In an effort to meet deadlines set earlier in the year, the House spent much of the week working on FY2001 appropriations bills. Action in the Senate has been slowed due to Democrats’ insistence that spending bills originate in the House. To date, the House has passed three spending bills—Defense, Military Construction, and Transportation—with three others awaiting floor action—Agriculture, Legislative Branch, and VA-HUD. It is currently considering the FY2001 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education spending bill. The Senate has passed one spending bill—Military Construction. Four others—Agriculture, Foreign Operations, Labor-Health and Human Services-Education, and Legislative Branch—are ready for floor action. The Senate is currently considering the FY2001 defense spending bill.
Commerce-Justice-State: On June 6, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, and Related Agencies approved, by voice vote, its FY2001 spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
As approved by the subcommittee, the $34.9 billion measure would level-fund several programs of importance to women and families, including the Violence Against Women Act programs, which would receive $284 million, and juvenile justice programs, which would receive $287 million.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission would receive a $10 million increase to $291 million in FY2001, while the Legal Services Corporation would receive a $164 million decrease from last year to $141 million in FY2001.
VA-HUD: The House Appropriations approved, by voice vote, the FY2001 Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered) on June 7. Under the bill, the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) program would be level-funded at $232 million. The Stewart McKinney Homeless Assistance grants program also would be level-funded at $1 billion.
