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Issue 259������������������������������������������������������������������������������
�����December 12, 2006
In this issue:
Remaining FY2007 Appropriations bills will go unfinished
On Saturday, President Bush signed the third continuing resolution
(CR) to cover agencies that have not yet been funded through completed FY2007
appropriations bills.� This short-term
CR (H.J.Res.102) will run through February 15, 2007.
As many of you know, the FY2007 Energy & Water Appropriations bill is one
of several appropriations bills that has not yet
been completed.� Only two FY2007
spending bills have been signed into law, the Defense and Homeland Security
bills.� PNWA, with other water
resources interests nationwide, had urged Congress to tackle the remaining
FY2007 appropriations bills when the new Congress is seated in January.� Complicating matters, consideration of the
FY2008 appropriations bills begins with the release of the President�s FY2008
budget, expected on February 5, 2007.�
Another complication will be the expected FY2007 supplemental request
from the White House early next year, to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.� These new fiscal matters would not leave
much time for Congress to wrap up work on the pending FY2007 appropriations
bills.
Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Rep. Dave Obey (D, WI-7) will lead the Senate and
House Appropriations Committees when the new Congress convenes.� Sen. Byrd and Rep. Obey have just announced
that they will seek to pass a year-long CR for the remaining unfinished
FY2007 appropriations bills, with no Congressional earmarks.� This CR would run until October 1,
2007.� They have also stated that they
will institute a moratorium on earmarks until a reformed process is adopted.� Earmarks included in the FY2007 House and
Senate appropriations bills will be eligible for consideration in the 2008
process, subject to new and as-yet undefined rules regarding transparency and
accountability.� Byrd and Obey jointly
stated that �it is important that we clear the decks quickly so that we can get
to work on the American people's priorities, the President's anticipated war
funding request, and a new budget.�
Further details of this proposed plan are still to be worked out in the
coming weeks.� PNWA will work closely
with our Congressional delegation as well as all levels of the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers to determine how this plan will affect Northwest water
resources projects, and what plans will be put into place to protect
commerce, security, and human safety in the coming year, given the austere
budget levels that are anticipated.� In
the next few weeks, PNWA staff will touch base with every PNWA member who
might be impacted by this development, and we look forward to answering your
questions, and working hard to protect your interests during this
unprecedented budget scenario.
Pacific Northwest Waterways
Association�������������������������������
www.pnwa.net
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