Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009
Encyclopedia
The Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 is an Act for the United States
government that combines bills funding the operations of each of the Cabinet departments
, except Defense
, Homeland Security
, and Veteran Affairs
into a single appropriation bill
. It was signed into law by President Barack Obama
on March 11, 2009.
version of the bill includes $410 billion in spending. This includes a 21 percent increase to a program that feeds infants and poor women, an 8 percent increase to the Section 8
voucher program, a 13 percent increase to the Agriculture Department
, a 10 percent increase in Amtrak
subsidies, a 10 percent increase in Congress's
budget, a 12 percent increase in the Department of State
budget and foreign aid, and eliminated spending for the Millennium Challenge Corporation
.
The watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense
identified over 8,500 earmark
s totaling $7.7 billion (1.9% of the bill's total), including $22 million for the John F. Kennedy Library
, dozens of grants to assist states and counties prevent the spread of methamphetamine
use, and $200,000 for the removal of tattoo
s from gang members.
The bill passed the House by a vote of 245-178 (including 16 Republicans) and the Senate 62-35 (including 8 Republicans).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government that combines bills funding the operations of each of the Cabinet departments
United States Cabinet
The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
, except Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, Homeland Security
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
, and Veteran Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
into a single appropriation bill
Appropriation (law)
In law and government, appropriation is the act of setting apart something for its application to a particular usage, to the exclusion of all other uses....
. It was signed into law by President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
on March 11, 2009.
House version
The House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
version of the bill includes $410 billion in spending. This includes a 21 percent increase to a program that feeds infants and poor women, an 8 percent increase to the Section 8
Section 8 (housing)
Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 , as repeatedly amended, authorizes the payment of rental housing assistance to private landlords on behalf of approximately 3.1 million low-income households...
voucher program, a 13 percent increase to the Agriculture Department
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
, a 10 percent increase in Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
subsidies, a 10 percent increase in Congress's
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
budget, a 12 percent increase in the Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
budget and foreign aid, and eliminated spending for the Millennium Challenge Corporation
Millennium Challenge Corporation
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is a bilateral United States foreign aid agency created by the George W. Bush administration in 2004, applying a new philosophy towards foreign aid.-Background and formation:...
.
The watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense
Taxpayers for Common Sense
Taxpayers for Common Sense is a nonpartisan federal budget watchdog organization based in Washington, D.C. in the United States. TCS is a 501 non-profit organization; its 501 affiliate is Taxpayers for Common Sense Action . The current president of TCS is Ryan Alexander...
identified over 8,500 earmark
Earmark (politics)
In United States politics, an earmark is a legislative provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees...
s totaling $7.7 billion (1.9% of the bill's total), including $22 million for the John F. Kennedy Library
John F. Kennedy Library
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and museum of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. It is located on Columbia Point in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, next to the Boston campus of the University of...
, dozens of grants to assist states and counties prevent the spread of methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
use, and $200,000 for the removal of tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
s from gang members.
The bill passed the House by a vote of 245-178 (including 16 Republicans) and the Senate 62-35 (including 8 Republicans).
Embryonic stem cell research
An amendment to the bill bans federal funding of "research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death." Two days prior to signing the bill, Obama had lifted a ban on federal funding of such research.External links
- FY 2009 Omnibus Budget, via evendon.com