This week the Senate approved the FY2010 Legislative Branch spending bill. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY2010 Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies; Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; and State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies spending bills.
Legislative Branch
On July 6, the Senate approved, 67-25, the FY2010 Legislative Branch spending bill (H.R. 2918). The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the bill on June 18 (see The Source, 6/19/09; the House approved it June 19 (see The Source, 6/19/09). The bill will now go to a House-Senate conference committee where the two versions will be combined to provide funding for both chambers of Congress.
The bill would provide $3.136 billion in FY2010, $101 million above FY2009 and $296 million below the administration’s request. Included in that amount is funding for the Senate child care center in accordance with section 312(d)(1) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1992 (2 U.S.C. 2062).
Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies
On July 6, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 30-0, the FY2010 Agriculture, FDA, and Related Agencies spending measure (S. 1406). The House approved its version of the spending bill on July 9 (see The Source, 7/10/09).
The committee report details a number of programs of interest to women and their families:
| Agency/Program | FY2009 | FY2010 President’s Request | FY2010 Senate Committee Report |
|
United States Department of Agriculture |
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| Food & Nutrition Service | $76.155 billion | $86.31 billion (p. 117 of the House report) | $86.085 billion (p. 143) |
| Child Nutrition Services | $15.051 billion (including funding provided by P.L. 111-5) | $16.797 billion (p. 111-112) | $16.799 billion (p. 90) |
| Special Supplemental Nutrition Programs for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) | $6.86 billion | $7.777 billion (p. 113) | $7.552 billion (p. 91) |
| Special Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp program) | $58.828 billion (including funding provided by P.L. 111-5) | $61.352 billion (p. 111) | $61.352 billion (p. 92) |
| Commodity Assistance Program | $230.8 million | $233.388 million (p. 114) | $233.388 million (p. 93) |
| P.L. 480 Food for Peace | $2.321 billion (including funding provided by P.L. 110-252 and P.L. 111-32) | $1.690 billion (p. 105) | $1.69 billion (p. 99) |
| McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition program | $100 million | $199.5 million (p. 106) | $199.5 million (p. 100) |
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Food and Drug Administration (FDA) |
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| FDA | $2.039 billion | $2.338 billion (p. 103 of the Senate report) | $2.338 billion (p. 103) |
| Mammography Clinic User Fees (P.L. 102-539) | $19.318 million (p. 119 of the House report) | $19.318 million (p. 119 of the House report) | $19.318 million (p. 103) |
The committee “believes that it is imperative for FDA to pay sufficient attention to gender-based research, ensuring that products approved by the FDA are safe and effective for women as well as men. The committee recommendation includes $6 million for the Office of Women’s Health. The committee encourages FDA to ensure that the Office of Women’s Health is sufficiently funded to carry out its activities, and to enhance its funding if necessary” (p. 109).
Financial Services and General Government
On July 9, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Financial Services and General Government approved, 29-1, the FY2010 Financial Services and General Government spending bill (S. 1432); the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government approved the bill, by voice vote, the day before. The House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the bill (as-yet-unnumbered) on July 7 (see The Source, 7/10/09).
The bill would provide $46.479 billion in FY2010, $4.991 billion below FY2009 (including funding from P.L. 111-32 and P.L. 111-5) and $39.963 million above the administration’s request.
During debate on the measure the committee defeated, 13-15, an amendment by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) to prohibit the District of Columbia from spending federal or local funds to provide abortion services.
The committee report details a number of programs of interest to women and their families:
| Program/Agency | FY2009 | FY2010 President’s Request | FY2010 Senate Committee Report |
| District of Columbia – Federal Payment for Resident Tuition | $35.1 million | $35.1 million (p. 57 of the Senate report) | $35.1 million (p. 57) |
| District of Columbia Federal Payment for Courts | $248.409 million | $248.592 million (p. 59 of the Senate report) | $258.517 million (p. 59) |
| District of Columbia Federal Payment for Defender Services | $52.475 million | $52.475 million (p. 60 of the Senate report) | $55 million (p. 60) |
| Small Business Administration | $1.342 billion (including funding from P.L. 111-5) | $779.3 million (p. 119 of the Senate report) | $860.904 million (p. 119) |
| Women’s Business Centers | $13.75 million (p. 20) | $13.02 million (p. 120 of the Senate report) | $14.3 million (p. 120) |
| Women’s Business Councils | $775,000 (p. 20) | $773,000 (p. 120 of the Senate report) | $1 million (p. 120) |
| Microloan Technical Assistance | $20 million (p. 20) | $10 million (p. 120 of the Senate report) | $22 million (p. 120) |
| PRIME Program (Program for Investment in Microentreprenuers) | $5 million (p. 20) | $3.12 million (p. 120 of the Senate report) | $5.5 million (p. 120) |
| HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) | $2.15 (p. 20) | $2.184 million (p. 120 of the Senate report) | $3 million (p. 120) |
The committee report notes, “The District of Columbia Courts appoint and compensate attorneys to represent persons who are financially unable to obtain such representation. The defender services programs provide counsel for indigent persons who are charged with criminal offenses, for family proceedings involving child abuse, neglect, and termination of parental rights, and for guardianship proceedings for protection of mentally incapacitated individuals and minors whose parents are deceased” (p. 61)
Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies
On July 7, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 30-0, the FY2010 Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies spending bill (S. 1407); the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee approved the bill the day before. The House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the bill on July 7 (see The Source, 7/10/09).
The committee report states that the bill would provide $133.927 billion in FY2010 (excluding advance appropriations), $7.109 billion above FY2009 and $439.146 million above President Obama’s request.
Military family housing would be funded at $22.946 billion in FY2010, $7.709 billion below FY2009 and $286.263 million above the budget request (p. 8). The committee notes that “the FY2009 enacted level includes $2.88 billion emergency funding provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 [P.L. 111-5] and $2.725 billion in FY2009 supplemental funding [P.L. 111-32] for overseas contingency operations” (p. 8). This account funds construction of military barracks, family housing, child care centers, schools and hospitals.
The committee “is aware that the percentage of women veterans receiving care at the VA [Veterans Administration] is expected to double in the next five years. Many of these women veterans have experienced combat and will present needs that the department has likely not seen before in the veteran population. The committee remains dedicated to ensuring that the evolving needs of women veterans are met. Accordingly, the committee encourages the VA to continue and expand its ongoing study of women’s issues, create a certification program for clinicians working with victims of sexual trauma and expand outreach to ensure these veterans are aware of the benefits they have earned” (p. 44).
The report states that the committee “is aware of the advances in medical technologies, specifically advances in digital colposcopy. This device allows medical providers to detect cervical cancer at an earlier stage, which can greatly improve prognosis. Some digital colposcopies on the market today are compatible with the VA’s electronic medical records, which can allow providers to compare abnormalities from visit to visit. The committee urges the VA to move as quickly as possible to acquire this technology and implement it in the field” (p. 55).
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
On July 9, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved, 29-1, the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs spending bill (S. 1434). The House approved its version of the spending bill on July 9 (see The Source, 7/10/09).
During debate on the measure, the committee approved, 17-10, an amendment by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) to make permanent President Obama’s decision earlier this year to revoke the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits foreign organizations from receiving aid if they perform, counsel on, or refer for abortion services.
The committee report details a number of programs of interest to women and their families:
| Agency/Program | FY2009 | FY2010 President’s Request | FY 2010 Senate Report |
| State Department
(Diplomatic and Consular Programs) |
$7.063 billion (including emergency and supplemental funding in P.L. 111-32 and 110-252) | $8.96 billion | $8.227 billion (p. 87) |
| International Peacekeeping | $2.389 billion (including emergency and supplemental funding in P.L. 111-32 and 110-252) | $2.26 billion (p. 15) | $2.215 billion (p. 22) |
| Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons | $12 million | $7.183 million (p. 48 of Senate report) | $12 million (p. 15) |
|
Bilateral Economic Assistance |
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| Migration and refugee assistance | $1.671 billion (including emergency and supplemental funding in P.L. 111-32 and 110-252) | $1.48 billion (p. 21) | $1.678 billion (p. 63) |
|
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) |
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| USAID | $1.22 billion (including emergency and supplemental funding in P.L. 111-32 and 110-252) | $1.698 billion (p. 47) | $1.648 billion (p. 91) |
| Global Health and Child Survival | $7.339 billion (including emergency and supplemental funding in P.L. 111-32 and 110-252) | $7.595 billion (p. 20) | $7.773 billion (p. 31) |
| Child Survival and Maternal Health | $495 million | $523.5 million (p. 41) | $555 million (p. 32) |
| Vulnerable Children | $15 million | $13 million (p. 32 of Senate report) | $15 million (p. 32) |
| Family Planning/Reproductive Health | $455 million | $475 million (p. 32 of the Senate report) | $628.457 million (p. 32) |
| President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) (P.L. 108-25) HIV/AIDS
|
$5.195 billion | $5.259 billion (p. 20) | $5.359 billion (p. 32) |
| Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria | $600 million | $600 million (p. 20) | $700 million (p. 32) |
| HIV/AIDS — USAID | $350 million | $350 million (p. 41) | $350 million (p. 32) |
| Microbicides | $45 million | $45 million (p. 32 of the Senate report) | $45 million (p. 32) |
| Millennium Challenge Corporation | $875 million | $1.425 billion (p. 29) | $950 million (p. 65) |
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International Organizations and Programs |
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| U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) | $130 million | $128 million (p. 45) | $132.5 million (p. 72) |
| U.N. Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) | $4.5 million | $1.5 million (p. 102) | $5.5 million (p. 72) |
| UNIFEM Trust Fund | $2.5 million | — (p. 45) | $3 million (p. 72) |
| U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) | $30 million | $50 million (p. 45) | $50 million (p. 72) |
The committee “recommends $2 million for the Office of Global Women’s Issues in FY2010. The committee supports efforts by this office to integrate gender issues into assistance programs across all sectors of development and to generate public-private partnerships to assist women and girls. The committee recognizes that gender issues can be addressed by assistance programs provided through federal agencies involved in development, and directs the ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues to consult with USAID, the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Health and Human Services, Justice, and other relevant federal agencies to establish metrics identifying the benefits accrued for women globally by U.S. assistance” (p. 14).
Women and Business: The committee recommends “$265 million from all accounts in this act for microfinance and microenterprise development programs for the poor, especially women. The committee directs that 50 percent of funds be for grants to private networks, practitioner institutions, and NGOs, and that funds be provided for microfinance service providers working with people infected with HIV/AIDS” (p. 37). Additional language related to women’s business development and technical assistance is on page 44.
Women and Leadership: The committee ‘is convinced that a key factor determining the outcome of reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan is the role of women, and intends that improving the status of women is a goal of all U.S. assistance programs in the country. The committee recommends not less than $150 million for assistance for Afghan women and girls, and continues provisions in P.L. 111-32 relating to women and girls” (p. 49).
Women and Health: The committee recognizes the importance of maternal and infant mortality in measuring a nation’s health (p. 32).
Women and Violence: The committee recommends $3 million to combat sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (p. 50). The committee also “directs the secretary of State to submit a report not later than December 1, 2010, detailing the uses of funds from all accounts in this act for programs to improve the status of Afghan women and girls, including to prevent discrimination and violence against women and girls and to assist the victims; provide economic and leadership opportunities; increase participation of women in the political progress at the national, provincial, and sub-provincial levels and in efforts to improve security; and other programs designed specifically to benefit women and girls; and the results achieved” (p. 53).
