Info Request: Language/Analysis of Omnibus Appropriations Bill

Steve started with this post. I’m sure that somewhere, someone, in fact many people are paid by their employer to follow this and write an assessment for their members. This thread would be a good spot to collect them, and we can look at a variety of perspectives and discuss them.

Please post links to the relevant language (not the whole bill) and any analysis thereof. If you have a document, email me and I will upload it. Thanks to all!

6 thoughts on “Info Request: Language/Analysis of Omnibus Appropriations Bill”

  1. According to the Forest Service, the Omnibus was a big win. In addition to money: “The 8 management reforms negotiated with the USDA FS were all included as negotiated:”

    • Categorical Exclusion for Wildfire Resilience Projects
    • Healthy Forest Restoration Act Improvements
    • Stewardship contracting amendments
    • Cottonwood Fix
    • Fire Hazard Mapping Initiative
    • Vegetation Management Framework
    • Good Neighbor Authority amendment
    • Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Reauthorization

    The between-the-lines message is that while the regular antagonists were duking it out over the Westerman bill, Tongass exemptions, and other highly partisan battles, the Forest Service was pushing its own narrower agenda. Hill decision-makers chose to listen to the Forest Service and ignore everyone else.

    And who carried the Forest Service’s water on the Hill? Civil servants, not political appointees, that’s who. I’ll bet that was an important part of the FS’s success; this wasn’t a Trump-driven legislative agenda.

    Reply
    • Thanks for this.. I would like to see the actual language and the reasons for why these things were included. I tried to FOIA the FS ideas about this bill, but after five months (received March 14) was sent this email.

      Dear Ms. Friedman:
      This letter is in response to your November 4, 2017, Freedom of lnformation Act (FOIA) request that was received in the Washington Office (WO) FOIA Service Center on November 6, 2017. You requested” .. access to legislative analysis of the Senate Bill .. Wildfire Disaster Funding Act of 2017.” … the current document developed by the legislative Affairs staff in the Washington Office.
      We conducted a thorough search for records and located three pages responsive to your request. We have determined that these records arc under the purview of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of the Secretary; therefore, according to Department of Agriculture FOIA Regulation 7 C.F.R. § 1.7(b). we have referred three pages for review and direct
      ed that these records arc under the purview of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of the Secretary; therefore, according to Department of Agriculture FOIA Regulation 7 C.F.R. § 1.7(b). we have referred three pages for review and direct response to you. As a courtesy, we have provided contact information for that office below:

      There’s got to be a better way to find out about bills..

      Reply
  2. Here’s the link to the bill http://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20180319/BILLS-115SAHR1625-RCP115-66.pdf
    The interesting parts for us start on page 1787. Most of the folks are know are rightly feeling great about finally achieving the wildfire funding fix and not so interested in the tweaks. I think the CE has to do with adding hazardous fuels to the Farm Bill insect and disease CE with the associated ecological integrity, collaborative group, etc. requirements.

    Reply

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