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Appropriations Committee Releases the Fiscal Year 2013 Labor, Health and Human Services Funding Bill
Washington, Jul 17 -
The House Appropriations Committee today released the draft fiscal year 2013 Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) funding bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. The legislation includes funding for programs within the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and other related agencies. In total, the draft bill includes $150 billion in discretionary funding, which is a cut of $6.3 billion below last year’s level and $8.8 billion below the President’s budget request. This funding level is more than $2 billion below the amount provided in fiscal year 2009. In addition to spending cuts to various ineffective, unnecessary, or lower-priority programs, the legislation contains several policy provisions to promote good government and economic growth. These provisions will help reduce harmful and unnecessary regulations that tie the hands of employers and undermine job creation, ensure the protection and respect of human life, and limit bureaucratic overreach. The legislation also defunds many ObamaCare programs, and prohibits any new discretionary funding for ObamaCare. “This legislation reflects our strong commitment to reduce over-regulation and unnecessary, ineffective spending that feeds the nation’s deficits and hampers economic growth. A careful look was given to all programs and agencies in the bill, with the budget knife aimed at excess spending and underperforming programs, but also with the goal of making wise investments in programs that help the American people the most,” House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers said. Bill Summary: Defunding ObamaCare – The legislation contains several provisions to stop the implementation of ObamaCare – including rescinding prior-year mandatory funds, as well as prohibiting the use of any new discretionary funding to implement ObamaCare. In all, these provisions will save American taxpayers $8.6 billion this year alone, and will result in a savings of $123 billion over the next five years. Protecting Life – The bill contains several provisions to protect life, including continuations of all longstanding restrictions on abortion funding that have been included in the legislation in prior years. The legislation also contains language prohibiting funding for Planned Parenthood unless it certifies it will not provide abortions, a provision ensuring “conscience protections” for religious and charitable organizations, and the text of the “Abortion Non-Discrimination Act.” Department of Labor (DoL) – The bill provides $12 billion for the Department of Labor, which is $497 million below last year’s level and $72 million below the President’s request. Reducing Harmful Red Tape – The legislation includes several provisions designed to help U.S. businesses create jobs and grow the economy by reducing or eliminating overly burdensome government regulations. Some of these include: Health and Human Services – The Department of Health and Human Services receives a total of $68.3 billion, a reduction of $1.3 billion below last year’s level and $1.8 billion below the President’s budget request. The bill also includes language prohibiting funding for the “Healthy Foods Financing” initiative. Department of Education – The bill funds the Department of Education at $70 billion, which is $1.1 billion below last year’s level and $2.9 billion below the budget request. The bill eliminates many duplicative, inefficient, or unauthorized education programs, including the Administration’s “Race to the Top” program. The bill also includes limitations that prohibit the Department of Education from moving forward with regulations that define “gainful employment” and “credit hour,” or dictates on how states must license institutions of higher education. Other Related Agencies – For the subcommittee draft text of the fiscal year 2013 Labor/Health and Human Services/Education Appropriations bill, please visit: /uploadedfiles/bills-112hr-sc-ap-fy13-laborhhsed.pdf #####
Within this total, Community Health Centers are funded at $1.5 billion – the same as last year’s level. This includes a rescission of $300 million in previous-year funding that was provided under ObamaCare for this program.
The bill also provides $623 million in total funding for health professions training, including $275 million for the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education program. The President requested only $88 million for this essential program. In addition, the bill includes $139 million for rural health programs, an increase of $1.4 million above last year, and eliminates funding for the Family Planning Program.
The bill increases funding for Public Health Preparedness and Response by $84 million over last year’s level to ensure the Strategic National Stockpile and State and Local Preparedness capacity is adequate. These programs provide supplies and response efforts in the event of a bio-terror attack or pandemic disease emergency.
This funding will support 16,670 training research awards – the pipeline of support for future researchers. The legislation also includes language to ensure the NIH support only research projects that are highly meritorious, based on peer review processes, and that continue the agency’s historical unbiased position toward specific diseases.
In addition, the legislation includes several provisions intended to stop the NLRB’s harmful anti-business regulations that would impose additional and excessive costs on American businesses, increase job loss, and further hinder economic growth. These provisions include: a prohibition on establishing micro-unions; a prohibition on eliminating secret ballot elections; a prohibition on “quick-snap elections”; and a prohibition on the implementation of “e-Card Check” which could promote coercion in union elections.