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Hearing of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Suibcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee - Openng Statement of Rep. Lowey, Markup on the FY 2021 Labor-HHS-Education Funding Bill

Hearing

Date: July 7, 2020
Issues: Health and Health Care Government Budget and Spending Education

Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee's markup of its fiscal year 2021 bill:

I thank Chair DeLauro and Ranking Member Cole for their work on this bill and also thank the staff for their hard work organizing member requests and sculpting the product before us.

The work of this subcommittee touches critical facets of life that are more important now than ever as we respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

Whether it's the medical innovations that will lead to cures and vaccines, investments to strengthen public health infrastructure, or support for schools, college affordability, child care, or workplace protections, the bill before us builds on our commitment to invest for the people.

In particular, this bill would provide:

-An increase of $500 million for NIH, as well as $5 billion in emergency spending for research, including to fund research projects that were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic;
-An increase of $232 million for CDC, including an increase of $10 million for the Office on Smoking and Health to combat the e-cigarette epidemic, as well as $9 billion in emergency spending to support CDC's public health and emergency response activities;
-$50 million for CDC and NIH to fund lifesaving research on gun violence prevention;
-Increases for public broadcasting, Head Start, child care, and preschool development grants; and
-Vital funding for education including
-Increases of $254 million for Title I,
-$208 million for IDEA,
-$13 million for afterschool programs, and
-An increase in the maximum Pell award so more students can have access to an affordable higher education.

The bill would also reject the domestic gag rule, ensure that Title X grantees are selected on the merits, not a political ideology, and prevent providers from discriminating against patients.

I look forward to moving this bill through the appropriations process.


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