Senate appropriations committee approves labor-HHS-education spending bill

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted 26-3 to approve a $152 billion fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill after the addition of an amendment that would expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, CongressDaily reports (Cohn, CongressDaily, 6/22).

The Senate Appropriations Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Tuesday unanimously approved the bill, which exceeds the amount President Bush requested by $10 billion. The legislation would increase funds for NIH by $800 million, or 2.8%, and would increase funds for community health centers by 13%. The House version of the bill includes $1.9 billion more in total funds than the Senate version, but the Senate version includes more funds for health programs than the House version. The House version of the legislation would increase funds for NIH by 1.9% (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 6/20).

Before the committee approved the legislation, subcommittee Chair Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and ranking member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) added an amendment that would allow federal funding for research that involves embryonic stem cell lines created between Aug. 9, 2001, and June 15, 2007. Current policy allows federal funding for research that uses embryonic stem cell lines created on or before Aug. 9, 2001. Harkin said that the amendment would expand the number of "viable" stem cell lines available for federally funded research from six to about 400.

According to CQ Today, "Bush is almost certain to veto the bill if it comes to him with the stem cell provision," but "he likely would veto the measure regardless over its spending" (Wayne, CQ Today, 6/21).

Indian Health Service
The committee also voted 29-0 to approve a $27.2 billion FY 2008 Interior-Environmental spending bill that includes funds for the Indian Health Service (Palmer, CQ Today, 6/21). The Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Tuesday approved the bill, which would increase funds for the IHS by 6%. The legislation exceeded the amount that Bush requested by $1.5 billion (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 6/20).

More Funds for 'Watchdogs'
In related news, the Wall Street Journal on Friday examined how Democratic lawmakers "are steering millions of dollars to inspectors general and regulatory agencies they hope will be their eyes and ears -- and even allies -- in the government's executive branch." For example, an appropriations bill under consideration in the House would increase funds for the HHS Office of Inspector General to $44.60 million in FY 2008 from $39.80 million in FY 2007, and an appropriations bill under consideration in the Senate would provide $45.60 million for HHS OIG in FY 2008 (Rogers, Wall Street Journal, 6/22).