# Plain Language Summary: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024

This bill is about how much money the federal government will spend on certain agencies and programs during 2024. Specifically, it sets the budget for the Department of the Interior (which manages public lands, national parks, and Native American affairs), environmental agencies like the EPA, and several related organizations. Think of it like a family deciding how much money to spend on different household expenses for the year—Congress uses appropriations bills to decide how much taxpayer money goes to different government departments.

The money allocated through this bill affects things many Americans interact with directly. It funds the National Park Service, so your visits to places like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon depend partly on this funding. It supports the U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors earthquakes and provides scientific research. The EPA gets money to enforce environmental laws and protect air and water quality. The bill also funds programs that help Native American tribes and manage federal public lands where people hunt, fish, and recreate. Additionally, it supports the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversee millions of acres of public property.

For most everyday Americans, the practical impact of this bill is indirect but important. If the bill provides adequate funding, national parks stay open with good services, environmental protections continue, and public lands remain accessible. If funding is cut, you might see reduced park hours, fewer rangers, less environmental monitoring, or reduced services on public lands. The bill essentially determines whether these government services run smoothly or face budget constraints that affect what they can accomplish.

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024

Merkley, Jeff

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 This bill provides FY2024 appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and several related agencies. The bill provides appropriations to Interior for <ul> <li> the Bureau of Land Management,</li> <li> the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, </li> <li> the National Park Service,</li> <li> the U.S. Geological Survey,</li> <li> the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,</li> <li> the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement,</li> <li> the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, </li> <li> the Bureau of Indian Affairs,</li> <li>the Bureau of Indian Education,</li> <li>the Office of the Special Trustee For American Indians,</li> <li>Departmental Offices, and </li> <li>Department-Wide Programs.</li> </ul> The bill also provides appropriations to the EPA and the Forest Service. Within the Department of Health and Human Services, the bill provides appropriations for <ul> <li> the Indian Health Service, </li> <li> the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and </li> <li> the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. </li> </ul> The bill provides appropriations to several related agencies, including <ul> <li> the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality,</li> <li>the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board,</li> <li> the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation,</li> <li> the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development,</li> <li> the Smithsonian Institution,</li> <li> the National Gallery of Art,</li> <li> the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,</li> <li> the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars,</li> <li>the National Endowment for the Arts,</li> <li>the National Endowment for the Humanities,</li> <li> the Commission of Fine Arts,</li> <li> the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.</li> <li> the National Capital Planning Commission,</li> <li> the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum,</li> <li>the Presidio Trust, and</li> <li>the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission. </li> </ul> Additionally, the bill sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.