The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday released the overall budget numbers for the 11 appropriations bills it will be taking up this year.

According to the figures, the Interior Department and related agencies bill will contain an overall $26.1 billion. This is down $595 million from current levels but $435 million above President Bush's fiscal year 2006 request. This bill contains funds for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Office of Special Trustee and the Indian Health Service. More information was reported here yesterday.

The Transportation, Treasury, HUD bill will contain $66.9 billion. This is an increase of $3.8 billion from current levels and $6.2 billion above Bush's request. This bill contains funds for Indian housing programs, which have taken a hit in recent years. The committee has not yet released more detailed figures.

Elsewhere, the budget numbers apparently show the committee has rejected the Bush administration's proposal to remove the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, consolidate with other grant programs and transfer it to the Commerce Department.

This proposal did not include the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG), which would stay at HUD but see a decrease in funds.

Get the Story:
House Panel Receives Detailed Spending Plan for '06 (The Washington Post 5/6)
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FY 2006 Funding Levels:
FY 2006 302( b) Allocations (May 5, 2005) | Subcommittee Reports FY06 Interior Appropriations Bill (May 4, 2005)

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