Summary of FY 24 House and Senate Appropriations Bills

Before leaving for its annual August recess, the Senate Appropriations Committee completed action on the final four of the twelve appropriations bills that will fund the federal government for the coming Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. The House Appropriations Committee has completed action on nine of its FY 24 funding bills, with the notable exception of the Labor, HHS and Education bill.

Generally the Senate bills include flat funding for FY 24. This reflects the caps on non-defense discretionary spending for the next two fiscal years that were agreed to as part of the budget deal in the bill passed earlier this year to raise the debt ceiling. However, Republican leadership in the House has, in some cases, cut FY 24 spending below the amounts agreed to in the budget agreement. As a result, most of the funding levels for programs that affect history, archives, humanities, and education are higher in the Senate bills than the House versions.

Clearing the committee stage is merely the initial milestone in a lengthy convoluted process. In September, Congress will only have a few weeks to pass and send to conference all twelve bills before the new fiscal year begins. As happens every year, Congress will be forced to pass a series of continuing resolutions (CRs) that temporarily fund the federal government after the start of FY 24 on October 1. There is also the possibility that we will experience yet another federal government shutdown. NCH will be issuing legislative alerts at the appropriate time urging legislators to support the higher funding levels in conference.

A chart showing the House and Senate numbers in comparison to the Biden administration’s FY 24 request and FY 23 funding levels can be accessed by clicking this link.

Here are the highlights from the FY 24 Senate and House appropriations bills:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

OPERATING EXPENSES

  • FY 23—$427.52 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$443.2 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$427.25 million (-$270,00 from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$430.5 million (+$3 million from FY 23)

National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)

  • FY 23—$12 million (grants)
  • FY 23 Congressionally Directed Spending—$23.7 million
  • FY 23 NHPRC total—$35.7 million
  • Biden administration FY 24 request grants—$10 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24 grants—$10 million (-$2 million from FY 23)

Note: The House bill does not include any Congressionally Directed Spending projects.

  • Senate Appropriations FY 24 grants—$10 million (-$2 million from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24 Congressionally Directed Spending—$38.4 million
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24 NHPRC total—$48.4 million (+12.7 million)

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) 

  • FY 23—$207 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$211 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$186.3 million (-$20.7 million from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$207 million (no change from FY 23)

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

  • FY 23—$294.8 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$294.8 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$294.8 million (no change from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$289.8 million (-$5 million from FY 23)

Library of Congress

  • FY 23—$828.5 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$832.1 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$843.7 million (+$15.2 million from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$855.8 million (+$30.3 million from FY 23)

National Park Service

Historic Preservation Fund

  • FY 23—$204.5 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$178 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$175.4 (-$29.1 million from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$195.1 million (-$9.4 million from FY 23)

National Recreation and Preservation Fund

  • FY 23—$92.5 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$95 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$80 (-$12.5 million from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$93.4 million (+$900,000 from FY 23)

Heritage Partnership Program

  • FY 23—$29.2 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$29 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$30.3 (+$1.1 million from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$30.8 million (+$1.6 million from FY 23)

Save America’s Treasures Program

  • FY 23—$26.5 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$20 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$26.5 million (no change from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$26.5 million (no change from FY 23)

American Battlefield Protection Program

  • FY 23—$20 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$20 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$20 million (no change from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$20 million (no change from FY 23)

US Department of Education

Note: The House Appropriations Committee has not yet marked up the FY 24 Labor, HHS and Education funding bill. It has only released a summary of the subcommittee bill. Therefore, figures are missing for US History and Civics Education programs and International Education programs.

US History and Civics Education Programs

  • FY 23—$23 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$73 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—(unknown)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$23 million (no change from FY 23)

Title VI/Fulbright Hays International Education Programs

Total:

  • FY 23—$85.6 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$85.6 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—(unknown)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$85.6 million (no change from FY 23)

Title VI (Domestic)

  • FY 23—$75.3 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$75.3 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—(unknown)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$75.3 million (no change from FY 23)

Fulbright-Hays (Overseas)

  • FY 23—$10.3.3 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$10.3 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—(unknown)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$10.3 million (no change from FY 23)

Smithsonian Institution

  • FY 23—$1.145 billion
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$1.241 billion
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$960 million (-$184 million from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$1.095 billion (-$50 million from FY 23)

US Semiquincentennial Commission

  • FY 23—$15 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$30 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$15 million (no change from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$15 million (no change from FY 23)

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

  • FY 23—$15 million
  • Biden administration request FY 24—$16 million
  • House Appropriations FY 24—$12 million (-$4 million from FY 23)
  • Senate Appropriations FY 24—$15 million (no change from FY 23)