2007 Appropriations Bills Backed Up in Congress The Senate has passed the 2007 Defense Appropriations bill and sent it to a conference committee with the House. Conferees will try to work out differences between the two versions in time for final passage before the fiscal year begins Oct. 1. No 2007 appropriation has yet been approved by Congress, so most if not all agencies will begin the new year operating under continuing resolutions, holding their spending to 2006 levels. Both houses are planning to adjourn by the end of September so members can go home and campaign for the November election. That means most appropriations measures will have to wait for a post-election lame-duck session. With spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan eating up a growing share of the federal budget, the House Appropriations Committee has targeted 92 programs for elimination in 2007, saving an estimated $3.4 billion. Whether the House’s cuts will stick in conference with the Senate is uncertain.