The full Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a fiscal year 2020 spending bill for EPA and several other agencies that funds the agency at $9.01 billion, a $161 million boost over current levels that includes either modest increases or flat funding for numerous EPA programs. The 31-0 committee passage of the bill at a Sept. 26 markup removes one hurdle to subsequent Senate floor action as well as negotiations with the House, which proposes to fund EPA at roughly $500 million higher than the Senate measure. The measure previously cleared a subcommittee Sept. 24, and senators did not approve any stand-alone amendments to the bill at the full committee. But committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) warned that EPA's FY20 bill — as well as several other pending spending measures — could be derailed if lawmakers and the administration cannot resolve issues including fights over border security that led to the lengthy government shutdown earlier this year.
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