Additional Budget Cuts Likely in Lame Duck Session of Congress

Just before adjourning for the midterm elections, Congress shifted more than $5 billion to defense and homeland security appropriations from other, primarily domestic, appropriations priorities. The effect of this shift is to reduce the total amount left for the remaining appropriations bills that the 109th Congress is expected to take up in lame duck session when it returns in November. The end result is likely to be dramatic across-the-board cuts to the already reduced remaining appropriations bills that fund education, environmental protection and other essential policy priorities.