Signed by President Barack Obama II

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a joint resolution that extends appropriations for the federal government until December 11, 2014, and authorizes the Secretary of Defense to provide aid to Syrian opposition.

Highlights:

• Extends appropriations for continuing operations, projects, and activities conducted in fiscal year 2014 to fiscal year 2015 and reduces the rate of operations by 0.0554 percent (Sec. 101). 

• Specifies that appropriations made available in this resolution, shall be available until whichever of the following occurs first (Sec. 106):
• The enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or activity provided for in this resolution;
• The enactment into law of an appropriations act for fiscal year 2015 without any provision for such project or activity; or
• December 11, 2014.

• Extends the applicability of the following Acts as follows (Secs. 106, 126 & 147):
• Extends the Export-Import Bank Act from September 30, 2014 to June 30, 2015; and
• Extends the Internet Tax Freedom Act from November 1, 2014 to December 11, 2014.

• Appropriates $58 million to the Department of Health and Human Services for expenses necessary to support advanced product and countermeasure research and development to address the Ebola virus (Sec. 136).

• Appropriates $30 million to the Department of Health and Human Services for expenses necessary to support the responses of the Centers and Disease Control and Prevention to the outbreak of the Ebola virus in Africa (Sec. 137).

• Appropriates $208.68 million to the Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program (Sec. 116).

• Appropriates funds to the Department of Homeland Security at a rate for operations as necessary to sustain the following (Sec. 129):
• The necessary Air Force and Marine Corps operations; 
• The border security and immigration enforcement operations; and
• The staffing levels of the United States Customs and Border Protection officers, Border Patrol agents, and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

• Extends appropriations made for the Department of Defense’s Overseas Contingency Operations at the rate previously authorized by Congress (Secs. 114 & 119).

• Appropriates funds at a rate for operations as necessary to sustain assistance for Ukraine and independent states of the Former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe to “counter regional aggression and influence” (Sec. 145).

• Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to provide training, equipment, supplies, and other assistance to “appropriately vetted” Syrian opposition groups and individuals for the following purposes (Sec. 149):
• To defend the Syrian people from attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL);
• To protect the United States, its allies, and the Syrian people from terrorist threats in Syria; and
• To promote the conditions for a negotiated settlement to end the conflict in Syria.

• Defines “appropriately vetted” as assessments of Syrian opposition groups and individuals for associations with certain groups including, but not limited to, the following groups (Sec. 149):
• Terrorist groups;
• Shia militias aligned with or supporting the Government of Syria;
• Groups associated with the Government of Iran;
• The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL); and
• Al-Qaeda related groups.

• Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to accept and retain contributions, including assistance “in-kind,” from a foreign government for the purpose of carrying out the activities authorized by the provisions of this bill (Sec. 149).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill do not contain an authorization for the introduction of United States Armed Forces into “hostile situations” (Sec. 149). 

• Requires the President to submit a report to certain congressional committees and House and Senate leadership, at least 15 days prior to providing assistance to appropriately vetted elements, containing a description of how such assistance fits into a “larger regional strategy” (Sec. 149).

• Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to certain congressional committees and House and Senate leadership, at least 15 days prior to providing assistance to appropriately vetted elements, containing certain information, but not limited to, the following information (Sec. 149): 
• The plan for providing such assistance; 
• The requirements and process used to determine appropriately vetted recipients; and
• The mechanisms used to monitor and report on the unauthorized end-use of provided training and equipment, and other violations by aid recipients. 

• Requires the Secretary of Defense to provide a report to certain congressional committees and House and Senate leadership every 90 days, containing certain information, including, but not limited to, the following information (Sec. 149):
• Any updates in the plan, strategy, or vetting requirements provided by the provisions of this bill;
• Any misuse or loss of training and equipment provided by the provisions of this bill; and
• An assessment of the assistance provided by the provisions of this bill.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a joint resolution that extends appropriations for the federal government until December 11, 2014, and authorizes the Secretary of Defense to provide aid to Syrian opposition.

Highlights:

• Extends appropriations for continuing operations, projects, and activities conducted in fiscal year 2014 to fiscal year 2015 and reduces the rate of operations by 0.0554 percent (Sec. 101). 

• Specifies that appropriations made available in this resolution, shall be available until whichever of the following occurs first (Sec. 106):
• The enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or activity provided for in this resolution;
• The enactment into law of an appropriations act for fiscal year 2015 without any provision for such project or activity; or
• December 11, 2014.

• Extends the applicability of the following Acts as follows (Secs. 106, 126 & 147):
• Extends the Export-Import Bank Act from September 30, 2014 to June 30, 2015; and
• Extends the Internet Tax Freedom Act from November 1, 2014 to December 11, 2014.

• Appropriates $58 million to the Department of Health and Human Services for expenses necessary to support advanced product and countermeasure research and development to address the Ebola virus (Sec. 136).

• Appropriates $30 million to the Department of Health and Human Services for expenses necessary to support the responses of the Centers and Disease Control and Prevention to the outbreak of the Ebola virus in Africa (Sec. 137).

• Appropriates $208.68 million to the Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program (Sec. 116).

• Appropriates funds to the Department of Homeland Security at a rate for operations as necessary to sustain the following (Sec. 129):
• The necessary Air Force and Marine Corps operations; 
• The border security and immigration enforcement operations; and
• The staffing levels of the United States Customs and Border Protection officers, Border Patrol agents, and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

• Extends appropriations made for the Department of Defense’s Overseas Contingency Operations at the rate previously authorized by Congress (Secs. 114 & 119).

• Appropriates funds at a rate for operations as necessary to sustain assistance for Ukraine and independent states of the Former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe to “counter regional aggression and influence” (Sec. 145).

• Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to provide training, equipment, supplies, and other assistance to “appropriately vetted” Syrian opposition groups and individuals for the following purposes (Sec. 149):
• To defend the Syrian people from attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL);
• To protect the United States, its allies, and the Syrian people from terrorist threats in Syria; and
• To promote the conditions for a negotiated settlement to end the conflict in Syria.

• Defines “appropriately vetted” as assessments of Syrian opposition groups and individuals for associations with certain groups including, but not limited to, the following groups (Sec. 149):
• Terrorist groups;
• Shia militias aligned with or supporting the Government of Syria;
• Groups associated with the Government of Iran;
• The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL); and
• Al-Qaeda related groups.

• Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to accept and retain contributions, including assistance “in-kind,” from a foreign government for the purpose of carrying out the activities authorized by the provisions of this bill (Sec. 149).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill do not contain an authorization for the introduction of United States Armed Forces into “hostile situations” (Sec. 149). 

• Requires the President to submit a report to certain congressional committees and House and Senate leadership, at least 15 days prior to providing assistance to appropriately vetted elements, containing a description of how such assistance fits into a “larger regional strategy” (Sec. 149).

• Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to certain congressional committees and House and Senate leadership, at least 15 days prior to providing assistance to appropriately vetted elements, containing certain information, but not limited to, the following information (Sec. 149): 
• The plan for providing such assistance; 
• The requirements and process used to determine appropriately vetted recipients; and
• The mechanisms used to monitor and report on the unauthorized end-use of provided training and equipment, and other violations by aid recipients. 

• Requires the Secretary of Defense to provide a report to certain congressional committees and House and Senate leadership every 90 days, containing certain information, including, but not limited to, the following information (Sec. 149):
• Any updates in the plan, strategy, or vetting requirements provided by the provisions of this bill;
• Any misuse or loss of training and equipment provided by the provisions of this bill; and
• An assessment of the assistance provided by the provisions of this bill.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text