With the Continuing Resolution (CR) on FY2015 funding set to expire at midnight, the House passed a $1.013 trillion FY 2015 Appropriations bill that funds the Department of Defense Appropriations bill and 10 other bills (including Military Construction /VA) through the end of FY2015.

The Homeland Security Appropriations bill, subject to intense debate after the president announced an executive order on immigration, is funded in the bill under a CR through February 27, 2015. This action will allow the Republican-controlled 114th Congress time to address concerns about the immigration order.

The Senate is expected to take up the bill tomorrow. To avert a shutdown until the Senate acts both the House and Senate approved a two-day CR.

This bill is being referred to as a CRomnibus appropriations bill because it is a combination of full-year appropriations for 11 appropriations bills and a two and a half month CR for the Homeland Security bill.

After a day of high drama that included a razor thin vote (214-212) approving the rule to proceed to a final vote and an almost seven hour recess, the House passed H.R. 83 by 219-206. Fifty seven Democrats joined 162 Republicans in supporting the bill. Defections from the bill included Republicans unhappy that the bill did not more strongly rebuke the president’s order on immigration and Democrats who were outraged over provisions that changed the Dodd-Frank law regarding banks trading financial derivatives and relaxed restrictions on campaign contributions by individuals.

The final bill was the result of intense conference negotiations between the House and Senate Appropriations committees. The House had passed its version of the bill in June and the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill in July.

In a joint statement House Appropriations Committee (HAC) chair Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY) and Senate Appropriations chair Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) said “this bill fulfills our constitutional duty to fund the government, preventing damage from shutdown politics that are bad for the economy, cost jobs and hurt middle class families. While not everyone got everything they wanted, such compromises must be made in a divided government.”

Funding in the bill for DoD base appropriations, less Military Construction, totals almost $490.2 billion, about $1 billion less than the request. Military Construction appropriations funding (in the MilCoN/VA bill) is $6.6 billion, essentially the same as the request.The bill provides $64 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).

The bill provides funding for a 1% percent military pay raise as proposed by the president, but freezes freeze pay for general and flag officers. It also allows for a 1 percent reduction in the Basic Housing Allowance (BAH) growth (the administration proposed a 5 percent cut). The conference agreement adds about $200 million to the Defense Commissary Agency funding request to maintain operations and block the president’s proposed cut to the commissary subsidy.

The legislation includes about $850 million to refuel the USS George Washington, denying the administration’s plan to defer a decision on refueling until the FY2016 budget. The bill also funds continued operations of A-10 aircraft, blocking the administration proposal to retire the A-10 fleet, and continues operations of the full Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), thwarting the administration’s plan to retire some AWACS aircraft in FY2015.

Operations and Maintenance (O&M) funding in the bill totals $161.7 billion, more than $4 billion below the administration’s request. The bill includes finding for a 1 percent civilian pay raise and provides funding increases for facility sustainment (+$900 million) and readiness, depot maintenance, and base operating support shortfalls (+$1.2 billion). Conferees cut $270 million or 2 percent from the information technologies O&M budget request.

Procurement funding in the bill totals $93.8 billion, more than $4 billion higher than the request. Included in the bill’s procurement funding are: two attack submarines and three Littoral Combat Ships; 38 F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter) aircraft and 7 KC-46A tankers; and 15 EA-18G Growlers. The legislation appropriates $1.2 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment not requested by the administration.

The bill includes $63.7 billion for research and development, slightly more than the request. Among the programs receiving R&D funding are: the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV); the long-range strike bomber; and the KC-46 tanker. The conferees also included $225 million for the Rapid Innovation Fund to support small businesses provide “leap-ahead” technologies. The bill also adds $1.3 billion for medical research (including about $100 million for the Ebola crisis) with a special focus on Peer-Reviewed Medical Research and Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research.

The conferees essentially continued language from the FY2014 appropriations bill to prohibit the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo to the United States or its territories or the modification or acquisition of facilities used to house detainees and eliminated the 5 percent discount for Military Exchanges sales of tobacco and tobacco-related products.