On April 11, the House approved, 216-211, the conference report for the FY2004 budget resolution (H. Con. Res. 95). At press time, the Senate was debating the conference report. Although the budget resolution is non-binding, it provides a blueprint for federal spending in the upcoming fiscal year. Under the 1974 Budget Act (P.L. 93-344), Congress is required to approve a budget resolution by April 15; however, Congress has met that deadline only five times since 1974.
The final measure provides $784.5 billion in discretionary spending in FY2004, $9.1 billion more than the House-passed resolution and $6.9 billion less than the Senate-passed resolution. The funding level is the same amount requested by the President.
In FY2004, the budget resolution provides $56.1 billion for the Department of Education, $3 billion more than the FY2003 level. H. Con. Res. 95 provides $12.7 billion for Title I under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, a $1 billion increase over last year. The Impact Aid Program receives an additional $50 million and special education programs receive a $2.2 billion increase in FY2004 and an additional $2.5 billion increase in FY2005. The bill also provides $12.7 billion for Pell Grants, $1.3 billion more than the FY2003 level.
Additionally, the final measure provides $27.9 billion for the National Institutes of Health, $700 million more than last year.
H. Con. Res. 95 also establishes several reserve funds in the event that Congress enacts legislation to address Medicare reform, including a prescription drug benefit, Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) reform, and Medicaid coverage for children with special needs. The final plan provides $400 billion over ten years for the Medicare reserve fund. Additionally, $3.3 billion is provided in FY2004 and $8.9 billion is provided between FY2004 and FY2008 for Medicaid and SCHIP reform. H. Con. Res. 95 also allocates an additional $12.8 billion through FY2010, provided that the legislation does not increase the deficit within the next ten years. If Congress approves legislation to provide states with the option to expand Medicaid coverage for children with special needs, H. Con. Res. 95 provides $43 million in FY2004 and $1.6 billion between FY2004 and FY2008. The bill also provides $7.2 billion through FY2013.
The final measure also includes a number of nonbinding resolutions. One resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that “the maximum Pell Grant award should be raised to the maximum extent practicable.” Another sense of the Senate expresses support for making expanded access to health care coverage a “top priority for national policymaking.”
