Despite early progress with the FY 2015 appropriations bills, the prospect for enacting the 12 bills before the start of the fiscal year in October has dimmed.  The two most contentious bills are weighted with policy riders to halt the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules on waters of the U.S. and greenhouse gas emissions.  The prospect of adding those riders to a different spending package derailed Senate consideration of funding for several unrelated agencies.  Senate Appropriations Chairman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) recently dubbed the Energy and Water Development bill and the Interior and Environment bill “the ugly stepsisters.”  Senate leaders pulled the Energy and Water Development Appropriation that funds the Corps of Engineers and the Department of Energy before a committee vote weeks ago because of the two policy riders, and the Senate version of EPA’s spending bill has yet to be introduced. 

Meanwhile, the House is expected to adopt its version of the Energy and Water Development Appropriation this week with a modest reduction in funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, and a nine percent reduction for the Bureau of Reclamation.  The House Appropriations Committee acted earlier this week on the Interior and Environment Appropriation that includes steep reductions in the state revolving loan programs from $1.4 billion to $1 billion for wastewater, and $906 million to $757 million for drinking water.  Both House bills include a prohibition on funding for the Corps and EPA to proceed with the proposed rule on waters of the U.S.  All appropriations matters are now further complicated by the President’s request for a supplemental appropriation to respond to the sudden surge in child immigrants and to fund wildfire suppression.