HOUSE PASSES LABOR, HHS AND EDUCATION BILL

The Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education appropriation bill passed by the House reveals a lack of commitment to education, providing everyone the tools to succeed, keeping low-income families warm, and preparing for bio-terrorism. Talk is cheap without the resources to make it real.

On July 10, the House passed its Labor, HHS, and Education appropriation bill by a vote of 215 to 208. Rep. David R. Obey (WI), the Ranking Minority Member, continued his efforts to restore funding to critical areas by reducing tax breaks for high-income taxpayers. Rep. Obey continues to call attention to the cuts in important American priorities being made due to the costs of the two huge tax bills passed during the Bush presidency. For instance, the bill passed by the House:

  • Provides only a $2.3 billion increase in overall education funding, the smallest dollar increase in 4 years, far less than the $3 billion promised.
  • Provides only a $382 million increase for the President’s No Child Left Behind Initiative, which is $8 billion short of full funding, leaving the states struggling to implement reforms without the resources to do so.
  • Funds special education funding (IDEA) by less than half of the promised increase, shorting this important program by $1.2 billion.
  • Freezes the Pell Grant at $4,050, in spite of the rapidly escalating costs of college tuition.
  • Cuts the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to $1.8 billion, lowering the funding from last year.
  • Cuts the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) by $150.8 million.
  • Gives state and local health departments $94 million less in bio-terrorism preparedness grants than last year.

What do these examples mean? In spite of being the "Education President," if there are inadequate resources, there is no evidence of a commitment to education. The federal resources necessary to the states for implementation of programs like "No Child Left Behind" and IDEA are not being expanded, but shrinking during what is the worst fiscal crises in the states since WWII. Programs that help low- and middle-income people get ahead — programs that allow the opportunities to succeed — like Pell Grants for college students or CSBG are being cut. Programs for the most vulnerable Americans, like LIHEAP, are being cut. In spite of the continued threat of biological terrorism, state and local health departments are not being given the resources to prepare.

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