Capitol Hill-The Week in Review for October 17-21, 2011.
The House was in recess until Monday October 24th
The Senate Appropriations Committee released its FY 12 Interior and Environment spending bill and the full Senate began consideration of a three-bill minibus that includes Agriculture, Commerce, Justice and Science and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.
With about a month left in government spending authority, lawmakers may attach a new stopgap spending measure to the minibus. In the meantime, Appropriators are still hoping to clear several smaller packages of spending bills rather than relying on an omnibus bill to wrap up FY 12 spending before the holidays.