In an effort to complete the FY2004 spending bills, the House approved a continuing resolution until November 7, 2003, which also will serve as a legislative vehicle for an omnibus appropriations bill. In an attempt to include fewer bills in the omnibus bill, the Senate passed the FY2004 Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies spending bill and began its consideration of the Foreign Operations spending bill. The Senate is expected to take up a number of the remaining spending bills next week.
House Action
Continuing Resolution
On October 21, the House approved, 397-19, a continuing resolution (H. J. Res. 73) to fund government programs at their FY2003 levels until November 7. A previous continuing resolution passed by the House and Senate on September 25 (see The Source, 9/26/03) will expire on October 31.
H. J. Res. 73 contains a provision consolidating the following House-passed spending bills: Agriculture (H.R. 2673); Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary (H.R. 2799); District of Columbia (H.R. 2765); Foreign Operations (H.R. 2800); Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies (H.R. 2989); and VA-HUD-Independent Agencies (H.R. 2861).
At press time, the Senate had passed H.R. 2989 and had begun consideration of H.R. 2800. When the Senate considers H. J. Res. 73 next week, any spending bills that are not completed will be consolidated into an omnibus appropriations bill. At that time, the Senate is expected to substitute the Senate Appropriations Committee’s versions of the remaining bills, thereby sending the omnibus measure to conference.
To date, only 3 of the 13 appropriations bills have been enacted into law: Defense, Homeland Security, and Legislative Branch. Conference committees hope to complete work on the remaining Senate-approved spending bills before November 7: Energy and Water; Interior; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and Military Construction.
Senate Action
Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies
On October 23, the Senate approved, 91-3, the FY2004 Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies spending bill (H.R. 2989). The text of S. 1589, as passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee on September 4 (see The Source, 9/5/03), was substituted for the bill.
H.R. 2989 would allocate $90.9 billion in FY2004, an increase of $4.3 billion over FY2003, $5 billion more than the President’s request, and $1.6 billion more than the bill approved by the House on September 9 (see The Source, 9/12/03).
The measure would provide $125 million for job access and reverse commute grants, $104 million more than FY2003. The grants are used to “help welfare reform efforts succeed by providing enhanced transportation services for low-income individuals, including former welfare recipients, traveling to jobs or training centers.”
As requested by the President, the Minority Business Resource Center would receive $900,000, an increase of $6,000 over FY2003. The center “provides assistance in obtaining short-term working capital for disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned businesses,” and focuses on providing capital to these groups “for transportation-related projects in order to strengthen their competitive and productive capabilities.” Additionally, $3 million would be allocated for minority business outreach, $19,000 more than FY2003 and equal to the President’s request.
H.R. 2989 would allocate $14.373 million for the Occupant Protection Incentive Grants program, $5.627 million more than FY2003 and $3 million more than the President’s request. States may qualify for these grants by implementing four out of six programs or laws, as delineated in the committee report, aimed at increasing safety belt use among adults and children. The Senate Appropriations Committee report states that the additional funds should be used “to continue the outreach activities toward minority populations, teens and rural populations.”
The bill would maintain current law allowing breastfeeding in a federal building or on federal property.
Finally, H.R. 2989 would extend the Breast Cancer Stamp authorization until 2005.
Foreign Operations
On October 24, the Senate began its consideration of the FY2004 foreign operations spending bill (H.R. 2800). The text of S. 1426, as passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 17 (see The Source, 7/18/03), will be substituted for the bill.
H.R. 2800 would allocate $18.1 billion in FY2004, $1.9 billion more than FY2003 and $1 billion more than the House approved on July 24 (see The Source, 7/25/03), but $796 million less than the President’s request.
Under the measure, $1.37 billion would be provided for HIV/AIDS prevention activities, including $250 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, $700 million for the new Global AIDS Initiative, $500 million for the Child Survival and Health Programs Fund, and $150 million for the International Mother and Child HIV Prevention program.
The committee report accompanying the Senate bill states that the committee “is aware that women comprise half of the HIV infections in the world, and that the typical woman who is infected has only one partner, her husband,” and further adds that “microbicides that are under development could play a major role in protecting women from HIV.” For this reason, the committee has included $22 million for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for microbicide research and development.
In addition, H.R. 2800 would provide $1.4 billion for the Child Survival and Health Programs Fund, a decrease of $400 million below FY2003 and $179 million less than the President’s request.
The report notes that the committee “is aware that pregnancy-related deaths exceed 600,000 annually, most of which are preventable,” and “believes that far more should be done to address this urgent need.” For this reason, the committee recommends “at least $75 million for maternal health activities and that additional funding be made available specifically to reduce pregnancy-related deaths.”
H.R. 2800 also would allocate $1.4 billion in development assistance for USAID, $60 million above the budget request. The bill also would provide $15 million for USAID’s Office of Women in Development. In addition, the committee “supports the mission of Women’s Campaign International (WCI), which works to enhance the status of women through media, leadership, business, organizational, and public service training in developing countries.” The bill would provide $2.5 million for WCI in FY2004.
Committee language states “that integrated approaches to health, family planning, and environmental conservation are necessary to address the needs of communities where biodiversity and endangered species are threatened.” For this reason, the committee “supports the efforts of USAID’s Office of Population to support family planning in these areas, and expects USAID to invest other global health, environment and sustainable agriculture funds in the appropriate components of integrated population-health-environment programs.”
International family planning programs would receive $445 million, $2 million less than FY2003 and $20 million more than the President’s request.
H.R. 2800 would provide $600 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. Report language states that the committee “remains concerned with the situation of Afghan women, who suffered extreme hardships under the Taliban and continue to face major obstacles in protecting their rights and participating in the economic and political life of the country,” and “believes that the Afghan Ministry of Women’s Affairs has a key role to play in addressing these issues.” The bill would provide $10 million for the Afghan Ministry of Women’s Affairs.
The measure would provide $1 billion for the Millennium Challenge assistance program aimed at granting foreign assistance based on a country’s commitment to democratic rule and capitalism. The President had requested $1.3 billion for this program in FY2004.
H.R. 2800 also would provide $20 million for programs and activities that counter trafficking in persons. The committee “remains strongly committed to assisting women and children who are the most innocent victims of this gross human rights violation, which also contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS.” These funds should be used to “combat all three components of anti-trafficking: addressing the root causes of trafficking, protecting and providing services for victims, and prosecuting traffickers.”
Finally, $120 million would be provided for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and $310 million would be allocated for the Peace Corps in FY2004. This amount is $15 million above FY2003 and $49 million less than the President’s request. Authority would be provided to transfer $20 million from the Global AIDS Initiative to the Peace Corps for their HIV/AIDS activities abroad.
The Senate is expected to complete action on H.R. 2800 next week.
