Number: RS21983
Title: FY2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act: Reference Guide
Authors: Robert Keith, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: Congress and President Bush brought action on the 13 regular appropriations acts for FY2005 to a close through the enactment of H.R. 4818, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2005. The House agreed to the conference report, by a vote of 344-51, on November 20, 2004, and the Senate agreed to it, by a vote of 65-30, later that day. On December 6, the House completed action on H.Con.Res. 528, a measure correcting the enrollment of H.R. 4818, thus clearing the bill for the Presidents approval. Among other things, H.Con.Res. 528 removed from the bill a controversial provision pertaining to congressional access to income tax returns. President Bush signed the bill into law on December 8, as P.L. 108-447 (118 Stat. 2809 et. seq.). The Consolidated Appropriations Act incorporates the remaining nine regular appropriations acts for FY2005 (four were enacted into law earlier in 2004) and provides about $388 billion in discretionary budget authority for the fiscal year. In order to offset part of the costs, the act requires that FY2005 appropriations (and obligation limitations), except for defense and homeland security spending, be cut across the board by 0.80%. According to preliminary estimates, the across-the-board cut is expected to yield savings of about $3.5 billion in budget authority and $1.9 billion in outlays for FY2005
Pages: 6
Date: December 27, 2004