This week, the House approved two of the thirteen FY2005 appropriations bills: Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies, and Legislative Branch. The House Appropriations Committee approved the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs and Military Construction spending bills. House Appropriations subcommittees approved the following bills under their jurisdiction: District of Columbia; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies; and Military Construction. A number of Senate Appropriations subcommittees were scheduled to consider FY2005 spending bills on July 8, but those mark-ups were postponed.
House Action
Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary and Related Agencies
On July 8, the House approved, 397-18, the FY2005 Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies spending bill (H.R. 4754). The House Appropriations Committee approved the measure on June 23 (see The Source, 6/25/04).
H.R. 4754 would allocate $39.8 billion in FY2005, $2 billion more than FY2004 and $200 million above the administration’s request.
Department of Justice
Under the bill, the Department of Justice would receive $20.6 billion, $900 million more than FY2004 and $901.7 million above the administration’s request.
Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
The House Appropriations Committee report accompanying H.R. 4754 states that the committee “recognizes that automated victim notification provides victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes access to information concerning the custody status of offenders, free of charge, 24 hours a day. Victims can call a toll-free number to check on the custody status of an offender and can register by phone to be notified automatically when an offender is released or transferred, or escapes.” According to the report, the Crime Victims Fund provides $5 million “for the Executive Office of the United States Attorneys to operate a Victim Notification System for crimes being prosecuted by the Federal government. The Committee supports these notification systems and encourages States to allocate funding from their Crime Victims Fund grants or their Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs grants to develop, implement and operate State-wide victim notification systems.”
Justice Assistance
In FY2005, the National Institute of Justice would receive $55 million, a $7.505 million increase over FY2004, but $8.559 million less than the administration’s request. Report language notes that the committee “supports the budget request to conduct research on trafficking in persons.”
The Missing Children program would receive $41 million in FY2005 to “combat crimes against children, particularly kidnapping and sexual exploitation.” This amount is $5 million more than FY2004 and $5.362 million above the administration’s request. The total would include $14.5 million for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, $17 million for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and $5 million for the AMBER Alert grants.
State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance
As approved by the House on March 30, a bill (H.R. 3036) to reauthorize the Department of Justice would consolidate the Byrne Grant Program and the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant into the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants program (see The Source, 4/2/04). The new program would receive $634 million in FY2005. Last year, the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant received $225 million.
H.R. 4754 would level-fund the Boys and Girls Clubs at $80 million.
The measure would provide $52.175 million for implementation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-79). This amount is $15 million more than FY2004 and $44.521 million above the administration’s request. According to the report, “The Committee understands that experts have conservatively estimated that 13 percent of the inmates in the United States have suffered repeated assaults. Under this estimate, nearly 20,000 inmates now incarcerated have been, or will be, victims of prison rape…The Committee understands that prison rape contributes to the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases, such as HIV and AIDS. The Committee also recognizes that inmates with mental illness and juvenile inmates are particularly vulnerable to sexual victimization. The Committee further understands that most prison staff are not adequately trained or prepared to prevent, report, or treat inmate sexual assaults and that prison rape often goes unreported.”
The bill would provide level funding of $10 million in FY2005 for victims services programs to provide assistance to victims of trafficking. President Bush did not request funding for these programs. The report states, “Once again the Committee is disappointed that the Administration continues to propose the elimination of this program. According to the Central Intelligence Agency, between 18,000 and 20,000 people are trafficked into the United States annually. The Committee believes the Administration must continue to work to address these crimes and must provide sufficient resources to address the needs of victims of this horrific crime.”
H.R. 4754 would provide $175.788 million for state and local crime laboratories to reduce and eventually eliminate backlogs of DNA casework samples. The amount is $75.788 million above the FY2004 level and $300,000 above the administration’s request. The report indicates that the committee “recognizes that DNA technology will allow local law enforcement to identify certain criminals quickly and accurately, solve additional crimes, especially violent crimes such as murder and rape, and identify persons mistakenly accused or convicted of crimes. According to a report submitted to Congress by the Attorney General on April 6, 2004, the total number of crime cases with possible biological evidence either still in the possession of local law enforcement or backlogged at forensic laboratories is over 542,700, which includes 221,000 with possible evidence in rape and homicide cases.”
Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs: Programs under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) would receive $383.551 million in FY2005, approximately $4 million less than the FY2004 level and $1 million below the administration’s request. According to the report, “Funding included under this heading will continue to provide resources to expand units of law enforcement officers and prosecutors specifically targeted at crimes against women, and to provide much-needed victim services, including specialized domestic violence court advocates to obtain protection orders.”
As requested by President Bush, VAWA programs would receive the following:
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Juvenile Justice Programs: H.R. 4754 would provide $349 million for Juvenile Justice programs in FY2005, $3.7 million below the FY2004 level and $104.5 million above the administration’s request. The total would include $14 million for the Victims of Child Abuse Act, a $1 million increase above FY2004 and $2.8 million above the administration’s request. Of that amount, $2.75 million would be provided for regional Child Advocacy Centers.
The State Department
Under the bill, the State Department would receive $8.9 billion in FY2005, $770 million less than FY2004 and $80.4 million below the administration’s request.
According to the report, “The Committee continues to be concerned about the serious problem of international trafficking in persons. The Committee recommendation includes funding for the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office), as in the current year. The Committee supports the efforts of the Office to further strengthen the annual reporting process and those of the Department-led Senior Policy Operating Group to coordinate interagency activities to implement the Trafficking Victims Prevention Act of 2000.”
Independent Agencies
The Legal Services Corporation would receive $335 million in FY2005, a $4 million decrease below FY2004 and $5.7 million more than the administration’s request. The measure would appropriate $335 million for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, $7 million more than FY2004, but $15 million below the administration’s request. In addition, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights would be level-funded at $9.1 million, as requested by President Bush.
The National Women’s Business Council would be level-funded at $750,000. Women’s Business Centers would receive $12 million in FY2005, $500,000 less than last year.
During consideration of the bill, the House approved the following amendments:
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The House rejected, by voice vote, an amendment by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) that would have provided an additional $10 million for state and local crime laboratories to reduce and eventually eliminate backlogs of DNA casework samples. The amendment would have been offset by a $10 million decrease in the bill’s appropriation for Department of Justice salaries and expenses.
House Committee Action
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs
On July 9, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2005 Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). A House Appropriations subcommittee approved the measure on June 23 (see The Source, 6/25/04)
The measure would allocate $19.4 billion in FY2005, a $2.2 billion increase over FY2004, but $1.9 billion less than the administration’s request.
While all of the funding levels for programs of particular interest to women and their families were not available at press time, some highlights from the bill include:
As requested by President Bush, $2.2 billion would be provided for HIV/AIDS prevention activities, $554 million more than FY2004. The total includes $400 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; $885 million in bilateral HIV/AIDS funding within the Child Survival and Health Programs Fund to finance ongoing programs; $1.26 billion for the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative; and $30 million for microbicides research and development.
The bill would provide level funding of $1.4 billion for development assistance programs administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The amount is $100 million above the administration’s request.
Under the bill, level funding of $429 million would be provided for international family planning programs in FY2005. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) would receive $25 million. Last year, Congress provided $34 million for the UNFPA. In addition, $34 million withheld from UNFPA in FY2002 was provided for family planning and maternal and reproductive health activities in Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Haiti, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Albania, Romania, and Kazakhstan. The $25 million withheld from UNFPA in FY2003 was made available for a new initiative to combat trafficking in women and children.
The measure would provide $1.25 billion for the new Millennium Challenge Corporation, $250 million below the administration’s request. Last year, Congress allocated $650 million for the Millennium Challenge Assistance program.
The Peace Corps would receive $330 million in FY2005, a $5 million increase above the FY2004 level, but $71 million less than the administration’s request.
During consideration of the bill, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) offered an amendment that would have provided an additional $25 million for the UNFPA in FY2005. Under the amendment, the funding would have been restricted to use in Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Pakistan and Tanzania. The amendment was defeated, 26-32.
The House is expected to consider the measure next week.
Military Construction
On July 9, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2005 Military Construction spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). A House Appropriations subcommittee approved the measure by voice vote on July 6.
The measure would allocate $10.003 billion in FY2005, a $687 million increase over FY2004 and $450 million above the administration’s request.
Under the bill, $4.2 billion would be allocated for military family housing, of which $1.6 billion would be allocated for new family housing units and improvements to existing units, and $2.5 billion would be used for the operation and maintenance of existing units. Congress allocated $3.9 billion in FY2004 for military family housing.
The measure also would include $26 million for child development centers. In FY2004, Congress provided $16 million for child development centers.
The House is expected to consider the measure next week.
House Subcommittee Action
District of Columbia
On July 7, a House Appropriations subcommittee approved, by voice vote, the FY2005 District of Columbia spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
The measure would allocate $560 million for the District of Columbia in FY2005, a $15 million increase over FY2004, but $300,000 below the administration’s request.
The bill would provide $202.1 million for the operation of the D.C. Courts, $34.3 million above the FY2004 level, but $25.9 million less than administration’s request. This total would include funding for the Family Court, which handles all cases in the District pertaining to child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, adoption, and foster care.
With the goal of expanding school choice in the District of Columbia, the measure would provide $14 million for private school vouchers, $13 million for the improvement of public schools, and $13 million for charter schools. In FY2004, Congress provided $13 million for private school vouchers, public schools, and charter schools respectively.
Under the bill, $1 million would be allocated for the Family Literacy Program, $1 million less than FY2004. President Bush did not request funding for the program.
The measure would provide $5 million for improvements to the District’s foster care system, $9 million below the FY2004 level. The administration’s budget request did not include funding for this purpose.
Included in the bill is a provision that would prohibit the use of federal funds to implement a D.C. law that permits municipal employees to purchase health insurance benefits for their domestic partners, regardless of gender or marital status.
The bill also would maintain current law with respect to the prohibition on the use of local and federal funds for abortion coverage for low-income women on Medicaid. Exceptions for abortion coverage would be made in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment.
Finally, the measure would maintain current law prohibiting the use of local and federal funds for a needle exchange program.
The full committee will consider the District of Columbia spending bill on July 17.
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
On July 8, a House Appropriations subcommittee approved, 18-0, the FY2005 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
The measure would allocate $142.526 billion in FY2005, a $2.766 billion increase over FY2004 and $202 million above the administration’s request.
Department of Labor
As requested by President Bush, the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau would receive $9.554 million in FY2005, $287,000 more than FY2004.
Dislocated workers assistance would receive $1.479 billion in FY2005, $23 million more than FY2004 and $95.3 million above the administration’s request.
The bill would include $35.545 million for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs. This amount is $75.055 million below the FY2004 level and $5 million above the administration’s request.
Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Community Health Centers would receive $1.835 billion in FY2005, an increase of $208 million above FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
The bill would provide $729.8 million for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, a $4.4 million decrease below the FY2004 level and equal to the administration’s request.
The Healthy Start infant mortality initiative would receive $97.751 million in FY2005, $249,000 less than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request. The measure also would provide $9.872 million for universal newborn hearing screening. Under the administration’s request, this program would not have been funded.
The measure would not provide funding for the National Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank program. Last year, Congress allocated $10 million for the establishment of the program. The administration requested $9.941 million for the program.
Ryan White: The Ryan White Care Act would receive a $35 million increase over the FY2004 funding level to $2.074 billion, $20 million more than the administration’s request.
Family Planning: Title X, the nation’s family planning program, would receive $278.2 million in FY2005. This amount is $1.8 million less than the FY2004 funding level and equal to the administration’s request.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The measure would allocate $4.48 billion for the CDC in FY2005, $270 million less than FY2004 and $15 million above the administration’s request. Of this total, $119.2 million would be provided for the prevention of birth defects, developmental disabilities, and disability and health activities. That would represent a $5.7 million increase over the FY2004 level and a $6.3 million increase over the administration’s request. Chronic disease prevention and health promotion would receive $915.7 million, a $56.7 million increase over FY2004 and $300,000 above the administration’s request.
The bill would provide $1.149 billion for HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and tuberculosis prevention at the CDC, a decrease of $150 million below the FY2004 level and $6 million above the administration’s request.
National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH would receive $28.5 billion in FY2005, $518 million above FY2004, but $305 million less than the administration’s request.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA would receive $3.391 billion in FY2005, $21 million more than FY2004, but $159 million below the administration’s request.
Center for Mental Health Services: The bill would provide $868.9 million for mental health services, $23.4 million more than FY2004, but $21.7 million less than the administration’s request. As requested by President Bush, the Mental Health Performance Partnership would receive $414.2 million in FY2005, a $1 million decrease below the FY2004 level.
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment: The measure would provide $2.124 billion for substance abuse treatment programs. This allocation is $6 million less than FY2004 and $141 million less than the administration’s request. The Substance Abuse Performance Partnership would be level-funded at $1.71 billion, $40 million less than the administration’s request.
Administration for Children and Families Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): The bill would provide $303.6 million for AHRQ in FY2005, $400,000 less than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG): The bill would grant the President’s request and provide $2.099 billion for the CCDBG in FY2005, a slight decrease below FY2004.
Social Services Block Grant: The Social Services Block Grant would be level-funded at $1.7 billion as requested by the President.
Child Support Enforcement: The measure would allocate $4.42 billion for payments to states for child support enforcement and family support programs. This amount is $150 million less than the FY2004 level and equal to the administration’s request.
International Trafficking: Under the Refugee and Entrant Assistance account, a program to aid victims of trafficking would receive $10 million, the same amount requested by the administration and $32,000 more than FY2004.
Child and Family Services Programs: Head Start would receive a $98 million increase over FY2004, bringing the total to $6.898 billion. This amount is $45 million below the administration’s request.
Consolidated runaway and homeless youth programs would receive $89.4 million in FY2005, $500,000 less than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request. The measure does not include the administration’s request of $10 million for the Maternity Group Homes program.
The measure would provide $43.2 million for child abuse and neglect treatment and prevention activities. This amount is $8.6 million more than FY2004, but $21.8 million below the administration’s request.
Programs to increase abandoned infant assistance would receive $12.086 million in FY2005, $34,000 less than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
As requested by President Bush, the bill would provide $291.986 million for child welfare services, $986,000 above the FY2004 level.
The committee recommendation does not include the $50 million that the administration requested for promoting responsible fatherhood and healthy marriage. Legislation has not been enacted to create this new program.
Adoption: The measure would provide $27.343 million for adoption opportunities, $58,000 less than FY2004. The bill would provide $32.103 million for adoption incentives, $24.647 million more than FY2004. The bill also would provide $12.906 million for adoption awareness programs, $46,000 above FY2004. All funding levels are equal to the administration’s budget request.
Mentoring Children of Prisoners: The Mentoring Children of Prisoners program would be level-funded at $50 million in FY2005 as requested by the administration.
Promoting Safe and Stable Families: The bill would provide $305 million for the Promoting Safe and Stable Families program, $99.3 million less than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA): Funding for the National Domestic Violence Hotline would be level-funded at $3 million as requested by President Bush. In addition, battered women’s shelters would receive $125.648 million in FY2005, $752,000 less than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
Abstinence-only Education: The bill would provide $105.046 million for the abstinence education program, a $34.606 million increase over FY2004, but $76.88 million less than the administration’s request.
Administration on Aging
National Family Caregiver Support: The bill would provide $157 million for the National Family Caregiver Support program, a $3.4 million increase over FY2004 and $1.488 million above the administration’s request.
Adolescent Family Life: The Adolescent Family Life program would be level-funded at $31.2 million in FY2005, $23.1 million below the administration’s request.
Office of the Secretary
Public Health Service’s Office on Women’s Health (PHS-OWH): The Office on Women’s Health would be level-funded at $29.1 million in FY2005 and equal to the administration’s request.
Public Health Service’s Office of Minority Health (PHS-OMH): The measure would allocate $47.236 million to the Office of Minority Health, $8.3 million less than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
Minority HIV/AIDS: As requested by President Bush, the measure would provide $52.8 million for minority AIDS prevention and treatment activities, a $3 million increase over FY2004.
Department of Education
No Child Left Behind: Grants to local educational agencies under the No Child Left Behind Act (P.L. 107-110) would receive $13.342 billion in FY2005, $930 million more than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Program: The measure would provide $246.91 million for the Even Start program in FY2005, a $1.39 million decrease below the FY2004 level. Under the administration’s budget request, the program would not have been funded.
Reading First and Early Reading First: The bill would provide $1.125 billion for the Reading First program, a $95 million increase over FY2004 as requested by President Bush. The Early Reading First program would receive $132 million in FY2005, $37 million more than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
Teacher Quality: The measure would provide $2.95 billion for teacher professional development programs. This amount is $5 million more than FY2004 and $20 million above the administration’s request. The bill would provide $45.29 million for the Transition to Teaching program to assist eligible members of the armed forces and mid-career professionals to obtain certification as teachers. This amount is $21,000 less than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request. Math and Science Partnerships would be funded at $269.1 million in FY2005, $119.1 million above the FY2004 funding level and equal to the administration’s request.
21st Century Community Learning Centers: The bill would provide $999 million for 21st Century Community Learning Centers in FY2005, $6 million less than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Total spending for special education in FY2005 would be $11.1 billion, a $200 million decrease below FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request. Of this amount, $466.5 million would be allocated for grants for the Infants and Families program. This funding level is the same as the President’s request and $19.5 million above FY2004.
Education for Homeless Children and Youth: The bill would provide $70 million for education for homeless children and youth, $10 million more than FY2004 and $10.4 million above the administration’s request.
Vocational Education: In FY2005, $1.333 billion would be provided for vocational education, a $9 million decrease below the FY2004 level and $321 million above the administration’s request.
Adult Education: The measure would provide $590.2 million for adult education, a $3.5 million decrease below FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
Pell Grants: As requested by President Bush, Pell Grants would be funded at $12.83 billion, $753 million more than FY2004. The maximum Pell Grant award would be $4,050, the same maximum allowed in FY2004.
Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS): Funding for the CCAMPIS program would be level-funded at $16.1 million as requested by the administration.
Office for Civil Rights: The bill would provide $90.2 million for the Office for Civil Rights to enforce laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, and age in all programs and institutions funded by the Department of Education. This funding level is $1 million above FY2004, but $2.6 million below the administration’s request.
During consideration of the bill, House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member David Obey (D-WI) offered an amendment that would have increased overall funding in the bill by $7.4 billion, including $5.6 billion for the Department of Education, $200 million for the Department of Labor, and $1.6 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services. The amendment would have been offset by a 30 percent tax cut reduction for individuals with annual incomes over $1 million. The amendment was defeated, 7-11.
The full committee is expected to consider the bill next week.
