On July 19, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2008 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). A House Appropriations Subcommittee approved the measure on July 12 (see The Source, 7/13/07).
According to a committee press release, the measure would allocate $18.817 billion in discretionary funds in FY2008, $1.005 billion more than FY2007 and $987.4 million over President Bush’s request.
House Appropriations Committee
Department of Agriculture
Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP): The CSFP would receive $150 million, $43 million above 2007. Under the administration’s budget request, this program would not have received funding. This program provides food aid for women, infants, children, and the elderly. According to a committee press release, “In 2007, program participation averaged 485,614 monthly. This amount would allow five new states to participate in the program and expand participation in existing states.”
Food Stamps: As requested by the administration, the Food Stamp program would be funded at $39.8 billion in FY2008, $1.7 billion more than FY2007. The bill also would “[exclude] special pay for military personnel deployed to designated combat areas when determining food stamp eligibility.”
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): The WIC program would be funded at $5.6 billion, $415.6 million above 2007 and $233.4 million above President Bush’s request.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The FDA would be funded at $1.69 billion, $128.5 million above 2007 and $62 million more than President Bush’s request.
Additional information will be available when the committee report accompanying the bill is printed.
Senate Appropriations Committee
On July 19, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 29-0, the FY2008 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). A Senate Appropriations Subcommittee approved the bill on July 17.
The measure would allocate $19.4 billion in discretionary funds in FY2008, $1.588 billion more than FY2007 and $1.6 billion over President Bush’s request.
Department of Agriculture
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): The WIC program would receive $5.7 billion, $516 million more than FY2007 and $333 million more than President Bush’s request.
More information will be available when the committee report accompanying the bill is printed.
