Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that appropriates funds for military construction, veterans affairs, and Zika virus response programs.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $170 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to Zika virus domestically and internationally, including $50 million for maternal and child health services related to Zika (Div. B, Title I).

• Appropriates $230 million to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for preclinical and clinical development of vaccines for the Zika virus (Div. B, Title I).

• Appropriates $103 million to the Office of the Secretary to develop countermeasures and vaccines for the Zika virus (Div. B, Title I).

• Appropriates $9.1 million to the Administration of Foreign Affairs for diplomatic and consular programs related to medical evacuations and other Zika response efforts (Div. B, Title II).

• Appropriates $110 million to the president, including the following funds (Div. B, Title II):
• $10 million for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for Zika response efforts; and
• $100 million for global health programs to respond to the Zika virus internationally.

• Rescinds $352.1 million in unused funds from the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, State, and Foreign Operations (Div. B, Title III, Sec. 301).

• Rescinds $270 million in unused funds from the Nonrecurring Expenses Fund in the Department of Health and Human Services (Div. B, Title III, Sec. 301).

• Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a state from requiring a permit to discharge a pesticide from a point source into navigable waters (Div. C, Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates funds to the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for fiscal year 2016.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $40.26 billion to the Federal Highway Administration for the implementation or execution of federal-aid highway and highway safety construction programs (Title I).

• Appropriates funds to the Federal Transit Administration including, but not limited to, the following funds (Title I):
• $9.5 billion to pay obligations incurred in the Federal Public Transportation Assistance Program;
• $1.92 billion for fixed guideway capital investment grants; and
• $102.93 million for Federal Transit Administration programs.

• Appropriates funds to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) including, but not limited to, the following funds (Title I):
• $9.85 billion for commercial space transportation, air navigation facilities, and aircraft maintenance; and
• $2.5 billion for facilities and equipment.

• Appropriates $288.5 million for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), with quarterly grants in an amount based on the Transportation Secretary’s assessment of seasonal cash flow requirements (Title I).

• Appropriates $100 million to the Department of Transportation for capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure, including the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, for competitive grants for infrastructure projects of a state, local government, or transit agency (Title I).

• Prohibits funds appropriated by the provisions of this bill from being used for air transportation from the United States if such flights land on or pass through Cuban property, unless the flight was scheduled prior to March 31, 2015 (Title I, Sec. 193).

• Prohibits funds appropriated by the provisions of this bill from being used to issue a license or certificate for a commercial vessel that docked or anchored within 7 miles of a port on Cuban property within 180 days previous to the date of passage of this bill (Title II, Sec. 414).

• Prohibits funds appropriated by the provisions of this bill from being used to implement, administer, or enforce a provision from a previous bill which requires the driver of a property-carrying vehicle to be off-duty for at least 34 hours, including 2 periods from 1:00 to 5:00 AM, before restarting a work week of 7 or 8 consecutive days (Title I, Sec. 132).

• Prohibits funds appropriated by the provisions of this bill from being used by the Surface Transportation Board to take any actions to construct a high speed rail project in California unless a permit for the project in its entirety is issued(Title I, Sec. 192).

• Appropriates $20 million for competitive grants under the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative for services including, but not limited to, the rehabilitation, replacement, and the transformation needs of impoverished neighborhoods (Title II).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text