(Washington, D.C.) – Late Monday, a bipartisan, bicameral group of Appropriations Committee leaders released an omnibus Appropriations bill which includes several significant wins for Washington state secured by U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), including $5 million in funding to establish the FAA Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment at Washington State University.
“This funding to study alternative jet fuels is an excellent opportunity for Washington state to build on our long-standing history as a global leader in the aviation industry,” Senator Murray said. “I was proud to fight to include this funding and believe this Center will not only help ensure Washington remains a national leader in renewable energy research and development, but will create jobs and economic growth, foster energy independence, and promote environmental sustainability.”
“WSU is grateful for the support Senator Murray provided that will enable us to conduct vital research within the FAA Center of Excellence for Alternate Jet Fuels and Environment that we recently were selected to lead,” said Elson S. Floyd, President of Washington State University. “Because of her leadership, we will be able to expand our world class research to advance our state and nation’s aviation and natural resources industries.”
In December, Senator Murray, as Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, reached a landmark budget deal with U.S. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) that rolled back significant cuts from sequestration and provided a critical framework for the spending bill released on Monday by the Appropriations Committee leaders. Senator Murray, also a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was able to work with her colleagues to ensure several Washington state priorities were included in the omnibus package. In order to become law, the House and Senate must each pass the omnibus bill, and it then must be signed by the President.
Under cuts mandated by sequestration in the Budget Control Act, the government’s discretionary spending limit for FY 13 was $987 billion. Under the budget agreement reached by Senator Murray and Rep. Ryan, the discretionary spending limit for this FY14 omnibus bill is $1.012 trillion. If not for the budget agreement, which rolled back cuts from sequestration, the FY14 budget topline would have been $967 billion. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 maintains defense spending at roughly current levels and increases non-defense discretionary spending significantly by replacing almost two-thirds of this year’s cuts.
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