September 13, 2004

 

This Week on the Hill

Congress will focus on the FY 2005 appropriations bills, with the Senate continuing debate on the FY 05 Homeland Security spending bill (H.R. 4567).  An amendment to the measure was passed adding $56 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG), which brings the total funding for this program to $236 million.  The House bill provides EMPG with $170 million.  EMPG supports state and local emergency all-hazards preparedness activities, including personnel.  Upon completion of H.R. 4567, the Senate plans to take up either the Military Construction or the Legislative Branch appropriations bills.  The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to take up three additional spending measures for floor action by marking up the Transportation-Treasury, Agriculture, and Interior appropriations bills tomorrow, September 14.  The House will consider Transportation-Treasury appropriations measure.  Both chambers are expected to complete floor action by Wednesday, September 15, as they will take off Thursday and Friday in observance of Rosh Hashanah. 

Another emergency supplemental is in the works  for hurricane relief operations in Florida.  The measure may be attached to the Homeland Security appropriations bill. 

Transportation Reauthorization Bill

Conferees on the transportation reauthorization bill (H.R. 3550) may meet this week in an attempt to reach agreement on the funding level for negotiations.  Last week, conference chairman, James Inhofe (R-Ok) and House Ways and Means Committee chairman Bill Thomas (R-Ca) reportedly agreed to at $299 billion funding level.  Democrats say they have been operating under assurances from Inhofe and other Republicans that a final version of the contentious bill would be worked out on a bipartisan basis.

It remains unclear whether lawmakers will be able to finalize the conference report before adjournment or simply pass a longer-term extension and deal with the matter over the next Congressional session.  The current short term extension of funding for federal highway programs expires on September 24, and funding for public transit and other programs expires on September 30.

 

House Passes FY 2005 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Bill
 
The House passed its $496.6  billion FY 2005 spending bill (H.R. 5006) for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor/HHS/Education) by a vote of 388-13 ($142.5 billion in discretionary spending, representing a $3.1 billion or 2% total increase from FY 04 and a $200 million increase from the FY 05 budget request).
 
The measure provides $11 billion for the Department of Labor (DOL), which represents $363 million less than FY 04.  Almost one-half of the discretionary funding is earmarked for employment and training services, with adult training receiving $900 million and youth training receiving $1 billion.  The Job Corps program would receive $1.5 billion.  The bill does not fund the three new job training initiatives proposed by the President.  An amendment was adopted that would prevent DOL from funding enforcement of the changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act known as the "overtime rule" by a vote of 223-193.
 
Included in the bill is an 18 percent reduction in the Preventive Health and Human Services Block Grant, a program that provides flexible public health funding for states.  The bill does contain $218 million in additional funding for community health centers, bringing the total funding of that program to $1.8 billion, and an increase of $122 million for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).  In addition, the bill provides an increase of $1 billion for the Title I program and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, Part B). 

The Senate could mark-up their version of the bill as early as this week.
 
 
Senate Debates FY 2005 Homeland Security Spending Bill
 
On Thursday, September 9, the Senate continued to debate its $33.1 billion bill (H.R.4567) making FY 05 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security.  The measure contains $940 million for the State Homeland Security Grant program, which is $735 million less than provided in FY 2004 and $425 million less than the House bill ($1.2 billion), which was passed in July.  Four amendments to add funding to the measure failed, most on a point-of-order pursuant to the cap agreed to by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Senate will continue to debate the Homeland Security measure through the rest of this week.
 
 
Senate Subcommittee Approves FY 2005 Transportation-Treasury Appropriations,  VA-HUD Appropriations and Agriculture Appropriations Bills
 
The Senate subcommittee on Transportation-Treasury approved by voice vote its $90.6 billion FY 05 spending bill.  The measure sets an obligation limitation of $34.9 billion on the federal aid highway program ($259 million more than the House bill and $1.257 billion more than last year).  In addition, it provides a total of $7.748 billion for the Federal Transit Administration ($509 million more than the House bill and $492 million more than last year).  This amount includes $4.007 billion in formula grants and $3.414 billion in capital grants.  The capital grants portion includes $1.474 billion for new starts and $1.214 billion for fixed guideway modernization.  The bill does not contain any earmarked highway projects, bus, or welfare to work transit projects, and it rescinds $300 million in existing contract authority from the five major highway formula programs.  For rail, the bill provides $1.217 for Amtrak (same as last year and $317 more than the House bill).
 
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs/Housing and Urban Development (VA-HUD) forwarded its $92.9 billion FY 05 spending bill to the full Appropriations Committee after meeting privately to designate $1.2 billion in emergency spending for veteran's health care.  A formal markup was not held, and further details about the measure have not been released.  It appears that this action will provide appropriators with the ability to adjust some of the funding challenges facing various programs within the jurisdiction of the bill.
 
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture passed its FY 05 appropriations bill for the Department of Agriculture and related agencies.  The bill includes $16.772 billion in discretionary spending, which is approximately $67 million less than approved in FY 04 and $203 million more than the President's request. The subcommittee agreed to the following levels: 
  • $2.44 billion for rural development
  • $1.5 billion for farm assistance programs
  • $999 million for conservation programs
  • $600 million for the rural broadband loan program
  • $267 million for homeland security activities
  • $40.5 million for food safety programs
  • $8.3 million for bovine spongiform encephalopathy research
The mandatory farm bill conservation programs are all funded below last year's levels, but most are in line with the President's budget request.  The subcommittee did not include the language in the House bill that would make it easier to import prescription drugs.  Full committee markup of the bill is expected within the next two weeks. 
 
 
Forest Service Extends Roadless Rule Comment Period
 
The U.S. Forest Service has extended the comment period for the Administration's new roadless rule until November 15, 2004.  The original deadline was set for September 14. 
In mid-July, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman issued a proposed rule that would allow Governors to petition the Forest Service to retain roadless protections on national forests in their states.  If the petition is accepted, then the Forest Service would proceed with a state-specific rulemaking.  If a state does not petition for roadless protections, then the inventoried roadless areas would be subject to the management plans of each forest.
 
There are 39 states that have inventoried roadless areas on National Forest System lands within their boundaries. 
 
 
Key Committee Meetings (Week of 9/13-9/17)
 
Appropriations:  The Senate Approps Committee meets on Tuesday, September 14, at 3:00 p.m., in G-50, Dirksen Senate Office Building to mark-up FY 2005 spending bills for the Departments of Transportation/Treasury, Interior, and Agriculture.
 
Criminal Justice:  The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a markup on several measures -- the Office of National Drug Control Policy reauthorization bill (S.1860), and the Department of Justice reauthorization bill, for Tuesday, September 14, at 9:30 am in 226 Dirksen.
 
Energy and Environment:
 
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a markup for Wednesday, September 15, at 9:30 am in 366 Dirksen on numerous bills, including the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (S. 2086).
 
Medicare Prescription Drug Program:  The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday, September 14, at 10:00 am in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building titled "Implementing Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit and Medicare Advantage Program:  Perspectives on the Proposed Rules."