On March 8, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2006 emergency supplemental spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
The measure would allocate $91.083 billion in emergency spending for FY2006, a $1.137 billion decrease below the administration’s request.
Under the bill, $67.7 billion would be provided for continuing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and $4.1 billion would be provided for foreign assistance. The total would include $253 million for the African Union peacekeeping mission and $350 million for international food assistance.
The measure also would include $19.1 billion in disaster assistance for Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Of that amount, $9.55 billion would be provided for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund and $4.2 billion for the Community Development Block Grant for long-term recovery efforts.
During consideration of the bill, the committee rejected, 27-34, an amendment offered by Rep. Marion Berry (D-AR) that would have extended the enrollment period for the Medicare prescription drug program from May 15, 2006, until December 31, 2006. The amendment also would have created a new Medicare-administered prescription drug option, and would have authorized the Department of Health and Human Services to use the purchasing power of Medicare beneficiaries to negotiate prices for prescription drugs.
In addition, Rep. Jesse Jackson (D-IL) offered, but withdrew, an amendment that would have provided an additional $50 million for international food assistance, $66 million for migration and refugee assistance, and $100 million for international peacekeeping. The funding would have been earmarked for sub-Saharan Africa and the Darfur region of Sudan.
The House is expected to consider the emergency supplemental spending bill next week.
