This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies spending bill. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs approved their respective FY2010 appropriations measures.
Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies
On June 18, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by voice vote, the FY2010 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies (as-yet-unnumbered). The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies approved the measure on June 11 (see The Source, 6/12/09).
Committee documents state that the bill would provide $22.9 billion in FY2010, $2.298 billion more than FY2009 and $78.81 million below the administration’s request.
More information on programs of interest to women and families will become available when the committee report accompanying the bill is printed.
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
On June 16, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies approved, by voice vote, the FY2010 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
According to committee documents, the bill would provide $132.322 billion in discretionary and mandatory spending, $12.714 billion above FY2009 and $239 million more than the administration’s request. The bill would allocate $48.2 billion in advance appropriations for FY2011 for three medical accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): Medical Services, Medical Support and Compliance, and Medical Facilities. The VA’s medical services include treatment for women veterans, such as mental health counseling, treatment for military sexual trauma, and comprehensive primary care, including reproductive health care.
As requested by the administration, the Veterans Health Administration would receive $45.078 billion, $4.373 billion more than FY2009. These funds “will allow the department to increase access to services, ensure safer facilities and improve treatment, including $4.6 billion for mental health services; $3.2 billion for homeless veterans to include the $26 million for the presidential initiative to combat homelessness, $150 million for the homeless grants and per diem program, and $20 million for supportive services for low-income veterans and families, and; $580 million for medical research to include a $48 million increase for research to address the critical needs of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans.” The bill also includes $24.6 billion for Military Construction, Family Housing and BRAC [Base Realignment and Closure]. Included in this amount is funding for the building of child care centers, barracks, and homes.
More information will be available when the committee report accompanying the bill is printed.
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
On June 17, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs approved, by voice vote, the FY2010 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
According to statements by subcommittee chair Rep. Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), the bill would provide $48.843 billion in FY2010, $1.2 billion below the FY2009, including supplemental appropriations, and $3.2 billion below President Obama’s request.
Global health programs would receive $5.7 billion, $200 million more than FY2009 and $100 million above the administration’s request. The press release notes, “Voluntary family planning services for families in the developing world [are] also a priority of this committee. Funding for family planning provides access to basic reproductive health services for millions of women, and I am proud that the mark includes $648 million, $100 million above the FY2009 enacted level and $50 million above the [administration’s] request, which will give millions of women access to basic reproductive health services. Of this amount, $60 million is for the United Nations Population Fund.”
The release continues, “This bill does not change any of the provisions of law that restrict funding for abortion or otherwise condition family planning assistance. While I continue to be personally committed to the permanent repeal of the global gag rule, I have maintained current law at the request of our ranking member and out of consideration for a bipartisan bill.”
Additional detail on programs of interest to women and their families will be available when the committee report accompanying the bill is printed.
