Appropriations Bills

(Washington, DC) – The White House has joined House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member David Obey and House Democrats in criticizing the inadequate funding for critical federal services in the Republican majority’s 2004 Labor-Health & Human Service-Education Appropriations Bill. The White House has issued a Statement of Administration Policy critical of funding cuts in the proposed budget:

PELL GRANTS -
“The bill provides 12.25 billion for Pell grants, $465 million less than the President’s request for this high priority program. Under the Department of Education’s most recent estimates of Pell Grant costs, the House level may be insufficient to cover costs in 2004.”

LIHEAP –
“The Administration is disappointed that the Committee funded LIEHEAP at $1.8 billion, $200 million less than the request. This could limit the ability to address the heating and cooling needs of low-income families.”

DRUG TREATMENT INITIATIVE -
“…we are disappointed the Committee provided only $100 million of the $200 million request for the President’s Access to Recovery treatment voucher program in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This program would expand substance capacity by providing approximately100,000 individuals who need and want treatment with additional options for service.”

HIV/AIDS INITIATIVE -
“The Committee bill also underfunds by $50 million an important component of the President’s Emergency Plan on HIV/AIDS—programs in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to infants—leaving many mothers and infants in Africa and the Caribbean without preventive care and treatment.”

SOCIAL SECURITY -
“The Committee reduced the Administration’s request for the Social Security Administration (SSA) by $168 million. Without these resources, SSA may not be able to reverse the steady increase in the backlog of disability claims or sustain program integrity efforts.”