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March 4, 2024

Congress released the massive $467.5 billion fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations package for the Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy-Water, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-VA and Transportation-HUD budgets. The amount is a $1.5 billion (0.3%) increase over FY 2023.

These bills fund several federal agencies that focus on environmental health, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Although House and Senate appropriators from both parties have agreed to these figures, the full Congress must approve these bills this week. These bills would fund the agencies through September 2024, when FY2025 begins.

Food and Drug Administration

FDA will receive $6.7 billion: $3.5 billion in discretionary funding and $3.2 billion in industry user fees. This budget includes money for medical devices, tobacco, and animal and human foods. Human foods should receive approximately $1.25 billion, which is similar to the amount it received in FY2023.

U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA is getting $22.3 billion—an increase of $383 million over FY2023— but $2.7 billion less than requested by President Biden. The Food Safety and Inspection Service, which oversees inspection of meat products, is level funded at $1.25 billion.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

This bill includes $9.2 billion for U.S. EPA, which is $976.5 million less than the FY2023 enacted level and $2.9 billion less than the budget requested from President Biden.

U.S. EPA would receive $758.1 million for science and technology and $3.2 billion for environmental programs and management, both less than theFY2023 enacted level. This funding includes a $4.4 billion for state and tribal assistance grants, which includes $2.8 billion for clean water and drinking water state revolving funds. The EPA’s geographic programs was one of the few programs that did not get cut. It tracks environmental concerns in several areas across the country.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

For FY2024, Congress provided a net total of $75.5 billion for HUD. The Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes will receive $345 million, including $49.4 million from unobligated funds from prior years. This funding is a reduction from $410 million in FY2023.

Lead hazard reduction grants are slated to receive $200 million with $105 million going to areas with the highest lead-based paint abatement needs. The program received $290 million in FY2023.

The Healthy Homes Initiative is set at $140 million, with $5 million for weatherization cooperation demonstration and $30 million for aging-in-place home modification grants. Healthy homes technical studies will receive $3 million, a reduction from $5 million in FY2023. Radon testing and mitigation demonstration will receive $2 million, a reduction from $5 million in FY2023.

Other Federal Agency Appropriations

Additionally, text for the six remaining appropriation bills, including funding for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is expected to be released later this week. Funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is included within the HHS appropriation bill.

Overall, Congress will need to approve these bills before March 22 to keep these federal agencies open.

For more information, contact Government Affairs Director Doug Farquhar.