Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015

The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (H.R. 4660) is an appropriations bill that would fund the United States Department of Commerce, the United States Department of Justice, and various related agencies. Those agencies included the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Commission on Civil Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the International Trade Commission, the Legal Services Corporation, the Marine Mammal Commission, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and the State Justice Institute. The total amount of money appropriated in the bill was $51.2 billion, approximately $400 million less than fiscal year 2014.

The bill was introduced in the United States House of Representatives during the 113th United States Congress. The bill passed in the House on May 30, 2014. The bill changed significantly, however, because Senate will be using H.R. 4660 as a legislative vehicle, amending it to contain the text of a "minibus" - a set of several appropriations bills in one.

Background

An appropriations bill is a bill that appropriates (gives to, sets aside for) money to specific federal government departments, agencies, and programs. The money provides funding for operations, personnel, equipment, and activities. Regular appropriations bills are passed annually, with the funding they provide covering one fiscal year. The fiscal year is the accounting period of the federal government, which runs from October 1 to September 30 of the following year.