New Investment in Health Care, Education

Press Release

Today, Congressman Mike Michaud voted for the 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. The bill includes a substantial increase in education and health care funding, in addition to a number of funding priorities that Michaud specifically requested.

"This bill provides an increase of $2 billion over 2007 and $1 billion over the President's request for education under No Child Left Behind. While this isn't enough to live up to the commitment to fully fund education programs, it is a strong step forward," said Michaud. "This bill also expands access to health care for the uninsured by investing in initiatives that will provide new access for more than 2 million uninsured Americans."

The funding approved in this bill will also make college more affordable by increasing the maximum Pell Grant by $390 to the maximum of $4,700. The Administration's request for Fiscal Year 2008 would have cut the maximum Pell Grant in the budget from $4,310 to $4,050.

"The cost of college education has continued to spiral out of control in Maine and around the nation. The average college tuition is up 35 percent from 5 years ago, after adjusting for inflation," Michaud said. "It is important that we ease the burden of paying for college, and increasing Pell Grants will do just that."

The bill also invests in life-saving medical research by providing a $750 million increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Between 2003 and 2006, the annual number of new and competing research grants that NIH could support actually dropped by 1,282, a reduction of 12 percent.

"The NIH makes important medical discoveries that improve people's health and save lives," Michaud said. "I am so pleased Congress has been able to restore these critical funds."

Congressman Michaud secured funding in the bill for several high priority projects in Maine's 2nd congressional district, including:
• $150,000 for Central Maine Community College in Auburn for a training program in precision metalworking and machine tool technology.
• $200,000 for the Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital in Greenville for facilities and equipment.
• $50,000 for the Maine Primary Care Association in Augusta for health information systems in community health centers across the state.

Source