This week, the House approved the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill. The House Appropriations Committee approved the Department of Defense and Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies spending bills. In addition, a House Appropriations subcommittee approved the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies spending bill. The Senate Appropriations Committee held its first mark-up of the year, approving the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies spending bill.
Floor Action
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
On June 8, the House approved, 408-18, the FY2006 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill (H.R. 2744). The House Appropriations Committee approved the measure on May 25 (see The Source, 5/27/05).
H.R. 2744 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 (WIC), $22 million above the FY2005 level and $253 million less than the administration’s request. Of that total, $15 million would be provided to continue the breastfeeding peer counselor program.
According to the House Appropriations Committee report accompanying H.R. 2744, “The Committee notes that since the budget request was submitted last February, estimates for participation and food costs in the WIC program have declined for fiscal year 2005 and fiscal year 2006. In fiscal year 2006, there are estimated to be 300,000 fewer participants a month and the average food cost per person per month has decreased by twenty-one cents…Therefore, the recommended funding level, although below the budget request, is currently estimated to be sufficient to meet program needs.”
Child nutrition programs would receive $12.4 billion in FY2006, a $630 million increase over FY2005, but $4 million less than the administration’s request. Of the total amount, $7.2 billion would be provided for the School Lunch Program, $2 billion for the School Breakfast Program, and $2.2 billion for the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
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. The report states that no less than $4 million should be provided for the FDA Office of Women’s Health, adding, “The Committee continues to be committed to this function, and in particular activities related to cardiovascular disease in women and the hormone therapy education program.”
According to the report, “The Committee recognizes the importance of ensuring that promising HIV/AIDS vaccines are tested in infants and youth as early as is medically and ethically appropriate. The Committee requests that the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, in consultation with appropriate public and private entities, consider the logistical, regulatory, medical and ethical issues presented by pediatric testing of these vaccines so that children can share in the benefit of any advances in vaccines research. The Committee urges FDA to issue guidance not later than six months after enactment of this Act on the minimum requirements for obtaining approval of the Food and Drug Administration to test an HIV vaccine in pediatric populations and the minimum requirements for obtaining Food and Drug Administration approval of a pediatric indication of an HIV vaccine.”
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. In addition, the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program would receive $100 million, a $13.2 million increase over FY2005 and equal to the administration’s budget request.
Committee Action
Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies
On June 7, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2006 Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). A House Appropriations subcommittee approved the bill on May 24 (see The Source, 5/27/05). The measure would allocate $57.45 billion in FY2006, $1.21 billion more than FY2005, but $3.05 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.
During consideration of the bill, Ranking Member David Obey (D-WI) offered an amendment that would have provided an additional $270,000 for grants under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act; and would have increased funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grants program to $618 million in FY2006. The increases would have been offset by a 1.47 percent tax cut reduction for individuals with annual incomes over $1 million. The amendment was defeated, 23-37.
The House will consider the bill next week.
Defense
On June 7, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2006 Department of Defense spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). A House Appropriations subcommittee approved the bill on May 24 (see The Source, 5/27/05).
The measure would allocate $408 billion for the Department of Defense in FY2006, a $55.6 billion increase over FY2005 and $41.3 billion more than the administration’s request. Of that amount, $45 billion would be included to cover the projected costs of continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition, the bill would provide $20 million for the Family Advocacy Program, $3 million more than FY2005.
During consideration of the bill, Ranking Member David Obey (D-WI) offered an amendment that would have required the House Budget Committee to draft a new budget resolution for FY2006 if any supplemental spending request would increase the federal deficit above the $382.7 billion cap set by H. Con. Res. 95. The amendment was defeated by voice vote.
The committee also rejected, 18-40, an amendment by Rep. Obey that would have generated an additional $25.8 billion for the Department of Defense by scaling back the tax cut for individuals with annual incomes over $1 million.
The House will consider the bill next week.
Subcommittee Action
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
On June 9, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies approved, by voice vote, its FY2006 spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
The measure would provide $142.5 billion in FY2006, a $164.1 million decrease below FY2005 and $923.78 million more than the administration’s request.
Department of Labor
As requested by the administration, the Department of Labor Women’s Bureau would receive $9.76 million in FY2006, $286,000 more than FY2005.
Dislocated workers assistance would be level-funded at $1.19 billion in FY2006, $120 million above the administration’s request.
Under the bill, $125 million would be provided for the administration’s Community College Initiative, $1 million more than FY2005, but $125 million less than the budget request.
The prisoner re-entry initiative would be level-funded at $19.84 million in FY2005, $15.16 million less than the amount requested by President Bush.
The bill would include the administration’s request of $12.42 million for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, an $80.83 million decrease below the FY2005 level.
Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Community health centers would receive $1.83 billion in FY2006, an increase of $100 million above FY2005, but $203.6 million less than the administration’s request.
The bill would provide $700 million for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, $23.93 million less than FY2005 and the budget request.
The Healthy Start infant mortality initiative would receive $97.75 million in FY2006, a $4.8 million decrease below the FY2005 level and equal to the administration’s request. The measure would provide $10 million for universal newborn hearing screening, $208,000 more than FY2005. Under the administration’s budget request, this program would not have been funded.
As requested by President Bush, the measure would not provide funding for the National Cord Stem Cell Bank program. Last year, Congress allocated $9.86 million for the program.
Ryan White: The Ryan White Care Act would receive a $10 million increase over the FY2005 funding level to $2.08 billion as requested by the administration.
Family Planning: Title X, the nation’s family planning program, would be level-funded at $286 million as requested by President Bush.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The measure would allocate $5.95 billion for the CDC in FY2006, a $1.44 billion increase over FY2005 and $1.9 billion more than the administration’s request.
National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH would receive $28.52 billion in FY2006, $241.5 million more than FY2005 and $97 million above the administration’s request.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA would receive $3.35 billion in FY2006, $39.7 million less than FY2005 and $16.02 million more than the budget request.
Center for Mental Health Services: The bill would provide $858.5 million in FY2006 for mental health services, a $21 million decrease below FY2005 and $43 million above the administration’s request. The Mental Health Performance Partnership would be level-funded at $410.95 million as requested by President Bush.
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment: The measure would provide $2.1 billion for substance abuse treatment programs in FY2006. This allocation is $12.9 million less than FY2005 and $37.6 million less than the administration’s request.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): As requested by the administration, the bill would provide level funding of $318.7 million for AHRQ in FY2006.
Administration for Children and Families
Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG): Under the bill, the CCDBG would be level-funded at $2.08 billion in FY2006 as requested by President Bush.
Social Services Block Grant: As requested by the administration, the Social Services Block Grant also would be level-funded at $1.7 billion in FY2006.
Child Support Enforcement: The measure would allocate $4.19 billion for payments to states for child support enforcement and family support programs. This amount is $119.35 million less than FY2005 and equal to the administration’s request.
International Trafficking: Under the Refugee and Entrant assistance account, a program to aid victims of trafficking would be level-funded at $9.92 million in FY2006 as requested by the administration.
Child and Family Services Programs: Head Start would receive a $55.89 million increase over FY2005, bringing the total to $6.9 billion. This amount is $336,000 less than the administration’s request.
Consolidated runaway and homeless youth programs would receive $88.73 million in FY2006, $4 million more than FY2005 and equal to the administration’s request. The measure does not include the administration’s request of $10 million for maternity group homes.
As requested by President Bush, the bill would provide level funding of $42.9 million in FY2006 for child abuse and neglect treatment and prevention activities.
Programs to increase abandoned infant assistance would be level-funded at $12 million in FY2006 as requested by the administration.
The bill would provide level funding of $289.65 million for child welfare services in FY2006, equal to the administration’s request.
Adoption: The measure would provide level funding of $27.12 million for adoption opportunities, $31.85 million for adoption incentives, and $12.8 million for adoption awareness programs. All funding levels are equal to the administration’s request.
Mentoring Children of Prisoners: As requested by the administration, the Mentoring Children of Prisoners program would receive $50 million in FY2006, $395,000 more than FY2005.
Promoting Safe and Stable Families: The bill would provide level funding of $305 million for the Promoting Safe and Stable Families program in FY2006, equal to the administration’s request.
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA): The National Domestic Violence Hotline would receive $3 million in FY2006, $224,000 less than FY2005 and equal to the administration’s request. In addition, battered women’s shelters would receive $126 million as requested by the administration. This amount is $361,000 more than FY2005.
Abstinence-only Education: The bill would provide $110 million for the abstinence education program in FY2006, $10.8 million more than FY2005, but $28.05 million less than the administration’s request.
Administration on Aging: The Administration on Aging’s National Family Caregiver Support program would be level-funded at $162.05 million in FY2006, equal to the administration’s request.
Office of the Secretary
Public Health Service’s Office on Women’s Health: The Office on Women’s Health would receive $28.72 million in FY2006, $103,000 less than FY2005 and equal to the administration’s request.
Public Health Service’s Office of Minority Health: As requested by the administration, the bill would provide $47.24 million for the Office of Minority Health, $3.29 million above the FY2005 level.
Minority HIV/AIDS: As requested by President Bush, the measure would provide level funding of $52.42 million for minority HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment activities.
Adolescent Family Life: The Adolescent Family Life program would receive $30.74 million in FY2006, $158,000 less than FY2005 and equal to the administration’s request.
Embryo Adoption Awareness Campaign: Under the bill, level funding of $992,000 would be provided for the embryo adoption awareness campaign as requested by the administration.
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 $12.84 billion in FY2006, $100 million more than FY2005, but $502.74 million less than the administration’s request.
William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Program: The measure would provide $200 million for the Even Start program in FY2006, a $25.1 million decrease below the FY2005 level. Under the administration’s budget request, the program would not have been funded.
Reading First and Early Reading First: The bill would level fund the Reading First program at $1.04 billion in FY2006 as requested by the administration. In addition, the Early Reading First program would be level-funded at $104.2 million, also equal to the administration’s request.
Teacher Quality: Under the bill, $708.52 million would be provided for teacher professional development programs in FY2006. This amount is $384.12 million less than FY2005 and $599.35 million below the administration’s request. The bill would provide level funding of $44.93 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 equal to the administration’s request. In addition, the Math and Science Partnerships would be funded at $190 million in FY2006, an $11.4 million increase over FY2005, but $79 million less than the budget request.
21st Century Community Learning Centers: As requested by the administration, the bill would provide level funding of $991.1 million in FY2006 for 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Total spending for special education would be $11.81 billion in FY2006, a $140.2 million increase over FY2005, but $312.35 million less than the administration’s request.
Education for Homeless Children and Youth: Under the bill, level funding of $62.5 million would be provided for education for homeless children and youth, equal to the administration’s request.
Vocational Education: The measure would provide $1.31 billion for vocational education in FY2006, $14.21 million less than FY2005. Under the administration’s budget request, the program would not have been funded.
Adult Education: In FY2006, funding for adult education would be level-funded at $585.41 million, a $369.67 million increase over the administration’s request.
Pell Grants: The bill would provide $13.38 billion for Pell Grants in FY2006, $1.02 billion more than FY2005 and $184 million above the budget request. The maximum Pell Grant would be $4,100, $50 more than FY2005, but $50 less than the amount requested by President Bush.
Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS): Funding for the CCAMPIS program would be level-funded at $15.97 million as requested by the administration.
Office for Civil Rights: The measure would provide $91.53 million in FY2006 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 $2.15 million more than FY2005 and equal to the budget request.
During consideration of the bill, Ranking Member David Obey (D-WI) offered an amendment that would have provided an additional $1.3 billion in FY2006 for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. Of this amount, an additional $175 million would have been provided for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, bringing the total to $875 million in FY2006; an additional $97 million would have been provided for the Healthy Start infant mortality initiative, bringing the total to $194.75 million; an additional $300 million would have been provided for the CCDBG, bringing the total to $2.38 billion; and an additional $126 million would have been provided for battered women’s shelters, bringing the total to $252 million. The additional funding would have been offset by increasing the tax rate for individuals with annual incomes over $1 million. The amendment was defeated, 7-10.
The full committee will mark up the bill on June 16.
