Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
Overview
Headline Summary
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (H.R. 4366) is a federal spending package funding six major areas of the U.S. government for fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 through September 2024). It was signed into law in March 2024.
By The Numbers
- Total spending: Approximately $460 billion across six divisions
- Divisions: 6 (covering Agriculture, Commerce/Justice/Science, Energy/Water, Interior/Environment, Military Construction/VA, and Transportation/HUD)
- Sections: 500+
Division Overview
- Division A — Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA: $25.5 billion for farm programs, rural development, food safety, and the Food and Drug Administration
- Division B — Commerce, Justice, Science: $72.4 billion for the FBI, DOJ, NASA, NOAA, and science agencies
- Division C — Energy and Water Development: $57.8 billion for the Department of Energy, Army Corps of Engineers, and nuclear programs
- Division D — Interior, Environment: $38.9 billion for the EPA, National Park Service, and public lands management
- Division E — Military Construction, Veterans Affairs: $155.3 billion for VA healthcare, military base construction, and veterans' benefits
- Division F — Transportation, HUD: $109.5 billion for highways, aviation, transit, and housing programs
Biggest Ticket Items
- Veterans Affairs healthcare: $118.7 billion
- Highway and transit programs: $62.3 billion
- Housing assistance (Section 8): $32.4 billion
- NASA: $24.9 billion
- Army Corps of Engineers: $8.9 billion
- FBI: $11.3 billion
- National Park Service: $3.8 billion
- FDA: $3.6 billion
- EPA: $9.2 billion
- Nuclear weapons programs (NNSA): $23.2 billion
What It Means For You
This bill keeps major government services running — from veterans' healthcare and housing vouchers to highway maintenance, food safety inspections, national park operations, and scientific research. If you drive on federal highways, visit national parks, receive VA benefits, use HUD-assisted housing, or eat FDA-inspected food, this bill directly funds those services.
Divisions
Each division covers a major department or agency. Click to see the full breakdown.
Overview
Division A funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and related agencies for fiscal year 2024. This covers everything from farm subsidies and crop insurance to food safety inspections, rural broadband, and nutrition research.
Total Spending
Approximately $25.5 billion in discretionary spending.
Key Funding Areas
- Farm Service Agency (FSA): $1.6 billion for farm loan programs and agricultural subsidies
- Food and Drug Administration: $3.6 billion for food safety, drug approval, and medical device regulation
- Natural Resources Conservation Service: $890 million for soil conservation and environmental stewardship
- Rural Development: $3.2 billion for rural housing, utilities, and broadband
- Agricultural Research Service: $1.7 billion for agricultural research
- Food Safety and Inspection Service: $1.1 billion for meat, poultry, and egg inspections
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: $1.2 billion for animal disease prevention and pest control
- Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): $6.0 billion for the WIC nutrition program
Notable Provisions
- Continues restrictions on FDA regulation of genetically modified salmon labeling
- Includes $500 million for rural broadband expansion (ReConnect Program)
- Maintains prohibition on closing or relocating USDA research labs
Who Benefits
Farmers, rural communities, food safety regulators, WIC recipients (low-income pregnant women and young children), and anyone who eats food inspected by USDA or regulated by FDA.
Plain English Summary
This section funds the agencies that keep your food safe, help farmers stay in business, bring broadband to rural areas, and make sure the drugs at your pharmacy actually work. The biggest single item is WIC — a nutrition program for pregnant women and young kids.