Senate Appropriations Committee Advances FY2016 Labor, HHS, Education Bill

Press Release

The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the FY2016 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Bill , a $153.2 billion measure funding a range of priorities involving health, education, and workforce training and development.

The measure, approved 16-14, recommends $153.2 billion in base discretionary spending for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and related agencies. The bill is $3.6 billion below the FY2015 level and $14.5 billion below the President's budget request. In addition, the bill includes $1.561 billion in cap adjustment funding for preventing waste, fraud, abuse, and improper payments in the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs. Appropriations Committee approval readies the measure for debate and consideration before the full Senate.

"The Labor-HHS bill takes a thoughtful, responsible approach to funding programs important to our country. In addition, the bill adds oversight measures to ensure that our taxpayer money is spent wisely and effectively," said U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and a senior member of its Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee. "I commend Senator Blunt for his thorough work on this bill, and I look forward to its consideration on the Senate floor."

"This bill prioritizes programs that will provide a significant benefit to all Americans including providing the National Institutes of Health with a $2 billion increase to focus on advancing medical treatments, Precision Medicine and research to find a cure for Alzheimer's and cancer," said U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), chairman of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. "I am pleased we have been able to pass this bill through the Subcommittee and the full Committee and I look forward to voting for this bill on the Senate floor."

While the measure is $3.6 billion below the FY2015 spending level, the Senate legislation increases funding for the National Institutes of Health, Community Health Centers, Head Start and the Child Care and Development Block Grant. In addition, the bill takes steps to prohibit the administration from improperly using discretionary funding to prop up state insurance exchanges and the Risk Corridor program established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

The bill supports additional funding for Title I for low-income school districts, as well as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grant program. It would also increase the maximum Pell Grant award for the 2016-17 school year. The legislation supports the Labor Department's Job Corps and Veterans Employment Training programs, and provides for a new, dedicated training fund for dislocated workers from coal mines and coal-fired power plants.

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