Public Law 111-117: A Breakdown of Appropriations
An analysis of Public Law 111-117, detailing how the 2010 omnibus spending bill provided a complete financial and policy blueprint for the federal government.
Public Law 111-117, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, combined several appropriations bills into one package known as an omnibus bill. The law’s purpose was to fund federal government operations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. Consolidating spending measures streamlines the appropriations process and is often a solution to avoid government shutdowns when individual funding bills are not passed on time. The final law allocated hundreds of billions of dollars to ensure the continued operation of government functions.
Funding for National Security and Defense
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010 allocated resources to agencies for national security and defense. Division E of the act contained appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, funding the construction and maintenance of military facilities like barracks and family housing. A portion of this budget was allocated to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for medical care, benefits administration, and national cemeteries.
Division F provided funding for the Department of State and Foreign Operations. These appropriations supported diplomatic activities, foreign aid, and contributions to international organizations. The funding was intended to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives through resources for embassy security, global health, and humanitarian assistance.
Appropriations for Domestic and Social Programs
Public Law 111-117 directed funding toward a range of domestic and social programs. Division D covered the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. It included appropriations for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support biomedical research, funding thousands of research grants for scientists nationwide.
The Department of Education also received funding to expand access to learning. A key allocation was made to the Pell Grant program, which provides financial aid to low-income undergraduate students. The act also funded elementary and secondary education programs, including support for students with disabilities and those in high-poverty school districts.
Allocations for Economic and Governmental Functions
The law also funded the government’s economic, scientific, and administrative operations. Division A provided appropriations for the Department of Transportation to support highway and transit systems. The Federal Highway Administration distributed funds to states for road construction, while the Federal Transit Administration provided grants to local agencies. This division also funded the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for housing assistance programs and community development grants.
Division B, covering Commerce, Justice, and Science, allocated resources for scientific advancement. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) received billions for space exploration, earth science, and aeronautics research. The National Science Foundation (NSF) was also granted funding to support basic research and education across science and engineering.
Division C, Financial Services and General Government, addressed the operational budgets for core government functions. This included appropriations for the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Significant Policy Directives within the Act
Appropriations bills often serve as vehicles for enacting policy changes known as riders. These are legislative directives attached to a spending bill that set rules or prohibit certain actions. Public Law 111-117 contained several such directives.
The act included restrictions on funds for detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. Provisions prohibited using appropriated funds to transfer or release detainees into the United States. Congress has continued to include similar restrictions in subsequent annual appropriations acts.
Another policy directive was a pay freeze for high-level federal employees. The act stipulated that no funds could be used to increase the basic pay for senior executives and other senior-level employees. This policy has been extended for certain senior political officials through subsequent legislation.