Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010 -- (House of Representatives - July 24, 2009)

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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chair, I rise to support the FY10 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill.

As we continue to debate sweeping health care reform, today's legislation makes investments in our most urgent needs, including $2.2 billion for community health centers to serve vulnerable populations, $530 million to train new health professionals, and $204 million to continue an aggressive campaign to reduce life-threatening infections that patients acquire while receiving treatment for medical or surgical conditions.

I am pleased that the bill includes $31.3 billion for the National Institutes of Health, although I am concerned that the funding increases will not keep up with escalating biomedical costs. As we consider the costs of our health care system, we must make the investments necessary to find cures for chronic diseases that require expensive long-term care.

I also strongly support the $10 million in funding included for the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, legislation I co-authored with former Congresswoman Deborah Pryce. This will fund pediatric cancer research activities to eradicate the number one cause of death for our nation's children.

Today's bill also makes vital investments in education and workforce development. It includes $17.5 billion for Title I grants to serve 20 million disadvantaged children and $11.5 billion for the Individuals with Disabilities Act, which, when combined with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will support a 25 percent Federal contribution for special education. Additional new investments are made in literacy and dropout prevention initiatives.

In a time when students across the country are struggling to pay for college, this bill continues the new Congress's commitment to affordable education by raising the maximum Pell grant award to $5,550.

The bill also includes a $50 million investment in green job training, to prepare workers for a new, 21st century economy. Additional funding is included to train veterans transitioning to a civilian workforce and dislocated workers who have lost their jobs during the recession.

Mr. Chair, the FY10 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill funds some of our nation's most important domestic priorities. I urge my colleagues to support these critical investments in our nation's children, families, and workers.

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