Bypassing subcommittee action, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 29-0, the FY2005 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill (S. 2810) on September 14.
The measure would allocate $142.32 billion in FY2005, a $2.56 billion increase over FY2004, $10 million below the administration’s request, and $210 million less than the amount approved by the House on September 9 (see The Source, 9/10/04).
During consideration of the bill, the committee approved, 16-13, an amendment offered by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) that would block the Department of Labor from using funds in the bill to implement its rule on overtime pay, which was first published in March 2003. The House also approved the amendment. Under the final rule, full-time workers who earn up to $23,660 per year will be automatically eligible for overtime pay. The Department of Labor estimates that an additional 1.3 million white-collar workers will be eligible for overtime pay. The rule went into effect on August 23.
Wellness Initiative: The Senate Appropriations Committee report accompanying S. 2810 contains extensive language on a new Wellness Initiative. The report states, “The United States spends more than [$1.5 trillion] each year on health care. That figure has doubled over the past 5 years, and if current patterns hold, it is expected to double again within 6 years.”
“The consequences of future increases are clear: More Americans will be left without access to health care, and more communities will suffer the closure of local hospitals and clinics. As a result, many Americans will forgo basic health maintenance visits, making it more likely that illnesses will go undiagnosed at early stages–a situation that will send health care costs spiraling even further.
“This initiative has four major components: physical activity, nutrition, mental health and tobacco cessation.”
The committee “strongly believes a commitment to wellness will encourage Americans to stay healthy, enhance the quality of life in America and reduce the demand on the Nation’s healthcare system. For this reason, the Committee has included a total of [$809.54 million] for…programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles and nutrition, an increase of [$100.57 million] over the fiscal year 2004 appropriation. The Committee urges agencies receiving funds for this purpose under this bill to take special measures to coordinate their activities.”
Department of Labor
As requested by the administration, the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau would receive $9.55 million in FY2005, $287,000 more than FY2004. The report states that the committee “encourages the Women’s Bureau to support effective programs such as ‘Women Work!’, to provide technical assistance and training on programming for women in transition to reenter the workforce.”
Dislocated worker assistance would receive $1.48 billion in FY2005, $23 million more than FY2004 and $95.3 million above the administration’s request. As requested by the administration, $250 million would be provided for the Community College/Community-Based Job Training Grant initiative.
The bill would include $110.5 million for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). This amount is $100,000 below the FY2004 level and $79.5 million above the administration’s request. Within the total provided, $82 million is earmarked for international child labor prevention activities. Of this amount, $45 million would be provided for the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor. In addition, $37 million would be provided for bilateral assistance to improve access to basic education in international areas with a high rate of abusive and exploitative child labor. The bill also would include $10 million for HIV/AIDS workplace education to assist the ILO in conducting global education and prevention programs.
According to the report, “The Committee is disappointed that the Department of Labor has once again put forward a budget for the coming year that drastically reduces funding for the initiatives within the International Labor Affairs Bureau [ILAB] working with the International Labor Organization to combat abusive and exploitative child labor. “Last December, a report on the economic impact of child labor programs commissioned by the Department of Labor was released. ‘Investing In Every Child’ found that the average economic benefit of eliminating child labor around the world exceeds the cost of those efforts by a ratio of 6.7 to 1. Even in the region of the world whose economic benefit is the lowest, sub-Saharan Africa, the benefit is more than 5 to 1. The study also found that each year of additional education beyond the age of 14 yields an 11 percent increase in that individual’s earning power resulting in just over [$5 trillion] in global benefits.
“The Committee is pleased to have definitive economic analysis proving that eradicating child labor and investing in education will contribute to increased economic prosperity for developing nations. The Committee views the investment made by the United States and the programs run by the Department of Labor to eliminate child labor as a proven method for improving the economic infrastructure of developing nations and providing a market for U.S. goods. In addition, the Committee is pleased to note that its investment in programs to eliminate child labor has inspired matching funds from countries like India, Cambodia, Lebanon, and Yemen, thus exponentially increasing the reach of these valuable programs.
“Given this new Department of Labor data on the value of these programs in reducing the need for foreign economic assistance, the amount needed to service debt for developing countries and the clear impact of these programs for advancing the ability of nations to form sound trade agreements, the Committee is mystified by the Department’s annual effort to eliminate these programs, this year proposing an astounding 87 percent reduction.”
As requested by the administration, S. 2810 would include $40 million for the Prisoner Reentry Initiative.
The bill does not include the $50 million requested by the administration for Personal Reemployment Accounts.
Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Under the bill, HRSA would receive $6.97 billion in FY2005, $250 million more than FY2004 and $920 million above the administration’s request. Community Health Centers would receive $1.87 billion in FY2005, $240 million above the FY2004 level and $30 million more than the administration’s request.
According to the report, the committee “recognizes that prenatal alcohol exposure is the leading known cause of mental retardation in the United States. It is associated with lifelong difficulties with learning, memory, attention, and problem solving as well as problems with mental health and social interactions. Each year, approximately 40,000 children are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. This amounts to almost 1 out of 100 live births, with a disproportionate impact on underserved American Indian and African American populations. The Committee has provided sufficient funding to coordinate, develop, and begin implementation of a program in collaboration with a national voluntary organization that incorporates sustainable systems in community health center delivery sites around the Nation focusing on the prevention, identification, and support of individuals with FASD.”
S. 2810 would provide $734.8 million for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, a $600,000 increase over FY2004 and $5 million above the administration’s request. Of this amount, $4 million would be provided to continue the sickle cell newborn screening program and its locally based outreach and counseling efforts. The total also would include $3 million for mental health grants for children and youth under age 24 and for women’s mental health. The report states, “One out of every ten new mothers suffers from PPD [postpartum depression], a treatable condition that presents a range of emotional and physical changes. Unfortunately, half of these women never get help. The Committee encourages the Bureau to utilize this funding to focus on low-income women and mothers of children with low birth weight. The Committee recommends that funding be used on science-based programs or models such as the Starting Early Starting Smart Program that was funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Casey Family Programs to specifically target early intervention and prevention.”
The bill would allocate $2 million for newborn and child screening for heritable disorders. The report indicates that newborn screening “is used for early identification of infants affected by certain genetic, metabolic, hormonal and or functional conditions for which there is effective treatment or intervention. Screening detects disorders in newborns that, left untreated, can cause death, disability, mental retardation and other serious illnesses.”
The committee “commends the work of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program Support Center, and encourages the Maternal and Child Health Bureau to continue its support of this important center. The Committee is pleased with the collaboration between the NIH and the SIDS and Other Infant Death Program Support Center to address the disproportionately high incidence of SIDS among African Americans.”
The Healthy Start infant mortality initiative would receive $105 million in FY2005, a $7 million increase over FY2004 and $7.25 million above the administration’s request. The measure also would provide $9.87 million for universal newborn hearing screening. Under the administration’s request, this program would not have been funded.
As requested by the administration, the measure would provide $9.94 million for the National Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank program, $60,000 less than FY2004. According to the report, the committee “continues to be supportive of the effort to build the Nation’s supply of cord blood stem cells available for therapy and research. The Committee is awaiting the conclusion of the Institute of Medicine study required by House Report 108-401 and expects fiscal year 2005 funds to be used as described in that report.”
Ryan White: The Ryan White Care Act would receive an $80 million increase over the FY2004 funding level to $2.08 billion, equal to the administration’s request. Of this amount, $73.1 million would be provided to help children, youth, women, and families infected with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS. The committee “expects that Ryan White AIDS activities that are targeted to address the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic and its disproportionate impact upon communities of color, including African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders continue with at least the level of funding provided in fiscal year 2004.”
Family Planning: Title X, the nation’s family planning program, would receive $308.3 million in FY2005, $28.3 million more than FY2004 and $30 million above the administration’s request. The committee “has increased funding for clinics receiving title X funds to address increasing financial pressures in their effort to provide high-quality, subsidized family planning services and preventive health care to 5 million women each year, many of whom are low-income and uninsured. These pressures include rising medical costs of newer and longer lasting contraceptive methods, pharmaceuticals, and screening and diagnostic technologies (as well as a rising uninsured population). Due to these financial pressures, it will be difficult for title X clinics to serve the current number of patients, up 10 percent since 2000, without a significant funding increase. The Committee also recognizes that the increased availability of new contraceptive methods and screening technologies will improve women’s health and result in a decrease in unintended pregnancies nationwide.”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The measure would allocate $4.8 billion for the CDC in FY2005, $50 million more than FY2004 and $340 million above the administration’s request. Within the total provided for the prevention of birth defects, developmental disabilities, and disability and health activities, $250,000 would be provided for activities related to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and $400,000 for the national spina bifida program.
The committee “encourages the CDC to fund public health research, surveillance and educational activities related to obesity among children with special health care needs, with a special emphasis on children with Prader-Willi Syndrome.”
According to the report, the committee “recognizes that prenatal alcohol exposure is the leading known cause of mental retardation in the United States. It is associated with lifelong difficulties with learning, memory, attention, and problem solving as well as problems with mental health and social interactions. Each year, approximately 40,000 children are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. This amounts to almost 1 out of 100 live births, with a disproportionate impact on underserved American Indian and African American populations. The Committee has provided $250,000 over the fiscal year 2004 level for FASD-related programs and recommends that the CDC expand surveillance efforts to document the magnitude of the problem and continue to support the development of an information clearinghouse on FASD and the dangers of drinking while pregnant.”
The report states that the CDC “has reported that fetal deaths at 20 weeks gestation or greater account for nearly as many deaths as those that occur to infants during the first year of life. The Committee understands that prevention strategies must first recognize fetal deaths as a public health problem, improve fetal death surveillance and reporting, and conduct research to understand the causes of fetal death.” The bill provides $1 million for the Fetal Death Prevention program “to link existing birth defect surveillance systems and fetal death registries and to use that data to help develop strategies to reduce fetal deaths.”
The bill would provide $967 million for HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and tuberculosis prevention at the CDC, a decrease of $333 million below the FY2004 level and $3 million above the administration’s request. Of that amount, $118.8 million would be provided for global HIV/AIDS programs, $174.7 million less than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
The committee “commends CDC for recognizing the urgent public health need to develop new HIV prevention options by supporting microbicide research and development, and has provided sufficient funding to continue these activities. CDC’s role is particularly important in the clinical evaluation of potential new products as set forth in CDC’s HIV Prevention Strategic Plan and its topical microbicide 5-year research agenda.”
Within the total provided for chronic disease prevention and health promotion, $51 million would be provided for heart disease and stroke, $339.9 million for cancer prevention and control, and $115.1 million for tobacco prevention initiatives.
S. 2810 would provide $219.9 million for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, $9 million above the FY2004 level, but $1 million below the administration’s request. According to the report, the program “has provided more than 3 million potentially life-saving screening tests for women. Despite its success in screening these women, the program is still only able to screen 15-20 percent of the eligible population due to the difficulties in finding these hard to reach women. Therefore, the Committee recommends that 50 percent of funds be used for actual provision of screening and clinical services and the remaining 50 percent of funds be used by States for outreach, effective management, public and professional education, and quality assurance to ensure enhancement of infrastructure development activities that will provide screening and diagnostic services to eligible women. The Committee’s recommendation will enable more women to receive these vital screening services.”
The measure also would provide $5 million for ovarian cancer, $100,000 more than FY2004.
The bill would provide $700,000 to educate the public and medical communities about interstitial cystitis (IC). The committee “is aware that it takes an average of 5 to 7 years for patients to obtain an accurate diagnosis of interstitial cystitis…To implement this initiative, CDC should partner with a voluntary patient organization dedicated to assisting persons with IC to support activities targeted at disseminating information regarding IC identification, diagnosis and support services for both families and health care providers.”
In FY2005, $51 million would be provided for nutrition, physical activity, and obesity programs. The report states, “Obesity is rampant in the United States. Between 1980 and 1994, the prevalence of obesity in the United States has increased by 100 percent in children and adolescents. More than 20 percent of the adult population is 30 pounds or more overweight and 10 to 15 percent of children and adolescents are overweight. Risk factors associated with obesity — physical inactivity and unhealthy eating — account for at least 300,000 preventable deaths each year and increase the risk for many chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The Committee is aware that the CDC’s own statistics show that Native Americans, including Native Alaskans and Native Hawaiians, suffer higher rates of obesity than other Americans.”
In addition, “The significance of the rising epidemic of overweight and obesity among our Nation’s children has been widely acknowledged. The current trajectory of its continuing increase indicates grave consequences for our young people, as being overweight in youth sets the stage for a lifetime of being overweight. In the U.S., more than 6 million, or approximately 1 in 12, children are living in households headed by grandparents or other relatives. And, in some locales, the rate is as high as one in five. In many of these households, grandparents and other relatives are the primary caregivers. While some programs focusing on childhood overweight and obesity include a component that involves parents, grandparents and other caregivers often are overlooked. The Committee encourages CDC to develop model programs that assist African American and Hispanic grandparents in encouraging their grandchildren to eat more healthfully and be more physically active.”
The committee encourages the CDC “to expand the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System [PRAMS] to enable CDC to make national estimates on behavioral and demographic risk factors for preterm birth. Data collected through PRAMS is used to increase understanding of maternal behaviors and experiences and their relationship to adverse pregnancy outcomes, to develop and modify maternal and child health programs, and to help incorporate the latest research findings in standards of practice.”
The committee “continues to be interested in pulmonary hypertension [PH], a rare, progressive and fatal disease that predominantly affects women, regardless of age or race. PH causes deadly deterioration of the heart and lungs and is a secondary condition in many other serious disorders such as scleroderma and lupus. Because early detection of PH is critical to a patient’s survival and quality of life, the Committee continues to encourage CDC to give priority consideration to supporting a cooperative agreement with the pulmonary hypertension community designed to foster greater awareness of the disease.”
The committee “notes the work of CDC, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Health Resources and Services Administration in developing model guidelines for death scene protocol for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The Committee continues to encourage CDC to implement projects to demonstrate the effectiveness of the death scene protocol in a variety of locales (urban, suburban, and rural) throughout the Nation. The Committee looks forward to reports of progress on this initiative as was requested in the fiscal year 2004 Committee report.”
According to the report, “The WISEWOMAN program builds on the CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to also screen women for heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular disease risk factors. The CDC also provides lifestyle counseling and education to these women to improve their health and to prevent cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death of American women. Heart disease, alone, is the No. 1 killer of American women and stroke is the No. 3 killer. Since its inception in 1995, tens of thousands of low-income and uninsured women ages 40-64 have been screened for high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol and have received lifestyle counseling and education. From 50 percent to 75 percent of these women were found to have either high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol. With more than two-thirds of the women returning for follow-up services, the program has been effective in retaining participants and providing needed services.”
The committee “is concerned about contamination due to perchlorate, which is primarily used as an oxidizer for rocket fuel and munitions. Perchlorate contamination has been discovered in 34 States and is known to have adverse health effects on pregnant women, newborns, and young children. The Committee strongly urges the CDC to conduct surveys on the level of perchlorate in humans, to provide information for assessments on a national level, and to address regional concerns in areas most affected.”
The report states, “The CDC provides one of the only sources of funding for rape prevention and education. Most other funding sources are focused on services to survivors and the criminal justice system. The Committee urges CDC to ensure that States receiving funds from the grants for assistance to victims of sexual assault, as provided in the Violence Against Women Act, support State sexual assault coalitions, community-based rape crisis centers, and other non-profit entities whose work is focused on ending sexual violence, operating hotlines for victims of sexual violence and their families, and those which provide crisis intervention, advocacy and support services to victims. The Committee urges the CDC to ensure that States work collaboratively with State sexual assault coalitions in planning and funding activities. The Committee has provided [$2 million] over the fiscal year 2004 level for these activities. The Committee recommends that a portion of these additional funds be used to fund awareness activities and materials in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month. “Through its technical assistance, training and informational materials, the National Resource Center on Sexual Assault has played an increasingly important role in bringing direction, coordination and voice to a movement that was previously dispersed and disconnected. The Committee has provided sufficient resources to fund this Center at the statutory maximum of [$1 million].”
The committee “urges the CDC to increase research on the psychological consequences of violence against women and expand research on special populations and their risk for violence including adolescents, older women, ethnic minorities, women with disabilities, and other affected populations.”
National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH would receive $28.9 billion in FY2005, $920 million above the FY2004 level and $370 million more than the administration’s request.
According to the report, the committee “is very concerned that the current administration policy relating to human embryonic stem cell research is extremely limiting and is significantly slowing the pace of stem cell research. The Committee strongly believes that embryonic stem cells have the potential to be used to treat or cure the 100 million Americans who are afflicted with diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and many others. While it originally appeared that 78 embryonic stem cell lines would be available for research under the Federal policy, now, more than 2 years after the President’s announcement on August 9, 2001, only 24 are available to researchers. Moreover, scientists have told the Committee that all available stem cell lines were grown with mouse feeder cells, making their therapeutic use for humans uncertain. The Committee strongly urges the administration to modify the current embryonic stem cell policy so that it provides this area of research the greatest opportunity to lead to the treatments and cures for which we are all hoping.” The committee “is also deeply concerned with the slow pace of implementation of the current policy. The Committee was informed by NIH this year that anticipated spending on human embryonic stem cell research is just [$24.8 million].”
The report states, “In the last 5 years, approximately 130,000 women in the United States have lost their lives to gynecologic cancer. The Committee commends the NCI [National Cancer Institute] for creating a cervical cancer and endometrial cancer SPORE [Specialized Program of Research Excellence], bringing the total number of gynecologic cancers SPORES to six, and expects that the NCI will expand the number of centers in the future. Unfortunately, 70 percent of ovarian cancer patients continue to be diagnosed in advanced stages when 5-year survival rates remain less then 25 percent. The Committee encourages continued research by the four ovarian SPORES that will lead to a better understanding of prevention and the development of a screening tool offering women earlier diagnosis when this cancer is more curable. The Committee also supports the expansion of NCI’s collaboration with the NICHD for faculty development of gynecologic oncologists.”
The committee “is encouraged by progress made by the NCI following its August 1999 conference on biomedical imaging, and urges the NCI to continue to take a leadership role with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Food and Drug Administration to avoid duplicative reviews of new imaging technologies which may prevent their benefits from reaching patients on a timely basis. The Committee is aware of the great potential for improved patient care and disease management represented by molecular imaging technologies, especially positron emission tomography (PET) through its ability to image the biology of many kinds of cancer and other diseases. The Committee continues to support the NCI’s increased emphasis on examining the molecular basis of disease through imaging technologies such as PET and MicroPET. The Committee continues to encourage the large-scale testing of women for breast cancer and men for prostate cancer to demonstrate and quantify the increased diagnostic and staging capabilities of PET relative to conventional diagnostic and staging technologies, including mammography.”
The committee “is encouraged by NHLBI’s [the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute] growing interest in scleroderma, a chronic and progressive disease that predominantly strikes women. Scleroderma is disfiguring and can be life-threatening, affecting multiple systems including the heart and lungs. More research is critically needed to develop safe, effective treatments and to identify the causes of the complications of scleroderma that include pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, myocardial fibrosis, cardiac arrhythmias, pericarditis, and Raynaud’s Phenomenon.”
The committee encourages the NHLBI “to establish a universal treatment algorithm (after consultation with established medical associations) for the treatment of Von Willebrand disease. At present there is no accepted treatment algorithm in the United States for this condition. The Committee also recognizes that Von Willebrand disease is an under-recognized and under-diagnosed disease. The Committee believes that there are instances where women who are suffering from idiopathic menorrhagia are needlessly subjected to invasive procedures such as hysterectomies. The Committee encourages NHLBI to launch a pilot program among obstetricians and gynecologists treating patients, especially young women, with idiopathic menorrhagia to provide a blood test for Von Willebrand disease. Such a program would act to confirm if a link exists between menorrhagia and Von Willebrand disease in addition to providing the benefits of early detection and treatment.”
According to the report, “In recent years dental scientists have learned that the oral fluids in the mouth contain a cornucopia of information about the condition of the various systems of the body. Of particular interest is the potential to develop a diagnostic test for early detection of breast cancer. The Committee recognizes that considerable clinical research must be done before a test can be approved for use by health care professionals so that the women of this country will have a simple non-invasive, inexpensive procedure to alert them to the risk of breast cancer. The Committee urges the [National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research] to advance the field of salivary diagnostics.”
The Committee encourages the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) “to expand research on childhood obesity, particularly behavioral research on physical activity in children in various site-specific settings (schools, after-school care, or other community venues). The goal of such research would be to explore methods in pediatric populations for the prevention of inappropriate weight gain among those not overweight; to prevent further weight gain among those already overweight or obese; or treatment of overweight or obesity to prevent the complications of associated co-morbidities. The Committee applauds NIDDK’s proposed long-term effort to address the relative contributions of the environmental and behavioral factors that lead to excessive weight gain and obesity among children.”
The committee “is pleased by recent advances in the area of interstitial cystitis [IC] research, particularly in the area of urinary markers. The Committee urges the NIDDK to continue to aggressively support IC-specific basic science initiatives, particularly through program announcements. The Committee also encourages the NIDDK to work closely with the IC patient community on developing and funding an IC awareness campaign for both the public and professional communities, and to host a consensus conference on the definition of IC. The absence of a uniform definition that accurately captures the condition and the affected population is negatively impacting patients in terms of diagnosis and treatment as well as researchers in terms of literature review and their research activities. The Committee was very encouraged by the progress reported at the 2003 NIDDK-sponsored scientific symposium on IC, and it urges the NIDDK to further this scientific momentum by hosting the next international symposium on IC in 2005.”
The committee “encourages NIDDK, in concert with other NIH institutes, to increase research into disease-related osteoporosis and/or bone disorders. This research should include studies of the role of genetics, the effects of these diseases on bone turnover and altered bone metabolism, the impact of environmental and lifestyle factors, their effects on bone quality and fracture incidence, the role of bone marrow changes, the use of agents to increase bone mass, and the therapeutic use of new technologies to combat osteoporosis.”
The report states that the committee “is pleased that the NIDDK has supported the Urinary Incontinence Treatment Network and urges increased funding and expansion for this important and productive clinical network. While recent studies have yielded gains in understanding these conditions, the Committee is equally concerned that more needs to be done with basic and translational research in order to create better foundations for clinical care. The Committee supports the NIDDK in the creation of a team focused on urogynecology and encourages a dedicated study section in this area.”
The committee “is concerned about the continuing world-wide HIV epidemic. HIV is readily transmitted through sexual contact, yet little work is being done to examine the specific role of semen in this transmission. The Committee believes that a better understanding of these fundamental issues will contribute significantly to research for a vaccine and more effective treatments, and is pleased with the NIDDK’s recent initiative to encourage basic and clinical research studies that will elucidate the factors that determine HIV release in the male genital tract. The Committee urges the Institute to continue enhancing its grant portfolio on the role of semen in HIV transmission.”
According to the report, the committee commends the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) “for its strong support of demographic research. This research has consistently provided critical scientific knowledge on issues of greatest consequence for American families: work-family conflicts, family formation and structure, childcare, adolescent health and wellness, and family and household behavior. Recent findings have provided invaluable insights into timely issues such as the role of maternal employment and parental involvement on child development. The Committee applauds NICHD for its ongoing support of the Fragile Families, Three Cities Study of Welfare, and National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health studies in particular. The Committee encourages the Institute to ensure adequate funding for the large databases such as these that make advances in population research possible. Further, the Committee urges NICHD to maintain stable funding for the Population Research Infrastructure program. The recent retooling of this program has enhanced its ability to support vital interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in population research at academic and research institutions nationwide. The diverse exceptional research supported by this program has yielded key findings in areas such as fertility, health disparities, immigration and migration trends, and family dynamics. Given the importance of these issues to policymakers and the public, demographic research at the NICHD must continue to thrive.”
The committee “continues to place high priority on research to combat infertility and speed the development of improved contraceptives. NICHD is urged to continue aggressive activities in this area, including individual research grants and those of the infertility and contraceptive research centers.”
The committee “was extremely encouraged by the research results from NICHD’s Maternal Fetal Medicine Units [MFMU] Network on the identification of a therapy, progesterone, that prevents recurrent preterm birth in high-risk women. The Committee understands that this is one of the first advances in this area, despite extensive efforts over decades, and urges the NICHD to build on this finding and to fully support the MFMU Network.”
The report states that the committee “strongly urges the NICHD, in collaboration with other relevant Institutes, to support the initiation of a study on the metabolic, psychological, and genetic causes of obesity in children. The Committee requests the Institute be prepared to report on the progress being made in the development of such study during the fiscal year 2006 appropriation hearings.”
The committee “encourages NICHD to support a major initiative in the area of prematurity. The rates of premature birth have increased 29 percent since 1981 to over 480,000 babies in 2002. African-American infants are nearly twice as likely as non-Hispanic white infants to be born prematurely. Premature birth is the leading cause of death in the first month of life and most recent data indicate the first rise in infant mortality rates since 1958. Premature birth can occur in any pregnancy; the causes of nearly half of all preterm births are unknown. The Committee commends NICHD for its work on preterm birth and strongly urges the allocation of more funds to reveal the underlying cause of preterm delivery, to identify prevention strategies and improve the treatment of outcomes for infants born preterm.” In addition, the committee “is aware that genomic and proteomic strategies are widely used and have had a major impact on medicine. The Committee believes it is imperative that these techniques also be used to understand prematurity, and strongly encourages NICHD to support an initiative to hasten a better understanding of the pathophysiology of premature birth, discover novel diagnostic biomarkers, and ultimately aid in formulating more effective interventional strategies to prevent premature birth.”
The committee “applauds NICHD’s efforts in addressing stillbirth, a major public health issue with morbidity equal to that of all infant deaths. The Committee understands that NICHD has established a cooperative network of clinical centers and a data center to address this issue with a standard protocol, and strongly encourages the NICHD to fully fund this effort.”
The committee “is pleased with NICHD’s continued efforts to extend the reach of its extremely successful ‘Back to Sleep’ campaign to underserved populations and daycare providers. Now that NICHD is focusing more globally on infant mortality, the Committee urges the Institute to transition from its successful SIDS [Sudden Infant Death Syndrome] 5-year research plan to a more comprehensive plan focusing on SIDS, stillbirth, and miscarriage. The Committee requests that NICHD determine an appropriate means of including research on these causes of infant mortality into one inclusive plan.”
According to the report, “Urinary incontinence is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in women affecting 30 percent of females; these and other pelvic floor disorders serve as obstructions to healthy living and contribute to depression and obesity. The Committee commends the NICHD for establishing the Pelvic Floor Disorder Network and expects additional resources will enable the network to expand the quality and integrity of clinical and basic scientific research in the field of urogynecology. The Committee is pleased that the NICHD continues to collaborate with the NIDDK in developing research in urinary incontinence. Recent studies have yielded gains in understanding these conditions but the Committee is equally concerned that more needs to be done with basic, clinical and translational research in order to create better foundations for clinical care. The Committee encourages the Institute to provide expanded research for investigator-initiated applications to ensure a self-sustaining base of ongoing research and encourages a dedicated study section in this area. The Committee also encourages the NICHD to include the effects of pregnancy on a woman’s chance for incontinence and pelvic floor disorders in the future National Children’s Study.”
The report states, “Millions of American women suffer from vulvodynia, a painful and often debilitating disorder of the female reproductive system. Despite its prevalence, inadequate attention has been paid to the disorder by health professionals or researchers. Since fiscal year 1998, the Committee has called on the NICHD to support research on the prevalence, causes and treatment of vulvodynia. While some initial steps have been taken, more must be done. The Committee urges the Institute to fund a collaborative research network to expedite the collection of data on the efficacy of current and future treatments. In addition, the Committee notes that, on average, women with vulvodynia consult five physicians before receiving a correct diagnosis. Therefore, the Committee urges the NICHD to work with the National Vulvodynia Association to implement a national education program for primary care health professionals, patients and the general public to reduce this delay.”
The committee states, “Recent reports on the presence of flame retardants and other environmental toxins in human breastmilk have given rise to concerns about the safety of breastfeeding. Recognizing that these reports may offer mixed messages about this public health concern, the Committee reaffirms the goal of Healthy People 2010 of ‘[I]ncreasing the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their babies.’ The Committee also strongly urges the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Nursing Research, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Women’s Health to hold a consensus meeting with health professionals, to include nursing and breastfeeding and lactation professionals. The consensus meeting should focus on environmental toxins and breastfeeding and appropriate public risk communication.”
The committee encourages the National Institute on Aging “to increase research into the pathophysiology of osteoporosis, Paget’s disease and osteogenesis imperfecta. This research should include: genetics, the role of cell aging and altered metabolism, environmental and lifestyle factors, bone responsiveness to weight bearing, bone quality and fracture incidence, bone marrow changes, new agents to increase bone mass, the therapeutic use of new technology, and the comorbidity of metabolic bone diseases with chronic diseases of aging.”
The committee “is aware of the importance of lupus susceptibility genes. Voluntary health organizations have established a collaboration among many individual research teams throughout the country to accelerate the search for these genes. The Committee urges the Institute to pursue this collaboration and to provide increased funding so that sufficiently large patient cohorts can be developed that will facilitate research in this area. Because lupus is a disorder that disproportionately affects women of African American, Hispanic and Asian ancestry, appropriate numbers of samples from these populations should be included in these cohorts. The Committee also urges the [National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases] to consider the importance of creating repositories that might aid research into the genetic aspects of lupus.”
The committee commends the National Institute of Nursing Research’s (NINR) “research in risk behavior. Increased understanding of factors that facilitate healthy lifestyle behaviors, as well as the modification of risky behaviors, will reduce the consequences associated with these risks. Recognizing that many adolescent risk behaviors are intertwined, the focus of NINR’s initiative is on developing interventions that target several risk behaviors simultaneously. The Committee hopes this research will continue to bear positive results.”
The committee also commends the NINR “for its support of research to reduce disparities in the health of minority populations and is pleased that this will receive continued emphasis. It is important to reduce low birth-weight rates for minority women, which can be 50 percent higher than for white women. NINR’s focus on early identification of risk factors and chronic diseases during pregnancy and on health promotion for pregnant minority women will be important to lower the unacceptably high number of low birth-weight babies in the country. NINR is also urged to continue its successful research in promoting the health of minority men who have a reduced life expectancy compared to women. Research of effective health promotion strategies such as smoking cessation, nutrition, physical activity, and increased management of stress are critical to improving and extending the life cycle of minority men.”
According to the report, the committee urges the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine “to conduct research on women in their 30s and 40s with respect to bone health and nutrition, including the use of supplements and nutraceuticals, in an effort to determine whether such strategies can prevent osteoporosis and fractures later in life. In addition the Committee urges support for research on the effect of complementary and alternative medicine on bones and pain management in people with metabolic bone diseases.”
The committee understands that amnion-derived stem cell technologies “offer the potential to develop and produce an adequate supply of cells for therapeutic cellular transplantation based upon isolation from placental tissue. The Committee supports all avenues of stem cell research and strongly urges the NIH to explore research in this area and steps necessary for the clinical application of this technology.”
The committee “encourages the NIH to further expand the Trans-NIH obesity research initiative to include a multi-center study of the metabolic, psychological, and genetic precursors of obesity in children.”
The report states, “The Institute of Medicine has released a study that clearly demonstrates that all biological research from bench to bedside must be cognizant of the differences that result from the sex of the patient, tissue or cell. One of the areas where such differences are most pronounced is in the field of neuroscience. For this reason, the Committee believes it is entirely appropriate that the Director assure that the ten institutes involved in the trans-institute initiative on brain research include gender-based biology as an integral part of the research conducted and that research results are analyzed and reported in this manner, when appropriate. The Committee would like a report from the Director on the progress of this effort prior to next year’s hearings.”
According to the report, “Microbicides, a class of products that would be applied topically to prevent HIV, represent a promising prevention strategy, with the potential to be especially significant in preventing HIV in women, who now account for more than half of the individuals newly infected with HIV globally. Once developed, microbicides and vaccines would serve as complementary HIV prevention technologies.”
In addition, the director of NIH “is urged to establish a microbicides branch or comparable dedicated unit specifically for microbicides research and development, with appropriate staff and funding.”
The report states that the nation “has invested greatly in the NIH providing tremendous opportunities for accelerated improvements in health and quality of life. Research advances must be applied more expeditiously to ensure greater improvements in health outcomes across all communities of color and the general public. The Committee strongly urges the NIH to improve, strengthen and expand its systems of information dissemination and outreach to health care providers, minority organizations, and the public. Knowing that one-size does not fit all as it relates to the public, communities, and the Institutes and Centers, the Committee strongly urges the Director of NIH, and the director of each of the Institutes and Centers to report on their respective improved systems across these areas during next year’s appropriations hearings.”
The committee “recognizes the critical role played by the Specialized Centers of Research on Sex and Gender Factors Affecting Women’s Health and encourages the [Office of Research on Women’s Health] to continue programmatic initiatives to further this work. The Committee also supports the development of an intramural women’s health program at NIH.”
The committee “commends the NIH for creation of an Obesity Research Task Force and for NIH’s recognition of the need to prevent and treat obesity beginning in childhood. However, the committee strongly urges the Task Force to explicitly include, across the six proposed trans-NIH obesity initiatives, investigations into the genetic causes of obesity beginning with study of Prader-Willi Syndrome. Furthermore, the Committee urges the Director of NIH to conduct outreach to the Prader-Willi Syndrome community to participate in research at the proposed ‘Obesity Clinical Research Center.’ The NIH should be prepared to report on the progress made by the Obesity Research Task Force, and the trans-NIH research efforts to appropriately incorporate both children and genetics into the overall obesity research agenda during the fiscal year 2006 appropriations hearings.”
The report states, “As the second leading cause of death among women worldwide, stroke in women is a major health problem. Stroke kills more than twice as many women as do breast cancer and AIDS combined. Acute care of women stroke victims is often delayed, and 62 percent of all stroke-related deaths occur in women. Recognizing that women are the single largest group at risk for death from stroke, the Committee believes that special attention should be focused on better understanding the gender-related differences in stroke. Some aspects of the disease unique to women include strokes related to pregnancy and the use of oral contraceptives. Stroke is additionally a leading cause of serious disability among women and may contribute to late-life cognitive decline. The Committee supports the funding of new and continuing NIH studies that investigate the impact of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy on stroke risk. Continued support of clinical and basic research on hormone physiology in women is necessary to understanding the impact of hormones on women’s vascular systems. The Committee urges NIH to increase research in stroke among women of all ages, with specific attention to gender-related differences in stroke risk, and to stroke prevention interventions, acute stroke management, post-stroke recovery, long-term outcomes, and quality of care. The Committee further urges NIH to increase research into new therapies for stroke in women as well as into ways of enhancing the vascular health of all Americans.”
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA would receive $3.48 billion in FY2005, $110 million above the FY2004 level, but $65.5 million below the administration’s request.
Center for Mental Health Services: S. 2810 would provide $935.1 million for mental health services, $89.6 million more than FY2004 and $22.6 million above the administration’s request.
According to the report, the committee “is deeply concerned that between 5 percent to 9 percent of all children suffer from a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder which, if undiagnosed and untreated, can substantially interfere with academic achievement, or lead to student drop-out, substance abuse, violent behavior, or suicide. Because most youth aged 15 to 19 are in school, the educational system is the best environment to identify those youth at risk for suicide and to facilitate the services that the individual needs. The Committee is aware that SAMHSA is overseeing a pilot study in one school system, utilizing evidence-based screening techniques and tools to screen and identify teenagers who are at risk. Several promising screening techniques to identify youth at risk exist but they need further testing. There also is a need to develop evidence-based interventions to work with students found to be at risk and their families so as to facilitate treatment.” Under the bill, $4.5 million would be provided for SAMHSA “to make grants to local educational systems or non-profit entities in conjunction with local educational systems both to further test the use of the screening mechanisms and to identify evidence-based practices for facilitating treatment for youth at risk.”
As requested by the administration, the Mental Health Performance Partnership would receive $436.1 million in FY2005, a $20.9 million increase over FY2004.
The measure does not include the $10 million requested by the administration for the Samaritan Initiative. The report states that the committee has provided $10 million for homeless programs within the Programs of Regional and National Significance account and “will reconsider the administration’s request for the Samaritan Initiative once authorizing legislation is enacted.”
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment: S. 2810 would provide $2.26 billion for substance abuse treatment programs. This allocation is $130 million more than FY2004, but $93 million below the administration’s request. As requested by the administration, the Substance Abuse Performance Partnership would receive $1.83 billion in FY2005, $120 million above the FY2004 level.
Treatment programs for pregnant, postpartum and residential women and their children would be level-funded at $10 million. In addition, the committee urges that no less than the FY2004 funding level should be provided for the Residential Treatment Program for Pregnant and Postpartum Women. According to the report, the committee “continues to be concerned about the incidence of drug addiction among pregnant and parenting women. The Committee believes that increased capacity is necessary for treatment programs designed for pregnant and parenting women and their families.”
The committee “notes that prenatal alcohol exposure is the leading known cause of mental retardation and birth defects in the United States. It is associated with lifelong difficulties with learning, memory, attention, and problem solving as well as problems with mental health and social interactions. A recent study showed that 15 percent of pregnant women surveyed as they waited in clinics for prenatal care indicated they had drunk alcohol during pregnancy. At least 5,000 infants are born each year with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and another 50,000 children show symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAE). The Committee has provided [$11 million] to strengthen system-wide approaches to identify and serve women at risk of delivering FAS/FAE children, with an emphasis on teen mothers.”
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): The bill would provide $318.7 million for AHRQ in FY2005, a $14.7 million increase over FY2004 and $15 million above the administration’s request.
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG): The bill would grant the administration’s request and provide $2.1 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 administration.
Child Support Enforcement: As requested by the administration, the measure would allocate $4.07 billion for payments to states for child support enforcement and family support programs. This amount is $500 million less than FY2004.
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.
Children and Family Services Programs: Head Start would receive a $98 million increase over FY2004, bringing the total to $6.9 billion. This amount is $45 million below the administration’s request.
Consolidated runaway and homeless youth programs would receive $95 million in FY2005, a $5.1 million increase over FY2004 and $5.6 million more than the administration’s request.
S. 2810 does not include the administration’s request of $10 million for the Maternity Group Homes program. The report states, “Under this proposed program, the ACF would provide targeted funding for community-based, adult-supervised group homes for young mothers and their children. These homes would provide safe, stable, nurturing environments for mothers who cannot live safely with their own families and assist them in moving forward with their lives by providing support so they can finish school, acquire job skills, and learn to be good parents. The Committee expects the Family and Youth Services Bureau to continue to provide the technical assistance needed to enable TLP [Transitional Living Programs] grantees and their community partners to address the unique needs of young mothers and their children, as well as helping interested entities in identifying sources of funding currently available to provide residential services to this population.”
The measure would provide $61.9 million for child abuse and neglect treatment and prevention activities. This amount is $27.3 million above FY2004, but $6.4 million below the administration’s request.
Programs to increase abandoned infant assistance would receive $12.05 million in FY2005, $70,000 less than FY2004 and $30,000 below the administration’s request.
As requested by the administration, the bill would provide $291.99 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 marriages. Legislation has not been enacted to create this proposed program.
Adoption: The measure would provide $27.34 million for adoption opportunities, $58,000 less than FY2004. The bill would provide $32.1 million for adoption incentives, $24.65 million more than FY2004. The bill also would provide $12.91 million for adoption awareness programs, $46,000 above FY2004. All funding levels are equal to the administration’s budget request.
Abstinence Education: The bill would provide $154.5 million for the abstinence education program, $84.1 million over the FY2004 level, but $81.9 million below the administration’s request. Within the total, $100 million would be allocated for community-based abstinence education.
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 $404.38 million for the Promoting Safe and Stable Families program, $80,000 above the FY2004 level, but $100.62 million below the administration’s request.
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA): The National Domestic Violence Hotline would receive $3.5 million in FY2005, $500,000 more than FY2004 and the administration’s request. In addition, battered women’s shelters would receive $128 million in FY2005, a $1.6 million increase over FY2004 and $2.4 million more 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 $1.49 million above the administration’s request.
Office of the Secretary
According to the report, the committee “understands that there are nearly 400,000 frozen embryos in fertility clinics in the United States and only approximately 2 percent of these are donated to other couples in order to bear children. The Committee continues to believe that increasing public awareness of embryo donation and adoption remains an important goal and therefore directs the Department to continue its embryo adoption awareness campaign.” S. 2810 would provide $10 million for this purpose.
The committee “understands that new research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism shows that serious drinking problems previously associated with adulthood actually begin to emerge during childhood and adolescence. In this context, alcohol abuse and dependence are best characterized as developmental disorders that begin during ages that are a critical time for cognitive and physiological growth. These findings underscore the public health challenge of preventing childhood drinking, as well as raising the age of first use of alcohol.”
In addition, the committee “commends the Secretary for establishing the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD) and applauds the SAMHSA Administrator for taking a strong leadership role. The ICCPUD’s interim report describes the steps involved in developing a coordinated plan for combating underage drinking and lists the related current and planned activities by the numerous Federal agencies involved in this effort. The Committee was disappointed to see that the Surgeon General is not engaged in any activities specifically intended to reduce underage drinking, nor does he plan any such activities in the near future. The Committee notes that the Surgeon General has a unique role that involves advocating for effective disease prevention and health promotion programs, as well as providing a highly recognized symbol of national commitment to combating public health threats. The Surgeon General, as the Nation’s top doctor, has issued Reports and Calls to Action in the past to focus National attention on important public health issues such as suicide prevention, youth violence and obesity. The Committee believes that the Surgeon General must be fully engaged in the effort to combat childhood drinking. Therefore, the Committee strongly urges the Surgeon General, in coordination with SAMHSA, to issue a Call to Action on the health crisis of underage drinking.”
Adolescent Family Life: The Adolescent Family Life program would receive $37.5 million in FY2005, a $6.3 million increase over FY2004, but $16.9 million below the administration’s request. Of the total, $2.5 million would be allocated for the development of a National Abstinence Education Campaign.
Public Health Service’s Office of Minority Health (PHS-OMH): The measure would allocate $53.35 million to the Office of Minority Health, a $2.25 million decrease below the FY2004 level and $6.11 million more than the administration’s request.
The committee “commends the OMH for establishing in 2003 a public and private partnership to address the protective and risk factors identified in the Aberdeen Area Infant Mortality Study. In 2004 the Committee included [$1 million] to reduce SIDS disparity rates and provide risk reduction education to African American and American Indian populations in the United States. The Committee was pleased that the Deputy Secretary chose to supplement the Committee’s effort, resulting in an [$8.65 million] infant mortality reduction initiative. However the Committee is disappointed to note the lack of any notification about the change in scope and direction of the [$1 million] provided by the Committee, nor of the diversion of funds from other maternal and child health programs. In addition, the Committee is concerned that the fiscal year 2005 budget justifications include no information about the future of this initiative. The Committee directs the Secretary to report on the progress of the Deputy Secretary’s infant mortality initiative and specifically on the SIDS portion of that initiative no later than July 1, 2005, and to include adequate information pertaining to the initiative in the Department’s fiscal year 2006 budget request.”
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. The committee “remains strongly supportive of the work done by the Office on Women’s Health in the Office of the Secretary. In addition to its own work advancing women’s health, it provides critical coordinating services with offices located in NIH, CDC, HRSA, FDA, SAMHSA, AHRQ, and CMS [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services]. In totality, these offices assure that issues related to research, treatment, services, training, and education efforts by HHS reflect the distinct needs of women. The Secretary should notify the Committee in advance of any changes planned for the status, location, or reporting structure of this office or any of the offices enumerated above.”
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 $13.46 billion in FY2005, a $1.05 billion over FY2004 and $120 million above the administration’s request.
William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Program: As requested by the administration, no funding would be provided for the Even Start program. Congress allocated $248.3 million for the program in FY2004.
Reading First and Early Reading First: The bill would provide $1.06 billion for the Reading First program, $30 million more than FY2004, but $65 million below the administration’s request. The Early Reading First program would receive $110 million in FY2005, a $15 million increase over FY2004, but $22 million less than the administration’s request.
Teacher Quality: S. 2810 would provide $2.97 billion for teacher professional development programs. This amount is $25 million more than FY2004 and $40 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 $200 million in FY2005, $50 million more than FY2004, but $69.1 million below the administration’s request.
According to the report, “These funds may also be used by districts to hire teachers to reduce class sizes. The Committee recognizes that smaller classes, particularly in the early grades, can have a positive impact on students by improving classroom discipline, providing students with more individualized attention, and allowing parents and teachers to work more closely together. Funds within the teacher quality State grants program may be used to continue this commitment to our Nation’s students, parents, and teachers, without taking away from other efforts to invest in professional development.”
21st Century Community Learning Centers: The bill would provide a slight increase over the administration’s request of $1 billion for 21st Century Community Learning Centers in FY2005, a $5 million decrease below the FY2004 level.
Education for Homeless Children and Youth: The measure would provide $62 million for education for homeless children and youth, a $2 million increase over FY2004 and $2.4 million more than the administration’s request.
Women’s Educational Equity: Under the bill, $3 million would be provided for the women’s educational equity program, $20,000 more than FY2004. The administration’s budget request did not include funding for this program.
Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress Program: S. 2810 would provide $75 million for the Physical Education for Progress Program, $5.41 million above the administration’s request. The report states that the committee “notes that in the past 15 years, obesity has increased by over 50 percent among adults and in the past 20 years, obesity has increased by 100 percent among children and adolescents. A recent analysis by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development found that third grade children in the study received an average of 25 minutes per week in school of moderate to vigorous activity, while experts in the United States have recommended that young people should participate in physical activity of at least moderate intensity for 30 to 60 minutes each day. While not nationally represented, this information is consistent with the 2002 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, which found that only roughly one-half of all students report attending a physical education class one or more times a week. The Committee believes Federal funding is critical to the effort to reducing these trends and helping improve the health of the American public.”
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Total spending for special education in FY2005 would be $12.41 billion in FY2005, a $1.11 billion increase over FY2004 and $230 million more than the administration’s request. The committee “recognizes that Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), the most common known cause of mental retardation, result from maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Affected children have a lifelong disability of mental impairments, behavioral problems, and developmental delays that reduce their ability to respond to the educational system. The burden to society is estimated at [$5.4 billion] from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, one type of FASD alone, in 2003. The Committee is pleased with the efforts of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services to collaborate with other Federal agencies represented on the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, especially with respect to the involvement of educational psychologists and other educational and childcare professionals in developing awareness about FASD. The Committee encourages the Department of Education to expand activities related to FASD, specifically the early identification and care plan development of affected children.”
Vocational Education: In FY2005, $1.33 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 the administration, 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 $92.8 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 $3.6 million more than FY2004 and equal to the administration’s request.
