This week, the Appropriations Committees in the Senate and House continued their work on the FY2009 spending bills. Specifically, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY2009 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill. The House Appropriations Committee passed the FY2009 Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; and Financial Services and General Government spending bills. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Legislative Branch also approved its FY2009 measure.
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
On June 26, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 26-3, the FY2009 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). The Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education passed the measure, by voice vote, on June 24.
The measure would provide $152.7 billion in discretionary funds in FY2009, $7.859 billion over FY2008 and $7.7 billion more than the president’s request. Of that amount, the Department of Labor would receive $12.3 billion, the Department of Health and Human Services would receive $68.3 billion, and the Department of Education would receive $61.8 billion.
Below is a chart detailing funding levels for programs important to women and their families. Additional information will be available when the report accompanying the bill is printed.
Agency/Program | FY2008 | President’s Request | FY2009 Full Committee Mark |
---|---|---|---|
Department of Labor |
|||
Reintegration of Ex-Offenders |
$73.493 million | $39.6 million | $103.493 million |
International Labor Affairs Bureau | $81.074 million | $14.822 million | $86.074 million |
Department of Health and Human Services |
|||
Health Resources and Services Administration | |||
Community Health Centers | $2.065 billion | $2.092 billion | $2.215 billion |
Ryan White CARE Act (total) | $2.167 billion | $2.168 billion | $2.173 billion |
Family Planning | $299.981 million | $299.981 million | $299.981 million |
Community-Based Abstinence Education | $113.4 million | $141.074 million | $84.827 million |
National Institutes of Health (NIH) | $29.23 billion | $29.23 billion | $30.255 billion |
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) | $334.564 million | $325.664 million | $334.564 million |
Administration for Children and Families | |||
Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) | $2.062 billion | $2.062 billion | $2.137 billion |
Head Start | $6.878 billion | $7.027 billion | $7.102 billion |
Child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment activities | $105.359 million | $105.359 million | $107.799 million |
Refugee and Entrant Assistance (including aid to victims of trafficking and to unaccompanied minors) | $665.631 million | $628.044 million | $635.044 million |
Department of Education |
|||
Title I Grants to local education agencies (No Child Left Behind) | $13.899 billion | $14.305 billion | $14.53 billion |
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (including part B grants to states and grants for infants and families) | $11.384 billion | $11.721 billion | $11.868 billion |
William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Program | $66.454 million | $0 | $66.454 million |
Reading First | $393.012 million | $1 billion (for Reading First and Early Reading First) |
$0 |
21st Century Community Learning Centers | $1.081 billion | $800 million | $1.081 billion |
Pell Grants | $14.215 billion | $16.941 billion | $16.89 billion |
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
House Action
On June 25, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2009 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (H.R. 3093), and Financial Services and General Government (as-yet-unnumbered) spending bills. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies approved its bill on June 12 (see The Source, 6/13/08). The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government approved its spending bill on June 17 (see The Source, 6/20/08).
Below is a chart detailing funding levels for programs important to women and their families. The administration’s request for grants to combat violence against women included an overall amount, but did not include requests for the specific programs. In the chart, $0 indicates that there was a request to eliminate the program, and the symbol (–) indicates that there was no specific request for the program as its funding was included as part of a larger grant or agency program.
The measure would provide $56.9 billion in FY2009, a $5.1 billion increase over FY2008 and $3.2 billion above the president’s request.
Agency/Program | FY2008 | President’s Request | FY2009 Full Committee Mark |
Department of Justice |
|||
Office on Violence Against Women | $400 million | $280 million | $435 million |
Grants to Combat Violence Against Women | $183.8 million | — | $200 million |
Transitional Housing | $17.4 million | — | $20 million |
Violence on College Campuses | $9.4 million | — | $10 million |
Civil Legal Assistance for Victims | $36.7 million | — | $41 million |
Elder Abuse Grant Program | $4.2 million | — | $5 million |
Safe Haven Program | $13.6 million | — | $15 million |
Protections and Services for Disabled Victims | $6.6 million | — | $7 million |
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) | $13.2 million | — | $15 million |
Training for Judicial Personnel (child abuse) | $2.4 million | — | $3 million |
Research on Violence Against Indian Women | $900,000 | — | $1 million |
Engaging Men and Youth in Prevention | $2.8 million | — | $3 million |
Court Training Program | $2.8 million | — | $3 million |
Stalking Database | $2.8 million | — | $3 million |
Rural Domestic Violence Assistance Grants | $40.4 million | — | $41 million |
Sexual Assault Victims Services | $9.4 million | — | $15 million |
National Tribal Sex Offender Registry | $900,000 | — | $1 million |
State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance | $908.136 million | $404 million | $1.277 billion |
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants | $170.433 million | $0 | $550 million |
Prison Rape Prevention Programs | $17.86 million | — | $12.5 million |
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) | $587.233 million | $0 | $627 million |
Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grants | $152.72 million | — | $150 million |
Sex Offender Management | $4.162 million | — | $10 million |
Juvenile Justice Programs | $383.513 million | $185 million | $431 million |
Victims of Child Abuse Programs | $16.92 million | — | $23 million |
Victims of Trafficking | $9.4 million | — | $10 million |
Related Agencies |
|||
Legal Services Corporation | $350.49 million | $311 million | $390 million |
Commission on Civil Rights | $8.46 million | $8.8 million | $8.8 million |
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | $329.3 million | $341.925 million | $350.425 million |
National Science Foundation | $6.065 billion | $6.854 billion | $6.854 billion |
Education and Human Resources | $725.6 million | $790.41 million | $840.26 million |
Report Language
The House Appropriations Committee report accompanying the bill includes language detailing a number of programs affecting women and their families. Although report language is not binding, federal agencies give careful consideration to such language as it indicates programs or initiatives that are particularly important for appropriators.
“The Committee understands that Native American and Native Alaskan women experience a higher rate of violence compared to any other group in the United States. Alaska’s forcible rape rate is 2.5 times larger than the national average. Alaska holds the highest rate in the United States of men murdering women. In FY2005, over 6,000 incidents of domestic violence were recorded. In response, in FY2005, a liaison office was created to address abuse and violence towards women in Alaska. The Committee includes $2,800,000 for the Native American/Native Alaskan Liaison Office for their work in Alaska. The Committee has provided $2,800,000 to the State of Alaska for the purposes of combating sexual assault and domestic violence. These funds may also be distributed to nonprofit entities that provide services such as: a crisis hotline, services to victims of sexual assault or domestic violence in rural areas, and medical assistance to victims.”
“The Committee has provided substantial resources to protect our children from predators. The recommendation includes $294.87 million for Department of Justice efforts to prevent, investigate, and prosecute crimes against children. This recommendation fully supports the critical Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, and includes $48 million, which is $9 million above the President’s budget request for new FBI agents dedicated to fighting Internet crimes against children.”
Senate Action
On June 23, the Senate Appropriations Committee, approved, by unanimous consent, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies spending bill (S. 3182). The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies passed the measure on June 19 (see The Source, 6/20/08). The House subcommittee approved its version of the bill on June 12 (see The Source, 6/13/08).
The bill provides $60.1 billion, a $6.366 billion increase over FY2008 and $4.171 billion above the president’s request.
Agency/Program |
FY2008 |
President’s Request |
FY2009 Full Committee Mark |
Department of Justice |
|||
Office on Violence Against Women | $400 million | $280 million | $415 million |
Grants to Combat Violence against Women |
$183.8 million |
— |
$185 million |
Transitional Housing | $17.4 million |
— |
$17.39 million |
Violence on College Campuses | $9.4 million |
— |
$10 million |
Civil Legal Assistance for Victims | $36.7 million |
— |
$42 million |
Elder Abuse Grant Program | $4.2 million |
— |
$4.5 million |
Safe Havens Project | $13.6 million | — | $14 million |
Protections and Services for Disabled Victims | $6.6 million | — | $6.58 million |
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) | $13.2 million | — | $15 million |
Training for Judicial Personnel | $2.4 million | — | $2.82 million |
Research on Violence Against Indian Women | $900,000 | — | $900,000 |
Engaging Men and Youth in Prevention | $2.8 million | — | $2.5 million |
Court Training Programs | $2.8 million | — | $2.82 million |
Stalking Database | $2.8 million | — | $3.03 million |
National Tribal Sex Offender Registry | $900,000 | — | $900,000 |
Sexual Assault Victims Services | $9.4 million | — | $12 million |
Rural Domestic Violence Assistance | $40.4 million | — | $42 million |
State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance | $908.136 million | $404 million | $1.387 billion |
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants | $170.433 million | $0 | $580 million |
Prison Rape Prevention Programs | $17.86 million | — | $5 million |
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) | $587.233 million | $0 | $600 million |
Juvenile Justice Programs | $383.513 million | $185 million | $400 million |
Victims of Child Abuse Programs | $16.92 million | — | $25 million |
Victims of Trafficking | $9.4 million | — | $10 million |
Related Agencies |
|||
Legal Services Corporation | $350.49 million | $311 million | $390 million |
Commission on Civil Rights | $8.46 million | $8.8 million | $8.8 million |
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | $329.3 million | $341.925 million | $341.925 million |
National Science Foundation | $6.065 billion | $6.854 billion | $6.854 billion |
Education and Human Resources | $725.6 million | $790.41 million | $790.41 million |
Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies
On June 24, the House Appropriations Committee passed, by voice vote, its FY2009 spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). The Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee passed the bill on June 12 (see The Source, 6/13/08).
Like the version passed by the subcommittee, the bill would provide $72.7 billion in discretionary funding in FY2009, $8.8 billion over FY2008 and $3.4 billion more than the president’s request.
The bill would allocate $9.1 billion to implement the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Act, $1.8 billion above FY2008 and equal to the president’s request. It also would provide $5.6 billion for military construction and family housing.
Funding for medical services would total $30.9 billion, $2.8 billion more than FY2008 and $1 billion above the president’s request. This funding would include $5 billion for medical facilities, $769 million more than FY2008 and $368 million higher than the president’s request, $3.8 billion for specialty mental health care, and $584 million for substance abuse programs.
Financial Services and General Government
According to the committee press release, the measure would provide $22.4 billion in FY2009, a $1.6 billion increase over FY2008 and $200 million above the president’s request.
Funding for the Small Business Administration, according to Subcommittee Chair José Serrano (D-NY), “also includes $22.5 million for microloans and technical assistance to the smallest companies.”
Agency/Program | FY2008 | President’s Request | FY2009 Full Committee Mark |
Small Business Administration | $569 million | $658.5 million | $880.2 million |
Small Business Development Centers | $97.1 million | $87.1 million | $110 million |
Treasury’s Office of Financial Education | $1.1 million | — | $1.8 million |
District of Columbia Courts | $224 million | $224 million | $248 million |
Legislative Branch
On June 23, the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee approved, by voice vote, a FY2009 spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered) totaling $3.4 billion for legislative branch funding. The bill funds only House operations and would provide an increase from the FY2008 funding level of $3.104 billion.
More information on programs affecting women and their families will be available when the committee report is printed.