On October 30, President Obama signed into law the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies fiscal year (FY) 2010 appropriations bill (H.R. 2996) (H. Rept. 111-316). The bill includes a second continuing resolution (CR) that provides funding to keep the federal government running until December 18.

The Interior-Environment bill is the fifth of 12 fiscal 2010 appropriations bills to be enacted into law. Two bills are awaiting conference action, and five others have yet to be passed by the Senate. As a result, the agencies covered by those bills will continue to be funded under the CR at the FY 2009 level.

Included in those bills is the Financial Services and General Government FY 2010 appropriations bill that provides funding for the National Archives and Records Administration and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. In addition, the Labor, HHS and Education FY 2010 appropriations bill, that includes funding for the Teaching American History Grants program at the Department of Education and the Institute for Museum and Library Services, has yet to pass the Senate.