The Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 28-0, the FY2001 Commerce, Justice, State, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered) on July 18, bypassing subcommittee action. The House passed its bill (H.R. 4690) on June 26 (see The Source, 6/30/00). Full details on the bill’s spending levels were not available at press time.
As approved by the committee, the bill would provide $284.9 million for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs, a slight increase over the $284 million that was appropriated in FY2000. The House-passed bill level-funded VAWA programs.
While the Small Business Administration received a $29.5 million increase to $876.5 million, both the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) and Women’s Business Centers would be level-funded at $600,000 and $9 million respectively. The House-passed bill provided $1 million for the NWBC and $13 million for Women’s Business Centers.
Under the Senate bill, the Legal Services Corporation would receive $300 million, $5 million less than appropriated last year and $25 million more than provided in the House-passed bill. Funding for juvenile justice programs would be reduced by $7 million to $280 million under the Senate bill. The House-passed bill level-funded juvenile justice programs at $287 million.
Like the House-passed bill, the Senate measure also would maintain current law, which prohibits the use of funds for abortions at federal prisons. Current law includes an exception if the pregnancy is the result of rape or if the pregnancy endangers the life of the woman. The Bureau of Prisons is required to provide transportation for female inmates to obtain abortion services outside the prison.
