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| PUBLICATIONS | ISSUE LIST | VOTE ANALYSIS | SPEECHES | MAIN PAGE |
| October 8, 1998 |
The bill provides a total of $26.8 billion, of which $13.4 billion is discretionary budget authority and the remainder is mandatory spending. After the House defeated the conference report last week, the conferees agreed to drop four controversial provisions that had blocked its passage. These provisions would have required federal health insurance providers to pay for prescription contraceptives, allowed about 40,000 Haitian immigrants to gain permanent U.S. residency, subsidized childcare for low-income federal workers, and limited the terms of the Federal Election Commission's general counsel and staff director. Yesterday the House passed the revised conference agreement by a vote of 290-137.Budget Authority
FY99 Conference Agreement: $13.44 billion President's FY99 Request: $13.58 billion FY98 bill: $12.73 billion Key Provisions
Office of Personnel Management (OPM): $13.4 billion ($643 million more than FY98)
Internal Revenue Service (IRS): $7.9 billion ($128 million more than FY98)
- IRS funding includes $211 million to continue support for development of a modernized computer system.
- $25 million is included for efforts to restructure and reform the way IRS does business, and additional funds of $103 million are provided for improved customer service initiatives.
United States Customs Service: $1.8 billion ($151.4 million more than FY98)
- Funds include $54 million for narcotics detection technologies; $13 million for maintaining air and marine interdiction programs, $5 million for narcotics and money laundering investigations, $54.5 million for Operation Hardline III, and $3.4 million to combat child pornography and related Internet cybersmuggling.
U.S. Secret Service: $608.4 million ($35.2 million more than FY98)
General Services Administration (GSA): $593.9 million ($450.3 million more than FY98). Conferees include $462 million for courthouse construction.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF): $541.6 ($7.6 million more than FY98)
HIGHLIGHTS
Funds for Targeting Drug Abuse
- Provides $1.95 billion for drug-related activities. This funding includes the second year of funding ($185 million) for the Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) national media campaign targeting youth drug use.
- Provides $13 million to continue the commitment to making counter-drug technology available to state and local law enforcement agencies.
- Doubles funding for the Drug Free Communities Act of '97, bringing FY99 funding to $20 million.
- Includes $182 million for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA's), $24.9 million more than FY98 and $21.9 million above the President's request.
Supporting Law Enforcement Efforts
- Provides Treasury Law Enforcement with $3.6 billion, $219 million over FY98 and $22 million more than the President's request. This includes $132 million for the Crime Control Trust Fund.
- Includes $16 million for the Gang Resistance Education and Training Program (GREAT), $3 million more than FY98 and the President's budget.
- Increases support of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, providing $3.2 million for forensic technology and other investigation assistance through the U.S. Secret Service.
- Provides a total of $3.4 million to further combat child pornography and related Internet cybersmuggling. Funding will allow the U.S. Customs Service to increase staffing and technical resources directed at this priority issue.
Other Items of Interest
- Provides $36.5 million for the Federal Election Commission, $4.8 million over FY98 and the same as the President's requested level. The conferees agree to fence off funds for computer modernization and urge the FEC to apply additional resources above the FY98 level to prevent the unnecessary dismissal of appropriate enforcement actions.
- Retains a provision that will block Members of Congress, Judges and members of the federal executive service from receiving their annual cost-of-living adjustment.
- Continues a prohibition on the use of funds for abortion in connection with any health plan under the federal employees health benefit program which provides any benefits or coverage for abortions, except in the case of rape or incest or when the life of the mother is endangered.
- Includes a provision providing for compensation to certain gun owners, necessary as a result of the President's recent decision to ban the importation of certain rifles.
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