This afternoon the House will vote on the FY 2006 Labor/Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Conference Report. The conference report, in total, cuts labor, education, health care, and human services by $1.5 billion compared to FY 2005 levels. Below is a detailed summary of the conference agreement, as well as a chart with the amounts being spent on various programs, and how those amounts compare to both the President's request and FY 2005 levels.

Chart of program amounts in the bill

Detailed explanation of the bill

The conference agreement freezes or cuts most programs below their FY 2005 levels, including the following:

International assistance grants to eradicate child labor and protect worker rights through the Bureau of International Labor Affairs are cut $20 million (21.4 percent).

Community college training grants are cut by $125 million (50 percent) in each of FY 2005 and FY 2006.

Unemployment insurance and employment service offices to help the unemployed are cut $245 million (6.7 percent).

Health professions training grants are cut $206 million (69 percent).

The Healthy Communities Access Program ($83 million in FY 2005) is eliminated.

The Centers for Disease Control is cut $249 million (3.9 percent).

Comprehensive school reform state grants ($205 million in FY 2005) are eliminated.

Even Start family literacy services are cut $125 million (55.6 percent)

Education technology grants are cut $221 million (44.6 percent).

The education block grant for local initiatives is cut $98 million (49.6 percent).

Safe and drug free schools grants are cut $87.4 million (20 percent).