House Passes FY 2023 Appropriations Bills

On June 20, the House of Representatives passed a package of six bills to fund government agencies for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 on a party-line vote of 220-207. The six-bill package consists of the FY 2023 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (H.R. 8294); Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (H.R. 8239); Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies (H.R.8255); Financial Services and General Government; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (H.R. 8262); and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (H.R. 8238) funding bills.

The House-passed Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill proposes $8 billion for the Department Energy’s Office of Science, $525 million (7 percent) more than Congress appropriated in fiscal year 2022. The Office of Science funds science research across national laboratories, universities, and other research institutions in support of American innovation and the Department’s energy-focused missions. As the nation’s largest supporter of research in the physical sciences, the Department of Energy also prepares graduate students for STEM careers by providing graduate thesis research opportunities at DOE laboratories and other support.

The House-passed Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill proposes $207 million for grants and administration at the National Endowment for the Humanities, which includes $17.5 million for research programs. “In my first fiscal year as Interior Chair, I’m incredibly proud that we were able to make unprecedented investments to fight the climate crisis, return science as the foundation for decision-making, dedicate the highest level of federal funding to the arts and humanities ever and continue our commitment to tribal nations. Supported by President Biden’s ambitious request to increase funding over last year, I’m thrilled we were able to build on those successes in this year’s bill,” Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Chair Chellie Pingree (D-ME) said in a recent press release.

It is unclear when the remaining six funding bills will be voted on in the House, including the FY 2023 Labor-HHS-Education and Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bills. As mentioned in previous Washington Insights & Highlights Newsletters, these bills fund major agencies and programs that impact graduate education. You can view funding for CGS programs of interest here.

The Senate has yet to introduce their bills to fund federal agencies for FY 2023. If they do not pass bills to fund the government by September 30, Congress will have to agree to a continuing resolution.