Mikulski outlines timeline on Senate spending bills

Mikulski said that she has asked Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to choose two of the 12 annual spending bills to bring to the Senate floor in July.

The chairwoman noted that her committee has passed veterans, transportation and energy bills and will report out the commerce, justice bill and a homeland security bill this week. Although she did not mention it, the committee also passed a labor, health bill and a legislative branch bill last week. 

“By August recess, the full committee will have reported all 12 bills,” she added. 

The House and Senate are producing very different spending bills this year in the absence of a congressional budget resolution. The Senate bills as a whole are $91 billion more than those being produces in the House. 

The full House this week is expected to debate the transportation and housing bill and the defense appropriations bill.