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We have before us today the Chairman's mark for the fiscal year 2013 appropriations bill and report for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.
Our discretionary 302(b) allocation in budget authority is $19.405 billion, a decrease of $365 million 1.85 percent below the fiscal year 2012 funding level, and a decrease of $1.7 billion below the President's request. Within this total, is a security allocation of $1.33 billion for international food assistance programs. Mandatory spending in the bill totals $121.3 billion, an increase of $4.4 billion above the fiscal year 2012 level, and a decrease of $2 billion below the request.
Welcome to the mark up of the fiscal year 2013 Financial Services and General Government bill. As you know, this Subcommittee has jurisdiction over a diverse group of agencies and activities including financial regulators, tax collections, the White House, the Federal courts, DC, GSA and the Small Business Administration.
The bill we are considering today provides $21.15 billion which is $376 million or 1.7% less than fiscal year 2012 and $2 billion below the request. Compared to fiscal year 2010, the allocation is a reduction of 12.6% or $3 billion. The bill includes sufficient funds for agencies to complete their work while forcing them to continue to find ways to become more efficient.
The funding priorities in the bill include the drug task forces, public safety and education in the District of Columbia, and Treasury's antiterrorism and financial intelligence activities.
I thank the Chairwoman for yielding, and I congratulate her, Ranking Member Serrano, and the entire Subcommittee and its staff on producing a strong Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2013.
Unquestionably, the fiscal situation confronting our nation is of the utmost importance to our national and economic security. The unsustainable trajectory of federal spending in recent years has left us in a precarious situation. With our debt-to-GDP ratio at a startling 100%, it is becoming even more abundantly clear that we cannot spend our way out of continuing economic woes.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.
We have before us today the Fiscal Year 2013 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, the FDA and Related Agencies, which is funded at the discretionary 302(b) allocation of $19.405 billion. This is a 1.85 percent decrease compared to the fiscal year 2012 enacted level. I would like to thank Chairman Kingston, Ranking Member Farr and staff on both sides for their bipartisan efforts to prepare for this markup today, as well as my good friend from Washington, Mr. Dicks, for his role in getting this bill to the subcommittee. I look forward to continuing the regular order under which we have moved our appropriations bills this year.
