House Appropriations chair Rep. David Obey (D-WI)'s fiscal 2007 budget bill, H. J. Res. 20, filed late Monday, provides for $463.5 billion in spending. It complies with the statutory ceiling on spending; it also declares that earmarks it may contain "shall have no legal effect," though "ongoing" earmarks contained in bills prior to FY06 can continue. The bill is expected to reach the House floor for a vote on Wednesday (tomorrow). H. J. Res. 20 is part continuing resolution (CR) in that it generally follows simple funding formulas applied across the board. But it is also part omnibus -- it cuts 60 programs below FY 2006 levels, while increasing funding for veterans' medical care, health benefits for troops and their families, K-12 classroom instruction, college aid, NIH research, etc. (Hence, CRomnibus.) Though some have complained about the amount of time available to review the 137 page bill before tomorrow's vote, very few have said they will oppose it on substantive grounds. For more information, see:

• Text of H. J. Res. 20
• Summary of H. J. Res. 20