This report outlines the fiscal year 2017 appropriations for the Department of Agriculture which were enacted on May 5, 2017 as a part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The discretionary total of the enacted appropriation is $20.877 billion, which is $623 million less than enacted in FY2016 (-2.9%). The appropriation also carries mandatory spending--largely determined in separate authorizing laws--that totaled about $132.5 billion. The overall total therefore exceeded $153 billion (Table 1). The discretionary caps were set so as not to trigger sequestration under limits established by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-74).The White House released its FY2017 budget request on February 9, 2016, along with the detailed justification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The new Administration released an outline for FY2018 appropriations on March 16, 2017.

This report outlines an array of homeland security issues that may come before the 115th Congress. After a brief discussion of the definitions of homeland security, the homeland security budget, and the role of homeland security actors in the intelligence community, the report divides the specific issues into five broad categories: Counterterrorism and Security Management; Border Security and Trade; Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery; Cybersecurity; and DHS Management Issues. Each of those areas contains a survey of topics briefly analyzed by Congressional Research Service experts. The information included only scratches the surface of most of these selected issues. More detailed information on these topics and others can be obtained by consulting the CRS reports referenced herein, or by contacting the relevant CRS expert.

This report discusses the authorities who may appoint a special counsel or independent counsel to conduct criminal investigations of the executive branch when the Department of Justice may have a conflict of interest.