FY2018 Appropriations Overview: Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis.

This report discusses FY2018 appropriations (discretionary budget authority) for the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau), historic components of the Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) in the U.S. Department of Commerce. This report will be updated as legislative developments warrant. The Administration’s FY2018 budget request assumes the termination of ESA and proposes $97.0 million for BEA, $6.8 million (6.6%) less than the $103.8 million enacted for FY2017. The FY2018 request for the Census Bureau is $1,497.0 million, $27.0 million (1.8%) more than the FY2017-enacted $1,470.0 million. The FY2018 request is divided between the bureau’s two major accounts: $246.0 million for Current Surveys and Programs, $24.0 million (8.9%) less than the $270.0 million enacted for FY2017; and $1,251.0 million for Periodic Censuses and Programs, $51.0 million (4.3%) more than the $1,200.0 million approved for FY2017. The foremost program under this account is the 2020 Decennial Census, with an $800.2 million FY2018 request that is $32.9 million (4.3%) above the $767.3 million enacted for FY2017. A second key program is the American Community Survey (ACS), with an FY2018 request of $213.6 million, $8.0 million (3.6%) below the $221.6 million FY2017-enacted amount. The House Committee on Appropriations reported H.R. 3267, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018 (CJS), on July 17, 2017. Committeerecommended funding for BEA in FY2018 is $96.0 million, $1.0 million (1.0%) less than requested and $7.8 million (7.5%) less than enacted for FY2017. The Census Bureau would receive $1,507.0 million in FY2018, $37.0 million (2.5%) more than enacted for FY2017 and $10.0 million (0.7%) above the FY2018 request. The $256.0 million recommended for Current Surveys and Programs is $14.0 million (5.2%) below the FY2017-enacted amount and $10.0 million (4.1%) more than requested for FY2018. Periodic Censuses and Programs would receive the requested $1,251.0 million, $51.0 million (4.3%) more than enacted for FY2017. H.R. 3267, as reported, became Division C of H.R. 3354, which the House passed on September 14, 2017. The Senate Committee on Appropriations reported its FY2018 CJS appropriations bill, S. 1662, on July 27, 2017. It continues to recognize ESA and recommends funding it at $99.0 million in FY2018, $8.3 million (7.7%) below the $107.3 million enacted for ESA in FY2017, $2.0 million (2.1%) more than the FY2018 request for BEA, and $3.0 million (3.1%) more than the Housepassed BEA funding level. The Census Bureau would receive $1,521.0 million in FY2018, $51.0 million (3.5%) over the FY2017-enacted amount, $24.0 million (1.6%) above the request, and $14.0 million (0.9%) more than the House recommendation. The Senate committee recommends $270.0 million for Current Surveys and Programs in FY2018, identical to what was enacted for FY2017, $24.0 million (9.8%) more than the FY2018 request, and $14.0 million (5.5%) above the House-passed level. Periodic Censuses and Programs would receive $1,251.0 million in FY2018, which matches the requested and House-passed amounts and is $51.0 million (4.3%) above the FY2017-enacted level. FY2017 ended without enactment of final FY2018 CJS appropriations legislation. Four continuing appropriations acts provided federal agencies with FY2018 funding at FY2017 appropriations levels, reduced by 0.6791%, through February 8, 2018. The Census Bureau, however, could apportion the funds for Periodic Censuses and Programs “up to the rate for operations necessary to maintain the schedule and deliver the required data according to statutory deadlines in the 2020 Decennial Census Program.” A fifth act, H.R. 1892, P.L. 115-123, continues these provisions through March 23, 2018, with an additional $182.0 million for the 2020 census. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]