President's Budget and Congressional Action

Every year, the President of the United States sends the administration's budget request to the Congress in early February. Congress then must consider the budget and pass funding bills for all the programs before the fiscal year ends on September 30.

The budget includes funding requests for all federal environment and natural resource programs that protect our public lands and other special places, wildlife, climate, air, water and public health.

FY 2009 Budget

On February 4, 2008, President Bush submitted his budget for FY 2009 to Congress and the American people. The president’s last budget is no different than his prior requests, cutting funding for lands and wildlife while playing a smoke and mirrors game to hide the impacts.

Bright spots such as “Safe Borderlands,” “Birds Forever,” and operational increases for the parks are paid for by cuts in other programs, with the result a net conservation loss.

The budget would cut overall appropriated funding for conservation and land management by $1.6 billion or 16% and, more specifically, for the Department of the Interior by $410 million or.3.7% and the U.S. Forest Service, by $379 million or 8.4%.

This budget emphasizes continued pursuit of damaging, unsustainable energy sources, while failing to adequately address the looming crisis of global warming.

Response and Analysis

Interior Appropriations Testimony FY 2009
Read Defenders' March 13, 2008 testimony before the House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations subcommittee regarding FY 2009.

Feb. 4, 2008 Statement from Jamie Rappaport Clark, Defenders' Executive Vice President

Defenders' Analysis of the Impacts on Wildlife of the FY2009 Bush Budget

Initial Analysis of Bush Budget by Leading Environmental Groups

2009 Green Budget
Learn more about the Green Budget, a yearly recommendation, developed by the environmental community, for priority funding to support our nation’s most important environment and natural resource protection programs.

Archive of past budget proposals and analysis.

Congressional Sign On Letters

See Congressional sign on letters in support of increased funding for National Wildlife Refuges and endangered species.