House approves FY18 spending bill, EPA cuts

The House of Representatives this month passed an omnibus appropriations bill that, if enacted, would provide funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a range of other federal departments and agencies for the duration of the 2018 fiscal year. But the bill is not expected to see further action in the Senate; instead it will likely serve as a starting point for House and Senate negotiators as they work to compile a final FY18 spending plan before a stopgap federal funding bill expires in December.