Signed by President George Bush

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with the House amendments to the Senate amendment and pass the bill, which makes emergency appropriations to certain departments for various purposes, including the war on terror and Hurricane Katrina efforts, and which raises the minimum wage and adjusts certain business taxes.

Highlights:

• States that the US strategy in Iraq will be determined by the Iraqi Government’s ability to meet specified benchmarks (Title I).

• Increases the federal minimum wage to $5.85 per hour on the 60th day after the enactment of HR 2206, $6.55 per hour 12 months after that 60th day, and $7.25 per hour 24 months after that 60th day (Title VIII).

• Enacts business tax modifications, including such adjustments as extending the work opportunity tax credit to 2011, extending and increasing expensing for small business, waiving alternative minimum tax limits on work opportunity credit and credit for taxes paid on employee tips, and other adjustments (Title VIII).

• Appropriates the following:
• $101.11 billion for the Department of Defense, including $99.50 billion for non-civil purposes and $1.61 billion for civil purposes
• $1.79 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, including $1.34 billion for medical related expenses
• $989.50 million for the Department of Agriculture
• $356 million for the Department of Justice
• $5.16 billion for the Department of Homeland Security
• $5.60 billion for the Department of State

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to appropriate $118.73 billion to certain departments for various purposes, including the war on terror and Hurricane Katrina efforts, and to raise the minimum wage and reduce business taxes.

Highlights:

• Appropriates the following:
• $101.93 billion for the Department of Defense;
• $6.86 billion for the Department of Homeland Security;
• $5.24 billion for the Department of State;
• $1.79 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs;
• $1.56 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services;
• $909.5 million for the Department of Agriculture; and
• $717.94 million for the Department of Transportation.

• Expresses the sense of the Congress that U.S. troops should be redeployed from Iraq as battalions of Iraqi security forces become able to conduct security operations on their own (Sec. 1326).

• Increases the federal minimum wage to $5.85 per hour 60 days after the enactment of this bill, $6.55 per hour 12 months after that 60th day, and $7.25 per hour 24 months after that 60th day (Sec. 7102).

• Addresses business tax modifications, including such adjustments as extending the work opportunity tax credit, extending and increasing expensing for small business, extending and expanding the low-income housing credit rules under the Gulf Opportunity Zone Tax for buildings in the GO zones, and other adjustments (Secs. 7211, 7212, 7222).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text