Issue: H.R. 2112 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act (“Minibus” package), 2012. (Uses bill number for Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA portion of the package.) Question: On the Conference Report (3/5 required).

Result: Passed 70 to 30. Became Public Law 112-55 (signed by the President 11-18-11).  GOP and Democrats scored.

Bill Summary:  A $128 billion “minibus” package of three FY 2012 appropriations bills:

• Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA (H.R. 2112);
• Commerce, Justice and Science (H.R. 2596); and
• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (S. 1596).

Analysis:  While a “minibus” is an improvement over the last-ditch omnibus appropriations bills used all too frequently to fund the federal government, it still falls way short of responsible control of the purse.

The above roll call was on the House-Senate conference report developed following passage of a Senate substitute on 11-1-11. Each of the three bills in this “minibus” was replete with unconstitutional programs and spending — business as usual.

When pushing through the “minibus,” the reported plan of leaders in both parties was to group all of the remaining FY 2012 appropriations bills into one omnibus measure. (In fact, Congress did so in December and passed a “megabus” — the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 — see Senate Vote #235 (12-17-11) H.R. 2055).

We have assigned (good vote) to the Nays and (bad vote) to the Yeas. (P = voted present; ? = not voting; blank = not listed on roll call.)