The Senate has passed a $915-billion spending package that funds a major portion of the federal government through Sept. 30, 2012, the end of the current fiscal year. The measure slices many key construction accounts, but hikes a few others.

The Senate's approval, which came on Dec. 17 by a 67-32 vote, followed the House's approval one day earlier.  The measure now goes to the White House for President Obama's signature.

Obama has several days to act on the omnibus: On Dec, 17 he signed a short stopgap continuing resolution that ensures that the agencies the package would fund can stay open through Dec. 23. Previous extensions expired on Dec. 16 and on Dec. 17.

The more-than-1,000-page omnibus includes funding for the Depts. of Defense, Energy and Veterans Affairs--among others--as well as such agencies as the General Services Administration and Environmental Protection Agency.

The Depts. of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, Justice and Agriculture aren't included in this package. A separate measure funding their programs for fiscal 2012 was enacted on Nov. 18.

The new omnibus measure cuts spending for many construction accounts from their fiscal 2011 levels. (see below).

One notable exception is the Army Corps of Engineers civil works program, which won a 5% increase in its regular appropriations for fiscal 2012 plus $1.7 billion to help rebuild and repair infrastructure damaged by storms, floods and other natural disasters.

The Corps disaster aid is part of a separate $8.1-billion disaster-relief measure that the Senate approved on Dec. 17, one day after the House passed it. The Federal Emergency Management Agency would receive the other $6.4 billion in the bill.

The House also cleared a third measure, that sought to offset the $8.1 billion in disaster relief funds by cutting most line-items in the omnibus by 1.83%, except for defense and veterans' programs. But the Senate rejected the bill, sinking the across-the-board cut.

Here are funding totals for key construction accounts under the omnibus spending measure:

Corps of Engineers civil works (excludes one-time disaster relief funds, see below):
FY12: 5,002
FY11: 4,857
% chg: +3

Within that civil works total, Corps construction account:
FY12: 1,694
FY11:  1,614
%: +5

DOE defense enviro restoration
FY12: 5,023
FY11: 4,980
%: +1

EPA water infrastructure (State and Tribal Assistance Grants):
FY 12: 3,619
FY11:  3,759
%: -4

Within that broad water infrastructure category:
Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs)
FY12: 1,469
FY11: 1,525
%: -4

Drinking Water SRFs
FY12: 919
FY11: 965
%: -5

GSA construction and acquisition
FY12: 50
FY11: 82
%: -39

GSA repairs and alterations
FY12: 280
FY11: 280
%:    no change

DOD Base Closure
FY12: 580
FY11: 2,477
%: -77

DOD Family Housing Construction
FY12: 338
FY11: 357
%: -5

DOD Other Military Construction
FY12: 11,084
FY11: 11,908
%: -8

VA major construction projects
FY12: 590
FY11: 1,074
%: -45

VA minor construction projects
FY12: 482
FY11: 467
%: +3