Proposed legislation that would keep the federal government funded

In the proposed legislation that would keep the federal government funded through October, most agencies even under the Senate’s proposed budget still take a hit. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would lose $238 million from its environmental programs and management, an 8 percent cut from the fiscal 2010 budget of $3 billion. It would also see a $31 million cut from science and technology funding from its fiscal 2010 budget of $856 million. However, the Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking approval of a $3.1 billion increase in funding, part of which would fund President Obama’s “Better Buildings Initiative,” a program to make commercial buildings 20 percent more efficient in the next decade.  During House debate, freshman Representative Mike Pompeo (R-KS) led the proposal to cut funding for the EPA program that makes businesses report their greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution. The current House-passed budget would eliminate funding for EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions as well as other air and water quality standards.