an amendment by Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) to redirect $5 million from the Economic Support Fund to the Child Survival and Health Programs Fund, by voice vote.Speaking on behalf of her amendment, Rep. Jackson-Lee said, “The purpose of this amendment is to direct additional funds for technical assistance to provide capacity-building for hospitals in Africa that deal with child [survival] and other relevant needs.” She said that after a thorough review of research journals, she was only able to locate 200 hospitals anywhere on the African continent. Because of the dearth of hospitals, “I can assure you that the plight of women who are pregnant in Africa is a severe plight. Take, for example, that every minute somewhere in the world, a woman dies from pregnancy-related causes, with 95 percent of those deaths occurring in Africa and Asia. Worldwide, about 529,000 women die from pregnancy-related causes every year. A woman in sub-Saharan Africa has a one in 16 chance of dying in pregnancy or childbirth.” She concluded, “I hope that this amendment will be accepted because it will go a long way for expanding the lives of mothers and children, but it will also go a long way for ensuring that we believe in good hospital care, excellent hospital care across the continent of Africa.”
An amendment by Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA) to restore the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) authorization provision requiring 33 percent of HIV/AIDS prevention funding to be spent on abstinence and fidelity promotion program was defeated, 200-226.
Speaking on behalf of his amendment, Rep. Pitts said, “The PEPFAR authorization bill [(P.L. 108-25)], which became law in 2003, included a provision that required one-third of the 20 percent for prevention funding, that is approximately seven percent of the total PEPFAR funds, to be spent on abstinence and fidelity programs…The U.S. remains the largest distributor of condoms in the world. But for the first time the behavior factor is getting real attention under the current program rules. And the result: falling HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in seven of the 15 focus countries [Botswana, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zambia]. The current prevention strategy is based on the comprehensive ABC model, first established in Uganda, developed by Uganda. The ABC model stands for A, abstinence; B, be faithful; C, condoms…Opponents of this approach claim that behavioral change is unrealistic. Dr. Edward Green, a researcher at Harvard University, was an opponent of the ABC model and in particular of abstinence until he saw what happened in Uganda. He testified before the Energy and Commerce Committee saying: ‘Many of us in the AIDS and public health communities did not believe that abstinence or delay and faithfulness were realistic goals. It now seems we were wrong.’” He continued, “Yet for some reason, some of my colleagues have decided to make a crucial provision of this successful strategy optional. This crucial provision ensures that the ‘abstinence’ and ‘be faithful’ components are incorporated into the approach…Mr. Chairman, a balanced, evidence-based approach is essential if we are going to effectively fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. The current policy is the balanced approach. It is the evidence-based approach. It is the approach that is working. Why change what works?”
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) opposed the amendment, saying, “As currently written, the bill does not change the underlying abstinence-until-marriage earmark. For me that’s unfortunate, but it doesn’t change that. And it does not require the President to make any changes to current prevention funds. The current language merely provides the President with the flexibility to plan the most appropriate and sensitive and required program for countries per their request. The fact is, the administration has already waived, you’re right, application of the abstinence earmark for certain countries receiving assistance under our global AIDS programs. But I want you to remember, ABC does mean abstinence, be faithful, use condoms. For many of these young girls, abstinence is not an option. And we must provide them with what they need to protect themselves. ABC is ABC. The Lowey language provides a very practical, commonsense, one-year fix, mind you, one year. And it gives the President the authority to program global AIDS funding according to local country needs. Ultimately, it will be up to the President to determine whether to exercise this flexibility.” She concluded, “This amendment, Mr. Pitts, it really does render a death sentence to millions of girls and their children and their babies. So I urge my colleagues to vote against restricting the ability of the President to save lives. And that’s what this amendment would do. And so I hope that all of the posturing and all of the ideological debate today really comes down to the fact that we believe, all of us believe in ABC: Abstinence, be faithful, use condoms.”
Legislative Branch
On June 22, the House approved, 216-176, the FY2008 Legislative Branch spending bill (H.R. 2771), after rejecting a motion to recommit by Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA), 181-217. The House Appropriations Committee approved the bill on June 12 (see The Source, 6/15/07).
The measure would allocate $3.104 billion in FY2008, $122.2 million above FY2007 and $275.5 million less than President Bush’s request. The House of Representatives Child Care Center would receive $1 million in FY2008.
Report Language
According to the committee report, “In the event of an emergency, the evacuation of the House Child Care Center is a priority. Therefore, the committee urges the chief administrative officer of the House to ensure that at all times a sufficient number of bus drivers are available to evacuate the House Child Care Center.”
It has “come to the committee’s attention that some agencies of the Legislative Branch have no formal policy for contracting with women and minority owned businesses. The committee believes that many opportunities exist for these businesses to be awarded contracts to perform services required from all agencies within the Legislative Branch. The committee directs that all agencies, who have not done so, adopt within 60 days a formal written policy, in accordance with all applicable federal laws, that provides for the consideration of contracting with this very important group of service providers. All agencies shall provide a copy of the policies to the committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate within 60 days of enactment of this act. The committee further directs that all agencies provide an annual report on their compliance with this policy.”
The committee report states, “An affirmative action plan is a blueprint for improving the employment and advancement opportunities for women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities. A formal affirmative action plan will assist the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in achieving an inclusive workforce, ensuring an environment of respect for all individuals, and offer opportunities for each person to develop to his or her full potential in support of the mission of the GAO. An affirmative action plan is a very important element of any human resources operation, and with the support and participation of the entire agency GAO will achieve measurable diversity within the workforce. Therefore, the committee directs GAO to develop and institute an affirmative action plan with specific goals and objectives within 180 days of enactment of this act to further the ability for women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities to achieve balanced representation within the GAO workforce.”
Committee Action
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
On June 21, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 27-2, the FY2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies spending bill (S. 1710). The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies approved the bill, by voice vote, on June 20. The House Appropriations subcommittee approved its version of the bill on June 7 (see The Source, 6/8/07).
According to a press release from Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA), the measure would allocate $152 billion in FY2008, $9 billion over President Bush’s request, and $452 million more than the House version of the bill.
The bill also includes a provision to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would be allowed to spend federal money to conduct research using stem cells derived on or before June 15, 2007. No federal funds would be used to create stem cell lines, in accordance with the Dickey-Wicker amendment. The amendment, enacted as part of the Balanced Budget Downpayment Act (P.L. 104-99), prohibits the use of federal funds for research in which a human embryo is created or destroyed.
According to Sen. Harkin, allowing HHS access to stem cell lines created on or before June 15 would increase the number available to federal research from 22 to more than 400. Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) told Sen. Harkin that he would not oppose the provision during the committee mark-up, but that he and other members would oppose it when the bill reached the Senate floor. Sen. Craig said he was “concerned” that this provision would lead to the creation of embryos for research purposes.
Department of Labor
In line with the administration’s request, the prisoner re-entry initiative and the Responsible Reintegration of Youthful Offenders programs would be merged into a new program the Reintegration of Ex-Offenders. In FY2008, the new program would receive $74.642 million, $35.042 million above the administration’s request. In FY2007, the prisoner re-entry and youth offender programs received $19.642 million and $49.104 million, respectively.
The bill would fund the Bureau of International Labor Affairs at $82.516 million, $10 million above FY2007 and $68.419 million more than President Bush’s request.
The Youthbuild program would receive $52 million in FY2008, $2.5 million more than FY2007 and $2 million more than the administration’s request. The program targets high school dropouts ages 16 to 24 and provides them with education and employment skills through the construction and rehabilitation of housing for low-income and homeless people.
Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Community health centers would receive $2.238 billion in FY2008, $250 million more than FY2007 and $249.572 million more than the budget request.
Universal newborn hearing screening would receive $12 million in FY2008, $2.196 million more than FY2007. The administration would have eliminated the program.
Ryan White: The Ryan White Care Act would receive a total of $2.171 billion, a $33.124 million increase over FY2007 and $13.007 million more than the administration’s request.
Family Planning: Title X, the nation’s family planning program, would receive $300 million, $16.854 million over FY2007 and $16.897 million more than President Bush’s request.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The measure would allocate $6.4 billion for the CDC, $223.841 million more than FY2007. CDC health promotion programs would be funded at $979.876 million in FY2008, a $20.214 million increase over FY2007 and $21.144 million more than the administration’s request.
National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH would receive $29.9 billion in FY2008, $1 billion more than FY2007 and $1.279 billion more than the administration’s request.
Center for Mental Health Services: The bill would provide $923.062 million in FY2008 for mental health services, a $39.204 million increase above FY2007 and $115.834 million above the administration’s request.
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment: Substance abuse treatment programs would receive $2.184 billion in FY2008, $26.619 million above FY2007 and $73.478 million above President Bush’s request. Substance abuse prevention programs would be funded at $197.108 million, $4.206 million more than FY2007 and $40.647 million above the budget request.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): As requested by President Bush, the bill would fund AHRQ at $329.564 million in FY2008, $10.578 million more than FY2007.
Administration for Children and Families
Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG): As requested by President Bush, the CCDBG would be level-funded at $2.062 billion in FY2008.
Child and Family Services Programs: Head Start would receive $7.089 billion, $200 million more than FY2007 and $300 million more than the administration’s request.
Consolidated runaway and homeless youth programs would receive $122.864 million in FY2008, $20 million more than FY2007 and the administration’s request.
Child abuse programs would be allocated $107.175 million in FY2008, $11.958 million more than FY2007 and $1.6 million above the budget request.
Administration on Aging: The Administration on Aging’s support service centers would receive $350.595 million in FY2008. Family caregiver support programs would receive $162.595 million in FY2008.
Abstinence-only Education: The abstinence education program would receive $84.916 million in FY2008, $28.484 million less FY2007 and $56.248 million below President Bush’s request.
Department of Education
No Child Left Behind: As requested by President Bush, grants to local educational agencies under the No Child Left Behind Act (P.L. 107-110) would receive $13.909 billion in FY2008, $1.072 billion above FY2007.
Reading First: The bill would fund the Reading First program at $800 million in FY2008, $229.234 million less than FY2007, and $218.692 million less than President Bush’s request.
Teacher Quality: The bill would level-fund grants to states to improve teacher quality at $2.887 billion in FY2008, $99.951 million above the budget request.
Math and Science Partnerships: The program would be funded at $184 million in FY2008, $1.84 million more than FY2007 and $1.876 million above the budget request.
21st Century Community Learning Centers: The learning centers would be funded at $1 billion in FY2008, $18.834 million above FY2007 and $18.82 million more than President Bush’s request.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Total spending for state grants for special education would be $11.24 billion in FY2008, a $457.039 million increase over FY2007, and $748.059 million more than the budget request. Special education grants for infants and families would receive $450 million in FY2008, $13.6 million above FY2007 and $26.933 million above the administration’s request.
Vocational Education: The measure would level-fund vocational education at $1.182 billion in FY2008 and $581.553 million more than the budget request.
Pell Grants: The bill would provide $14.487 billion in FY2008 for Pell Grants, $826.289 million more than FY2007, and $1.073 billion more than the administration’s request. The maximum Pell Grant award would remain at $4,310 in FY2008, $390 less than the House and $290 less than the administration’s request.
Safe and Drug Free Schools: These programs would be funded at $300 million in FY2008, $46.5 million less than FY2007 and $200 million more than the administration’s request.
Additional information will be available when the committee report accompanying the bill is printed.
Legislative Branch
On June 21, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 29-0, the FY2008 Legislative Branch spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). The House approved its version of the bill (H.R. 2771) on June 22 (see above).
The measure would allocate $2.8 billion in FY2008, $138 million over FY 2007, $289 million below President Bush’s request, and $304 million less than the House version.
More information will be available when the committee report is printed.
