On July 24, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2004 Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies spending bill (H.R. 2989) (see The Source, 7/25/03). The measure would allocate $89.3 billion in FY2004, an increase of $2.7 billion over FY2004 and $3.4 billion more than the President’s request. The House Appropriations Committee report accompanying the bill includes language detailing a number of programs affecting women and their families. Although report language is not binding, federal agencies give careful consideration to such language as it indicates programs or initiatives that are particularly important for appropriators.
H.R. 2989 would provide $85 million for job access and reverse commute grants, $64 million more than FY2003. The grants are used to aid welfare-to-work recipients living in “urbanized areas with populations greater than 200,000” with transportation costs associated with their jobs. Under the President’s budget request, this program would not have been funded.
As requested by the President, the Minority Business Resource Center would receive $900,000, an increase of $6,000 over FY2003. The center “provides assistance in obtaining short-term working capital and bonding for disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned businesses,” and “enables qualified businesses to obtain loans at prime interest rates for transportation-related projects.” Additionally, $3 million would be allocated for minority business outreach, $19,000 more than FY2003 and equal to the President’s request.
The measure would level-fund the Occupant Protection Incentive Grants program at $20 million. States may qualify for these grants by implementing four out of six programs or laws, as delineated in the committee report, aimed at increasing safety belt use among adults and children.
In addition, H.R. 2989 would maintain current law requiring health plans participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) to cover prescription contraceptives if they cover other prescription drugs. Physicians and others who provide contraceptives are exempted from the requirement if they object based on religious beliefs. Religiously affiliated health plans also are exempt. The measure also would prohibit abortion coverage under FEHBP, except when the life of the mother is endangered or in the case of rape or incest.
The bill also would maintain current law allowing breastfeeding in a federal building or on federal property “if the woman and child are authorized to be there.”
The House is expected to consider H.R. 2989 in September.
