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December 22, 2005 NAWB wishes to gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of National Journal, National Journal.com, and CongressDaily in granting us permission to distribute the following material to you. AppropriationsLABOR-HHS SPENDING PLAN RIDES DEFENSE BILL TO PASSAGEThe $142.5 billion FY06 Labor-HHS appropriations conference report hitched a ride with the FY06 Defense appropriations bill late Wednesday night under an agreement hammered out by leaders of both parties. Under the resolution enacted by voice vote, once the House approves a modified version of the FY06 Defense appropriations bill, the Labor-HHS conference report would be deemed passed in the Senate, and it would be sent to the president’s desk. The Labor-HHS package is $1.5 billion smaller than last year’s bill—even before across-the-board spending cuts this year. Cuts to National Institutes of Health research, the No Child Left Behind Act and other programs had provoked opposition from GOP moderates and raised the prospect that they would join Democrats to defeat the bill. But opponents ultimately were swayed to allow the bill to pass because the alternative—a continuing resolution that would fund programs at the lower of the House bill, the Senate bill, or last year’s bill—would result in even steeper funding cuts. Senate Minority Whip Durbin said Democrats were confident that they had the 51 votes needed to defeat the bill but lacked the 60 votes needed to overcome a potential budget point of order they would encounter if they tried to add money to it. Ultimately, the bill became part of a deal with Republicans to clear most of the legislative issues pending before the Senate. “Republicans were anxious to pass the bill,” Durbin said. “We were anxious to have the Patriot Act issues resolved; those issues came together at the end.” Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee ranking member Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, was visibly angry during an exchange on the Senate floor with Minority Leader Reid and other Democrats as senators mingled during the lead-up to the vote. Harkin had wanted a roll call vote on the bill. Durbin said he understood Harkin’s anger. “I’ve never seen him so disappointed,” he said. “We reached a point where there was no way…to put more money in.” – by Emily Heil If you have any comments or questions, contact NAWB CEO Stephanie Powers at: powerss@nawb.org National Association of Workforce Boards |
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