For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 8, 2004

Statement on H.R. 4818, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005
Statement by the Press Secretary

On Wednesday, December 8, 2004, the President signed into law:

H.R. 4818, the "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005" which provides FY 2005 appropriations for nine of the 13 regular appropriations bills. FY 2005 appropriations are included for: the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, the Treasury, and Veterans Affairs; as well as International Assistance Programs; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Executive Office of the President; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the Corporation for National and Community Service; the Social Security Administration; and many other smaller agencies; and

S. 2618, which extends the Medicare Part B premium assistance program for certain qualifying low-income individuals through September 2005.

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