The omnibus, which provides money for everything from border security to funding the census, is huge. To put the numbers into context, it's roughly equivalent to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Russia.
So what's in and what's out? Here are some of the highlights:
. Tax Administration. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) finally gets funding. After years of cuts, the bill allocates $11.4 billion to IRS, $196 million more than last year. The money is to be used to improve customer service and fund a "business systems modernization program" meant to bring IRS systems into the 21st century. Also included in that number is an extra $320 million "to be used solely for carrying out" the new tax law passed in December.
. Border Security. The bill provides $1.6 billion in funding for border security.
However, don't start mixing up the plaster just yet: The funding can't be used for "the wall." Language in the bill restricts only allows fencing similar to what's already in place.
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Opioid Crisis. The bill includes $500 million to fund research on opioid addiction and billions more in other programming and studies (including those related to opioid alternatives). Lest you doubt the impact of the crisis on the economy, the word "opioid" appears 24 times in the bill. A federal government spending bill.
. Elections. The bill includes $380 million for states to shore up voting systems, including electronic enhancements.
. Military. Medical care for veterans, including Medical and Prosthetic Research, gets a bump under the bill. There is also more money for troops (including a 2.4% pay raise, the largest since 2010).
. Space. The National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) was a big winner, getting far more than the agency requested, including for space technology and exploration.
. Science. Many federal science and technology programs received funding raises, including the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.
. Arts. While the White House proposed eliminating funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Congress instead boosted funding by $3 million (ditto for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)). Spending for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is retained.
. Environment & Interior. Funding stays about the same from 2017, though notably, the National Park Service (NPS) gets a boost, including $138 million to address the maintenance backlog.
more:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2018/03/24/whats-included-and-whats-not-in-the-1-3-trillion-omnibus-bill/#56b397e9ff4c
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