This week, several House appropriations subcommittees approved spending bills for FY2007. House Appropriations subcommittees approved the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill on May 3, and the Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs, and the Interior and the Environment spending bills on May 4.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
On May 3, a House Appropriations subcommittee approved, by voice vote, the FY2006 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
The measure would allocate $18.4 billion in discretionary spending for FY2007, $96 million below the FY2006 level and $564 million over the administration’s budget request. It also would provide $76.079 in mandatory spending.
The bill would provide $5.244 billion in FY2007 for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, $40 million above the FY2006 level and $44 million more than the administration’s request.
Child nutrition programs would receive $13.3 billion in FY2007, a $685 million increase over FY2006, but $300 million less than the amount requested by the administration.
The measure would allocate $1.5 billion for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in FY2007, $54 million more than FY2006, but $16 million less than the administration’s request.
As requested by President Bush, the Food Stamp Program would be funded at $37.9 billion in FY2007, $2.8 billion below FY2006. In fiscal year 2007, participation is estimated to decrease by about 1.1 million participants according to the most recent estimates by the administration.
Under the bill, $1.2 billion would be provided for the Food for Peace Program, $85 million more than FY2006 and $5 million above the administration’s request.
The full committee will consider the bill on May 9.
Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs
On May 4, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies approved, by voice vote, the FY2007 Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
The measure would allocate $94.7 billion in FY2007, a $9.7 billion increase over FY2006 and $800 million less than the administration’s request.
Under the bill, $4 billion would be allocated for military family housing construction and operations.
The measure also includes several women’s health research programs that were previously under the jurisdiction of the defense subcommittee.
Overall, the defense health program would be increased by $1 billion over FY2006 to a total of $21 billion, the same as the administration’s request.
Additional information will be made available after the full committee considers the bill.
