March 20, 2006

On March 16, the Senate passed an amendment to the Senate Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Resolution (S Con Res 83) to restore funding for job training, health, education and social services programs to FY 2005 levels. The amendment passed with strong bi-partisan support on a vote of 73-27. The amendment was offered by Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (Labor-HHS) Subcommittee Chairman Senator Arlen Specter (PA) and Ranking Member Senator Tom Harkin (IA). With commitments from Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (TN) and Budget Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (MS) there will be a total of $10 billion added to the appropriations for the Senate Labor-HHS Subcommittee, $7 billion from the amendment and an additional $3 billion by the Budget Committee, for Functions 500, 550 and 600, which are comprised of all programs within the purview of the Subcommittee. The amendment does not raise the discretionary budget spending cap of $873 billion, but rather shifts some appropriations to FY 2008.

oes not raise the discretionary budget spending cap of $873 billion, but rather shifts some appropriations to FY 2008.