On April 22, the Senate Budget Committee approved, 12-10, the FY2011 Budget Resolution (as-yet-unnumbered). The resolution provides nonbinding guidelines for federal spending in the upcoming fiscal year. The president submitted his budget request to Congress on February 1 (see FY2011 Budget Summary).
According to the chairman’s mark, the resolution would provide $1.124 trillion for discretionary spending, $4 billion less than President Obama’s request. This amount does not include emergency and supplemental funding for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The resolution includes $54.8 billion in FY2011 for international affairs, $4 billion less than the president’s request, and $3.9 billion over FY2010; and $57.2 billion for veterans-related programs, the same as President Obama’s request and $4 billion more than FY2010. With regard to veterans spending, Chair Kent Conrad (D-ND) noted that “The funding in the Chairman’s Mark will ensure that the Veterans Health Administration within the VA [Veterans Administration] can provide the highest quality health care for all veterans, especially for our veterans with special health care needs, including those with mental health needs, spinal cord injuries, and for our female veterans.”
Funding for No Child Left Behind (Title I) and early child education programs, such as Head Start, would also receive increased funding in FY2011. The Pell Grant program would receive $36 billion; the maximum Pell Grant award would increase to $5,550.
The Senate budget resolution also assumes the president’s request for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, $2.927 billion for FY2011. The resolution would increase funding for community health centers by $290 million over FY2010 and provide $4.4 billion for the Indian Health Service. In addition, the resolution would provide $5 million for the State Health Access Program at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The program provides states with grants to expand access to health care for the uninsured.
During consideration of the resolution, the committee adopted:
