Congress is beginning to return to Washington after its August recess. Before dispersing, the House passed all 12 FY 2008 appropriations measures; in the Senate, only one measure, funding for homeland security, was approved. As lawmakers left town, President George W. Bush reiterated his threat to veto any spending bill that exceeds the amount proposed in his budget and called for lawmakers to send him 12 individual bills, starting with appropriations for defense, rather than wrapping them into a single omnibus bill.

With the end of the federal fiscal year quickly approaching on Sept. 30, it is unlikely that Congress will be able to approve all 12 measures individually. Failure to meet this deadline is likely to minimally affect federal grant-making agencies such as the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), but agencies will feel the pinch if there is a protracted fight over spending as there was with the approval of FY 2007 budgets. A showdown is expected this fall over spending levels and priorities between the White House and congressional Democrats.

Here's a rundown of the spending bills that cover federal programs of primary interest to museums:

IMLS
» H.R. 3043/S. 1710: FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations
The Senate has yet to consider its bill, while the House approved its version in early July. Each bill includes a nominal increase for IMLS in the museum programs and a list of congressional earmarks totaling nearly $20 million. The largest domestic spending bill, it is a prime target for a presidential veto as congressional Democrats have exceeded the overall spending level requested by the president.

National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities (NEA/NEH)
» H.R. 2643/S. 1696: FY 2008 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations
The House approved budgets significantly above both agencies' current funding—a $35 million increase for NEA and $19 million for NEH. The full Senate has yet to vote on its measure, which proposes smaller budget increases—$9 million for NEA and $5 million for NEH. House Interior Appropriations Chair Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) said that when he goes into negotiations with his counterpart in the Senate, Chair Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), securing significant increases for both agencies will be among his top priorities.

National Science Foundation (NSF)
» H.R. 3093/S. 1745: FY 2008 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations
Increases for NSF are proposed in both measures, with the House approving $80 million above the president's request and the Senate measure—which is still awaiting approval—proposing an additional $124.4 million. With strong bipartisan interest in increased investments in science and math education, NSF and the Informal Science Education program likely will see increases in their FY 2008 budgets.—Eileen Goldspiel

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