This week, the House approved the Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs spending bill. The House Appropriations Committee approved the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill. In addition, House Appropriations subcommittees approved the Department of Defense and Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies spending bills.
Floor Action
Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs
On May 26, the House approved, 425-1, the FY2006 Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs spending bill (H.R. 2528). The House Appropriations Committee approved the measure on May 18 (see The Source, 5/20/05).
H.R. 2528 would allocate $85.2 billion in FY2006, a $5.9 billion increase over FY2005 and $1.1 billion more than the administration’s request.
Under the bill, $4.2 billion would be allocated for military family housing, $127 million more than FY2005, but $41 million less than the amount requested by President Bush.
Several women’s health research programs would be funded under the bill: $115 million for the Army’s Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program and $15 million for the Ovarian Cancer Research Program. Last year, Congress allocated $150 million and $10 million respectively for these programs.
The House Appropriations Committee report accompanying H.R. 2528 states that the funding is “complementary to research funding that is currently provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for cancer research.” According to the report, the NIH plans to allocate $1.21 billion for breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer research in FY2006.
The measure would provide $2 million in FY2006 for the Air Force Environmental and Occupational Factors in Women’s Health Program, an increase of $700,000 above FY2005.
Funding for global HIV/AIDS prevention would be level-funded at $7.5 million under the bill.
During consideration of H.R. 2528, Rep. David Obey (D-WI) offered an amendment that would have provided an additional $2.6 billion for health programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The increase would have been offset by an 8.125 percent tax cut reduction for individuals with annual incomes over $1 million. Because the amendment would change current law, it is considered legislating on an appropriations bill, which is against House rules. A point of order was raised against the amendment and the Chair sustained the point of order.
Committee Action
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
On May 25, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2006 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). A House Appropriations subcommittee approved the measure on May 16 (see The Source, 5/20/05).
The measure would allocate level funding of $16.83 billion in FY2006, $93 million above the administration’s request.
The bill would provide $5.3 billion in FY2006 for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, $22 million above the FY2005 level and $47 million more than the administration’s request.
Child nutrition programs would receive $12.4 billion in FY2006, a $630 million increase over FY2005, but $4 million less than the amount requested by the administration.
The measure would allocate $1.5 billion for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in FY2006, $36 million more than FY2005, but $14 million less than the administration’s request.
As requested by President Bush, the Food Stamp Program would be funded at $40.7 billion in FY2006, a $5.6 billion increase over FY2005.
Under the bill, $1.1 billion would be provided for the Food for Peace Program, $66 million less than FY2005 and $222 million above the administration’s request.
Finally, the measure would prohibit the FDA from using federal funds to prevent U.S. citizens from importing prescription drugs.
Subcommittee Action
Department of Defense
On May 24, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense approved, by voice vote, its FY2006 spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
The measure would allocate $408.4 billion for the Department of Defense in FY2006. Of that amount, $45 billion would be included to cover the projected costs of continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Because the mark-up session was closed to the public, no additional information will be made available until the full committee considers the bill in June.
Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies
On May 24, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies approved, by voice vote, its FY2006 spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). The measure would allocate $57.5 billion in FY2006, $1.3 billion more than FY2005, but $3 billion less than the administration’s request.
Department of Justice
Under the bill, the Department of Justice would receive $21.4 billion in FY2006, a $1.1 billion increase over FY2005 and $790 million more than the administration’s request.
Violence Against Women Act: Programs under the Violence Against Women Act would receive $387 million in FY2006, $5 million less than FY2005 and $24 million less than the administration’s request.
State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance
The Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants program would receive $348 million in FY2006, $286 million less than FY2005.
The measure would provide $177 million for state and local crime laboratories to reduce and eventually eliminate backlogs of DNA casework samples. The amount is $127 million less than FY2005 and $59 million below the administration’s request.
The State Department
Under the bill, the State Department would be funded at $9.5 billion in FY2006, a $1.1 billion decrease below FY2005 and $273 million less than the administration’s request.
Independent Agencies
The Legal Services Corporation would be level-funded at $331 million, $12.7 million more than the administration’s request.
The bill would provide $590 million for the Small Business Administration, $20 million less than FY2005 and $3 million below the administration’s request.
Finally, the measure would allocate $5.64 billion for the National Science Foundation, a $171 million increase over FY2005 and $38 million more than the administration’s request.
