementing a new case management system as outlined in the EEOC Strategic Plan for FY2012-FY2016.

The FY2013 appropriation (after sequestration) for the EEOC was $344.2 million. The Administration's FY2014 request for the EEOC was $372.9 million, which included $29.5 million for payments to state and local entities with which the agency has work-sharing agreements to address workplace discrimination within their jurisdictions (i.e., Fair Employment Practices Agencies, FEPAs, and Tribal Employment Rights Organizations, TEROs). The House committee-reported bill would have provided $355.0 million for the EEOC. The Senate Committee on Appropriations would have provided $372.9 million for the EEOC. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 includes $364.0 million for the EEOC, which includes $29.5 million for payments to state and local entities.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, requires the EEOC to publish a report within 90 days of enactment on the effect of a new EEOC rule on age discrimination on public safety personnel.

U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC)98

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is an independent, quasi-judicial agency established by Congress that advises the President and Congress on U.S. foreign economic policies. In its Strategic Plan for 2009-2014, the ITC identified the following five strategic operations, which define the functions of the agency: (1) import injury investigations, (2) intellectual property-based imports investigations, (3) industry and economic analysis, (4) tariff and trade information services, and (5) trade policy support. As a matter of policy, its budget request is submitted to Congress by the President without revision. Congress appropriated $78.9 million (after sequestration) for the ITC for FY2013. The Administration's FY2014 request for the ITC was $85.1 million. The House committee-reported bill would have provided $79.0 million for this account. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $85.1 million for the ITC. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, provides $83.0 million for the ITC.

Legal Services Corporation (LSC)100

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is a private, nonprofit, federally funded corporation that provides grants to local offices that, in turn, provide legal assistance to low-income people in civil (noncriminal) cases. The LSC has been controversial since its incorporation in the early 1970s and has been operating without authorizing legislation since 1980. There have been ongoing debates over the adequacy of funding for the agency and the extent to which certain types of activities are appropriate for federally funded legal aid attorneys to undertake. In annual appropriations bills, Congress traditionally has included legislative provisions restricting the activities of LSC-funded grantees, such as prohibiting any lobbying activities or prohibiting representation in certain types of cases.

Although the authorization of appropriations for the LSC expired at the end of FY1980, the LSC has operated for the past 34 years under annual appropriations laws.

After sequestration, the LSC received $340.9 million for FY2013. This amount includes supplemental funding the LSC received pursuant to P.L. 113-2 .

For FY2014, the Obama Administration requested $430.0 million for the LSC. The Administration's FY2014 budget request included $400.3 million for basic field programs and required independent audits, $19.5 million for management and grants oversight, $3.5 million for client self-help and information technology, $4.2 million for the Office of the Inspector General, $1.5 million for a new Pro Bono Innovation Fund, and $1.0 million for loan repayment assistance. The Obama Administration also proposed that LSC restrictions on class action suits and attorneys' fees be eliminated.

The House Committee on Appropriations recommended $300.0 million for the LSC for FY2014. This recommendation included $271.9 million for basic field programs and required independent audits, $17.0 million for management and grants oversight, $3.4 million for client self-help and information technology, $4.2 million for the Office of the Inspector General, $2.5 million for a Pro Bono Innovation Fund, and $1.0 million for loan repayment assistance.

The Senate Committee on Appropriations included $430.0 million for the LSC for FY2014. This recommendation included $400.0 million for basic field programs and required independent audits, $19.5 million for management and grants oversight, $3.5 million for client self-help and information technology, $4.5 million for the Office of the Inspector General, $1.5 million for a Pro Bono Innovation Fund, and $1.0 million for loan repayment assistance.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 provides $365.0 million for the LSC for FY2014. This amount includes $335.7 million for basic field programs and required independent audits, $18.0 million for management and grants oversight, almost $3.5 million for client self-help and information technology, almost $4.4 million for the Office of the Inspector General, $2.5 million for a new Pro Bono Innovation Fund, and $1.0 million for loan repayment assistance.

Marine Mammal Commission (MMC)

The Marine Mammal Commission (MMC) is an independent agency of the executive branch, established under Title II of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA; P.L. 92-522). The MMC and its Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals provide oversight and recommend actions on domestic and international topics to advance policies and provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. As funding permits, the Marine Mammal Commission supports research to further the purposes of the MMPA.

After sequestration, the MMC received $2.9 million for FY2013. For FY2014, the Administration requested $3.4 million for the MMC. The House committee-reported bill included $2.9 million for the MMC. The Senate committee-reported bill would have provided $3.4 million for the MMC. Congress provided $3.3 million for the MMC for FY2014.

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)101

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), located in the Executive Office of the President, is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade and direct investment policies. The USTR is the President's chief negotiator for international trade agreements, including commodity and direct investment negotiations. USTR also conducts U.S. affairs related to the World Trade Organization. The USTR is leading the negotiations for the United States for the ongoing talks for the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) and for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Congress appropriated $47.6 million (after sequestration) for the USTR for FY2013. The Administration's FY2014 request for this account was $56.2 million. The House committee-reported bill recommended $50.0 million for this account. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended $56.2 million. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, includes $52.6 million for USTR.

State Justice Institute (SJI)

The State Justice Institute (SJI) is a nonprofit corporation that makes grants to state courts and funds research, technical assistance, and informational projects aimed at improving the quality of judicial administration in state courts across the United States. It is governed by an 11-member board of directors appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Under the terms of its enabling legislation, SJI is authorized to present its budget request directly to Congress, apart from the President's budget.

After sequestration, the FY2013 appropriation for the SJI was $4.8 million. For FY2014, the Administration requested $5.1 million for SJI. For FY2014, the House Committee on Appropriations recommended $4.8 million for SJI. The Senate committee-reported bill would have provided $5.1 million, the same as the Administration's request. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 includes $4.9 million for the SJI.