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Vol. 35, Number 11—November 2003 Judiciary’s FY04 Funding Pending Weeks into fiscal year 2004, only three of the 13 appropriations bills for 2004 pending in Congress had been signed into law. As The Third Branch went to press, the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2004 was still awaiting a Senate vote. The House had passed its version of the bill and both bills would need to be conferenced once the Senate acted. In the meantime, a series of continuing resolutions kept the courts running. Pressure, however, was building to deal with all appropriations bills and adjourn the first session of the 108th of Congress before Thanksgiving. As in previous years, a proposed solution was an omnibus appropriations bill that would fold in the remaining bills and speed passage by limiting debate on individual provisions. However, omnibus bills have been subjected to across-the-board cuts to bring the total package within spending limits. By the second week of November, an omnibus bill was just a possibility. If this fails, the Judiciary could be looking at a long-term continuing resolution until next January or February.

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