Environmental Justice Included in 2009 Spending Bill

Title II, Environmental Protection Agency, page 491 of the $410 billion Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 (H.R. 1105) states:

"None of the funds made available by this Act may be used in contravention of, or to delay the implementation of, Executive Order No. 12898 of February 11, 1994 (59 Fed. Reg. 7629; relating to Federal actions to address environmental justice in minority populations and low-income
populations)."

H.R. 1105 making omnibus appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009.


Highlights of the spending bill funding 11 Cabinet departments for 2009:

Agriculture — $20.5 billion, including a 14 percent boost over 2008 for the popular WIC program that feeds infants and poor women.
Commerce — $9.3 billion, including $3.1 billion to conduct the 2010 Census.

Education — $66.5 billion, a 7 percent increase over 2008 levels.

Energy — $27 billion, including a $765 million, 54 percent hike for advanced energy research.

Health and Human Services — $66.3 billion, including $30.3 billion for health research.

Housing and Urban Development — $41.5 billion, including $24.5 billion for low-income and American Indian housing.

Interior — $10.1 billion, slightly more than 2008.

Justice — $26.1 billion, including a $715 million, 11 percent increase for the FBI.

Labor — $15.3 billion, including a 5 percent increase for employment and training programs.State — $13.1 billion, a 3 percent decrease.

Transportation — $13.5 billion, plus $53.7 billion in highway and other transportation funding financed mostly through gasoline taxes.

Treasury — $12.7 billion, including $428 million over 2008 for the IRS, a 4 percent increase.

Source: The Associated Press