The US House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee has issued a 2012 spending bill cutting the Food and Drug Administration’s budget by $285 million, or 11.5%.

According to The Hill and MassDevice.com, such cuts could significantly impact the agency’s plans for implementing more robust 510(k) clearance processes, as well as affect reauthorization of the Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act (MDUFMA) next year.

If enacted, the budget cut could also prompt the FDA to raise fees it charges to medical device and pharmaceutical firms for reviews and product approvals.

The spending bill’s passage remains far from certain, however; it must win approval by the whole House and then survive the Democratic Senate and avoid a presidential veto.