[House Report 106-645]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 106-645
======================================================================
DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND
RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATION BILL, 2001
_______
June 1, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Porter, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
together with
DISSENTING VIEWS
[To accompany H.R. 4577]
The Committee on Appropriations submits the following
report in explanation of the accompanying bill making
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human
Services (except the Food and Drug Administration and the
Indian Health Service), and Education, Armed Forces Retirement
Home, Corporation for National and Community Service,
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service, Federal Mine Safety and Health Review
Commission, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Medicare
Payment Advisory Commission, National Commission on Libraries
and Information Science, National Council on Disability,
National Education Goals Panel, National Labor Relations Board,
National Mediation Board, Occupational Safety and Health Review
Commission, Railroad Retirement Board, Social Security
Administration, and the United States Institute of Peace for
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2001, and for other
purposes.
INDEX TO BILL AND REPORT
_______________________________________________________________________
Page number
Bill Report
Title I--Department of Labor............................... 2
11
Employment and Training Administration............. 2
11
Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration........ 7
19
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation............... 7
20
Employment Standards Administration................ 8
20
Occupational Safety and Health Administration...... 12
22
Mine Safety and Health Administration.............. 15
23
Bureau of Labor Statistics......................... 16
23
Departmental Management............................ 16
24
Assistant Secretary for Veterans Employment and
Training....................................... 18
24
Office of the Inspector General.................... 18
25
General Provisions................................. 18
26
Title II--Department of Health and Human Services.......... 20
26
Health Resources and Services Administration....... 20
26
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention......... 23
42
National Institutes of Health...................... 25
55
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration................................. 31
98
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research......... 32
102
Health Care Financing Administration............... 32
104
Administration for Children and Families........... 35
110
Administration on Aging............................ 40
119
Office of the Secretary............................ 41
122
General Provisions................................. 44
Title III--Department of Education......................... 49
127
Education Reform................................... 49
128
Education for the Disadvantaged.................... 50
132
Impact Aid......................................... 51
136
School Improvement Programs........................ 52
138
Reading Excellence................................. 52
146
Indian Education................................... 53
146
School Renovation..................................
147
Bilingual and Immigrant Education.................. 53
147
Special Education.................................. 53
150
Rehabilitation Services and Disability Research.... 54
152
Special Institutions for Persons with Disabilities. 54
156
Vocational and Adult Education..................... 55
157
Student Financial Assistance....................... 56
160
Federal Family Education Loans..................... 57
162
Higher Education................................... 57
162
Howard University.................................. 58
169
College Housing and Academic Facilities Loans...... 58
169
Historically Black College and University Capital
Financing...................................... 58
169
Education Research, Statistics, and Improvement.... 59
170
Departmental Management............................ 60
176
Office for Civil Rights............................ 61
177
Office of the Inspector General.................... 61
177
General Provisions................................. 61
178
Title IV--Related Agencies................................. 64
178
Armed Forces Retirement Home....................... 64
178
Corporation for National and Community Service..... 65
178
Corporation for Public Broadcasting................ 65
180
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service......... 66
180
Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission... 67
180
Institute of Museum and Library Services........... 67
180
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission............... 67
181
National Commission on Libraries and Information
Science........................................ 68
181
National Council on Disability..................... 68
181
National Education Goals Panel.....................
181
National Labor Relations Board..................... 68
181
National Mediation Board........................... 69
182
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission... 69
182
Railroad Retirement Board.......................... 69
182
Social Security Administration..................... 71
183
United States Institute of Peace................... 76
185
Title V--General Provisions................................ 76
185
House of Representatives Report Requirements...............
186
Summary of Estimates and Appropriations
The following table compares on a summary basis the
appropriations including trust funds for fiscal year 2000, the
budget estimate for fiscal year 2001 and the Committee
recommendation for fiscal year 2001 in the accompanying bill.
2001 LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS BILL
[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year-- 2000 committee
---------------------------------- compared to--
----------------------
2000 2001 2001 2000 2001
comparable budget committee comparable budget
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Labor.................................... $10,627 11,866 10,164 -$463 -$1,702
Department of Health and Human Services................ 203,961 215,482 215,983 +12,022 +501
Department of Education................................ 25,496 30,046 27,142 +1,646 -2,904
Related Agencies....................................... 27,860 29,420 29,203 +1,343 -217
--------------------------------------------------------
Grand total, current year........................ 267,944 286,814 282,492 +14,548 -4,322
Advances......................................... 61,754 69,368 69,333 +7,579 -35
========================================================
Current year total using 302(b) scorekeeping........... 315,719 348,449 339,521 +23,802 -8,928
Mandatory........................................ 230,853 242,321 242,315 +11,462 -6
Discretionary.................................... 84,866 106,128 $97,206 +12,340 -8,922
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2001 LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS BILL
DISCRETIONARY
[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year-- 2001 committee
---------------------------------- compared to--
----------------------
2000 2001 2001 2000 2001
comparable budget committee comparable budget
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Labor.................................... \1\ $11,22 $12,404 $10,701 -$526 -$1,703
7
Department of Health and Human Services................ \1\ 41,728 45,040 43,867 +2,139 -1,173
Department of Education................................ \1\ 35,605 40,095 37,190 +1,585 -2,905
Related Agencies....................................... 8,045 8,680 8,463 +418 -217
Remove FY 2000 Advance Appropriations.................. -10,126 ......... ......... +10,126 0
Scorekeeping Adjustments............................... -1,613 -91 -3,015 -1,402 -2,924
--------------------------------------------------------
Total Discretionary.............................. 84,866 106,128 97,206 +12,340 -8,922
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Adjusted for advance appropriations.
Highlights of the Bill
Funding levels in the fiscal year 2001 appropriation bill
for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and
Education and Related Agencies reflect the Committee's attempt
to establish priorities within the very stringent limitations.
Mandatory spending continues its inexorable increase, this year
by $15.9 billion or 6.8%. If the discretionary component of the
Committee bill were to grow at the same rate, total funding
would be over $103 billion.
As in past years, the Committee has increased funding for
programs that work for people and represent a core Federal
responsibility. It has rejected the President's hastily
formulated and thinly justified new program initiatives,
favoring instead to fund existing programs that will more
efficiently and effectively address identified needs.
Bill total.--Total funding, including offsets, for fiscal
year 2001 in the Departments of Labor, Health and Human
Services and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
2001 is $339,461,954,000. For Discretionary accounts for 2001
the bill provides $97,206,435,000, including offsets.
Mandatory programs.--The bill provides $248,991,967,000 for
entitlement programs in fiscal year 2001. Seventy-one percent
of the funding in the bill is for these mandatory costs.
Funding requirements for entitlement programs are determined by
the basic authorizing statutes. Mandatory programs include
general fund support for the Medicare and Medicaid programs,
Supplemental Security Income, and Black Lung payments. The
following chart indicates the funding levels for the major
mandatory programs in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 and the growth
in these programs.
MANDATORY
[Dollars in thousands]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year Fiscal year
Program 2000 2001 Change Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Labor:
Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.......................... $1,013,633 $1,028,000 $14,367 1
Department of Health and Human Services:
Health Care Financing Administration:
Medicaid current law benefits......................... 109,321,600 116,507,700 7,186,100 7
Medicare Payments to Health Care Trust Fund........... 69,289,100 70,381,600 1,092,500 2
Department of Education:
Rehabilitation Services................................... 2,338,977 2,399,790 60,813 3
Related Agencies:
Social Security Administration:
Special Benefits for Disabled Coal Miners............. 524,638 489,748 -34,890 -7
Supplemental Security Income.......................... 31,420,085 32,681,000 1,260,915 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Labor.--The bill appropriates $12,626,598,000
for the Labor Department, a decrease of $464,086,000 below the
comparable fiscal year 2000 amount (Adjusted for advance
appropriations in fiscal year 2000) and $1,702,678,000 below
the amount requested by the President. This funding level
includes $5,010,995,000 to carry out the provisions of the
Workforce Investment Act. The Committee recommends an increase
in funding for the Job Corps of $42,224,000 over the fiscal
year 2000 level. Based on the strong economy and low
unemployment, the bill provides reduced funding for Adult and
Youth training and Dislocated Worker Assistance. Total funding
for these programs is $3,239,990,000, $300,000,000 below the
fiscal year 2000 level and $502,985,000 below the President's
request. No funding is provided for school-to-work activities
in the Departments of Labor and Education, completing the
phase-out of this program.
Youth Opportunity Grants.--The Committee provides
$175,000,000 for this program.
Employment Standards Administration.--The Committee
recommends $338,770,000 for ESA, a program freeze. This level
$24,706,000 below the President's request.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration.--The
Committee recommends funding for OSHA at $381,620,000,
$44,363,000 below the request and the same as last year's
level. Within OSHA, state programs are increased by $1,771,000
while funding for Federal enforcement is reduced by a like
amount to fund coverage of New Jersey public employees.
Department of Health and Human Services.--The bill
appropriates $257,696,591,000 which is $1,168,354,000 below the
President's request and $17,306,476,000 above the fiscal year
2000 level. Funding for discretionary programs of
$43,866,934,000 is $1,153,354,000 below the President's request
and $2,743,801,000 above last year's level.
Health Resources and Services Administration.--Funding for
HRSA programs is $4,835,258,000, an increase of $181,906,000
above last year and $32,895,000 above the President's request.
Within HRSA, the community health centers funding is at
$1,100,000,000, an increase of $81,300,000 above the fiscal
year 2000 level. Health professions training is funded at
$410,987,000, $69,080,000 above last year's level and
$113,028,000 above the request. Ryan White AIDS Care Act
programs are funded at $1,725,000,000, $130,450,000 above last
year and $5,450,000 above the President's request.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.--The bill
provides $3,290,369,000 directly to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and an additional $306,040,000 for CDC
activities funded in the Public Health and Social Services
Emergency Fund. These activities include bioterrorism, Global
HIV/AIDS, and activities related to the outbreak of the West
Nile Virus. As a result, overall funding for the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention is $3,586,409,000, $394,738,000
above the comparable fiscal year 2000 level and $198,422,000
above the President's request.
Increases are provided for high priority activities
including the prevention centers and research, childhood
immunization programs, communicable and sexually transmitted
diseases, chronic and environmental disease prevention and
breast and cervical cancer screening. The Committee has also
provided funding for an initiative to employ national media to
promote healthy behavior among the nation's young people.
National Institutes of Health.--The Committee would provide
a $2,700,000,000 increase for biomedical research activities at
the National Institutes of Health. However, because of the
limited funding within the allocation, funding increases in the
bill are constrained to the amount proposed by the President,
at $18,812,735,000, $1,059,883,000 above last year. The
Committee has maintained its policy of resisting disease
specific earmarks in the bill and report, believing that
decisions as to appropriate levels of funding and appropriate
avenues of research are best left to the scientific managers at
NIH. NIH has indicated that its allocation will allow increases
above the overall NIH level for research related to Parkinson's
disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and cardiovascular
disease, among others.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration.--The bill provides $2,727,626,000 for the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an
amount $75,758,000 above fiscal year 2000 and $95,390,000 below
the request level. The Committee has provided $1,631,000,000
for the Substance Abuse Block Grant which is essentially
$31,000,000 above last year's level and the same as the
President's request.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.--The bill
provides $223,649,000 for the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality, an amount $24,850,000 above last year and
$26,294,000 below the President's request. Within these funds,
the Committee has provided $20,000,000 to support research in
medical error reduction.
Medicare and Medicaid.--The bill provides $124,235,254,000
for Medicaid and $70,381,600,000 in Federal funds for the
Government's share of payments to Medicare.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance.--The Committee
recommendation provides $1,100,000,000 for the Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program in fiscal year 2002. An additional
$300,000,000 is provided in emergency funding for heating and
cooling emergencies. As is the Committee's normal practice, and
authorized in statute, funds are advance funded for fiscal year
2002 and declared an emergency.
Child Care and Development Block Grant.--The fiscal year
2000 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and
Education and Related Agencies Act provided $1,182,672,000, for
fiscal year 2001 funding of the Child Care and Development
Block Grant. The Committee has provided an additional
$400,000,000 in fiscal year 2001 funding, bringing total fiscal
year 2001 funding to $1,582,672,000, $417,328,000 below the
request level. As this program is normally advance funded, the
Committee provides $2,000,000,000 for fiscal 2002, the same as
the President's request.
Social Services Block Grant.--The Committee recommends
$1,700,000,000, $75,000,000 below last year and the same as the
President's request. $1,700,000,000 is the statutory maximum
for title XX set in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century (PL 105-85). The reduced funding level in this act was
used to offset additional state funding for highways and
transit.
Head Start.--The bill includes $5,667,000,000 for Head
Start, $400,000,000 above last year's level and $600,000,000
below the President's request.
Community Services Block Grant.--The bill provides
$527,700,000 for the community services block grant, the same
as fiscal year 2000 and $17,700,000 above the President's
request.
Funding of Abortions.--The bill includes the revised
``Hyde'' language which has been carried in the bill for
several years.
Human Embryo Research.--The bill includes the same language
included for the past several years to prohibit the use of
funds for research involving human embryos. This language also
has the effect of prohibiting human cloning.
Needle Exchange.--The bill includes a prohibition on the
use of Federal funds for needle exchange programs, which is the
same as last year.
Title X Family Participation in decisions of minors to seek
family planning.--The bill includes language requiring
recipients of title X funding, family planning funding, to
certify that it encourages family participation in the decision
of minors to seek family planning services and that it provides
counseling to minors on how to resist attempts to coerce minors
into engaging in sexual activities. This language has been
included in the bill for several years.
Title X Compliance With State Laws.--The bill includes a
provision, continued from last year, requiring Title X clinics
to comply with State laws relating to notification or reporting
of child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, rape or
incest.
Department of Education.--The bill funds programmatic and
support activities in the Department of Education at
$39,590,049,000, a decrease of $2,904,597,000 below the
President's request and $1,646,480,000 above last year's level
(adjusted for advance appropriations in fiscal year 2000).
Education Reform.--The bill eliminates funding for Goals
2000, which was repealed last year. The Committee provides no
additional funding for School-to-Work in both the Departments
of Labor and Education. For Technology for Education, the bill
provides $905,000,000, $2,000,000 above the President's request
and $139,195,000 above last year's level.
Education for the Disadvantaged.--The bill provides
$7,941,397,000, for grants to local education agencies under
title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This
level is the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount and
$416,103,000 below the request level. The bill also provides
$190,000,000, the same level the President's request and
$20,000,000 above last year, for Comprehensive School Reform.
Impact Aid.--The bill provides $985,000,000 for school
districts that are impacted by Federal activities, such as
military bases or Indian lands. This is an increase of
$78,548,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level, and $215,000,000
above the President's request.
School Improvement Programs.--The bill funds title VI (the
education block grant) at $365,750,000, the same as the fiscal
year 2000 amount. The President proposed to terminate the
program. The bill provides $1,750,000,000 for the Teacher
Empowerment Act, subject to enactment. This level is
$1,750,000,000 above both the President's request and the
fiscal year 2000 amount. The bill provides no funding for the
existing Class Size Reduction program, funded at $1,300,000,000
in fiscal year 2000 and for which the President requested
$1,750,000,000. It also rejected the President's proposal to
require a 35 percent cash match by local educational agencies
for all class size reduction funding in excess of the amounts
received in fiscal year 2000.
Safe and Drug Free Schools.--The safe and drug free schools
program is funded at $599,250,000, essentially the same level
as last year and $50,750,000 below the President's request.
Reading Excellence Act.--The Committee bill provides
$260,000,000 for the Reading Excellence Act, $26,000,000 below
the President's Request and the same as last year's level.
School Renovation.--The Committee provided no funds for the
Presidents' new School Renovation initiative. The President
requested $1,300,000,000 and no funds were provided in fiscal
year 2000.
Bilingual and Immigrant Education.--Bilingual and Immigrant
Education programs are funded at $406,000,000, the same as the
fiscal year 2000 amount and $54,000,000 below the President's
request.
Special Education.--The Committee recommends an overall
program funding level for special education programs of
$6,550,161,000, $513,965,000 above last year's level and
$181,320,000 above the President's request. The bill provides a
$500,000,000 increase for grants to states under part B of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act while the request
level would provide only a $210,000,000 increase.
Vocational and Adult Education.--Vocational education state
grants are funded at $1,100,000,000 and adult education state
grants are funded at $470,000,000. Tech Prep is funded at last
year's level. Overall, the Committee provides $1,718,600,000,
$36,850,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level and $32,650,000
below the President's request.
Student Financial Assistance and Higher Education.--The
Committee places a high priority on direct assistance to
students. For Student Financial Aid, the Committee provides
$10,198,000,000, $823,283,000 above last year and $60,000,000
below the President. For Higher Education, the Committee
provides $1,688,081,000. This level is $158,502,000 above last
year and $107,892,000 below the request. The bill includes
funding to allow the maximum Pell grant to rise to $3,500--the
highest in history, $200 above last year and the same as the
President's request. Federal work-study grants, SEOG's, TRIO
and institutional development for minority schools are
increased. TRIO is funded at $760,000,000, an increase of
$115,000,000 above fiscal year 2000 and $35,000,000 above the
President's request.
Education Research and Statistics.--The Committee proposes
$494,367,000 for education research and statistics. For on-
going activities, this level is $96,714,000 below last year and
$23,200,000 below the request level.
Social Security Administrative Costs.--Funding for the cost
of administering the social security programs is
$6,978,036,000, $406,000,000 above last year and $155,964,000
below the President's request. Full funding is provided for
continuing disability reviews.
National Labor Relations Board.--Funding for the National
Labor Relations Board is $205,717,000, the same as last year's
level and $10,721,000 below the President's request.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting.--CPB is an advance
funded account with funds already appropriated through fiscal
year 2002. Funding proposed by the Committee is $365,000,000
for 2003, an increase of $15,000,000 above fiscal year 2002 and
the same as the request.
State Reimbursement for Supplemental SSI Benefits.--The
bill advances the monthly deadline for States to reimburse the
Federal government for state Supplemental Security Income
payments. States will have to provide funds to SSA the day
before payments to beneficiaries are issued rather than after
the payments are made. SSI and State supplementary payment
beneficiaries will not be affected by this proposal.
Restoring Benefit Payments to the Appropriate Year.--The
Committee has included language to restore Supplemental
Security Income payments to the appropriate year, so that all
payments are made consistent with the normal rules for making
SSI payments.
State TANF Supplemental Grant for Population Increase
Amounts.--The bill includes a provision, as proposed by the
President, to constrain Supplemental Grants for Population
Increase to the FY 1998 amounts. This change will not affect
any beneficiary payments.
Transfer Authority
The Committee, again this year, has included a general
transfer authority for several of the Departments and agencies
funded under this bill. In doing so, it is providing the
Executive Branch with the ability to respond to emergencies or
unanticipated needs.
The Committee has not provided this authority to the
Department of Health and Human Services with respect to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or to the Department
of Education.
The Committee first provided this authority in fiscal year
1996 and in the report accompanying the House bill and from
time-to-time in following fiscal years included language
indicating the importance of the achievement of a clean
financial opinion. Report 104-659 indicated:
. . . [T]he Committee questions the extent to which
agencies can properly exercise . . . [the transfer]
authority . . . if they have not made substantial
progress towards achieving the CFO Act's financial
management reforms. Accordingly, in subsequent years,
the Committee will consider . . . progress . . . in
obtaining a clean opinion on . . . financial statements
. . . in deciding whether to continue, expand or limit
transfer and reprogramming authority.
The Committee notes that the Department of Education did
not receive an unqualified opinion on its financial statements
for either fiscal year 1998 or 1999, although in fiscal year
1999, they made progress toward rectifying the problems raised
in the 1998 audit.
With respect to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the Committee received testimony that the agency
has provided Congress with inaccurate spending data, the result
of both a culture of disrespect for the role of Congress and a
breakdown of budgetary and financial management systems. The
Committee understands that the Director and the Secretary have
taken aggressive steps to begin to address this situation.
The Committee believes that the flexibilities it provides
to the departments and agencies under its jurisdiction can only
be carried out when proper management controls and systems are
in place. Its actions reflect the breakdown in financial
management in the two agencies that have been exempted from the
overall transfer authority.
The Committee reiterates that it is not the purpose of the
transfer authority to provide funding for new policy proposals
that can, and should, be included in subsequent budget
proposals. The Congress sets funding levels for programs,
projects and activities through the annual appropriations act
and the accompanying tables included in the conference report.
Absent the need to respond to emergencies or unforeseen
circumstances discussed above, this authority cannot be used
simply to increase funding for programs, projects or activities
because of disagreements over the funding level or the
difficulty or inconvenience with operating levels set by the
Congress.
Government Performance and Results Act
As with last year, the Committee believes that the
Departments and agencies under its jurisdiction have made
progress toward the establishment of goals and other benchmarks
as required by the Government Performance and Results Act.
However, they remain a long way from meeting its overall
intent. As noted in specific instances throughout this Report,
the Committee continues to feel that quantifiable and
measurable individual performance indicators need to be
developed for each program. Individual indicators need to be
specific and measurable wherever possible, need to be
consistent with other measures used in similar programs and
need to be supported by systems that can provide annual
information on the progress being made toward achieving the
stated goals. There are still far too many programs with
indicators using the terms ``increase,'' or ``decrease,'' or
``improve'' rather than specific numerical goals.
In addition, these indicators must increasingly focus on
the improvements in employment and income, worker safety,
health status, biomedical discoveries, the quality of life of
various populations, educational achievement, and the many
other goals that are the primary purpose of the programs funded
by this bill. Again, the indicators are far too often related
to the issuance of program guidance or focus on the number of
individuals served. The Committee is disappointed that the
baselines so necessary for measuring progress are not being
established rapidly enough. These baselines need to indicate
multi-year trends so that the Committee and the American people
can judge program effectiveness against long-term trend data.
The Committee continues to be disappointed that the
administration is still unable to provide specific improvement
goals with its budget request with respect to new program
initiatives. The Committee notes that it is particularly hard
to justify new programs when the budget request includes no
empirical statement of the problems they are designed to
redress, no baseline data and no statement of yearly
improvements to be achieved if the new program is funded at the
requested level.
Finally, the Committee continues to urge the Departments
and agencies under its jurisdiction to manage themselves based
on performance and outcomes. They should use outcome and
performance measures as the primary management tool for
resource allocation and the evaluation of programs and
individuals. The Committee expects that each Department and
office funded in the bill will be prepared to testify during
the fiscal year 2002 cycle on how performance and outcome
measures are being used to manage their programs, including:
How outcome and performance goals are being
established for individual offices within departments
and how they are held accountable for the achievement
of these goals;
How such data is used to establish individual
performance goals; and
How actual performance is measured against these
goals and the kinds of incentives, both positive and
negative, that are in place to assure the achievement
of overall goals.
Operating Plans
The Committee directs the Departments and agencies
identified in the report accompanying the fiscal year 1998 bill
to continue to provide it with operating plans on the dates
identified in that report. These plans should follow the
instructions outlined in House Report 106-370.
The Committee believes that the Departments and agencies
must make better progress in upgrading their financial
management systems to determine better the actual flow of
appropriated dollars to individual programs and identifying
obligation schedules. However, the Committee is troubled by the
fact that for many programs, simple formulas are used for
outlay and obligation patterns rather than a true analysis of
the likely obligation and spending patterns for the program.
Extended Availability of Salary and Expense Accounts
The Committee has, once again, provided that most salary
and expense accounts funded in this bill remain available for
obligation through December 31, 2002. The Department of
Education did not request this flexibility and the Committee
has not applied this provision to the Department of Education.
The Committee has also excluded the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. In all other respects, the Departments and
agencies to which this provision applies are directed to follow
the instructions in House Report 106-370. The Committee
reiterates that unless otherwise available, no funds covered by
this provision can be obligated in the ``fifth quarter''
without following the notification procedures outlined in House
Report 106-370.
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
training and employment services
The Committee recommends $5,015,495,000 for this account
which provides funding authorized primarily by the Workforce
Investment Act (WIA). This is $420,929,000 below the fiscal
year 2000 level and $1,090,567,000 below the budget request. Of
the total provided, the committee recommends that
$2,463,000,000 be made available as of October 1, 2001.
The Training and Employment Services account is comprised
of programs that enhance the employment and earnings of those
in need of such services, operated through a decentralized
system of skill training and related services. The account is
mostly forward-funded on a July to June cycle, with funds
provided for fiscal year 2001 supporting the effort from July
1, 2001 through June 30, 2002.
Fiscal year 2000 was the first year under the new Workforce
Investment Act, beginning July 1, 2000. The new legislation is
expected to significantly enhance employment and training
services, consolidating, coordinating, and improving programs
utilizing a local level one-stop delivery system.
The Committee notes that the Department is making progress
in developing objective, measurable standards for achieving the
goals of the various job training programs pursuant to the
Government Performance and Results Act. The Committee
encourages the Department to continue to refine the baseline
data presented in the budget justification and believes that it
is essential to develop specific, measurable standards for each
and every one of these programs. There is a particular need to
develop more timely performance data. The annual performance
plan should include the specific, measurable improvements that
are expected to occur with respect to all measures as a result
of the proposed funding levels. The annual report on
performance should link departmental actions to the achievement
or non-achievement of the goals established in the performance
plan. The emphasis must be on the programs' mission, that is to
train and place people in real jobs, with a particular emphasis
on those people who have the most difficulty in obtaining work.
Employer-based national training contractors play a unique
role in helping the Department comply with the Workforce
Investment Act's requirements for closer ties with industry,
while fulfilling the skills training and job placement needs of
this country's most economically disadvantaged youth.
Recognizing the unique role and outstanding record of employer-
based organizations in training Job Corps students as well as
disadvantaged youth and placing them with above average
success, the Committee believes the Department should expand
its effective working relationships with these organizations.
The Committee notes in particular the successes achieved by the
Community Restitution and Apprenticeship-Focused Training
(CRAFT) program operated by the Home Builders Institute and
encourages the Department to replicate efforts such as this.
The Committee encourages the Department to continue to
provide technical assistance to the Role Models America Academy
Demonstration Program. The impact of family members on the
recovery success of substance abusers can be significant. The
Committee urges the Department to develop partnerships with
substance abuse centers and include in their curriculum
literacy, job readiness, and job placement services that makes
the family an effective collaborator in the recovery process.
Adult employment and training activities
For adult employment and training activities, the Committee
recommends $857,000,000. Of this amount, $712,000,000 will
become available on October 1, 2001. The total recommended is
$93,000,000 less than the 2000 comparable level and the budget
request. Given the extremely tight budget constraints under
which it is operating this year, the Committee was compelled to
reduce funding for this activity. Furthermore, the Committee
believes that the economy is sufficiently strong to justify a
reduction in this program at this time. This program is
authorized by the Workforce Investment Act. The funds are
allocated by formula to States and further distributed to local
workforce investment boards. Services for adults will be
provided through the One-Stop system and most customers
receiving training will use their individual training accounts
to determine which programs and providers fit their needs. The
Act authorizes core services, which will be available to all
adults with no eligibility requirements, and intensive
services, for unemployed individuals who are not able to find
jobs through core services alone.
Dislocated worker employment and training activities
For dislocated worker employment and training activities,
the Committee recommends $1,382,025,000, of which,
$1,060,000,000 will be made available on October 1, 2001. This
total is $207,000,000 less than the 2000 comparable level and
$388,485,000 less than the budget request. Given the extremely
tight budget constraints under which it is operating this year,
the Committee was compelled to reduce funding for this
activity. Furthermore, the Committee believes that the economy
is sufficiently strong to justify a reduction in this program
at this time. This activity, authorized by WIA, is a State-
operated program which provides core services, intensive
services, training, and supportive services to help permanently
separated workers return to productive, unsubsidized
employment. In addition, States use these funds for rapid
response assistance to help workers affected by mass layoffs
and plant closures. Eighty percent of funding is distributed by
formula to the States. The remaining twenty percent is
available to the Secretary for activities specified in WIA,
primarily to respond to mass layoffs, plant and/or military
base closings, and natural disasters across the country, which
cannot be otherwise anticipated, as well as technical
assistance and training and demonstration projects.
Youth activities
For youth activities, the bill includes $1,000,965,000.
This level is the same as fiscal year 2000 funding and
$21,500,000 less than the budget request. The Workforce
Investment Act consolidates the Summer Youth Employment and
Training Program under JTPA Title IIB and Youth Training Grants
under JTPA Title IIC into a single youth training activity. The
funds are allocated by formula to States and further
distributed to local workforce investment boards. The local
boards decide how much to spend on summer jobs and how much to
spend on other youth activities. In addition to consolidating
programs, WIA also requires youth activities to be connected to
the One-Stop system as one way to link youth to all available
community resources. The purpose of youth activities is to
provide eligible youth with assistance in achieving academic
and employment success through improving educational and skill
competencies and providing connections to employers. Other
activities include providing mentoring opportunities,
opportunities for training, supportive services, summer
employment opportunities that are directly linked to academic
and occupational learning, incentives for recognition and
achievement, and activities related to leadership development,
citizenship and community service.
Youth opportunity grants
The bill includes $175,000,000 for Youth Opportunity
Grants. This is $75,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2000
appropriation and $200,000,000 below the budget request. Youth
Opportunity Grants are authorized in the Workforce Investment
Act. These grants are aimed at increasing the long-term
employment of youth who live in empowerment zones, enterprise
communities, and other high-poverty areas. Given the tight
budget constraints under which it is operating this year, the
Committee was forced to make difficult choices. Under the
circumstances, the Committee believes that it is more important
to fund the core job training programs under which all States
receive funds than to fund this discretionary grant program at
its authorized level which would provide funds to only about 35
areas.
Job Corps
For Job Corps, the Committee recommends $1,400,000,000.
This is $42,224,000 more than the 2000 comparable level and
$6,956,000 higher than the President's request. Of the amount
provided, $691,000,000 will become available on October 1,
2001. In addition, $15,000,000 is made available on October 1,
2000 for use during the 2000 program year. These funds are to
be used to integrate Job Corps centers in their local
communities through Business and Community Liaisons as mandated
by the Workforce Investment Act. The Job Corps, authorized by
WIA, is a nationwide network of residential facilities
chartered by Federal law to provide a comprehensive and
intensive array of training, job placement and support services
to at-risk young adults. The mission of Job Corps is to attract
eligible young adults, teach them the skills they need to
become employable and independent, and place them in meaningful
jobs or further education. Participation in the program is open
to economically disadvantaged young people in the 16-24 age
range who are unemployed and out of school. Most Job Corps
students come from disruptive or debilitating environments, and
it is important that they be relocated to residential
facilities where they can benefit from the highly structured
and carefully integrated services provided by the Job Corps
program. A limited number of opportunities are also available
for non-residential participation. The Committee supports the
effort of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to more fully
integrate Job Corps centers in their local communities.
As a national training program, Job Corps is particularly
well suited to help meet the needs of large, multi-state
employers for skilled entry level workers. The Committee
applauds Job Corps for establishing partnerships with nine
national employers, and encourages Job Corps to continue to
work with both larger employers and small businesses to ensure
that student training meets current labor market needs. Job
Corps should intensify its efforts to upgrade its vocational
offerings and curricula to reflect industry standards and skill
shortages.
The Committee recognizes the continued need to bring
salaries for key Job Corps program staff, particularly academic
and vocational instructors, into line with those of instructors
at comparable institutions, including the public schools. Job
Corps will be unable to move into high technology vocations,
such as computer network certification, unless it can offer
competitive salaries. The Committee has provided additional
resources to make salaries for teaching staff comparable to
those of public schools.
Last year, the Committee provided $5 million to build or
rehabilitate Head Start centers on Job Corps campuses. The
Committee requests the Department to provide a detailed report
on the progress of these Head Start centers, and on the
progress of the four new Job Corps Centers in Carville,
Louisiana; Exeter, Rhode Island; Hartford, Connecticut; and
Wilmington, Delaware. Although the Committee has not provided
funding for new Job Corps centers this year, the Secretary is
encouraged to include such funds in its budget request for
fiscal year 2002. In considering the expansion of Job Corps,
the Secretary is urged to consider new sites based on a
competitive process which gives priority to sites within States
that: are currently serving a small percentage of youths
eligible to enroll in Job Corps; currently have two or fewer
Job Corps centers; have not been recently selected for a new
center; and exhibit strong state, local and employer support
for Job Corps.
Native Americans
For Native Americans, the bill includes $55,000,000, the
amount requested by the President. This is $3,436,000 less than
the 2000 comparable level. This program, authorized by WIA, is
designed to improve the economic well-being of Native Americans
(Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians) through the
provision of training, work experience, and other employment-
related services and opportunities that are intended to aid the
participants to secure permanent, unsubsidized jobs. The
Department of Labor allocates formula grants to Indian tribes
and other Native American groups whose eligibility for such
grants is established in accordance with Department's
regulations.
Migrant and seasonal farmworkers
For Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers, the Committee
recommends $78,000,000, which is $3,805,000 higher than the
2000 comparable level and $3,555,000 higher than the budget
request. This program, authorized by WIA, is designed to serve
members of economically disadvantaged families whose principal
livelihood is derived from migratory and other forms of
seasonal farmwork. Through training and other employability
development services, the program prepares eligible seasonal
farmworkers and their family members for stable, year-round
employment, both inside and outside the agricultural industry.
The program also provides health care, day care and other
supportive services for farmworkers who choose to stay in
agriculture. At least 94 percent of each year's appropriation
is allocated to States according to a population-based formula.
The remainder of each year's appropriation is set aside for
technical assistance to grantees and for other special projects
to benefit seasonal farmworkers such as the Migrant Farmworker
Housing Program. The Department is expected to continue the
farmworker housing program at the current year level.
National programs
For national programs, the Committee recommends
$67,505,000. This is $33,522,000 less than the 2000 comparable
level and $398,093,000 less than the budget request. This
activity includes WIA-authorized programs in support of the
workforce system including technical assistance and incentive
grants, evaluations, pilots, demonstrations and research. In
addition, the activity includes the National Skills Standards
Board.
Technical Assistance/Incentive Grants: The Committee
recommends $5,000,000, the amount provided in 2000, for the
provision of technical assistance, staff development, and
replication of programs of demonstrated effectiveness; as well
as incentive grants to each State that exceeds State adjusted
levels of performance for WIA State programs.
Pilots, Demonstrations and Research: The Committee
recommends $35,000,000 for grants or contracts to conduct
research, pilots or demonstrations that improve techniques or
demonstrate the effectiveness of programs. This is $30,095,000
below 2000 and the same as the budget request.
Responsible Reintegration of Youthful Offenders: The
Committee recommends $13,907,000 for this proposed grant
program under WIA Pilot, Demonstration, and Research authority.
The budget request was for $75,000,000. The Committee is aware
that acquiring education and employment skills significantly
reduces recidivism. The Committee urges the Department to
support community corrections organizations that provide
education, mentoring, job-readiness training and job placement
services to reintegrate ex-offenders into mainstream society.
Evaluation: The Committee recommends $9,098,000 to provide
for the continuing evaluation of programs conducted under WIA,
as well as of federally-funded employment-related activities
under other provisions of law. This is the same as 2000 and
$3,000,000 below the budget request.
National Skills Standards Board: The Committee recommends
$3,500,000 for the Board to continue the development of
voluntary partnerships. This is $3,500,000 less than 2000 and
the same as the budget request.
Women in Apprenticeship for Non-Traditional Occupations:
The Committee recommends $1,000,000 to continue training women
for jobs not traditionally entered into by women. This level is
essentially the same as 2000, and the budget request included
no funds for this purpose in this account.
community service employment for older americans
The bill includes $440,200,000 for community service
employment for older Americans. This is the same as the fiscal
year 2000 level and the President's budget request. The
Committee notes that this program again this year lacks an
authorization for appropriations. The program, under title V of
the Older Americans Act, provides part-time employment in
community service activities for unemployed, low-income persons
aged 55 and over. Participants receive the minimum wage. It is
forward-funded from July to June, and the fiscal year 2001
appropriation will support the effort from July 1, 2001 through
June 30, 2002. An estimated 48,000 job slots will be supported
by the bill.
federal unemployment benefits and allowances
The bill includes $406,550,000, the same as the budget
request and a reduction of $8,600,000 below the fiscal year
2000 comparable level. The fiscal year 2001 allowance provides
funding for certain worker adjustment entitlement programs.
For trade adjustment assistance benefits, as authorized by
the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, the bill includes
$248,000,000. This is a reduction of $7,000,000 below the
fiscal year 2000 level. The bill provides $94,400,000 for
training, job search and job relocation allowances to workers
adversely affected by imports. The funding for this activity is
also authorized under the Trade Act of 1974, as amended. This
is about the same as the fiscal year 2000 level.
For NAFTA transitional adjustment assistance benefits, also
authorized by the Trade Act of 1974, as amended as a result of
the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
the bill includes $27,000,000. This is a reduction of
$2,000,000 below the fiscal year 2000 level. The bill provides
$37,150,000 for training, job search and job relocation
allowances to workers adversely affected by imports due to
NAFTA. This is the same as the fiscal year 2000 level.
state unemployment insurance and employment service operations
The bill includes $3,097,790,000 for this account, a
reduction of $115,990,000 below the fiscal year 2000 level and
$291,408,000 below the budget request. Included in the total
availability is $3,054,338,000 authorized to be drawn from the
Employment Security Administration Account of the Unemployment
Trust Fund and $43,452,000 to be provided from the general fund
of the Treasury. The funds in this account are used to provide
administrative grants and assistance to State agencies which
administer Federal and State unemployment compensation laws and
operate the public employment service.
The Committee notes that the Department is making progress
in developing objective, measurable standards for achieving the
goals of the various job training programs pursuant to the
Government Performance and Results Act. The Committee
encourages the Department to continue to refine the baseline
data presented in the budget justification and believes that it
is essential to develop specific, measurable standards for
these programs. There is a particular need to develop more
timely performance data. The annual performance plan should
include the specific, measurable improvements that are expected
to occur with respect to all measures as a result of the
proposed funding levels. The annual report on performance
should link departmental actions to the achievement or non-
achievement of the goals established in the performance plan.
For Unemployment Insurance Services, the bill provides
$2,266,375,000. This total includes $2,256,375,000 for State
Operations and $10,000,000 for national activities. The
recommendation is $92,908,000 below the budget request and the
same as the fiscal year 2000 level. The Committee implemented
the proposal to combine funding for contingency into the state
administration line item.
For the Employment Service, the bill provides $811,415,000
which includes $23,452,000 in general funds together with an
authorization to spend $787,963,000 from the Employment
Security Administration Account of the Unemployment Trust Fund.
These amounts are $5,990,000 less than the fiscal year 2000
level and $44,500,000 less than the budget request. Included in
the bill for the Employment Service is $761,735,000 for State
grants, available for the program year of July 1, 2001 through
June 30, 2002. This is $50,000,000 less than the budget request
and equal to the fiscal year 2000 level. Because of budget
constraints, the Committee was unable to provide any funding
for proposed reemployment service grants for UI recipients.
The Committee has provided $49,680,000 for ES national
activities, a decrease of $5,990,000 from the fiscal year 2000
level and $5,500,000 more than the budget request. The
Committee does not believe that the Department's new foreign
labor certification streamlining system will be in place by
October 1, 2000; therefore, it has restored $5.5 million to
assure that States have adequate resources to complete the
backlog reduction plan at the same time the new system is being
implemented. The bill includes $20,000,000 specifically for
administration by the States of the Work Opportunities Tax
Credit and the Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit.
The bill provides $20,000,000 for Work Incentive Grants
which is the same level provided in 2000 and the amount in the
budget request. Fiscal year 2000 is the first year of funding
for this new program. These grants are competitively awarded to
local organizations to enhance the employability, employment,
and career advancement of people with disabilities. Services
are provided in concert with the one-stop center serving the
local community.
The Committee has provided no funding for one-stop centers
as 2000 was the final year of the State implementation grants
with all States having received implementation grants. The
Committee feels it has provided the resources necessary for the
original one-stop development plan. In House Report 104-209,
the Committee expressed its doubt that a grant program could
effectively consolidate the myriad of employment and training
programs and that legislation should be enacted to reach this
goal. The recently enacted Workforce Investment Act provides
such legislation. Under the Workforce Investment Act, one-stop
service delivery is presumed, and the Committee expects States
and localities to take responsibility for further system
development where necessary.
ADVANCES TO THE UNEMPLOYMENT TRUST FUND AND OTHER FUNDS
The bill includes $435,000,000, the same as the budget
request and an increase of $79,000,000 above the fiscal year
2000 level. The appropriation is available to provide advances
to several accounts for purposes authorized under various
Federal and State unemployment compensation laws and the Black
Lung Disability Trust Fund, whenever balances in such accounts
prove insufficient. The bill anticipates that fiscal year 2001
advances will be made to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.
The separate appropriations provided by the Committee for
all other accounts eligible to borrow from this account in
fiscal year 2000 are expected to be sufficient. Should the need
arise, due to unanticipated changes in the economic situation,
or for other legitimate reasons, advances will be made to the
needy accounts to the extent funds are available. Funds
advanced to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund are repayable
with interest to the general fund of the Treasury.
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
The bill includes total funding for this account of
$146,000,000. This is the same as the 2000 level and
$13,311,000 below the request. This includes $100,944,000 in
general funds and authority to expend $45,056,000 from the
Employment Security Administration Account of the Unemployment
Trust Fund. General funds in this account provide the Federal
staff to administer employment and training programs under the
Workforce Investment Act, the Older Americans Act, the welfare-
to-work program, the Trade Act of 1974, and the National
Apprenticeship Act. Trust funds provide for the Federal
administration of employment security functions under title III
of the Social Security Act and the Immigration and Nationality
Act.
Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
The bill provides $98,934,000 for this account, a reduction
of $8,898,000 from the budget request and the same as the
fiscal year 2000 level. The Pension and Welfare Benefits
Administration (PWBA) is responsible for the enforcement of
Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
(ERISA) in both civil and criminal areas. This involves ERISA
fiduciary and reporting/disclosure requirements. PWBA is also
responsible for enforcement of sections 8477 and 8478 of the
Federal Employees' Retirement Security Act of 1986 (FERSA). The
agency was also given new responsibilities under the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
The Committee notes that the Department is making progress
in developing objective, measurable standards for achieving the
goals of the various job training programs pursuant to the
Government Performance and Results Act. The Committee
encourages the Department to continue to refine the baseline
data presented in the budget justification and believes that it
is essential to develop specific, measurable standards for this
program. There is a particular need to develop more timely
performance data with particular emphasis on baselines. The
annual performance plan should include the specific, measurable
improvements that are expected to occur with respect to all
measures as a result of the proposed funding levels. The annual
report on performance should link departmental actions to the
achievement or non-achievement of the goals established in the
performance plan.
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation is a wholly-owned
government corporation established by the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974. The law places it within the
Department of Labor and makes the Secretary of Labor the
chairman of its board of directors. The Corporation receives
its income from insurance premiums collected from covered
pension plans, collections of employer liabilities imposed by
the Act, and investment earnings. It is also authorized to
borrow up to $100 million from the Treasury. The primary
purpose of the Corporation is to guarantee the payment of
pension plan benefits to participants if covered plans fail or
go out of existence.
The Corporation's budget for fiscal year 2000 includes
benefit payments of $987,609,000, multi-employer financial
assistance of $6,266,000, an administrative expenses limitation
of $11,148,000, and administrative expenses that are exempt
from limitation of $164,834,000. Only the administrative
expenses limitation is subject to the appropriations process.
The amount in the administrative expense limitation is a
reduction of $723,000 below the request and the same as fiscal
year 2000.
Employment Standards Administration
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
The bill includes $338,770,000 for this agency. This is a
reduction of $24,706,000 below the budget request and a freeze
at the fiscal year 2000. The bill includes $337,030,000 in
general funds for this account and also contains authority to
expend $1,740,000 from the Special Fund established by the
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. In addition, an
amount of $30,393,000 is available by transfer from the Black
Lung Disability Trust Fund. This is the same as the request and
$1,717,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level.
The Employment Standards Administration is involved in the
administration of numerous laws, including the Fair Labor
Standards Act, the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Migrant
and Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Protection Act, the Davis-
Bacon Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Federal
Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), the Longshore and Harbor
Workers' Compensation Act, and the Federal Mine Safety and
Health Act (black lung). The agency also administers Executive
Order 11246 related to affirmative action by Federal
contractors and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure
Act.
With respect to the Government Performance and Results Act,
the Committee notes that the agency's annual performance plan
indicates that progress is being made in compiling baseline
data for some of its performance goals. The agency is
encouraged to continue to pursue refinements and improvements.
The performance plan needs to show the specific, measurable
improvements that are expected to occur with respect to all
measures as a result of proposed funding levels.
The Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000 to
continue the development and implementation of the electronic
filing of reports required to be filed under the Labor-
Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, and a computer
database of the information for each submission that is indexed
and easily searchable by the public via the Internet. The
Committee urges the Department to complete their efforts to
make a searchable LM2 filing database accessible to the public
by the submission of their budget request for fiscal year 2002.
Special Benefits
The bill includes $56,000,000, the same as the budget
request and a decrease of $23,000,000 below the fiscal year
2000 appropriation. This appropriation primarily provides
benefits under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA).
The payments are required by law.
The total amount to be available in fiscal year 2000 for
FECA payments, including anticipated reimbursements from
Federal agencies of $1,955,000,000, is expected to be
$2,086,000,000, an increase of $50,000,000 over the fiscal year
2000 comparable level.
The Committee recommends continuation of appropriation
language to provide authority to deposit into the Special
Benefits account those funds that the Postal Service, the
Tennessee Valley Authority, and other entities are required to
pay to cover their ``fair share'' of the costs of administering
the claims filed by their employees under FECA. The Committee
also recommends approval of appropriation language to provide
that up to $30,510,000 of the funds transferred from the ``fair
share'' agencies to pay the costs of administration will be
available to the Secretary of Labor to finance capital
improvements relating to upgrading and enhancing the Federal
Employees' Compensation program computer system hardware and
software and to finance staff costs related to the FECA
periodic roll management project. The remaining balance of the
administrative costs paid by the ``fair share'' agencies will
revert to Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.
Black Lung Disability Trust Fund
The bill includes authority to obligate a total of
$1,028,000,000 from the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund in
fiscal year 2001, with $975,343,000 for benefits and interest
authorized to be made from the Trust Fund. For administrative
purposes, the total amount available for fiscal year 2001 will
provide $52,301,000 and $356,000 for administrative expenses
for the Departments of Labor and Treasury, respectively. In
fiscal year 2000, comparable obligations for administrative
expenses for the Departments of Labor and Treasury respectively
are $49,771,000 and $356,000.
The Trust Fund pays all black lung compensation/medical and
survivor benefit expenses when no responsible mine operator can
be assigned liability for such benefits, or when coal mine
employment ceased prior to 1970, as well as all administrative
costs which are incurred in administering the benefits program
and operating the Trust Fund.
It is estimated that 59,500 people will be receiving black
lung benefits financed from the Trust Fund in fiscal year 2001.
This compares with an estimated 63,200 receiving benefits in
fiscal year 2000.
The basic financing for the Trust Fund comes from a coal
excise tax for underground and surface-mined coal. Additional
funds come from reimbursement payments from mine operators for
benefit payments made by the Trust Fund before the mine
operator is found liable, and advances from the general fund,
estimated at $435,000,000 in fiscal year 2001. The advances to
the Fund assure availability of necessary funds when
liabilities may exceed other income. The Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1987 continues the current tax structure
until 2014.
In Conference Report 106-479 for the fiscal year 2000
appropriation, the Committee directed the Department of Labor
to provide a recommended solution for the problem of the
increasing indebtedness of the Trust Fund to the Congress. In
addition, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce
has requested that the General Accounting Office conduct a
review of the impact on the Trust Fund of proposed regulations
affecting eligibility for benefits under the black lung
disability program. The Department is encouraged to hold in
abeyance any provisions of the proposed black lung regulations
that would significantly impact the solvency of the Trust Fund
until the completion of the GAO report.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
salaries and expenses
The bill includes $381,620,000 for OSHA. This is the same
level as 2000 and a reduction of $44,363,000 below the budget
request. This agency is responsible for enforcing the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 in the Nation's
workplaces.
The Committee has provided $1,771,000 in OSHA State
programs to fund the state plan for New Jersey to provide
safety and health coverage for its public sector employees.
Because of limited resources, overall funding for OSHA remains
at the 2000 level. The Committee reduced the 2000 funding level
for federal enforcement to provide for the New Jersey public
sector employee coverage in order to keep the funding split
between OSHA enforcement and compliance activities the same as
in 2000.
The Committee notes that the Department is making progress
in developing objective, measurable standards for achieving the
goals of the various job training programs pursuant to the
Government Performance and Results Act. The Committee
encourages the Department to continue to refine the baseline
data presented in the budget justification and believes that it
is essential to develop specific, measurable standards for this
program. There is a particular need to develop more timely
performance data. The annual performance plan should include
the specific, measurable improvements that are expected to
occur with respect to all measures as a result of the proposed
funding levels. The annual report on performance should link
departmental actions to the achievement or non-achievement of
the goals established in the performance plan.
The Committee supports OSHA's efforts to expand the
Voluntary Protection Program and other voluntary cooperative
programs. The Committee is pleased with OSHA's efforts in
placing high priority on the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)
and other voluntary cooperative programs. The agency's work in
expanding participation in the programs, and promoting prompt
review and processing of applications is noteworthy. In FY 2001
the Committee expects OSHA to continue to place priority on the
VPP, making an effort to ensure 25% growth in participation by
sites covered under Federal OSHA jurisdiction. Cooperative
voluntary programs, especially the VPP, are important to
employers' ability to assure worker safety.
The Committee has included language carried in the bill
since 1976 in one instance and 1979 in the other that restricts
the use of funds for certain purposes. First, the bill includes
language that effectively exempts farms employing 10 or fewer
people from the provisions of the Act except those farms having
a temporary labor camp. Second, the bill includes language
exempting businesses employing 10 or fewer in industry
classifications having a lost workday injury rate less than the
national average from general schedule safety inspections. The
Committee is aware that a small percentage of the population
may have an allergic reaction to natural rubber latex. Latex
allergy is more likely to develop in infants who have had
numerous surgical procedures and those people who are atopic,
yet little is known about its epidemiology. The Committee
believes that this issue needs to be further researched, and
urges OSHA to take no further action to regulate latex products
without a sound, scientific basis.
Mine Safety and Health Administration
salaries and expenses
The bill includes $233,000,000 for this agency. This is
$9,247,000 below the budget request and an increase of
$4,943,000 over fiscal year 2000. This agency enforces the
Federal Mine Safety and Health Act in underground and surface
coal and metal and non-metal mines.
The Committee notes that the Department is making progress
in developing objective, measurable standards for achieving the
goals of the various job training programs pursuant to the
Government Performance and Results Act. The Committee
encourages the Department to continue to refine the baseline
data presented in the budget justification and believes that it
is essential to develop specific, measurable standards for mine
safety. There is a particular need to develop more timely
performance data. The annual performance plan should include
the specific, measurable improvements that are expected to
occur with respect to all measures as a result of the proposed
funding levels. The annual report on performance should link
departmental actions to the achievement or non-achievement of
the goals established in the performance plan.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
The total funding recommended by the Committee for the
Bureau of Labor Statistics is $440,000,000. This is a reduction
of $13,632,000 below the budget request and is an increase of
$6,123,000 over the 2000 level. The bill includes $372,743,000
in general funds for this account and authority to spend
$67,257,000 from the Employment Security Administration Account
of the Unemployment Trust Fund. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
is the principal fact-finding agency in the Federal Government
in the broad field of labor economics. Its principal surveys
include the Consumer Price Index and the monthly unemployment
series.
Departmental Management
salaries and expenses
The bill includes $244,889,000 for Departmental Management
activities. This is $192,665,000 below the budget request and
is a freeze at the 2000 level. The bill includes $244,579,000
in general funds for this account along with authority to
transfer $310,000 from the Employment Security Administration
account of the Unemployment Trust Fund. In addition, an amount
of $21,590,000 is available by transfer from the Black Lung
Disability Trust Fund. This is the same as the budget request
and an increase of $807,000 over the fiscal year 2000 level.
The Departmental Management appropriation finances staff
responsible for formulating and overseeing the implementation
of Departmental policy and management activities. In addition,
this appropriation includes a variety of operating programs and
activities that are not involved in Departmental Management
functions, but for which other salaries and expenses
appropriations are not suitable.
The Committee commends the Department for again achieving a
clean audit under the terms of the Government Management Reform
Act of 1994. An audited financial statement is like a
``scorecard'' that reflects a department's progress in
achieving the significant financial management reforms required
by the CFO Act, and in providing effective stewardship and
management of government funds.
The bill includes $70,000,000 in the Bureau of
International Labor, which is the same as 2000 and a decrease
of $97,006 from the amount requested by the President. The bill
also does not fund the automation request from the Department.
Given the extremely tight budget constraints under which it is
operating this year, the Committee was forced to make difficult
choices. Funding is simply not available for the requested
increases for these activities.
The Committee urges the Women's Bureau to continue to
support effective organizations such as Women Work! that
provide technical assistance and training on programming for
women in transition.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR VETERANS EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
The bill includes $201,277 for veteran employment and
training activities, the same level as the 2000 comparable
level and a decrease of $8,936,000 from the budget request. Two
activities, homeless veterans reintegration and veterans
workforce investment programs, have been moved to this account
from the Training and Employment Services account in ETA. The
Assistant Secretary for Veterans Employment and Training
manages these activities and the funding move reflects this
reality. The bill provides $16,936,000 from general revenues
for these two activities. The bill also includes $184,341,000
to be expended from the Employment Security Administration
account of the Unemployment Trust Fund for the traditional
State and Federal administration of veterans employment and
training activities.
For State grants, the bill provides $80,215,000 for the
Disabled Veterans Outreach program. This amount is sufficient
to finance about 1,338 State staff. The bill also provides
$77,253,000 for the Local Veterans Employment Representative
program. This amount is sufficient to finance about 1,222 State
staff. For Federal administration, the bill provides
$26,873,000, a freeze at the 2000 level.
For veterans workforce investment programs, the Committee
recommends $7,300,000. This is the same as the 2000 comparable
level and the same as the budget request. This budget activity,
authorized by WIA, supports efforts to provide lifelong
learning and skills development to veterans who have service-
connected disabilities, who have significant barriers to
employment, who served on active duty in the armed forces
during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a
campaign badge has been authorized, or who are recently
separated.
The Committee recommends $9,636,000 for the homeless
veterans reintegration program assisting homeless veterans to
find jobs. This is the same as 2000 and $5,364,000 less than
the request.
In regards to program performance, Department of Labor data
show that about 3 of 4 veterans who register for jobs with
State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) do not get jobs
within 90 days and the number of veterans that SESAs directly
place is unknown. Further, there is no reward for success and
no penalty for failure for SESAs in meeting veteran employment
and training needs. Current administration of veterans'
employment and training programs focus on processes not on
outcomes and pre-dates both the Workforce Investment Act's one-
stop service centers and America's Job Bank, among other
electronically-based labor exchange services.
The Committee directs the Secretary of Labor to develop and
implement aggressive, measurable performance standards and
outcome measures with respect to veterans employment and
training services (consistent with the GPRA) and to modernize
its delivery system in light of the Workforce Investment Act
and electronic-based public employment and training services.
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
The bill includes $51,925,000 for the Office of Inspector
General. This is a reduction of $4,222,000 below the budget
request and the same as the fiscal year 2000 level. This
includes $48,095,000 in general funds for this account along
with authority to transfer $3,830,000 from the Employment
Security Administration account of the Unemployment Trust Fund.
In addition, an amount of $318,000 is available by transfer
from the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.
The Office of the Inspector General was created by law to
protect the integrity of Departmental programs as well as the
welfare of beneficiaries served by those programs. Through a
program of audits, investigations, inspections, and program
evaluations, the OIG attempts to reduce the incidence of fraud,
waste, abuse, and mismanagement, and to promote economy,
efficiency, and effectiveness throughout the Department.
The Committee complements the work of the Office of the
Inspector General of the Department of Labor for their work in
obtaining information on actual collections, offsets, and funds
put to better use as required in House Report 105-635. This
information is of great use to the Committee and the Committee
understands the difficulty encountered by the OIG in obtaining
it. The Committee expects that the Office of Inspector General
will continue to report the information to it.
General Provisions
The bill includes a provision that none of the funds made
available may be used by the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration directly or through section 23(g) of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act for the development,
promulgation, issuance, implementation, or enforcement of any
proposed or final standard or guideline regarding ergonomic
protection.
TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
health resources and services
The bill includes $4,684,232,000 for health resources and
services programs. This is $120,867,000 above the fiscal year
2000 comparable level for these activities and $2,895,000 above
the Administration request.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
supports programs which provide health services to
disadvantaged, medically underserved, and special populations;
improve infant mortality rates; direct the education, supply,
and distribution of a wide range of health professionals; and
provide technical assistance regarding the utilization of
health resources and facilities.
Community health centers
The Committee provides $1,100,000,000 for community health
centers, which is $81,300,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $31,300,000 above the Administration
request.
The Committee repeats bill language from previous years
limiting the amount of funds available for the payment of
claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act to $5,000,000. Without
such language, the Department of Justice could tap the
consolidated health centers line item for $30,000,000 for
claims payment, which is far in excess of historical levels.
Community Health Centers provide preventive and primary
health care services to nearly 11 million individuals, many of
whom are uninsured or Medicaid beneficiaries, in 3,500
medically underserved communities. The number of uninsured
Americans continues to grow at a rate of 100,000 per month and
is expected to exceed 57 million by 2008. These Centers are a
direct and cost-effective response to this growing national
concern. In addition, health centers serve as an important
program in reducing health disparities in minority populations.
Of the nearly 11 million individuals served by Community Health
Centers, over two-thirds are individuals of a racial or ethnic
minority group. HRSA should distribute these resources as
expeditiously as possible to ensure that financially-pressed
health centers remain viable in underserved communities.
When distributing additional funding, the Committee
encourages HRSA to give priority to stabilizing the existing
health center safety net and expansion of existing health
centers to serve the neediest communities without access to
primary and preventive care. In providing services to new
communities, HRSA should first determine if the expansion of an
existing health center through the development of a new site is
feasible in order to build upon the expertise of centers that
currently provide service to underserved populations. New
health center organizations should be established only when
community needs cannot be met through the expansion of existing
centers. The Committee is aware of efforts to expand services
to reach underserved populations in States, such as Illinois,
and urges HRSA to support these efforts. The Committee also
encourages HRSA to provide specialized HIV/AIDS training for
health care professionals working at community health centers.
National Health Service Corps: Field placements
The Committee provides $39,823,000 for field placement
activities, which is $1,641,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $1,707,000 above the Administration
request. These funds are used to support the activities of
National Health Service Corps (NHSC) obligors and volunteers in
the field, including travel and transportation costs of
assignees, training and education, recruitment of volunteers,
and retention activities. Salary costs of most new assignees
are paid by the employing entity.
The Committee is concerned by the decreasing percentage of
NHSC placements at community, migrant, homeless, and public
housing health centers. The program is intended to supplement
efforts of other Federal programs that are targeted to
underserved communities and vulnerable populations, such as
health centers, and the Committee is supportive of efforts to
place practitioners in close coordination with the program.
National Health Service Corps: Recruitment
The Committee provides $81,524,000 for recruitment
activities, which is $2,899,000 above both the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and the Administration request. The program
awards scholarships to health professions students and assists
graduates in repaying their student loans. In return for every
year of support, these students are obligated to provide a year
of service in health professional shortage areas usually
located in inner cities or rural areas, with a two-year minimum
obligation. The Committee reiterates its intent that funds
provided be used to support multi-year, rather than single-year
commitments.
Health professions
The Committee provides $410,987,000 for all health
professions training programs, which is $69,080,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $113,028,000 above the
Administration request. The Bureau of Health Professions
provides both policy leadership and support for health
professions workforce enhancement and educational
infrastructure development. The Committee continues to support
health professions training and urges continued funding for all
of the programs within the new configuration of health
professions training. The Committee also urges, as a general
policy, that funding for specific programs within the new
configuration should not be disproportionately reduced.
Centers of excellence
The Committee provides $28,197,000 for centers of
excellence, which is $2,556,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $2,444,000 below the Administration
request. The program is designed to strengthen the national
capacity to educate underrepresented minority (URM) students in
the health professions by offering special support to those
institutions which train a significant number of URM
individuals, including African-Americans, Hispanics and Native
Americans. Funds are used for the recruitment and retention of
students and faculty, information resources and curricula,
faculty and student research, and the development of plans to
achieve institutional improvements.
The Committee is pleased that HRSA has re-focused the
minority centers of excellence program on providing support to
historically minority health professions institutions. The
Committee encourages the program to consider applications that
are responsive to allied health professions which are
experiencing shortages and high vacancy rates such as
laboratory personnel.
Health careers opportunity program
The Committee provides $30,570,000 for the health careers
opportunity program, which is $2,771,000 above the fiscal year
2000 comparable level and $2,229,000 below the Administration
request. This program provides grants and contracts to eligible
health professions schools for identifying, recruiting, and
selecting individuals from the various racial and ethnic
populations who are from disadvantaged backgrounds for
education and training in a health profession and facilitating
their entry into, retention and completion of their education
at a health professions school.
The Committee is pleased that HRSA has given priority
consideration for health careers opportunities program (H-COP)
grants to minority health professions institutions and
recommends that grant review committees have proportionate
representation from these institutions. The Committee
encourages the program to consider applications that are
responsive to allied health professions which are experiencing
shortages and high vacancy rates such as laboratory personnel.
Loan repayments and fellowships regarding faculty positions
The Committee provides $1,210,000 for loan repayments and
fellowships regarding faculty positions, which is $110,000
above both the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the
Administration request. The program provides for the repayment
of educational loans of individuals from disadvantaged
backgrounds who are health professions students or graduates,
and who have agreed to serve for not less than two years as a
faculty member of an eligible health professions school. The
school matches the Federal contribution toward loan repayment.
The program also supports fellowships for URM faculty members.
Scholarships for disadvantaged students
The Committee provides $41,896,000 for scholarships for
disadvantaged students, which is $3,797,000 above both the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the Administration
request. The program provides grants to eligible health
professions and nursing schools to provide scholarships to
eligible individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including
students who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups.
By statute, not less than 16 percent of the funds must go to
schools of nursing. The Committee continues to intend that all
health professions disciplines made eligible by statute be able
to participate in the program.
Training in primary care medicine and dentistry
The Committee provides $86,068,000 for training in primary
care medicine and dentistry, which is $7,801,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level. The Administration did not
request funding for this program. The program is comprised of
four elements: (1) family medicine programs; (2) general
internal medicine and general pediatrics (GIM/GP) training; (3)
physician assistants (PA) training; and (4) general or
pediatric dentistry training. Family medicine grants and
contracts promote the predoctoral training of medical students,
support family medicine residency programs and their trainees,
train physicians who plan to teach in family medicine programs,
and assist in establishing or improving family medicine
academic administrative units. GIM/GP grants and contracts are
to plan and operate residency programs and to provide financial
assistance for residents, meet the costs of training programs
for physicians who plan to teach in GIM/GP, as well as to
support the faculty trainees, and develop programs to support
predoctoral activities. PA training grants and contracts are to
plan, develop, and operate or maintain programs for the
training of PAs and for the training of individuals who will
teach in programs to provide such training. General or
pediatric dentistry training grants and contracts are to meet
the costs of planning, developing, or operating programs and to
provide financial assistance to residents in such programs.
The Committee urges HRSA to expand training of health care
providers in practice and providers in-training to improve the
detection, diagnosis, treatment, and management of chronic
fatigue and immune deficiency syndrome patients. The Committee
also urges HRSA to support evaluations of its training program
to assess its effectiveness.
Area health education centers
The Committee provides $31,436,000 for area health
education centers (AHEC), which is $2,849,000 above both the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the Administration
request. The program links university health science centers
with community health service delivery systems to provide
community-based training sites for students, faculty, and
practitioners. The program supports two types of projects: (1)
basic/core AHEC cooperative agreement projects to plan and
implement new and developing programs; and (2) model programs
to extend AHEC cooperative agreement projects, with not less
than 50 percent of the project costs supported by non-Federal
contributions in cash.
Health education and training centers
The Committee provides $4,140,000 for health education and
training centers, which is $375,000 above both the fiscal year
2000 comparable level and the Administration request. The
program funds schools of medicine and osteopathy to conduct
training and education programs for health professions students
to improve the access, diversity, and quality of health
personnel along the border between the United States and
Mexico, in the State of Florida, and in other urban and rural
areas with populations with serious unmet health care needs.
The program also provides educational support to health
professionals, including nursing, practicing in the area.
Allied health and other disciplines
The Committee provides $7,076,000 for allied health and
other disciplines, which is $279,000 below the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $3,238,000 above the Administration
request. The program is comprised of three elements: (1) allied
health special projects; (2) podiatric primary care residency
training; and (3) chiropractic demonstration projects. Allied
health special projects assist entities in meeting the costs
associated with expanding or establishing programs that will
increase the number of individuals trained in allied health
professions. Activities included are those that: (1) expand
enrollments; (2) provide rapid transition and career
advancement training programs; (3) establish community-based
training programs; (4) expand or establish interdisciplinary
training programs, demonstration centers, and clinical training
sites in medically underserved or rural communities; (5)
provide traineeships to students; and (6) plan, develop, and
operate or maintain graduate programs in behavioral and mental
health practice. Podiatric primary care residency training
grants and contracts are for planning and implementing projects
in residency programs and providing traineeships to residents
who plan to specialize in primary care. Chiropractic
demonstration grants and contracts are to carry out
demonstration projects in which chiropractors and physicians
collaborate to identify and provide effective treatment of
spinal and lower-back conditions.
The Committee continues to encourage HRSA to give priority
consideration to those projects for schools training allied
health professionals experiencing shortages, such as medical
technologists and cytotechnologists.
There is growing evidence that the number and mix of allied
health professionals may be insufficient to meet the current
and future demands of the Nation's health care system,
particularly in medically underserved and rural communities.
There is also concern that the lack of outcomes assessment data
and the lack of training for allied health professionals to
perform outcomes research has contributed to the deficiency of
data to document the benefits of these programs. The Committee
encourages HRSA to continue to work in partnership with other
Federal agencies, State governments, and private institutions
to accomplish the plans recommended by the Implementation Task
Force of the National Commission on Allied Health.
Geriatric programs
The Committee provides $11,701,000 for geriatric programs,
which is $1,061,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable
level. The Administration did not request funding for this
program. The program provides grants and contracts to eligible
entities to: (1) establish geriatric education centers to
provide training for health care professionals who provide
treatment and for training and retraining of faculty who teach
geriatrics; (2) provide support for geriatric training projects
to train physicians, dentists, and behavioral and mental health
professionals who plan to teach geriatrics; and (3) establish a
program to provide Geriatric Academic Career Awards to eligible
individuals to promote the career development of such
individuals as academic geriatricians.
Quentin N. Burdick program for rural interdisciplinary training
The Committee provides $5,644,000 for the Quentin N.
Burdick program for rural interdisciplinary training program,
which is $512,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level
and $924,000 above the Administration request. The program
provides grants and contracts to entities for the purpose of
funding interdisciplinary training projects that are designed
to train, recruit, and retain teams of interdisciplinary
professionals to work in underserved areas.
Health professions workforce information and analysis
The Committee provides $785,000 for health professions
workforce information and analysis, which is $71,000 above both
the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the Administration
request. The program provides grants and contracts to eligible
entities to provide for the collection and analysis of targeted
information, research on high priority workforce questions, the
development of a non-Federal analytic and research
infrastructure, and the conduct of program evaluation and
assessment.
Public health, preventive medicine and dental public health programs
The Committee provides $8,930,000 for public health,
preventive medicine and dental public health programs, which is
$809,000 above both the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
the Administration request. The program is comprised of three
elements: (1) public health training centers; (2) public health
traineeships; and (3) preventive medicine and dental public
health residencies. Grants or contracts for the operation of
public health training centers are awarded to an accredited
school of public health, or another public or nonprofit private
institution accredited for the provision of graduate or
specialized training in pubic health, that plans, develops,
operates, and evaluates projects that are in furtherance of the
goals for the year 2000 in the areas of preventive medicine,
health promotion and disease prevention, or improving access to
and quality of health services in medically underserved
communities. Public health traineeship grants provide graduate
or specialized public health training to individuals in the
fields of epidemiology, environmental health, biostatistics,
toxicology, nutrition, and maternal and child health.
Preventive medicine and dental public health residency grants
and contracts assist schools in developing new residency
training programs or improving existing programs and in
providing financial assistance to residency trainees.
Health administration programs
The Committee provides $1,223,000 for health administration
programs, which is $111,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level. The Administration did not request funding
for this program. These programs provide grants to eligible
entities with an accredited program in health administration,
hospital administration, or health policy analysis and planning
to provide traineeships to students and assist accredited
health administration programs in the development or
improvement of programs to prepare students for employment with
public or nonprofit private agencies. Priority in awarding of
traineeships is given to students who demonstrate a commitment
to employment with public or non-profit entities in the fields
with respect to which the traineeships are awarded.
Children's hospitals graduate medical education program
The Committee provides $80,000,000 for the children's
hospitals graduate medical education program, which is
$40,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable bill and the
same as the Administration request. The program provides a more
adequate level of support for health professions training in
children's teaching hospitals that have a separate Medicare
provider number (``free-standing'' children's hospitals).
Children's hospitals are statutorily defined under Medicare as
those whose inpatients are predominantly under the age of 18.
The funding in this program are intended to make the level of
Federal Graduate Medical Education support more consistent with
other teaching hospitals, including children's hospitals which
share provider numbers with other teaching hospitals. Payments
are determined by formula, based on a national per-resident
amount. Payments support training of resident physicians as
defined by Medicare in both ambulatory and inpatient settings.
Advanced education nursing
The Committee provides $55,640,000 for advanced education
nursing, which is $5,043,000 above both the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and the same as the Administration request.
The program provides grants and contracts to eligible entities
to meet the costs of: (1) projects that support the enhancement
of advanced nursing education and practice; and (2)
traineeships for individuals in advanced nursing education
programs. The program prepares nurse practitioners, clinical
nurse specialists, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, nurse
educators, nurse administrators, public health nurses or other
nurse specialists for advanced practice roles. The type of
advanced education programs include master's and doctoral
degree programs, combined registered nurse/master's program,
post-nursing master's certificate programs, or in the case of
certificate nurse midwifery programs, those in existence on
November 12, 1998.
Nursing workforce diversity
The Committee provides $4,410,000 for nursing workforce
diversity, which is $400,000 above both the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and the Administration request. The program
provides grants and contracts to schools of nursing and other
eligible entities to meet the costs of special projects to
increase nursing education opportunities for individuals who
are from disadvantaged backgrounds, including racial and ethnic
minorities, by providing student scholarships or stipends, pre-
entry preparation, and retention activities. The program also
contributes to the basic preparation of disadvantaged and
minority nurses for leadership positions within the nursing and
health care community.
Basic nurse education and practice
The Committee provides $12,061,000 for basic nurse
education and practice, which is $1,093,000 above both the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the Administration
request. The program provides grants and contracts to schools
of nursing and other eligible entities for projects to
strengthen capacity for basic nurse education and practice by
strengthening programs that provide basic nurse education
through establishing or expanding nursing practice arrangements
in non-institutional settings; providing care for underserved
populations and other high-risk groups, such as the elderly,
individuals with HIV/AIDS, substance abusers, the homeless, and
victims of domestic violence; providing managed care, quality
improvement, and other skills needed to practice in existing
and emerging health care systems; develop cultural competencies
among nurses; expand the enrollment in baccalaureate programs;
promote career mobility and cross training or specialty
training among diverse population groups; and providing
education in informatics, including distance learning
methodologies or other priority areas.
Hansen's disease services
The Committee provides $17,016,000 for the Hansen's Disease
program, which is $3,026,000 below the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and the same as the Administration request.
This program offers Hansen's disease treatment to about 40 long
term residents who continue to reside at Carville, to patients
at a Center in Baton Rouge, as well as to patients at other
contract supported locations in Baton Rouge and in grant
supported outpatient regional clinics. Other former long term
residents have been offered and elected to receive a living
allowance from the program and now live independently. These
programs provide treatment to about 3,000 of the 6,000 Hansen's
disease sufferers in the continental United States. Over the
next few years, a long term facility will be developed in the
Baton Rouge area and offered to the current long term residents
remaining at the Carville location as an alternative to
remaining at the historic facility. The program also conducts
research focusing on the global elimination of Hansen's
disease.
Maternal and child health block grant
The Committee provides $709,130,000 for the Maternal and
Child Health (MCH) Block Grant, which is the same as both the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the Administration
request. The MCH block grant provides funds to States to meet a
broad range of enhanced and wraparound health services,
including personal health services; general, population-wide
health services, such as screening; family support services;
and integrated systems of care. About 17 million women,
infants, children, adolescents and children with special health
care needs will be served in fiscal year 2000. The authorizing
statute provides that, up to a funding level of $600,000,000,
85 percent of the funds are distributed to the States, with 15
percent of the funds set-aside by the Secretary for special
projects of regional and national significance (SPRANS). When
the appropriation exceeds $600,000,000, 12.75 percent of the
amount over $600,000,000 is directed to the Community
Integrated Service Systems set-aside program. The remaining
87.25 percent is distributed by the same 85/15 percent
allocation as in the basic block grant formula.
In addition, the Committee provides $5,000,000 more for
SPRANS activities than would otherwise be the case under the
statutory formula to continue the traumatic brain injury health
services demonstration projects initiated in fiscal year 1997
under this authority.
The Committee continues to recognize the critical role of
hemophilia treatment centers in the prevention and treatment of
the complications of hemophilia and other bleeding and clotting
disorders. HRSA is urged to maintain support for these centers
to sustain their outreach efforts and expand blood safety
surveillance and patient notification activities in
collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
The Committee commends HRSA for its support of the Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) program support center and
encourages the Bureau to continue its efforts in this area of
service.
The Committee encourages HRSA to continue programs that
provide comprehensive care services to chronic patients, such
as those with thalassemia or sickle cell disease.
The Committee supports abstinence education for
adolescents, ages 12 through 18, and supports expansion of
efforts to present an abstinence-only message to America's
youth. The preliminary results from these program in states
such as Oklahoma are promising. It is important, however, to
ensure that America's youth do not receive mixed message, or
medically inaccurate information. The legislation directs that
abstinence messages given to a group of youth by a grantee must
not be diluted by any instructor or materials from the same
grantee. Nothing in the legislation is intended to prevent
these adolescents from seeking health information or services.
Nothing small preclude entities who are teaching these
abstinence-only classes and who have a public health mandate
from discussing other forms of sexual conduct or providing
services, as long as this is conducted in a different setting
than where and when the abstinence-only course is being
conducted. In allocating grant funds, priority should be given
to those organizations which have a strong record of support of
abstinence education as defined in sections (a) through (h) of
title 5, section 510(b)(2) of the Social Security Act.
The Committee is also committed to studying the
effectiveness of abstinence education, of sexuality education,
and of lack of education in these areas. In order to properly
track the long term effects of these programs, it is necessary
to conduct longitudinal studies that follow groups of
adolescents receiving a particular curricula for a number of
years. Therefore the Committee provides up to 3.5 percent of
the funding under this legislation to study, track and evaluate
groups of youth who receive such education, including a
representative sample of adolescent clients who use Federally
funded family planning services. If possible, these cohorts
should be large enough to provide statistically significant
results in all major population segments of American society,
including African Americans, Asians, Caucasians, Hispanics, and
Native Americans. They should also be able to track socio-
economic variables as well. Criteria for success should include
prevention and reduction of out of wedlock pregnancies and
sexually transmitted diseases, including both viral and
bacterial; rates of abortion; age at first sexual activity and
intercourse; frequency of sexual activity and intercourse, and
numbers who postpone sexual activity or intercourse through
adolescence. Progress reports should be submitted to Congress
annually.
Healthy start
The Committee provides $90,000,000 for Healthy Start, which
is the same as both the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
the Administration request. Healthy Start began as a five-year
demonstration program in 1991 to reduce infant mortality in 22
urban and rural communities. It has never been authorized as a
separate program and continues to operate under section 301 of
the Public Health Service Act demonstration authority.
The Committee understands the authorizing Committee is in
the process of authorizing this program as a permanent program.
The Committee continues to believe that these demonstrations
are duplicative of other Federal programs, such as the Maternal
and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant, the Supplemental Nutrition
Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and Medicaid,
which also have the goal of reducing infant mortality as one of
its missions. The Committee will monitor the actions of the
authorizing Committee and take further action, if necessary, to
incorporate the activities of these demonstrations into the MCH
block grant when the bill goes to conference.
Universal newborn hearing screening
The Committee provides $8,000,000 for the universal newborn
hearing screening program, which is $4,625,000 above both the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the Administration
request. The program provides competitive grants to States for
the purpose of implementing a national program of universal
newborn hearing screening by means of physiologic testing prior
to hospital discharge, audiologic evaluation by three months of
age, and entry into a program of early intervention by six
months of age.
Organ transplantation
The Committee provides $10,000,000 for organ
transplantation activities, which is the same as the fiscal
year 2000 comparable level and $5,000,000 below the
Administration request. The program supports a scientific
registry of organ transplant recipients; the National Organ
Procurement and Transplantation Network, which matches organ
donors with potential recipients; and grants and contracts with
public and private non-profit organizations to promote and
improve organ donations.
The Committee urges HRSA to work with States to encourage
them to enact laws that assume a person will donate their
organs unless that person specifies in writing that they do not
wish to do so.
The Committee encourages the agency to establish links with
State and Federal transportation officials and hospital-based
emergency rooms in order to improve coordination of donation
following automobile accidents.
Health teaching facilities interest subsidies
The Committee does not provide funding for health teaching
facilities interest subsidies, the same as the Administration
request. The program provides interest support on loan
guarantees for construction of a health professions teaching
facility under a now discontinued Public Health Service Act
authority. The remaining Federal commitment on these loans will
expire in the year 2004. The interest subsidy payment for the
remaining loan guarantee will be paid from existing carryover
funds from prior years' appropriations; therefore, no
appropriation is required to cover these payments.
Bone marrow program
The Committee provides $22,000,000 for the bone marrow
program, which is $4,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $4,041,000 above the Administration
request. In addition to funding from HRSA in fiscal year 2000,
the National Marrow Donor Program is expected to receive
$19,000,000 from the U.S. Navy. Funds are used for donor
medical costs, donor centers, tissue typing, research, minority
recruitment, and program administration. The registry is run by
contract.
The Committee provides additional funds to permit the
marrow registry program to further diversify Human Leukocyte
Antigen types available to patients, significantly improving
post transplant prognosis by shortening the critical time
between a patient's search of the registry and transplantation.
Rural outreach grants
The Committee provides $30,867,000 for rural outreach
grants, which is $5,013,000 below the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $8,025,000 below the Administration
request. The program supports projects that provide health
services to rural populations not currently receiving them and
that enhance access to existing services.
Rural health research
The Committee provides $11,713,000 for rural health
research, which is $21,488,000 below the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and the same as the Administration request.
The activity supports several rural health research centers and
the Office for Rural Health Policy's advisory committee.
Telehealth has the potential for improving the delivery of
quality health care to rural underserved areas and providing
distance education to health care professionals. The Committee
supports HRSA's rural telehealth initiatives and encourages the
agency to work in partnership with medical librarians and other
health information specialists in the development and
implementation of its telehealth projects.
Emergency medical services for children
The Committee provides $19,000,000 for emergency medical
services for children, which is $2,000,000 above the fiscal
year 2000 comparable level and $4,000,000 above the
Administration request. The program supports demonstration
grants for the delivery of emergency medical services to
acutely ill and seriously injured children.
Poison control centers
The Committee provides $6,600,000 for poison control
centers, which is $3,600,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $5,100,000 above the Administration
request. The amount provided is to support activities
authorized in the Poison Control Center Enhancement and
Awareness Act.
Black lung clinics
The Committee provides $5,943,000 for black lung clinics,
which is the same as both the fiscal year 2000 comparable level
and the Administration request. The program supports 14
grantees that treat a declining population of coal miners with
respiratory and pulmonary impairments. The clinics presently
receive more than one-third of their funding from other
sources, such as Medicaid and Medicare. Of the 14 grantees,
three actually receive community health center funding as well
as black lung grants.
Nurse loan repayment for shortage area service
The Committee provides $2,279,000 for nurse loan repayment
for shortage area service, which is the same as both the fiscal
year 2000 comparable level and the Administration request. This
program offers student loan repayment to nurses in exchange for
an agreement to serve not less than two years in an Indian
Health Service health center, Native Hawaiian health center,
public hospital, community or migrant health center, or rural
health clinic.
Payment to Hawaii for treatment of Hansen's disease
The Committee provides $2,045,000 for the treatment of
persons with Hansen's Disease in the State of Hawaii, which is
the same as both the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the
Administration request. The program, which provides a partial
matching payment to the State of Hawaii, dates to the period of
Father Damien's facility for sufferers of Hansen's disease
(leprosy). That facility now has only 47 residents who live
there by choice, and the grounds have been converted to a
historical site. Most patients diagnosed with Hansen's disease
in Hawaii are now treated in the same manner as new patients on
the mainland; their care is handled on an out-patient basis,
with the program paying for about 5,200 outpatient visits per
year.
Ryan White AIDS programs
The Committee provides $1,725,000,000 for Ryan White AIDS
programs, which is $130,450,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $5,450,000 above the Administration
request. The Committee recognizes that each Part of the Ryan
White CARE Act provides services, which enable individuals to
adhere to HIV drug treatments and access needed medical care.
There is concern about the increasing number of inmates in
Federal correctional facilities with HIV/AIDS, particularly
women of color, and the lack of access to health care. The
Committee encourages HRSA to collaborate with the Federal
Bureau of Prisons, CDC, and other entities of jurisdiction to
ensure that the prevention, treatment, and management of HIV/
AIDS in correctional facilities are a high priority and that
the care rendered meets the medical standards for AIDS cases.
Emergency assistance
The Committee provides $586,500,000 for the Part A,
emergency assistance program, which is $40,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the same as the
Administration request. These funds provide grants to
metropolitan areas with very high numbers of AIDS cases for
outpatient and ambulatory health and social support services.
Half of the amount appropriated is allocated by formula and
half is allocated to eligible areas demonstrating additional
need through a competitive grant process.
Comprehensive care programs
The Committee provides $864,000,000 for Part B,
comprehensive care programs, which is $40,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the same as the
Administration request. The funds provided support formula
grants to States for the operation of HIV service delivery
consortia in the localities most heavily affected, for the
provision of home and community-based care, for continuation of
health insurance coverage for infected persons, and for
purchase of therapeutic drugs.
The Committee continues to be encouraged by the success of
new drugs and combination therapies for HIV and AIDS, whose
purchase is principally financed under Part B, and has included
bill language identifying $554,000,000 specifically for the
purchase of AIDS drugs. The fiscal year 2000 bill designated
$528,000,000 for this purpose.
Early intervention program
The Committee provides $173,900,000 for Part C, the early
intervention program, which is $35,500,000 above the fiscal
year 2000 comparable level and $2,500,000 above the
Administration request. Funds are used for discretionary grants
to migrant and community health centers, health care for the
homeless grantees, family planning grantees, hemophilia centers
and other private non-profit entities that provide
comprehensive primary care services to populations with or at
risk for HIV disease. The grantees provide testing, risk
reduction counseling, transmission prevention, and clinical
care; case management, outreach, and eligibility assistance are
optional services. Approximately 115,000 HIV positive persons
or persons at high risk for HIV infection are expected to be
served in fiscal year 2001.
Pediatric demonstrations
The Committee provides $60,000,000 for Part D, pediatric
AIDS demonstrations, which is $9,000,000 above the fiscal year
2000 comparable level and the same as the Administration
request. The program supports demonstration grants to foster
collaboration between clinical research institutions and
primary community-based medical and social service providers
for the target population of HIV-infected children, pregnant
women and their families. The projects are intended to increase
access to comprehensive care, as well as to voluntary
participation in NIH and other clinical trials.
AIDS dental services
The Committee provides $9,000,000 for AIDS dental services,
which is $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level
and $500,000 above the Administration request. The program
provides grants to dental schools and postdoctoral dental
education programs to assist with the cost of providing
unreimbursed oral health care to patients with human
immunodeficiency virus disease. Dental students and residents
participating in this program receive extensive training in the
understanding and management of the oral health care needs of
people living with HIV/AIDS.
The Committee recognizes the importance of oral health care
providers in the diagnosis of HIV and in treatment of the
painful and debilitating oral manifestations of this disease.
The Committee encourages collaborative efforts between all
dental education programs and community-based providers in
order to address the unmet oral health care needs of
individuals living with HIV/AIDS specifically in States and
communities without dental education programs.
Education and training centers
The Committee provides $31,600,000 for AIDS education and
training centers, which is $4,950,000 above the fiscal year
2000 comparable level and $2,450,000 above the Administration
request. The centers train health care personnel who care for
AIDS patients and develop model education programs.
Family planning
The Committee provides $238,932,000 for the family planning
program, which is the same as the fiscal year 2000 comparable
level and the $35,000,000 below the Administration request. The
program provides grants to public and private non-profit
agencies to support projects which provide a range of family
planning and reproductive services, as well as screening for
ancillary health problems such as hypertension and diabetes.
The program also supports training for providers, an
information and education program, and a research program which
focuses on family planning service delivery improvements.
The bill repeats language from the 2000 appropriations bill
making clear that these funds shall not be expended for
abortions, that all pregnancy counseling shall be nondirective,
and that these funds shall not be used to promote public
opposition to or support of any legislative proposal or
candidate for public office.
Health care facilities
The Committee has not included funding for health care
facilities. A total of $112,408,000 was provided for this
purpose in fiscal year 1999; no funding was included in the
Administration request. This expired authority provides funds
to public and private nonprofit entities for construction or
modernization of outpatient medical facilities. This activity
has not been funded by the Committee on a regular annual basis.
Buildings and facilities
The Committee provides $250,000 for buildings and
facilities, which is the same as both the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and the Administration request. These funds
are used to finance the repair and upkeep of buildings at the
Gillis W. Long Hansen's Disease Center at Carville, Louisiana.
Rural hospital flexibility grants
The Committee provides $25,000,000 for rural hospital
flexibility grants, which is the same as both the fiscal year
2000 comparable level and the Administration request. The
program provides grants to States to help them improve access
to health care services in rural communities by: (1) developing
and implementing a State rural health plan; (2) assisting
small, at risk rural hospitals that wish to convert to Critical
Access Hospitals and receive cost-based payments from Medicare;
and (3) supporting these hospitals and the communities they
serve in developing networks of care that meet the requirements
of the law and integrate Critical Access Hospitals with
emergency services and other sources of health care in the
communities.
National practitioner data bank
The Committee does not provide funding for the national
practitioner data bank for fiscal year 2001, which is the same
as both the fiscal year 2000 action on appropriations and the
Administration request. The Committee recommendation and the
Administration request assume that the data bank will be self-
supporting, with collections of $17,200,000 in user fees. The
national data bank receives, stores and disseminates
information on paid medical malpractice judgments and
settlements, sanctions taken by Boards of Medical Examiners,
losses of membership in professional societies, and certain
professional review actions taken by health care entities.
Insurance companies, State licensure boards and authorities,
and other health care entities and professional societies are
required to report information to the data bank within 30 days
of each action. The coverage of the data bank includes dentists
and physicians, and, with respect to malpractice settlements
and judgments, other categories of licensed health
professionals. Hospitals are required to search the data bank
when a health care provider applies for employment and once
every two years thereafter. State licensing boards, other
health care entities, licensing authorities, and professional
societies also have access to the data bank. Traditional bill
language is included to ensure that user fees are collected to
cover the full costs of the data bank operations.
Healthcare integrity and protection data bank
The Committee does not provide funding for the healthcare
integrity and protection data bank (HIPDB) for fiscal year
2001. The Committee recommendation and the Administration
request assume that the data bank will be self-supporting, with
collections of $4,317,000 in user fees. HIPDB receives, stores,
and disseminates information on final adverse actions taken
against health care providers, suppliers, and practitioners.
This information is collected from and made available to
Government agencies and health plans. In addition, disclosure
of the information is made available, upon request, to health
care providers, suppliers, and practitioners who wish to self-
query.
Health care access for the uninsured
The Committee has not provided funding for a $125,000,000
initiative requested in the budget to address the question of
health care access for the uninsured. This proposal has never
been authorized by law. The fiscal year 2000 appropriations
bill included $25,000,000 for a demonstration program, but the
Committee believes that it should be acted upon by the
authorizing committees of jurisdiction prior to any additional
appropriation being made for it.
Program management
The Committee provides $128,123,000 for the cost of Federal
staff and related activities to coordinate, direct and manage
the programs of the Health Resources and Services
Administration. This amount is $3,357,000 above the fiscal year
2000 comparable level and $3,770,000 above the Administration
request.
HRSA uses a multi-faceted approach to eliminate disparities
in oral health status and assures access to oral health
services for low-income children. Dental disease is a chronic
problem among many low-income and vulnerable populations and
children in these populations have five times more untreated
dental caries than children in higher-income families. In an
effort to better coordinate HRSA's oral health activities, such
as community water fluoridation, sealant programs, education
and training programs to improve pediatric oral health, and
grants to states to improve access to oral health care for
Medicaid and CHIP eligible children, the Committee requests
HRSA to prepare a report, by February 1, 2001, with a detailed
plan on how to consolidate these programs and their funding.
The report should also include what additional funding would be
needed to sufficiently address improving access to oral health
care for vulnerable populations.
Medical Facilities Guarantee and Loan Fund
FEDERAL INTEREST SUBSIDIES FOR MEDICAL FACILITIES
The Committee does not provide funding for the Medical
Facilities Guarantee and Loan Fund, the same as the
Administration request. Appropriations are used to pay interest
subsidies on loans made or guaranteed prior to fiscal year 1977
for hospital construction. There are sufficient carryover funds
from prior years' appropriations to pay defaults and interest
subsidy payments; therefore, no appropriation is required to
cover these payments. In addition, the bill includes language,
as in prior years, which prohibits commitments for new loans or
loan guarantees in fiscal year 2001.
HEALTH EDUCATION ASSISTANCE LOANS PROGRAM
The Health Education Assistance Loans (HEAL) program
insured loans provided by non-Federal lenders to students in
health professions schools. Under the accounting rules
established in the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990, one account
is maintained to pay the obligations arising from loans
guaranteed prior to fiscal year 1992. A second account pays
obligations and collects income from premiums on loans
guaranteed in fiscal year 1992 and beyond. Each annual cohort
of loans is independently tracked in this account. The
authority for this program expired in fiscal year 1999. Fiscal
year 1998 was the last year in which loans were obligated to
previous borrowers under the HEAL authority.
The Committee provides $10,000,000 to liquidate obligations
from loans guaranteed prior to 1992, which is $5,000,000 below
the fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the Administration
request.
The Committee provides $3,679,000 for HEAL program
management, which is $8,000 below the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and the same as the Administration request.
NATIONAL VACCINE INJURY COMPENSATION PROGRAM
The Committee makes available the release of $114,355,000
from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund in fiscal year
2001, which is $52,054,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level and
the same as the Administration request.
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program provides a
system of compensation for individuals with vaccine-associated
injuries or deaths. Funds for claims from vaccines administered
on or after October 1, 1988 are generated by a per-dose excise
tax on the sale of selected prescribed vaccines. Revenues
raised by this tax are maintained in a Vaccine Injury
Compensation Trust Fund.
Trust funds made available in the bill will support the
liability costs of vaccines administered after September 30,
1988. They will also support the $2,992,000 in costs incurred
by the agency in the operation of the program, which is $7,000
below the fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the
Administration request.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
disease control, research and training
The Committee provides $3,290,369,000 for the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is $326,418,000
above the comparable fiscal year 2000 level and $156,782,000
above the Administration request. The CDC assists State and
local health authorities and other health-related organizations
to control and reduce disease and other health problems.
The Committee considers the table accompanying this report
to be determinative of the CDC budget. Funds should be
apportioned and allocated consistent with the table, and any
changes in funding are subject to the normal notification
procedures.
Preventive health services block grant
The Committee provides $179,250,000 for the preventive
health services block grant, which is $79,000 below the
comparable fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the
Administration request. Of this amount, $135,145,000 is for the
block grant and $44,105,000 is for rape prevention and
education activities previously funded through the Crime Trust
Fund. This program provides grants to States for a wide range
of public and preventive health activities. This program is not
authorized for fiscal year 2001.
The Committee encourages CDC to enhance services provided
through the violence against women initiative to provide more
assistance to women in underserved locations; expand evaluation
research programs; monitor violence against women by improving
the quality of data at national and state levels; partner with
local organizations within communities; and develop prevention
and early intervention programs.
Prevention centers
The Committee provides $25,000,000 for prevention centers,
which is $7,248,000 above the comparable fiscal year 2000 level
and $10,255,000 above the Administration request. This program
awards grants to academic institutions for centers that conduct
applied research to promote disease prevention and better
health.
Childhood immunization
The Committee provides $504,875,000 for childhood
immunization, which is $15,000,000 above the comparable fiscal
year 2000 level and $232,000 above the Administration request.
This program is not authorized for fiscal year 2001. In
addition, the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program funded
through the Medicaid program is expected to provide
$469,054,000 in vaccine purchases and distribution support in
fiscal year 2001, a decrease of $75,989,000 below the
comparable fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the
Administration request. Immunization project grants are awarded
to States and local agencies for planning, developing, and
conducting childhood immunization programs including
enhancement of the vaccine delivery infrastructure. The CDC
directly maintains a stockpile of vaccines, supports
consolidated purchase of vaccines for state and local health
agencies, and conducts surveillance, investigations, and
research into the safety and efficacy of new and presently used
vaccines. The Committee notes that there are other Federal
programs that provide immunizations to children, including the
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Maternal and
Child Health Block Grant, and community health centers.
The bill retains a provision from the fiscal year 2000
Appropriations Act authorizing the CDC to transfer funds
available from the sale of surplus vaccine from the vaccine
stockpile to other activities within the jurisdiction of CDC.
The Committee intends that the increase provided above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable appropriation shall be for
operations/infrastructure grants. State operations/
infrastructure funding has remained level for the past three
years while the program has increased. The Committee is
concerned that the infrastructure of State and local health
departments is not keeping pace with the demands of the program
as evidenced by the $15,000,000 that is being redirected in
fiscal year 2000 from domestic vaccine purchase to the global
polio vaccine purchase. While the Committee is highly
supportive of the polio eradication activities, these funds are
available because the infrastructure is not in place to
increase outreach efforts to adolescents for Hepatitis C,
chicken pox, and MMR catchup vaccines.
Since 1994, immunization grantees have received
approximately $33,000,000 in incentive funds distributed by a
formula. When the incentive program began, it represented only
14 percent of all operational grant funding available. It now
represents nearly 25 percent due to decreases in other
operational funding. The advantage of awarding funds as
incentives has declined as total funding has decreased. In
testimony provided to the Committee, CDC stated it would prefer
to award the incentives funding as part of the entire
infrastructure funding to support grantees' cumulative core
budgets, rather than based on a formula as done presently. This
approach will allow each grantee to receive an equal percentage
of the available program incentive funding to support all core
functions of an immunization program. The Committee understands
that, as with most formula changes, this could not be
implemented all at once because of the funding shifts that
would occur between States. Therefore, the Committee requests
CDC to develop a plan to implement this change over a
reasonable period of time and report back to the Committee by
June 30, 2000.
The Committee understands that the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices has made a general recommendation that
pneumococcal conjugate vaccine be given to all children under
two years of age and to children 24 to 29 months of age who are
at higher risk of infection, including those with certain
illnesses or who are African-American, Alaska Native, or Native
American. The Committee has in past years expressed its concern
about the inaccuracy of vaccine purchase cost estimates
provided to Congress as well as its concern that the budget
request failed to accurately reflect the need for immunization
program funding. The Committee expects CDC to develop an
accurate estimate of the cost of implementing the pneumococcal
conjugate vaccine recommendation that includes a realistic
forecast of vaccine compliance rates. The Committee will
consider additional funding for the purchase of this vaccine
when the Administration submits a supplemental budget request.
There are concerns that some States are continuing to
utilize discretionary immunization funds to cover vaccine
purchase costs that are more appropriately paid for under the
Vaccine for Children program and that immunization assistance
to the States, including operations and infrastructure funding,
is not being allocated on a basis that adequately considers
relative need for funds. CDC is urged to review the policies
governing its grants program to address these concerns. The
Director should be prepared to testify regarding progress made
in addressing these concerns at the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing.
The Committee has provided $25,000,000 for global polio
eradication activities within the Public Health and Social
Services Emergency Fund. The amount is $5,000,000 above the
comparable fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the
Administration request.
The Committee has provided $18,040,000 for the second year
of a multifaceted research program on the anthrax vaccine
within the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund.
This amount is the same as the fiscal year 2000 comparable
level and $18,040,000 above the Administration request. The
Committee commends CDC for its rapid response and collaborative
approach to addressing the scientific investigations in this
important field.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
The Committee provides $734,403,000 for human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) activities, which is $39,652,000
above the comparable fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the
Administration request. The CDC HIV programs support HIV
research, surveillance, epidemiologic and laboratory studies,
and prevention activities. The CDC provides funds to state and
local health departments to develop and implement integrated
community prevention plans.
The Committee commends CDC for efforts to review and
evaluate its HIV/AIDS prevention programs, including the
external review of CDC's HIV prevention budget and the National
HIV Prevention Planning groups. The Committee also looks
forward to the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine
panel addressing these concerns. The Committee is supportive of
the evidence-based State and local HIV prevention community
planning process as well as the goal of the National Prevention
Plan to reduce the number of new infections in half by 2005.
CDC is encouraged to work aggressively toward this goal. CDC is
also encouraged to develop a monitoring system to estimate the
number of new infections occurring each year in the U.S.
Scientific advances in sampling techniques and new technology
to assess incident infections hold promise in developing
sentinel sites or communities to accomplish this goal.
The Committee also commends CDC for responding to concerns
regarding disparities in funding for HIV prevention programs
for communities of color, but remains concerned about
disparities in funding for risk groups. CDC is urged to provide
guidance to State and local health departments to address this
concern.
Tuberculosis
The Committee provides $127,672,000 for the tuberculosis
(TB) program, which is $56,000 below the comparable fiscal year
2000 level and the same as the Administration request. In
addition to funding provided in this line item, CDC AIDS
activities support HIV-related tuberculosis control efforts.
The tuberculosis program provides grants to States and large
cities for a broad range of tuberculosis control activities. In
addition, the CDC supports state and local laboratories and
conducts research, epidemiological investigations, and
education and training seminars.
Communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB), do not
recognize international borders. Increased commerce and travel
across U.S. borders, both legally and illegally, impact
American public health. The Committee urges CDC to enhance
efforts on preventing TB in high migration areas, such the
Tijuana-San Diego-Los Angeles corridor where the number of TB
cases is increasing.
The Committee commends CDC for its continued success in
regaining control of TB in the U.S., as demonstrated by the
seventh year of declining TB trends reported for 1999. However,
there are concerns that, domestically, some health departments
are having problems in maintaining the necessary
infrastructures to assure continued success and,
internationally, until global control efforts are more
effective and new treatments and effective vaccines are
developed, the World's TB problem will continue to impact the
U.S. The Committee urges CDC to continue to work with domestic
partners to maintain strong prevention and control programs, to
work with international partners to assure the success of
control programs, and to encourage and support, when possible,
the development of new treatments and the development of an
effective TB vaccine. The Committee also commends CDC's
proposal to include emerging infectious diseases in its
National Electronic Disease Surveillance Network Initiative.
Sexually transmitted diseases
The Committee provides $150,668,000 for the sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs) program, which is $14,934,000 above
the comparable fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the
Administration request. This program awards grants to state and
local health departments and other nonprofit entities to
support a wide variety of public health activities to prevent
and treat STDs. The CDC directly conducts special
investigations, surveillance and epidemiologic research.
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a common STD, is often
asymptomatic, however, in some cases, it has been casually
linked to cervical cancer. The Committee encourages CDC to
enhance efforts to educate primary care and specialty
physicians and the public about HPV, its prevalence, and
prevention; and to provide outreach to women to ensure they
know to receive annual Pap smear and pelvic examinations for
detection.
Chronic and environmental disease prevention
The Committee provides $395,554,000 for chronic and
environmental disease prevention, which is $20,829,000 above
the comparable fiscal year 2000 level and $11,000,000 above the
Administration request. The chronic and environmental disease
program supports a wide variety of chronic and environmental
disease research and prevention activities.
The Committee has provided an increase above last year's
level for the following priority activities: arthritis, asthma,
autism epidemiology, birth defects, cancer registries,
cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, DES education,
diabetes, environmental health lab, folic acid, obesity and
nutrition and physical activity, oral health, ovarian cancer,
prostate cancer and universal newborn hearing screening
activities. This increase in funding does not imply the
Committee's endorsement of full funding of activities in the
budget request, rather the Committee requests CDC to develop a
balanced allocation of funding for all activities identified.
It is estimated that up to one million people in the United
States suffer from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis,
collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The
Committee recognizes the need for enhanced epidemiological
research in this area, especially in light of recent
advancements in treatment for these diseases and the increased
risk that IBD patients have for developing colorectal cancer.
The Committee encourages CDC to work to further the
understanding of the prevalence of these diseases through
appropriate epidemiological and surveillance activities.
The Committee is pleased that CDC is restoring funding to
the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) research program. The
Committee will continue to monitor the CFS research program to
ensure that the funds are used in priority areas in CFS
research and education. CDC is encouraged to enhance its
efforts in CFS to include such areas as prevalence data
collection, surveillance activities, identifying risk factors,
patient registry, and public education programs.
The Committee is encouraged by CDC's work with State and
national health organizations to develop an integrated and
comprehensive national cardiovascular disease program. The
Committee understands that, in fiscal year 2000, 18 States will
have received Federal funding to design and/or deliver
cardiovascular disease prevention and control programs to meet
local needs. These programs will target reduction of heart
disease and stroke risk factors through efforts to promote
physical activity and good nutrition and to prevent or control
high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and obesity. The
Committee encourages CDC to expand these activities to
additional states.
Americans make approximately 500 million dental visits per
year. Much of the health and economic burden associated with
oral diseases and conditions could be prevented. The Committee
urges CDC to further enhance its oral health activities. These
activities should focus on implementing strategies to help
eliminate dental decay and reduce tooth loss, expanding
surveillance activities to help States target their prevention
efforts as schools, in the community, and in clinical settings,
and reduce disparities and the health burden from oral cancers,
gum disease, and oral health conditions that are closely linked
to chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality in
the United States and also a leading cause of childhood
disability. CDC funds eight Centers for Birth Defects Research
and Prevention, which identify cases for inclusion in the
National Birth Defect Prevention Study. The CDC and the Centers
also work with State health officials to expand and improve
State birth defect surveillance systems. The Committee
encourages CDC to expand this program to allow for the study of
possible genetic and environmental causes of birth defects and
to allow for the expansion of activities related to birth
defects surveillance, research, and prevention programs.
Neural tube defects (NTD), such as spina bifida, are among
the most serious, common, and preventable birth defects that
occur in the United States. Up to 70 percent of NTDs can be
prevented by consuming 400 micrograms of folic acid every day,
beginning before pregnancy. The Committee commends CDC for
initiating a folic acid campaign and encourages CDC to expand
its efforts to enhance State and local activities to educate
women about this effective prevention strategy. The Committee
requests that the Director be prepared to testify on the status
of this initiative at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations
hearing.
The Committee recognizes the effective efforts of CDC and
the Arthritis Foundation in initial implementation of the
National Arthritis Plan. This plan provides assistance to
States, supports prevention research and surveillance
activities, and mitigates the effects of the disease through
targeted interventions using voluntary health organizations
experienced in addressing the needs of the arthritis
population. The Committee urges CDC to continue to implement
this Plan.
The Committee notes the importance of rehabilitative
information in improving outcomes among persons with limb loss
and encourages CDC to continue to provide this information. CDC
is also encouraged to enhance its efforts to improve
epidemiological research and quality of life assessments among
persons with skeletal malignancies.
The Committee encourages CDC, in collaboration with the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, to
examine the underlying causes of the regional disparity of
stroke in the ``stroke belt'' using all available technologies,
as appropriate.
Diabetes remains a leading cause of early death and
disability. There currently are 16 million Americans with
diabetes and the incidence of diabetes is projected to
increase. Obesity and lack of physical activity continue to
place adults at greater risk of diabetes. Much of the burden of
this disease can be prevented with early detection, improved
delivery of proven preventive care, diabetes self-management
education, and through enhanced linkages with groups
specializing in the prevention of complications. The Committee
encourages CDC to enhance efforts to provide funding for State
comprehensive diabetes control programs as well as enhance
national efforts of surveillance and education.
Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed
cancer for both men and women in the U.S. and the second
leading cause of cancer related deaths. Despite the
availability of proven screening tests, only 37 percent of
colorectal cancers are diagnosed while the disease is still in
a localized stage. The Committee commends the leadership of
CDC's National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable in promoting the
availability and advisability of screening to both health care
providers and the general public. The Committee encourages CDC
to expand its partnerships with State health departments,
professional and patient organizations, and private industry to
provide materials that educate doctors and patients, including
through Medicare, to combat this disease.
The Committee remains concerned about the high incidence of
prostate cancer and its disproportionate impact on African-
American males. The Committee continues to encourage CDC to
expand its prostate cancer awareness and outreach program
targeted to high-risk populations through collaborations with
public and non-profit organizations with expertise in cancer
education.
CDC testified to the alarming increase in obesity in the
U.S. population. Obesity is increasing most rapidly among young
children, raising concern about their long-term health and
quality of life. The Committee agrees this is an important
public health issue because of its correlation with a wide
range of debilitating and chronic health conditions, including
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, and cancer. The
Committee urges CDC to continue its efforts to promote healthy
eating and physical activity and thereby prevent obesity. The
Committee also urges CDC to continue work on obesity as a
national public health priority.
Epilepsy affects over 2.5 million persons in the United
States, one-third of whom are children. The Committee urges CDC
to enhance its efforts related to epilepsy with a focus on
expanding disease surveillance, increasing public awareness
activities, public and provider education, prevention research,
and the stigma associated with the disorder. The Committee also
urges CDC to enhance its voluntary health agency partnerships,
including increased attention to external public health
activities focused on children and older Americans living with
epilepsy.
The Committee notes the work of CDC, the National Institute
of Child Health and Human Development, and the Health Resources
and Services Administration in developing a model guideline for
a death scene protocol for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
The Committee encourages CDC to implement projects to
demonstrate the effectiveness of the protocol in a variety of
locales throughout the Nation.
The Committee understands the need to study environmental
toxins and their relationship to disease in order to increase
the understanding of the cause of many chronic diseases and to
facilitate the development of effective disease prevention and
management strategies. CDC is encouraged to explore the
feasibility of developing a coordinated system among all States
to identify and track disease caused by exposure to
environmental toxins. The Director should be prepared to
discuss the development and implementation of such a system at
the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
The Committee is pleased with the work that CDC has done to
address the increasing prevalence of asthma. However, the
increase in asthma among children, particularly among inner-
city minorities, remains a concern. The Committee urges CDC to
expand its outreach aimed at increasing public awareness of
asthma control and prevention strategies, particularly among at
risk minority populations in underserved communities. The
Committee also encourages CDC to work with other Public Health
Service agencies and the Office of the Surgeon General to
develop a PHS-wide plan to control asthma.
Cancer registries monitor trends in cancer by the site of
the cancer, age and ethnicity of the patient, geographic
region, and treatment outcome. The Committee urges CDC to
enhance its support for statewide cancer registries and provide
national support for quality assurance and reporting standards
to ensure that critical information on cancer trends and
outcomes is available. The Committee also urges CDC to work
with States and national organizations to aggregate State data
into a national data set to analyze the cancer burden in the
U.S. on a regional and national level.
Many chronic and environmental diseases have a higher
prevalence in ethnic minority populations and the medically
underserved. The Committee urges CDC to improve its efforts to
reach these populations through all programs funded under the
chronic and environmental disease prevention program.
The Committee encourages CDC to enhance its efforts into
investigating the potential of environmental, bacterial, and
viral factors that are associated with the development of
lymphoma. CDC is also encouraged to continue its collaborative
research efforts with the National Cancer Institute and other
NIH Institutes.
The Committee requests CDC to develop an action plan to
implement collaborative public health strategies with community
accountable plans serving Medicaid, S-CHIP, and other program
beneficiaries, including identification and development of best
practices in disease prevention and management and patient/
provider education among ethnically diverse, pediatric, and
environmentally disadvantaged populations.
Breast and cervical cancer screening
The Committee provides $171,420,000 for the breast and
cervical cancer screening program, which is $4,925,000 above
both the comparable fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the
Administration request. The breast and cervical cancer
screening program supports screening, education, and follow-up
services for low-income women, training for health care
providers, quality assurance activities, national technical
assistance and support, surveillance and program evaluation.
The Committee provides continued funding for the WISEWOMAN
screening demonstration program at last year's level. This
program uses the framework of CDC's National Breast and
Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to screen women for
heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular disease risk
factors such as high blood pressure, lack of physical activity,
and obesity.
There are concerns related to the shortages and high
vacancy rates of qualified health personnel who work in
laboratories to prepare and interpret tissue and cell samples.
The Committee urges CDC to collaborate with the Health
Resources and Services Administration, through its allied
health program, to explore the feasibility of developing a
partnership to support programs at schools that would address
these concerns.
The Committee is concerned that only 50 percent of women
with ovarian cancer live beyond five years from diagnosis and
the prognosis among minorities with the disease is even more
bleak. CDC is to be commended for its efforts to initiate
epidemiological research efforts, in partnership with the
Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, to enhance understanding of
the disease. While an effective screening tool has not yet been
developed to detect ovarian cancer, early detection is the key
to improving outcomes in women diagnosed with this form of
gynecological cancer. The Committee urges CDC to enhance
efforts to improve physician education and recognition of the
disease as well as enhance efforts to expand public education
and communications efforts to raise awareness of ovarian cancer
and its warning signs.
Infectious diseases
The Committee provides $181,622,000 for the infectious
diseases program, which is $6,012,000 above the comparable
fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the Administration
request. The program supports national surveillance of
infectious diseases, the development of new or improved
prevention and control methods and techniques, the acceleration
of the general application of accepted prevention technologies,
and strengthening of the capability to respond to outbreaks of
new and re-emerging infectious diseases. The Committee
encourages CDC to continue activities related to global
malaria.
The Committee continues to be concerned that as many as
500,000 cases of primary immunodeficiencies remain undiagnosed
and misdiagnosed. The Committee is aware of a national
education and awareness campaign created through the
collaborative efforts of several agencies and the Jeffrey
Modell Foundation and strongly urges CDC to expand its efforts
to advance this collaboration. The Committee requests that the
Director be prepared to provide a status report of these
efforts at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
There are concerns that the Lyme disease surveillance case
definition, which was developed for national reporting of Lyme
disease, is being used inappropriately for clinical diagnosis
and as a standard of care. There are also concerns that the
surveillance case definition is not accurately capturing the
true number of cases being diagnosed. The Committee urges CDC
to pursue efforts to address these concerns. In doing so, CDC
should include a broad range of scientific viewpoints from the
many groups who have expertise in CFS, including community-
based clinicians, voluntary agencies, and patient advocates.
The Committee understands that the General Accounting Office is
studying the Lyme disease program at CDC. It is expected that
any problems identified in this study will be addressed as
quickly and efficiently as possible.
The Committee is pleased that CDC is working to establish a
primary immune deficiency diseases national surveillance
program. Primary immune deficient patients require regular
infusions of immune globulin intravenous (IGIV) to bolster
their immune systems and maintain their health. Given the
serious public health problems caused by the longstanding
shortage of IGIV in the United Stated, the Committee encourages
the Center to continue its partnership with the primary immune
deficiency community and NCHS with respect to surveillance and
epidemiological activities designed to further the
understanding of the prevalence of these diseases and the
difficulties that patients have encountered in receiving
treatment.
The Committee encourages CDC to work with the National
Hemophilia Foundation to enhance efforts to meet the disease
management, prevention, and outreach needs of persons with
hemophilia and other bleeding and clotting disorders, and in
particular, to enhance efforts to address the needs of women
with bleeding disorders. The Committee requests that the
Director be prepared to provide a progress report on these
activities at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
Like tuberculosis, infectious diseases do not recognize
international borders and, with increased commerce and travel
across U.S. borders, pose a major public health problem. In
addition, the growing prevalence of infectious bacterial
conditions that are resistant to antibiotics raises a number of
difficult public health issues. CDC is urged to place a
particular focus on preventing infectious disease in high
migration areas, such as the Tijuana-San Diego-Los Angeles
corridor.
The Committee encourages CDC to supplement its existing
blood safety monitoring system with data collected on
thalassemia patients, who are among the most frequently
transfused of all patients. The Committee understands that CDC
and the Cooley's Anemia Foundation have begun to plan for the
establishment of a system for monitoring the safety of the
blood supply and requests that the Director be prepared to
provide a status report on this initiative at the fiscal year
2002 appropriations hearing.
Lead poisoning prevention
The Committee provides $38,226,000 for the childhood lead
poisoning prevention program, which is $17,000 below the
comparable fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the
Administration request. The program provides grants to States
and communities for screening, surveillance, epidemiology,
education, laboratory activities and development of better lead
screening devices.
It is estimated that more than 400,000 children eligible
for Federal health care programs have undetected harmful levels
of lead in their blood. The Committee is aware of the benefits
of a portable, easy to use lead screening device developed with
the support and participation of CDC. The Committee continues
to believe that this device holds great promise for increasing
childhood screening rates in underserved communities in the
U.S. and throughout the world and encourages CDC to support its
further development for application in community public health
settings.
Injury control
The Committee provides $90,138,000 for the injury control
program, which is the same as the comparable fiscal year 2000
level and $4,957,000 below the Administration request. This
amount includes $5,863,000 for domestic violence community
demonstrations previously funded through the Crime Trust Fund.
The injury control program supports intramural research, injury
control research centers, extramural research grants, and
technical assistance to state and local health departments.
The bill retains a limitation included in previous
Appropriation Acts to prohibit the National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control from engaging in any activities to
advocate or promote gun control. The Committee does not believe
that CDC should advocate or promote policies to advance gun
control initiatives, or discourage responsible private gun
ownership. The Committee expects research on gun violence to be
objective and grants to be awarded through an impartial peer
review process.
The Committee urges CDC to continue the establishment of a
uniform trauma surveillance data system within available
resources.
The Committee commends CDC's brain injury prevention
efforts and encourages the agency to collaborate, if feasible,
with the National Institute of Mental Health and the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to examine
hyperbaric oxygen therapy for treatment of chronic brain
injury.
There are significant disparities in the numbers of racial
and ethnic minorities affected by violence. The Committee is
pleased with the efforts of CDC in the field of violence
prevention. The Committee encourages CDC to extend the
development and implementation of Best Practices for the
Prevention of Youth Violence to include culturally sensitive
social-cognitive, mentoring, parenting, and nurse home visit
programs and to identify new Best Practices. CDC should also
develop and evaluate effective violence prevention programs
that are designed to improve acceptability of violence
prevention interventions in the communities they are intended
to reach including African American, Hispanic American,
American Indians and Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders.
Culturally responsive interventions and programs should be
developed through evaluation research and demonstrations to
address the disparities in morbidity among racial and ethnic
minorities that is attributable to violence.
The Committee encourages CDC to enhance services provided
through the violence against women initiative to provide more
assistance to women in underserved locations; expand evaluation
research programs; monitor violence against women by improving
the quality of data at national and state levels; partner with
local organizations within communities; and develop prevention
and early intervention programs.
There are estimated to be 20 to 30 million unsafe cribs,
either still in use or in storage in the U.S., which could be
the cause of one of the more than 9,000 crib injuries that are
treated annually in hospital emergency rooms. The Committee
encourages CDC to enhance efforts to inform the public about
the dangers associated with unsafe cribs.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
The Committee provides $214,179,000 for the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is
$473,000 below the comparable fiscal year 2000 level and
$5,377,000 below the Administration request. NIOSH conducts
applied research, develops criteria for occupational safety and
health standards, and provides technical services to
government, labor and industry, including training for the
prevention of work-related diseases and injuries. This
appropriation supports surveillance, health hazard evaluations,
intramural and extramural research, instrument and methods
development, dissemination, and training grants.
The Committee recognizes that occupational illness and
injuries continue to exact an economic burden comparable to
cancer and applauds the Institute's use of the National
Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) to invest research funds
where they will have the most impact--both for reducing this
financial burden and for protecting the health and safety of
U.S. workers. The Committee commends NIOSH on its continuing
progress on implementing NORA, which has generated new research
activities and remains responsive to the health and safety
needs of workers in the rapidly changing workplace. The
Committee urges NIOSH to continue its efforts to co-sponsor
NORA extramural research with NIH and other Federal agencies.
Epidemic services
The Committee provides $210,822,000 for epidemic services,
which is $124,964,000 above the comparable fiscal year 2000
level and $125,000,000 above the Administration request. This
amount includes $125,000,000 for a national campaign to change
children's health behaviors. The objectives of the program
include the prevention and control of epidemics, the
maintenance of surveillance systems, the training of public
health epidemiologists, and the operation of the quarantine
program. The program supports the Epidemic Intelligence Service
program, the publication of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report, and a variety of infant and minority health programs.
The Committee provides $125,000,000 for a National Campaign
to Change Children's Health Behaviors. The Committee believes
that, if we are to have a positive impact on the future health
of the American population, we must change the behaviors of our
children and young adults by reaching them with important
health messages. CDC, working in collaboration with the Health
Resources and Services Administration, the National Center for
Child Health and Human Development, and the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration, is directed to
coordinate an effort to plan, implement, and evaluate a
campaign designed to clearly communicate messages that will
help kids develop habits that foster good health over a
lifetime including diet, physical activity, and avoidance of
illicit drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. The campaign should be
based on principles that have been shown to enhance success,
including: designing and testing messages with different
groups, based in gender and ethnicity; involve young people in
all aspects of campaign planning and implementation; use the
same communication tactics that are employed by the best kids
marketers; and enlist the involvement and support of parents
and other role models.
Each year over six million pregnancies occur in the United
States. About one in five women who deliver will have a serious
problem before they begin labor and about one in four women
will have serious complications during labor. The Committee
supports the continued efforts of CDC to prevent deaths and
complications during pregnancy through its Safe Motherhood/
Healthy Pregnancies program.
The Committee commends CDC for its efforts to partner with
the Landmine Survivors Network to develop a post-traumatic
intervention delivery model in mine-affected countries abroad.
Office of the Director
The Committee provides $37,245,000 for the activities of
the Office of the Director, which is $375,000 below the
comparable fiscal year 2000 level and $1,681,000 above the
Administration request. The Committee intends this amount to be
a ceiling. The Director may transfer these funds to non-
administrative, programmatic activities at his discretion. This
line item includes amounts previously identified in the report
for program management activities.
The Committee encourages CDC to evaluate the barriers to
access and implementation of effective screening and prevention
programs and the linkages between detection, treatment, and
community health organizations for all cancer control programs
funded through the agency. The Committee also encourages CDC to
expand the National Health Nutritional and Examination Survey
to all ethnic minority and medically underserved populations.
National Center for Health Statistics
The Committee provides a total of $105,000,000 for the
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), which is the same
as the comparable fiscal year 2000 level and $4,985,000 below
the Administration request. Of this amount, $71,690,000 is
derived from the one percent evaluation set-aside. The Center
is responsible for collecting, interpreting, and disseminating
data on the health status of the U.S. population and the use of
health services. NCHS surveys include the National Vital
Statistics System, the National Health Interview Survey, the
National Survey of Family Growth, the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey, and the National Health Care
Survey.
The Committee is pleased that NCHS is working to establish
a primary immune deficiency national surveillance program in
collaboration with the National Center for Infectious Diseases.
The Committee encourages CDC to work with States to
standardize a method of reporting the underlying causes of
death in an effort to better determine the numbers of people
dying of specific diseases.
Buildings and facilities
The Committee provides $145,000,000 for buildings and
facilities, which is $87,869,000 above the comparable fiscal
year 2000 level and $17,926,000 above the Administration
request. This line item supports ongoing maintenance projects,
as well as safety repairs and equipment purchases.
Prevention research
The Committee provides $16,000,000 for the prevention
research program, which is $1,000,000 above the comparable
fiscal year 2000 level and $1,007,000 above the Administration
request. This program supports extramural research programs.
Health disparities demonstration
The Committee provides $34,985,000 for the health
disparities demonstration program, which is $4,985,000 above
the comparable fiscal year 2000 level and the same as the
Administration request. This program supports community-based
demonstrations of prevention and service delivery interventions
with the goal of eliminating health disparities among racial
and ethnic populations and to improve the health status at the
community level.
National Institutes of Health
The Committee provides $18,812,735,000, for the 24
appropriations, which together fund the programs of the
National Institutes of Health (NIH). These include
appropriations for the 18 research Institutes, the National
Center for Research Resources, the John E. Fogarty
International Center, the National Library of Medicine, the
National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, the
Office of the Director, and Buildings and Facilities. The total
in the bill is $1,000,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level, when adjusted for one-time transfers, and the
same as the Administration request. This funding level provides
a 5.6 percent increase in total for the research components of
NIH. Programs funded in this account are not authorized for
fiscal year 2001.
The funding levels provided in the bill for each of the
Institutes and Centers reflect what the Committee would have
provided if it were able to provide a 15 percent increase for
NIH, the third year installment of the doubling effort. In real
terms, the Committee's allocation only allowed for a 5.6
percent increase, the same as the President's request. The
Committee has included language in the bill to limit the amount
NIH can obligate in fiscal year 2001 to the budget request
level.
Committee Priorities.--The Committee views NIH as one of
its very highest priorities and has made difficult resource
allocation decisions throughout the bill to provide what it
believes is the necessary funding level for NIH. NIH is the
world's leading biomedical research institution; its
investments in research save lives and reduce health care costs
while creating jobs and economic growth in a global economy.
This research has produced major advances in the treatment of
cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and mental illness that have
helped thousands of American families. NIH research has spawned
the biotechnology revolution, whose products are projected to
grow into a $50 billion industry by the turn of the century.
The U.S.'s ability to translate scientific discoveries into new
product development has resulted in its lead over Europe and
Japan in pharmaceutical and biotechnology patents. While the
Committee is firm in its commitment to budget restraints, it
believes that funding of biomedical research is an important
investment in the future health and economic well-being of our
nation.
Balance in the Research Portfolio.--The Committee believes
that NIH should distribute funding on the basis of scientific
opportunity. As a result, the Committee has allocated the
Institute appropriations consistent with the distribution
recommended by NIH and reflecting the Director's judgment of
scientific opportunity. If NIH believes that adjustments to
this allocation are necessary as the fiscal year 2001
appropriations bill moves through the legislative cycle, the
Committee would be pleased to consider them in later action on
the bill.
To enhance NIH's flexibility to allocate funding based on
scientific opportunity, the Committee has attempted to minimize
the amount of direction provided in the report accompanying the
bill. For example, there are no directives to fund particular
research mechanisms, such as centers or requests for
applications, or specific amounts of funding for particular
diseases.
In stating that scientific opportunity should be the basis
for allocating research funding, the Committee understands that
other factors also are relevant to NIH's decisions, including
such considerations as the infectious nature of a disease, the
number of cases and deaths associated with a particular
disease, the Federal and other costs of treating a disease, the
years of productive life lost due to a particular disease, and
the estimated proximity to research breakthroughs. The
Committee does not presume to judge which criteria should take
precedence or carry the greatest weight in individual funding
decisions, but urges NIH to consider the full array of relevant
criteria as it constructs its research portfolio.
AIDS Funding.--Consistent with the philosophy outlined
above, the Committee has again chosen not to earmark a specific
dollar amount for AIDS research. The Committee understands that
it would be NIH's intent to allocate AIDS funding consistent
with the Director's recommendations. The Committee understands
that this allocation may change before the beginning of the
fiscal year.
The Committee intends that the funds allocated for AIDS
should be spent in a manner fully consistent with the AIDS
research plan developed by the Office of AIDS Research (OAR)
and expects the Director of NIH to use the full authority of
his office to ensure that this occurs. The Committee has
provided the Director of OAR, jointly with the Director of NIH,
transfer authority to reallocate up to three percent of funds
designated for AIDS research among Institutes, subject to
normal reprogramming procedures. The Committee encourages NIH
to use this authority whenever it believes that an adjustment
in the allocation of AIDS funding between Institutes is
appropriate to achieve scientific objectives or to facilitate
promising research efforts.
The Committee continues to support OAR, its leadership, and
its coordinated budget planning process and expects the
individual institutes, centers and divisions to fully cooperate
with OAR's work. The Committee has provided funding for the OAR
within the Office of the Director and intends that the OAR will
maintain its current structure and responsibilities, including
the allocation of an emergency discretionary fund.
Government Performance and Results Act.--The Committee
recognizes that the development of programmatic indicators for
NIH under the Government Performance and Results Act is one of
the most difficult conceptual and methodological problems in
the Act's implementation. NIH should continue to work with the
National Academy of Sciences and the other science agencies to
develop a better conceptual and theoretical framework for such
measures. The Committee believes that NIH should begin to
implement the Act where it can. Measures of administrative
efficiency and effectiveness can and should be adopted and
tracked. Similarly, indicators of the ability of systems to
support the research enterprise exist, and should be included.
Presentation of these measures, including goals for
improvements, baselines and reporting systems are an initial
step. Information presented with the President's budget should
include improvements in these indicators resulting from
proposed funding levels. In addition, the Committee will expect
the Director to include a report in the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing next spring on the progress toward
indicators relating directly to research and the translation of
basic research findings to medical and other applications.
national cancer institute
The Committee provides $3,793,587,000 for the National
Cancer Institute (NCI), which is $481,900,000 above the fiscal
year 2000 comparable level and $288,515,000 above the
Administration request; however, due to limited funding within
the allocation, funding increases in the bill are constrained
to the amount proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The NCI conducts and supports basic and applied
cancer research in early detection, diagnosis, prevention,
treatment and rehabilitation. NCI provides training support for
research scientists, clinicians and educators, and maintains a
national network of cancer centers, clinical cooperative
groups, and community clinical oncology programs, along with
cancer prevention and control initiatives and outreach programs
to rapidly translate basic research findings into clinical
practice.
Bone Disease.--The Committee encourages NCI to study the
role of angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, in the
metastasis of breast and prostate cancer to the bone through
all available mechanism, as appropriate, including the
development of experimental genetic animal models that
replicate the process of human cancer metastasis to the bone
and exploring why bone is a preferential site for metastases.
Breast Cancer.--The development of advanced imaging
technologies including medical infrared imaging derived from
the U.S. military and NASA, and other optical and non-invasive
modalities which, when converged with emerging treatments such
as angiogenic therapy, can be incorporated into comprehensive
systems for the early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
NCI is encouraged to explore this approach to disease
management.
Childhood Skeletal Malignancies.--While mortality rates
among children with skeletal cancers have improved dramatically
over the past decade, little remains known about factors that
contribute toward the development of such tumors. The Committee
encourages NCI to enhance the level of scientific knowledge of
Osteosarcoma, Ewings sarcoma, and related malignancies
affecting connective tissue that often result in limb loss
through all available mechanisms, as appropriate, including a
consensus conference to develop a research agenda.
DES Education.--The Committee understands that a plan for
expanded DES education activities has been developed by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Office of
Women's Health, and groups representing individuals affected by
DES. The Committee urges NCI to review this plan within a
reasonable timeframe and collaborate with CDC on its
implementation. The Committee also urges NCI to ensure that
public information pamphlets developed by NCI are readily made
available to consumers.
Endometrial and Cervical Cancer.--The Committee encourages
NCI to conduct a programmatic review of the research portfolios
in endometrial and cervical cancer and enhance research in
areas of discovery that are not currently being funded through
all available mechanisms, as appropriate, including requests
for applications for SPOREs.
Esophageal and Stomach Cancer.--Approximately 34,000
Americans will be diagnosed this year with esophageal or
stomach cancer and approximately 25,000 will die from these
diseases. Both cancers disproportionately affect minority
populations, particularly African Americans and Hispanics. The
Committee encourages NCI, in collaboration with NIDDK, to
enhance efforts in this area.
Lung Cancer Screening.--Lung cancer remains one of the most
common cancers and usually responds poorly to treatment because
most cases are not found until the tumors are large enough to
cause symptoms. Current screening and early detection methods
are limited, but new technologies, such as helical CT scanning,
are being disseminated and may assist in the ability to save or
prolong the lives of lung cancer patients. The Committee
encourages NCI to examine these technologies and their
usefulness in early diagnosis and patient treatment.
Lymphoma.--The Committee understands that NCI is committed
to conducting a progress review group on lymphoma. This will
give NCI and other Federal agencies the opportunity to evaluate
current research and determine future needs. The Committee
requests that the Director of the Institute be prepared to
provide a progress report at the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing.
Marine Mammals Research.--Sharks, skates, and rays seem to
have an unusually low incidence of cancer and the potential for
bioactive molecules to inhibit disease process in humans. The
Committee encourages NCI to study the immune systems and
bioactive cell and tissue molecules of these marine animals to
understand their resistance to cancer and the potential
development of more effective therapies to inhibit cancer in
humans.
Molecular Markers.--The development of molecular markers
that are predictive of the presence or likelihood of regional
metastasis in patients with head and neck cancer would provide
useful prognostic information as well as identify patients at
risk who could benefit from early elective treatment to the
regional lymph nodes. NCI is urged to expand research in this
area.
Multiple Myeloma.--Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable
cancer of the plasma cells of the bone marrow. MM is the second
fastest growing hematological cancer in the U.S. The Committee
is pleased that MM was included in an NCI progress review group
and looks forward to hearing about the Institute's plans for
the groups findings at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations
hearing. The Committee continues to urge NCI to support
epidemiological and other data gathering activities relevant to
MM and to coordinate efforts with CDC, NIEHS, the Office of
Rare Diseases, and the Office of Research on Minority Health.
The Committee encourages the Institute to disseminate and
educate the public and health professionals about the symptoms
of and treatment for MM.
National Occupational Research Agenda.--The Committee
encourages NCI to work with the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health to enhance research in relevant
National Occupational Research Agenda priority areas such as
Cancer Research Methods, Special Populations at Risk, Mixed
Exposures, Risk Assessment Methods, and Exposure Assessment
Methods.
Neurofibromatosis.--The Committee encourages NCI to
strengthen its NF research portfolio in such areas as further
development of animal models, natural history studies, and
therapeutic experimentation and clinical trials. The Committee
also urges NCI to continue to coordinate its efforts with other
Institutes engaged in NF research.
Ovarian Cancer.--The Committee commends NCI for moving
forward to fully fund two ovarian cancer SPOREs and partially
fund two other ovarian cancer SPOREs in fiscal year 2000. The
Committee encourages NCI to fully fund all SPOREs this fiscal
year and requests that the Director of the Institute be
prepared to give a progress report at the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing.
Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases.--The Committee notes
that NCI held a symposium in March 2000 to investigate the
relationship between primary immune deficiency diseases and
cancer. It is hoped that this will lead to the development of a
research agenda in this field. In addition, the Committee is
aware of the commitment of NCI to the national education and
awareness campaign sponsored by the Jeffrey Modell Foundation.
This commitment will play a significant role in assuring the
earliest possible diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency and of
any cancers that may stem from it.
Prostate Cancer.--Cancer of the prostate is the most
commonly diagnosed nonskin cancer in America and tends to
disproportionately affect men who are members of minority
groups. If detected early, it can be treated successfully with
no negative impact on the cancer survivor's quality of life.
However, existing forms of detection are insufficient, and
available treatments frequently result in erectile dysfunction,
urinary problems, or other disorders and disruptions that
negatively impact the patients quality of life. The Committee
urges NCI to place an increased priority on research, through
all available mechanisms, as appropriate, including clinical
trials, that result in earlier, more reliable detection methods
and more effective and less disfiguring treatment regimes.
Rural Poor in Health Disparities Research.--While studies
have shown that certain diseases effect minority groups,
economic status may also have an impact on health outcomes. For
example, the rural poor have a high incidence of cancer. The
Committee urges NCI to include the rural poor population in its
efforts to eliminate health disparities.
Urological Cancers.--The Committee is pleased with the new
initiatives in prostate cancer now underway; however, research
in other urologic cancers such as kidney and bladder cancer
needs to be enhanced. The Committee urges NCI to develop a plan
to expand its research programs for other urologic cancers and
take advantage of new knowledge that has been acquired about
cancer diagnosis and treatment.
national heart, lung, and blood institute
The Committee provides $2,321,320,000 for the Heart, Lung
and Blood Institute (NHLBI), which is $294,890,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $184,563,000 above the
Administration request; however, due to limited funding within
the allocation, funding increases in the bill are constrained
to the amount proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
provides leadership for a national research program in diseases
of the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and blood, in transfusion
medicine, and in sleep disorders through support of basic,
clinical, and population-based and health education research.
The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) was transferred from the
Office of the Director to NHLBI. WHI is a large cross-Institute
initiative to study prevention of conditions responsible for
deaths, disability and frailty in older women--breast and
colorectal cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. There are
three components of the study: a randomized clinical trial; an
observational study; and a community prevention study. The
clinical trial is being conducted at 40 centers with 46,000
women participating. It is scheduled for completion in 2004.
Adherence to Medical and Behavioral Therapies.--Failure to
follow medical recommendations causes tens of thousands of
deaths a year, increased hospitalizations, and delayed
recovery. It is estimated that 50 percent of patients do not
comply with prescribed treatments. Many life-extending drugs
for heart attack survivors and heart failure patients are
underused and not all patients or doctors take advantage of
information proven to reduce to treat those at risk of heart
disease or stroke. NHLBI is encouraged to enhance research on
innovative theories about behavioral, cultural, social,
psychological, and environmental methods to increase adherence
to lifestyle and medical regimens.
Aneurysm.--The Committee notes from the NHLBI Director's
testimony that the Institute is increasing its research efforts
in the area of aneurysms. An aneurysm in the brain can result
in a debilitating stroke and an aneurysm in the abdomen can
result in rapid bleeding and death. Aneurysms are rarely
detected until a catastrophic health event occurs in the
victim. NHLBI is encouraged to continue its focus on this
condition, particularly on early detection and, in coordination
with other NIH Institutes, more effective treatments.
Asthma.--Little is known about the optimal treatment for
asthma in infants and young children. Many questions remain
unanswered, such as what is the most effective dose and type of
medication for different types of asthma, what is the correct
balance between medical benefits and possible side effects,
when is the best time to start different types of therapies,
and whether early therapy can prevent asthma from becoming more
severe or even eliminate it as a child gets older. The
Committee urges NHLBI to use the research amassed through the
Pediatric Asthma Clinical Research Network to provide clearer
choices for childhood asthma therapy, to encourage the
development and dissemination of new therapies, and to identify
optimum asthma management strategies for children.
The Committee commends the National Asthma Education and
Prevention Program (NAEPP) for its leadership in helping to
educate physicians, asthma patients, their families, and the
general public regarding asthma and its management. The
Committee urges NAEPP to enhance the role of its Advisory
Committee in helping to coordinate asthma education throughout
the United States. The Committee also encourages NHLBI and
NAEPP to work with other agencies, such as CDC, HRSA, and the
Office of the Surgeon General to develop a PHS-wide plan to
control asthma.
Cardiovascular Diseases.--Cardiovascular diseases remain
America's number one killer and a major cause of disability.
Nearly 60 million Americans of all ages suffer from
cardiovascular diseases. The Committee supports an intensive
research program on cardiovascular diseases at NHLBI and urges
the Institute to place a high priority on such research by
supporting existing heart and stroke-related research and
investing in promising heart and stroke-related research
initiatives.
Cardiovascular Diseases in Women.--Cardiovascular disease
remains a leading cause of disability and is the number one
cause of death in women. The clinical course of cardiovascular
disease is different in men than in women and current
diagnostic capabilities are less accurate in women than in men
and are largely unrecognized by women and their physicians. The
Committee encourages NHLBI to expand its research on
cardiovascular diseases in women, through all available
mechanisms, as appropriate, including the development of safe,
efficient, and cost effective diagnostic approaches for women.
The Committee is also concerned that information is not
reaching women and their providers and encourages NHLBI to
focus on educational information that may be appropriately
disseminated.
Cooley's Anemia.--The Committee is pleased with the
progress that NHLBI has made with regard to the creation of the
Thalassemia Clinical Research Network and notes that Network
has now been created among some of the leading researchers in
Cooley's anemia. The Committee urges the Institute to take the
necessary steps to encourage investigator-initiated research
proposals that address key unresolved scientific issues.
Hemophilia.--The Committee encourages NHLBI to enhance its
efforts, working with the national hemophilia foundation, to
address the needs of persons with hemophilia and other bleeding
and clotting disorders, particularly in the areas of research
to improve blood and blood product safety and treatment for
hepatitis C and other complications of bleeding and clotting
disorders, including women's bleeding disorders. The Committee
also notes the potential of gene therapy to improve the
treatment of hemophilia and urges NHLBI to enhance support for
this critical area. The Committee requests that the Director of
the Institute be prepared to testify at the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing on the progress of activities in
hemophilia gene therapy.
Hypertension and Kidney Disease.--Hypertension is the
number two cause of kidney disease. The Committee urges NHLBI
to collaborate with NIDDK on research related to hypertension
and its relationship to kidney disease through all available
mechanisms, as appropriate, including sponsoring a workshop to
define areas of research for potential joint projects. The
Committee requests that the Director of the Institute be
prepared to testify on the progress in this area at the fiscal
year 2002 appropriations hearing.
Immune System Research Programs for Heart Disease.--Basic
knowledge about the body's disease fighting system and its
involvement in the causes and development of heart disease and
stroke are increasing rapidly. Innovative approaches to
accelerate the use of this knowledge into clinical applications
are needed. NHLBI is encouraged to enhance research in such
areas as inflammatory response to blood vessel injury that
occurs in atherosclerosis, the cause of heart attacks and
strokes, healing of damaged heart tissue after a heart attack,
and chronic rejection following heart transplantation through
all available mechanisms, as appropriate.
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis.--The Committee commends NHLBI for
supporting intramural and extramural research on
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), which is a progressive and
often fatal lung disease that predominately affects women of
child bearing age. The Committee notes that significant efforts
are being made to develop a cell line and an animal model for
LAM, and hopes that the development of these tools will remain
an important goal of the Institute. The recent progress on LAM
research is encouraging. The NHLBI clinical protocol discovery
that asthma medicines benefit a significant proportion of
patients with LAM is the first clinical advance in LAM in
decades. The identification of genetic mutations in the lungs
of patients with LAM opens new areas in LAM research. The
Committee encourages NHLBI to enhance research in this area
through all available mechanisms, as appropriate, including
sponsoring a state of the science LAM workshop.
Maintaining Weight Loss.--An estimated 106 million
Americans age 20 and older are overweight or obese, a condition
that increases risk of diseases such as heart attack, stroke,
high blood pressure, and diabetes. Clinical Guidelines on the
Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and
Obesity in Adults, supported by NHLBI in collaboration with
NIDDK, reviews evidence that it is possible for overweight and
obese people to lose a significant amount of weight over six
months, but only a few maintain the weight loss. The Committee
encourages NHLBI to study weight loss maintenance and examine
behaviors that influence obesity, weight loss, and weight loss
maintenance.
National Occupational Research Agenda.--The Committee
encourages NHLBI to work with the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and health (NIOSH) to enhance research in
relevant National Occupational Research Agenda priority areas
such as Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,
Special Populations at Risk, and Organization of Work.
Neurofibromatosis.--Advances continue to be made in
research on neurofibromatosis (NF). Recent studies have
documented the involvement of NF1 in valve formation which may
open up a new area for future research in congenital heart
disease. Understanding how NF1 deficiency leads to heart
disease may help to unravel the molecular pathways affected in
genetic and environmental caused of heart disease. The
Committee encourages NHLBI to enhance its NF research
activities, coordinate its efforts with other Institutes
engaged in NF research, and be prepared to report on its
research at its fiscal year 2001 appropriations hearing.
Primary Pulmonary Hypertension.--Primary Pulmonary
Hypertension (PPH) is a rare, progressive, and fatal disease
affecting predominantly women of all races and ages. This
disease involves deadly deterioration of the heart and lungs
and is a secondary condition in many other serious and fatal
conditions such as scleroderma and lupus. The Committee
commends NHLBI's efforts to promote research of PPH and urges
the Institute to enhance its support for basic research, gene
therapy, and clinical trials of promising pharmaceuticals
through all available mechanisms, as appropriate. NHLBI is also
urged to take appropriate measures to ensure the submission of
high quality proposals in this area.
Sleep Disorders.--The Committee urges the Institute to
enhance basic research in the neurobiology of sleep and sleep
mechanisms as well as research to assess the effectiveness of
therapies for treatment of sleep disorders. The Committee
recognizes the work of the Institute's National Center on Sleep
Disorders Research and its ongoing collaboration with other NIH
Institutes in research and education regarding the impact of
sleep disorders on health and public safety.
Stroke.--The Committee recognizes the advances made
recently in the treatment of stroke with medicines such as TpA,
a treatment developed and tested through research supported by
NHLBI. While stroke victims once were expected to never
improve, early detection and rapid treatment of stroke today
can often result in little to no loss of brain function.
Increased awareness of the symptoms of stroke as a brain attack
requires a rapid and appropriate medical response. The
Committee encourages NHLBI to develop a research, public health
and public education strategy to combat this disease.
national institute of allergy and infectious diseases
The Committee provides $2,062,126,000 for the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is
$285,378,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$155,913,000 above the Administration request; however, due to
limited funding within the allocation, funding increases in the
bill are constrained to the amount proposed in the
Administration request.
Mission.--The NIAID supports and conducts basic and
clinical research and research training programs in infectious
diseases caused by, or associated with, disorders of the immune
system. NIAID supported research includes research on acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), asthma and allergies,
tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, tropical diseases,
and emerging microbes. The goals of NIAID research are to
better understand disease pathogenesis, to improve disease
diagnosis, to develop new and improved drugs to treat diseases,
and to develop new and improved vaccines to prevent disease,
many of which significantly affect public health.
Asthma.--The Committee is pleased with NIAID's leadership
regarding asthma research and management and recognizes the
role the Institute has played in the Inner City Asthma Study
and the importance of this effort concerning morbidity and
mortality among underserved populations, particularly African
American children. The Committee urges the Institute to
continue to improve its focus and effort on asthma management,
especially as it relates to children.
Crohn's Disease.--The Committee is aware of NIAID's
recently published research recommendations for Crohn's disease
entitled, ``Crohn's Disease--Is there a Microbial Etiology?''
and encourages the Institute to continue its efforts to
determine if there is an infectious cause of the disease.
Diabetes.--The Committee commends the Institute for its
work in establishing the Collaborative Network for Clinical
Research on Immune Tolerance. Research in this area could lead
to cures for diabetes and other autoimmune diseases. NIAID is
encouraged to continue efforts in this area. The Committee also
urges NIAID, in collaboration with NIDDK and NICHD, to enhance
research to develop a vaccine to prevent juvenile, or Type 1,
diabetes. The Committee requests that the Director of the
Institute be prepared to provide a status of this initiative at
the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
Eliminating Infectious Disease.--Acute bacterial sinusitis
is one of the most common infections in the U.S. and its
treatment is one of the major contributors to the development
of antibiotic-resistant organisms. Novel strategies for
eliminating infectious disease are needed, such as system
vaccination with specific bacterial out membranes, bacterial
interference, and mucosal vaccination with bacteria or
bacterial products.
Hemophilia.--The Committee is pleased that NIAID, working
with the national hemophilia foundation, has developed
recommendations for strategies to improve treatment of HIV and
associated complications, including hepatitis C, in persons
with hemophilia. The Committee encourages NIAID to continue to
work with the hemophilia community to carryout the
recommendations and requests a report by January 31, 2001 on
the steps being taken to implement the recommended actions.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease.--The Committee continues to
note with interest a scientific research agenda for Crohn's
disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively known as
inflammatory bowel disease, entitled ``Challenges in
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)''. This report identifies
linkages between the immune system and IBD. The Committee is
pleased that NIAID has recently partnered with the IBD
community on a research proposal and encourages the Institute
to enhance its support of research focused on the immunology of
IBD as well as the interaction of genetics and environmental
factors in the development of the disease.
Latex Allergy.--The Committee is aware that a small
percentage of the population may have an allergic reaction to
natural rubber latex. Latex allergy is more likely to develop
in infants who have had numerous surgical procedures and those
people who are atopic, yet little is known about its
epidemiology. The Committee urges the NIAID to enhance research
in this area.
Lyme Disease.--Lyme disease is the nation's leading tick-
borne illness. It affects many systems of the body and can
require expensive, long-term treatment in some patients unless
they are diagnosed and treated early. The Committee encourages
NIAID to conduct broader outreach to the medical, scientific,
and voluntary organizations involved in Lyme disease research,
treatment, prevention, and education in order to better
understand the broad range of views about this illness and the
plight of the patients affected by the disease.
Malaria.--The Committee commends NIAID for making malaria
research and vaccine development a high priority and for
pursuing collaborative research efforts with private sector
partners. The Committee encourages NIAID to continue an
aggressive malaria research agenda, including the pursuit of
therapeutics for improved treatments.
Pediatric Kidney Disease.--An estimated 150,000 young
people currently suffer from kidney diseases for which no cure
or effective treatment exists. Approximately 10,000 of them
suffer from chronic kidney failure, are on dialysis or have a
kidney transplant. NIAID is encouraged to continue research on
kidney damage caused by vesicoureteral reflux and obstruction,
and on ways of improving kidney transplant outcomes in children
and adolescents.
Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases.--More than 70 primary
immune deficiency diseases have been identified to date, with
500 cases diagnosed and estimates of another 500,000
undiagnosed. These diseases, which impair the body's immune
system, strike most severely at children, many whom do not
survive beyond their teens or early twenties. The Committee is
pleased with NIAID's primary immune deficiencies clinical
research registry. The Committee encourages NIAID to enhance
its efforts to address the 500,000 undiagnosed or misdiagnosed
cases through a national education and awareness campaign. The
Director should be prepared to provide a status report of this
issue at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing. The
Committee also encourages NIAID to work to foster
collaborations between domestic and international organizations
with expertise in this area.
Tropical Medicine Research.--The Committee encourages NIAID
to continue support of international research collaborations in
areas endemic for tropical infectious disease. This research
enhances the understanding of and preparedness for emerging and
re-emerging tropical health threats.
Tropical Parasitic Diseases.--There is concern about the
global health burden of tropical diseases, including helminth
infections and dengue fever. The Committee urges NIAID to
pursue improved prevention and treatment protocols as well as
research to develop environmentally sound insecticides to
control vector-borne diseases.
Women's Interagency HIV Study.--The Committee commends the
ongoing commitment to continue the Women's Interagency HIV
Study for an additional five years and believes it is important
to maintain geographical representation and continue the
study's broad scope in addressing a variety of women's health
issues.
national institute of general medical sciences
The Committee provides $1,548,313,000 for the National
Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), which is
$194,370,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$120,125,000 above the Administration request; however, due to
limited funding within the allocation, funding increases in the
bill are constrained to the amount proposed in the
Administration request.
Mission.--The NIGMS supports research and research training
in the basic biomedical sciences. Institute grantees, working
in such fields as cell biology, biophysics, genetics,
developmental biology, pharmacology, physiology, and biological
chemistry, study normal biological processes to better
understand what goes wrong when disease occurs. In this way,
NIGMS supports the new knowledge, theories, and technologies
that can then be applied to the disease-targeted studies
supported by other NIH components. NIGMS-supported basic
research advances also find applications in the biotechnology
and pharmaceutical industries. The Institute's training
programs help provide the scientists needed by industry and
academia.
Minority Scientist Training Programs.--The Committee
continues to be pleased with the quality of NIGMS's training
programs, particularly those that have a special focus on
increasing the number of minority scientists such as Minority
Access to Research Careers (MARC) and Minority Biomedical
Research Support (MBRS). The Committee urges NIGMS to continue
to support these training programs.
national institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases
The Committee provides $1,315,530,000 for the National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK), which is $174,115,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $106,357,000 above the Administration
request; however, due to limited funding within the allocation,
funding increases in the bill are constrained to the amount
proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The NIDDK supports research in three major
disease categories: diabetes, endocrinology, and metabolic
diseases; digestive diseases and nutrition; and kidney,
urologic, and hematologic diseases. The NIDDK supports a
coordinated program of fundamental and clinical research and
demonstration projects relating to the causes, prevention,
diagnosis, and treatment of diseases within these categories.
The Institute also supports efforts to transfer the knowledge
gained from its research program to health professionals,
patients, and the general public.
Bone Diseases.--The Committee urges NIDDK to enhance
research on osteoporosis and other disorders of calcium
metabolism, including renal osteodystrophy, which occurs in
patients with chronic kidney disease. NIDDK is also encouraged
to enhance its efforts in the areas of nutritional and hormonal
influences on calcium and skeletal status and functional
genomics in bone. The Committee encourages the Institute to
work with NCI to focus on cancer that spreads to the bone.
Cooley's Anemia.--The Committee has long supported research
in the area of Cooley's anemia. Due to the numerous red blood
cell transfusions that patients receive, iron accumulates in
the major organs, particularly the heart and liver. The
effective removal of this iron by chelating drugs requires an
accurate assessment of iron levels in the patient. Accuracy is
impeded by the lack of a high quality, non-invasive test to
measure iron levels. The Committee understands that a new
technology has been developed which holds promise in addressing
this problem and urges NIDDK to test its efficacy with Cooley's
anemia patients through all available mechanisms, as
appropriate. The Committee remains interested in the research
progress being made with regard to the development of safe and
effective iron chelator drugs that are less troublesome than
those currently used, as well as the development of drugs for
the regulation of hemoglobin synthesis.
Diabetes.--Diabetes remains a leading cause of early death
and disability and affects approximately 16 million Americans.
The Committee urges NIDDK to significantly enhance its support
of diabetes research following the recommendations made in the
Diabetes Research Working Group report. NIDDK is further urged
to focus increased resources for research related to juvenile,
or Type 1, diabetes. A 1999 Institute of Medicine report
concluded that development of a vaccine to treat or prevent
Type 1 diabetes would bring exceptionally high health and
economic benefits to society and the Diabetes Research Working
Group recommended that a major effort be launched in this area.
The Committee encourages NIDDK, in collaboration with NIAID and
NICHD, to enhance research to develop a vaccine to prevent
juvenile, or Type 1, diabetes. The Committee requests that the
Director of the Institute be prepared to provide a status of
this initiative at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
The Committee also urges NIDDK, working with NHGRI and NICHD,
to enhance its effort to identify the genes associated with
Type 1 diabetes and requests that the Director of the Institute
also be prepared to provide a status of this initiative at the
fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
Programs that raise awareness of diabetes and its risk
factors are important to improving the lives of all people
affected by diabetes. For example, many people diagnosed with
type 2 diabetes don't show overt signs of the disease prior to
diagnosis. Also, African Americans, Hispanics, and Native
Americans are at an increased risk for the disease. The
Committee urges the Institute to continue to expand promising
basic research and clinical trials to improve early detection
and treatment of diabetes, and to find a cure for the disease.
Diabetic Neuropathy.--The Committee recognizes the role of
technology in preventing costly secondary conditions among
persons with diabetic neuropathy and is supportive of the
efforts of the Institute in this area, including the efforts
through the SBIR program.
Digestive Diseases.--Diseases of the digestive system
continue to affect more than one-half of all Americans at some
time in their lives. Serious disorders such as colorectal
cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome,
and viral hepatitis take a significant toll in terms of human
suffering, mortality, and economic burden. The Committee
continues to encourage NIDDK to strike an appropriate balance
between conducting basic studies on digestive diseases and
bringing those research findings to the bedside in the form of
improved patient care.
Endoscopic Research.--The Committee is pleased that NIDDK
is funding the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative. This
national network of specialists in gastrointestinal diseases
utilizes a national endoscopic database to study important
issues related to gastrointestinal endoscopy which will form
the basis for a variety of new clinical studies in
gastroenterology. NIDDK is encouraged to continue to support
endoscopic research.
Hepatitis C.--The Committee is pleased that NIDDK has made
an award for a large scale hepatitis C clinical trial that will
involve over 1,000 patients and nine states around the country.
This trial, known as the HALT-C trial, is expected to yield
important scientific discoveries regarding the relatively low
response rate to current hepatitis C treatments. The large
number of individuals involved in this trial offers significant
opportunities for ancillary studies including the influence of
genetic factors, the rate and cause of viral mutations, and
improved scientific knowledge to better understand the wide
range of reactions of hepatitis C patients to treatment
protocols. The Committee urges NIDDK enhance efforts to
research these ancillary research opportunities.
Hypertension and Kidney Disease.--The Committee urges NIDDK
to collaborate with NHLBI on research related to hypertension
and its relationship to kidney disease through all available
mechanisms, as appropriate, including sponsoring a workshop to
define areas of research for potential joint projects. The
Committee requests that the Director of the Institute be
prepared to testify on the progress in this area at the fiscal
year 2002 appropriations hearing.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease.--The Committee is encouraged by
recent discoveries related to Crohn's disease and ulcerative
colitis, collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease
(IBD). These extremely complex disorders represent the major
cause of morbidity and mortality from intestinal illness. The
Committee continues to encourage NIDDK to give priority
consideration to investigation into the cellular, molecular,
and genetic structure of IBD, identification of the genes that
determine susceptibility or resistance to IBD in various
patient subgroups, and coordination and integration of basic
investigations designed to clarify mechanisms of action and
disease pathogenesis into clinical trials, as described in the
recent research agenda developed by the scientific community
entitled ``Challenges in Inflammatory Bowel Disease''. The
Committee recognizes the success of the digestive disease
centers program in addressing a wide range of disorders and
encourages NIDDK to expand this program with an increased
emphasis on IBD.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome.--The Committee remains concerned
about the increasing frequency of irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS), a chronic complex of disorders that malign the digestive
system. These common dysfunctions strike people from all walks
of life and result in tremendous human suffering and
disability. The Committee encourages NIDDK to provide adequate
funding for IBS functional bowel disorders research through all
available mechanisms, as appropriate, including education/
scientific symposiums.
Interstitial Cystitis.--The Committee urges NIDDK to
enhance research on interstitial cystitis (IC) and further
explore the many promising preliminary research findings on
this chronic, debilitating disease. The Committee is pleased
that NIDDK has initiated a study of the epidemiology of IC and
requests that the Director be prepared to provide a status of
this initiative at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
The Committee encourages the Institute to expand minority
enrollment in clinical centers through all available
mechanisms, as appropriate.
Kidney Disease Education.--If kidney disease is identified
early, there are ways to slow its progress. Many of the more
than 12 million Americans living with chronic renal
insufficiency are unaware that they suffer from the disease
until they have already reached end stage renal disease and
need renal dialysis or a transplant. The Committee urges NIDDK
to enhance its education efforts to bring advances in medical
care to the public. The Committee requests that the Director of
the Institute be prepared to testify on this issue at the
fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
Kidney Genome Anatomy Program.--Recent studies suggest that
patients with end stage kidney disease are more likely to have
close family relatives with kidney disease. Also, certain
ethnic populations have an increased risk of having kidney
disease. The Committee encourages NIDDK to explore the
feasibility of creating a kidney genome anatomy program to
determine which genes are expressed/suppressed in kidney
disease.
Liver Transplantation.--The Committee is aware of the
significant and continuing shortages of livers available for
transplantation, and therefore urges NIDDK to enhance research
efforts that would facilitate the success of liver
transplantation and the number of livers available for
transplantation. The use of living liver donors may be one of
the most important surgical and scientific breakthroughs that
can assist people in the need of liver transplants. The
Committee urges NIDDK to enhance efforts in this area through
all available mechanisms, as appropriate, including sponsoring
a state-of-the-art conference to address the many questions
surrounding this medical procedure. In addition, the Committee
is aware that almost 100 percent of individuals, who have liver
transplants with hepatitis C as the primary indication, become
re-infected with the hepatitis C virus. While the severity of
the re-infection typically can be controlled, approximately 10
percent of the cases develop severe chronic hepatitis C within
2 years. NIDDK is urged to enhance efforts to minimize the re-
infection rate including the evaluation of therapeutic agents
that offer the potential for controlling hepatitis C re-
infection.
Pediatric Digestion and Motility Disorders.--The incidence
of digestion and motility disorders in children often go
unrecognized and misdiagnosed and lead, in some cases, to
extreme debilitation and death. The Committee encourages NIDDK
to enhance research efforts to prevent, treat, and ultimately
cure for these disorders in children.
Pediatric Kidney Disease.--The Committee notes that kidney
disease remains a persistent problem among infants, children
and adolescents. An estimated 1.2 million children under the
age of seven will develop urinary tract infections that may
permanently damage kidney tissue. Over 100,000 children will be
treated for diabetes, many of whom will ultimately suffer renal
failure and require dialysis. Another 76,000 young people will
have to be treated for hypertension, a precursor for renal
failure and cardiovascular disease that disproportionately
affects minorities. Given the extent of these problems and
their long-term implications when children reach adulthood, the
Committee encourages NIDDK to enhance its research efforts on
the prevention and treatment of chronic renal failure and end-
stage renal disease in children from all causes, including
diabetes, hypertension, genetic kidney disease and disorders of
renal development through all available mechanisms, as
appropriate, including convening a scientific meeting to review
the pediatric liver disease research agenda. NIDDK also is
urged to focus on new approaches to enhance or accelerate
recovery from acute renal failure, which commonly occurs in
hospitalized pediatric patients and accounts for substantial
sickness and death. The Committee urges NIDDK to enhance
research to find ways to prevent, treat, and cure pediatric
liver diseases through all available mechanisms, as
appropriate, including convening a scientific meeting to review
the pediatric liver disease research agenda.
Polycystic Kidney Disease.--The Committee is pleased that
NIDDK has established four interdisciplinary research centers
targeting Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and held a major
state-of-the science conference. Recent breakthroughs in basic
science are extremely promising, including the recent discovery
of a drug that virtually stops one form of PKD in laboratory
animals, and present further evidence that progress toward a
treatment and ultimate cure is now more likely. The Committee
urges NIDDK to pursue all of the new avenues of fundamental
understanding that have come to light and to implement to the
fullest extent possible the PKD Strategic Planning Workshop
Report developed by NIDDK in fiscal year 1999.
Prostatitis.--The Committee is pleased that NIDDK has
recognized the disease of prostatitis as one of the three major
diseases of the prostate gland and encourages the Institute to
continue its efforts to explore the relationship between these
diseases of the prostate. NIDDK is also encouraged to explore
the familial possibilities of prostatitis and coordinate
efforts with similar research being done by other Institutes on
prostate cancer. The Committee urges the Institute to expand
involvement in studies of various minority groups through all
mechanisms available, as appropriate, including the
solicitation of applications from investigators with diverse
backgrounds. The Committee also encourages NIDDK to expand
outreach efforts to include educational materials directed at
primary care physicians, the urology community, and patients
and the general public.
Urological Diseases.--Urological diseases have a
significant impact on men and women in this country and
represent a major public health issue that will increase as the
population ages. The Committee continues to encourage NIDDK to
enhance its research on the prevention, diagnosis, and
treatment of urological diseases. The Committee also urges
NIDDK to evaluate its urology research program to determine if
it is meeting the public health needs in this area.
Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) affects more than 12
million men over the age of 50. The Committee urges NIDDK to
increase its research into prostate growth factors and related
issues toward the goal of improved diagnostic and treatment
tools for BPH as well as prostate cancer and prostatitis.
The Institute held a conference two years ago to identify
research issues and needs related to women's urological health.
The Committee is concerned with the need for further progress
and urges the Institute to implement the conference
recommendations. The Institute should be prepared to testify on
the progress of this initiative at the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing.
The Committee remains concerned by the absence of research
support for several critical areas of urology including male
infertility and impotence, pediatric urology, especially
congenital anomalies of the genitourinary tract, and kidney
stone disease. NIDDK is urged to define the research needs and
priorities in these areas as part of its overall evaluation of
the urology research program.
national institute of neurological disorders and stroke
The Committee provides $1,185,767,000 for the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which
is $156,024,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$100,939,000 above the Administration request; however, due to
limited funding within the allocation, funding increases in the
bill are constrained to the amount proposed in the
Administration request.
Mission.--The NINDS supports and conducts basic and
clinical neurological research and research training to
increase understanding of the brain and improve the prevention
and treatment of neurological and neuromuscular disorders. The
NINDS mission encompasses over 600 disorders, including stroke;
head and spinal cord injury; epilepsy; multiple sclerosis; and
neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
Alzheimer's Disease.--NINDS continues to play an integral
part in advancing science's understanding of Alzheimer's
disease. Within the past year alone, researchers have made
several critical discoveries about how Alzheimer's destroys the
brain, discoveries that may eventually open the way to finding
a cure or halt the progression on this disease. NINDS recently
issued two program announcements aimed at increasing the number
of clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease. The Committee
encourages the Institute to continue to assign this a high
priority and to continue its close working relationship with
NIA, NIMH, and NINR.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.--Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis (ALS) is one of a family of neurodegenerative
diseases that affect millions of Americans. The Committee
commends NINDS for its efforts in support of ongoing ALS
research and its role in catalyzing new research directions,
for its emphasis on basic research into neurodegeneration, and
for its leadership in bringing together basic neuroscientists
with clinical specialists in neurology, neurosurgery, and
related fields. NINDS is encouraged to build on these
initiatives to find new and effective treatments for motor
neuron disease and further efforts to stimulate investigator-
initiated proposals. The Committee also encourages NINDS to
enhance its research for treatment and cure of ALS.
Batten's Disease.--The Committee is pleased with the
progress that has been made with regards to both the infantile
and juvenile forms of Batten's disease and encourages NINDS to
continue to focus on Batten's disease research through all
available mechanisms, as appropriate, including the study of
gene therapy treatment for the late infantile form of the
disease.
Dystonia.--The Committee continues to be pleased with the
extramural research portfolio of NINDS with respect to dystonia
and encourages NINDS to continue to expand the study of the
DYT1 gene. The Committee also encourages NINDS to enhance its
collaboration with the dystonia research community in
supporting epidemiological studies on dystonia and enhancing
public and professional awareness of this disorder.
Epilepsy.--The Committee is pleased that the Institute
sponsored a conference in March 2000 on ``Curing Epilepsy:
Focus on the Future''. NINDS is encouraged to enhance research
to address research issues related to the impact of seizures on
young children, women, the elderly and those with intractable
or uncontrolled epilepsy. NINDS is also encouraged to develop
research plans and goals for the anti-epileptic drug
development program and to expand its research efforts in the
prevention, treatment, and eventual cure of epilepsy. The
Director should be prepared to testify on its efforts to
advance these areas of research at the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing.
Familial Dysautonomia.--Familial Dysautonomia (FD) is a
genetic disease that affects individuals of Eastern European
Jewish ancestry, and primarily causes dysfunction of the
autonomic and sensory nervous systems. Children with FD often
are unable to regulate their blood pressure or body
temperature, swallow or digest food normally, or respond to
physical stress. The Committee encourages NINDS to study this
disease in order to improve the quality of FD sufferers and
enable more children to reach adulthood.
Fragile X.--Fragile X is a single-gene neurological
disorder affecting 1 in 2000 males and 1 in 4000 females. The
cause of the disease is the failure of a single gene to produce
a protein. The Committee urges NINDS to enhance its research
activities on Fragile X and to include Fragile X patients in
its studies of related disorders. The Committee also urges
NINDS to coordinate these efforts with other Institutes working
on related activities, including NIMH and NICHD.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.--The Committee understands that
hyperbaric oxygen therapy on coma patients showed the greatest
reduction in mortality of any treatment for coma. NINDS is
encouraged to collaborate with NIMH and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention to research the use of this therapy for
both stroke and brain injury patients.
Neurofibromatosis.--Recent advances in Neurofibromatosis
(NF) research have linked NF to cancer, brain tumors, learning
disabilities, and heart disease. The Committee encourages NINDS
to strengthen its NF basic and clinical research portfolio
through all available mechanisms, as appropriate, including
clinical trials. The Committee urges the Institute to continue
to coordinate its efforts with other Institutes engaged in NF
research and be prepared to report on the status of the NF
research portfolio at its fiscal year 2002 appropriations
hearing.
Parkinson's Disease.--The Committee is encouraged by
continuing discoveries in the cause, pathophysiology, and
treatment of Parkinson's disease, and continues to encourage
NINDS to enhance efforts to speed the development of effective
therapies for this devastating disorder. The Committee also
recognizes the benefits of research breakthroughs in this area
on other disorders within the Institute's scope. The Committee
is further aware that the NIH has completed a Parkinson's-
focused research agenda including professional judgement
funding projections for the next five years. The Committee
urges NINDS to enhance its funding levels for Parkinson's-
focused research to implement the agenda's recommendations. The
Committee also urges NINDS to collaborate with the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, and private sector foundations to
expand research to provide the groundwork of information and
intervention strategies for surveillance and control of
suffering and disability associated with the disease.
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.--Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
(RSD), also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), is
a chronic debilitating condition characterized by severe
burning pain, pathological changes in bone and skin, excessive
sweating, tissue swelling, and extreme sensitivity to touch. It
is estimated that between two and five percent of individuals
with peripheral nerve injury and up to 20 percent of those with
paralysis on one side of the body will suffer from RSD. The
Committee encourages NINDS, together with other relevant
Institutes, to enhance research in this area through all
available mechanisms, as appropriate, including a State of the
Science meeting.
Stroke.--Stroke remains the third leading cause of death, a
leading cause of permanent disability, and a major contributor
of late-life dementia. The Committee believes that an intensive
research program on stroke should be a high priority for NINDS
and NIH. The Committee urges the Institute to expand its stroke
education program and to initiate and continue innovative
approaches to improve stroke diagnosis, treatment,
rehabilitation, and prevention through all available
mechanisms, as appropriate, including the development of acute
stroke treatment centers. In addition, as NINDS continues its
strategic planning, the Committee encourages NINDS to work
closely with the research community, clinicians, voluntary
health organizations, and patient advocacy groups to discuss
new avenues of basic and clinical stroke research
opportunities. The Committee requests that the Director of the
Institute be prepared to discuss plans for stroke research
during the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing. In
addition, the Committee encourages NINDS, in collaboration with
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to examine the
underlying causes of the regional disparity of stroke in the
``stoke belt'' using all available technologies, as
appropriate.
Sturge-Weber Syndrome.--Sturge-Weber Syndrome is a
congenital, non-familial disorder of unknown incidence and
cause. The Committee commends the efforts of NIH to bring
together the Office on Rare Diseases, NINDS, and other
Institutes to examine this syndrome in a 1999 conference. The
Committee encourages NINDS to pursue research on this syndrome
through all available mechanisms, as appropriate, including a
request for applications. The Committee requests that the
Director be prepared to testify on the progress to improve the
understanding of this syndrome at the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing.
national institute of mental health
The Committee provides $1,114,638,000 for the National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which is $139,965,000 above
the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $83,285,000 the
Administration request; however, due to limited funding within
the allocation, funding increases in the bill are constrained
to the amount proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The NIMH is responsible for research activities
that seek to improve diagnosis, treatments, and overall quality
of care for persons with mental illnesses. Disorders of high
priority to NIMH include schizophrenia, depression and manic
depressive illness, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety
disorders and other mental and behavioral disorders that occur
across the lifespan; these include childhood mental disorders
such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder;
eating disorders; Alzheimer's disease; and other illnesses.
NIMH supports and conducts fundamental research in
neuroscience, genetics, and behavioral science. In addition to
laboratory and controlled clinical studies, the NIMH supports
research on the mental health needs of special populations and
health services research.
Alzheimer's Disease.--NIMH continues to play an important
role in efforts to learn more about memory formation. While
still in early development stages, NIMH-supported scientists
altered a particular gene in mice that resulted in the mice
learning faster, remembering more, and applying what they
learned. This development in the biological study of
intelligence may lead to important advances in the fight
against Alzheimer's disease and age-related memory loss. The
Committee encourages NIMH to continue its research in this
priority area and to continue its collaboration with NIA,
NINDS, and NINR.
Eating Disorders.--The Healthy People 2010 Initiative
includes objectives related to eating disorders. The Committee
encourages NIMH to coordinate efforts with NICHD and SAMHSA to
enhance research to reduce the relapse rate, expand educational
programs, and study the long-term impact of this disease.
Fragile X.--Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of
mental retardation and the most common single-gene
neuropsychiatric disease. Because Fragile X is caused by the
failure of a single gene to produce a protein, it is a research
model for other neuropsychiatric disorders such as
schizophrenia, mood disorders, congnitive defects, and autism.
The Committee urges NIMH to coordinate efforts with NINDS and
NICHD to continue to research the functions of the Fragile X
protein, include Fragile X in neuropsychiatric disorders
studies, promote scientific study on the effectiveness of
current treatments, and investigate promising new
psychopharmacologic interventions.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.--The Committee understands that
hyperbaric oxygen therapy on coma patients showed the greatest
reduction in mortality of any treatment for coma. NIMH is
encouraged to collaborate with NINDS and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention to research the use of this
therapy for both stroke and brain injury patients.
Nursing Interventions for Psychiatric Populations.--There
is a lack of outcomes research focused on nursing interventions
for psychiatric populations. The Committee encourages NIMH to
collaborate with NINR and expand research in this area through
all available mechanisms, as appropriate.
Training of Minority Researchers.--The Committee is aware
of the need to train racial/ethnic minority scientists for
investigator initiated research projects. The Committee urges
NIMH and other NIH Institutes to develop appropriate mechanisms
to support long-term mentoring and technical assistance to
post-doctoral racial/ethnic minority investigators in all
scientific fields, but particularly in areas where there is a
serious disproportion in the impact of the disease on minority
communities, such as HIV prevention.
national institute of child health and human development
The Committee provides $984,300,000 for the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), which
is $125,042,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$79,595,000 above the Administration request; however, due to
limited funding within the allocation, funding increases in the
bill are constrained to the amount proposed in the
Administration request.
Mission.--The NICHD conducts and supports laboratory and
clinical research on the reproductive, developmental, and
behavioral processes that determine and maintain the health and
well-being of children, adults, families and populations. In
addition, research in medical rehabilitation is supported. The
Committee commends NICHD for its innovative program of
Specialized Centers for Research in Reproductive Medicine in
Minority Institutions and looks forward to learning about the
progress of this initiative.
Chromosome 18.--The Committee commends the Institute for
its efforts over the past year to encourage new scientific work
into molecular, genetic, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of
chromosomal abnormalities. The Committee continues to urge
NICHD to seek ways to expand and intensify such research,
especially studies involving the syndromes of chromosome 18.
Cooley's Anemia.--The Committee is pleased to learn of
NICHD's expressed interest in expanding its research and
outreach agenda with regard to Cooley's anemia and looks
forward to learning more about the progress that has been made
at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
Demographic Research.--The Committee commends NICHD for its
support for research on the causes of demographic trends and
their impact on our society. The availability of objective
information about such topics as declining marriage rates,
fatherhood, teen childbearing, health disparities, welfare to
work transitions, and the causes and impact of migration within
and across our borders remains a priority. The Institute is
encouraged to enhance efforts in the training and development
of new demographic scientists and assure continued support for
research infrastructure. The Committee also commends NICHD for
its many collaborations with other Federal agencies, including
the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the National Center
for Health Statistics, and the Department of Education, which
have created innovative demographic datasets on topics of
importance to policymakers.
Diabetes.--The Committee urges NICHD to enhance its
research efforts in the area of diabetes, including areas of
research highlighted in the Diabetes Research Working Group
Report. The Committee also urges NICHD, in collaboration with
NIAID and NIDDK, to enhance its efforts to develop a vaccine to
prevent juvenile, or Type 1, diabetes and in collaboration with
NIDDK and NHGRI to enhance its effort to identify the genes
associated with juvenile, or Type 1, diabetes. The Committee
requests that the Director be prepared to testify at the fiscal
year 2002 appropriations hearing on the steps being taking to
increase its support in this area.
E. coli:0157.--The Committee is pleased that NICHD research
is yielding and testing a vaccine for the deadly foodborne
bacterium E. coli:0157. The Committee understands that the
Institute is now seeking to determine whether the vaccine is
best administered to livestock or to children and others who
are most vulnerable to catastrophic food poisoning caused by
the bacterium. The Committee urges NICHD to continue this
research.
Family Literacy Research.--For years the Committee has been
at the forefront of support for the significant accomplishments
of the Institute's extensive program of research on the
development of reading skills, identifying and addressing
reading difficulties, and strengthening reading instruction,
especially for children. The success of this work with children
has focused attention on the importance of the ability of
parents to assist and support the efforts to teach their
children to read effectively. Building on NICHD's research
expertise with children, the Committee urges the Institute to
work with the National Institute for Literacy to strengthen and
expand research-based adult literacy instructional activities
and to assist in the dissemination of this information to adult
literacy programs across the country.
Fragile X.--Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of
mental retardation. Most children with Fragile X require a
lifetime of special care at immense expense and comprise a
homogenous study population for advancing understanding of
these disorders. The Committee encourages NICHD to enhance its
research efforts on Fragile X through all available mechanisms,
as appropriate, including a consensus conference. The Committee
urges NICHD to collaborate its efforts with NINDS and NIMH.
Literacy Screening Tool.--The Committee commends NICHD for
its priority on reading development as a means to better
predict reading difficulties, reading disabilities, and
learning disabilities in children. The Committee encourages
NICHD to continue its collaborative work with the National
Center for Learning Disabilities to develop a research-based,
literacy-screening tool to identify preschool children at risk
for reading difficulty.
Maternal-Fetal Medicine.--The Committee encourages NICHD to
enhance its research efforts into such areas as pre-maturity,
pre-term labor, pre-eclampsia, amniotic fluid embolism, in
utero screening for birth defects, post-partum hemorrhage, and
other complications related to pregnancy through all available
mechanisms, as appropriate, including sponsoring a planning
workshop to define research questions and promote collaboration
with centers not currently participating cooperative agreements
with the Institute. The Director should be prepared to testify
on the progress in this area at the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing.
Mathematical Skills Improvement.--The Committee is pleased
to learn that NICHD is developing a research initiative on the
development of skills needed to learn math, the means to
address difficulties learning math, as well as the effective
instruction for math. The Committee encourages NICHD to enhance
its research efforts in this area.
Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities.--Nearly
500,000 children are born each year in the United States with
mental retardation and/or other developmental disabilities. In
the past, the Committee has highlighted the importance of
research in specific conditions such as Rett syndrome, autism,
spina bifida, learning disabilities, and other related
diseases. As a result of center-based research focusing
specifically on mental retardation and developmental
disabilities the knowledge base has been advanced in such areas
as imaging technology, the role of experience and genes in
brain development, genetic mapping, low birthweight and
prematurity, and family functioning. The Committee encourages
NICHD to enhance the efforts of these centers to continue the
advancement of both basic and clinical research into the
causes, diagnosis, early detection, prevention, and treatment
of mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research.--The
Center is responsible for basic and clinical research dealing
with the causes of physical disability and medical
rehabilitation interventions to reduce disability and improve
the quality of life for persons with disabilities. Congenital
limb deficiency, vascular disease, childhood skeletal
malignancy and trauma contribute to the over 1.5 million in the
U.S. with limb loss. Technological advancements today offer
considerable opportunity for persons with limb loss to
effectively resume active, productive lives, but standards of
care for persons with limb loss have not been developed, nor
have clinical outcomes research been conducted to determine
appropriate access to advanced technologies and the importance
of related physical rehabilitation and therapy to improve
performance among persons who utilize prosthetic devices. The
Committee urges NICHD to enhance research efforts in this area
through all available mechanisms, as appropriate, including a
consensus conference. The Committee also urges NICHD to support
the development and distribution of patient oriented
information and guidance materials in collaboration with CDC.
The Committee encourages the National Center for Medical
Rehabilitation Research to continue its work in clinical trials
to test the efficacy of medical rehabilitation techniques for
stroke rehabilitation and a clinical trial network for brain
injury research; regeneration of nerve and skin cells damaged
from trauma, including ``tissue engineering'' for amputees and
neuron growth related to stroke or spinal cord injury; and
medical rehabilitation interventions for the treatment of
pediatric trauma. The Committee also encourages the Center to
research and develop assistance technologies that enhance the
function and independence of persons with mobility and other
functional limitations.
Neurofibromatosis.--Learning disabilities occur with high
frequency in children with Neurofibromatosis (NF). NF1 provides
an opportunity to uncover a molecular basis for cognitive
impairment and to identify a marker for brain dysfunction.
Research in understanding the cognitive deficits of NF1
patients possesses broad application to learning disabilities
in the general population. NICHD is encouraged to enhance its
NF research portfolio, coordinate its efforts with other
Institutes engaged in NF research, and be prepared to report on
the status of its NF research at its fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing.
Pediatric Kidney Disease.--Despite scientific advances,
kidney disease continues to be a major cause of illness and
death among young people. NICHD is encouraged to enhance
research on the understanding and treatment of congenital
diseases and kidney malformations which lead to chronic renal
failure and end-stage renal disease in children and
adolescents, as well as the prevention and treatment of the
adverse effects of chronic renal failure on neurologic and
physical development in children.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and Incontinence.--The Committee
commends NICHD on the progress made in establishing a research
effort/portfolio in pelvic floor dysfunction and incontinence.
The Committee understands that a workshop has been held in
clinical terminology and that two request for applications will
be issued this spring to address translational and clinical
research, specifically surgical interventions. The Committee
urges NICHD to continue this research and collaborate with
NIDDK, NIA, and the Office of Research on Women's Health.
Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases.--The Committee
continues to be pleased with the comprehensive commitment that
NICHD has demonstrated in addressing primary immunodeficiency
diseases. The combination of peer-reviewed research funded in
collaboration with non-profit organizations and active
participation with the Jeffrey Modell Foundation's national
education and awareness campaign show a serious commitment that
should be replicated by other Institutes. The Committee
encourages NICHD to remain committed to this collaboration.
Reading Development.--The final report of the National
Reading Panel has made a significant contribution by making
widely accessible rigorous research-based evidence on reading
development, reading difficulties, and reading instruction. The
Committee encourages NICHD to lead the effort to get this
report disseminated to teachers, school administrators,
parents, and educational policymakers throughout the Nation.
The Committee commends NICHD for the leadership
contributions it has provided to the Interagency Educational
Research Initiative undertaken with the Office of Educational
Research, Statistics, and Improvement (OERI) at the Department
of Education, and the National Science Foundation. The
Institute is encouraged to continue its participation and
leadership in this promising joint effort.
The Committee is pleased to learn of the progress being
made in the Spanish-to-English Reading Initiative launched by
NICHD and OERI and looks forward to receiving a status report
on the research funded by this effort at the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.--The Committee is pleased
with NICHD's continued efforts to extend the reach of its
extremely successful ``Back to Sleep'' campaign to underserved
populations and daycare providers. The Committee also commends
NICHD's attempts to further progress in SIDS research by
initiating a third SIDS five-year research plan. This third
five-year plan will continue the efforts of the past two five-
year plans which have been responsible for many of the research
breakthroughs in the effort to reduce SIDS cases in the United
States.
Women's Reproductive Health Research Career Development
Centers.--The Committee commends NICHD for providing grants to
establish a number of Women's Reproductive Health Research
Career Development Centers within ob-gyn departments at various
universities and hospitals. At these Centers, newly trained ob-
gyn clinicians are provided training and support to assist them
in pursuing research careers to address problems in women's
obstetric and gynecologic health. NICHD is encouraged to expand
the Centers program.
national institute on drug abuse
The Committee provides $788,201,000 for the National
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which is $100,825,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $62,734,000 above the
Administration request; however, due to limited funding within
the allocation, funding increases in the bill are constrained
to the amount proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--NIDA-supported science addresses questions about
drug abuse and addiction, which range from its causes and
consequences to its prevention and treatment. NIDA research
explores how drugs of abuse affect the brain and behavior and
develops effective prevention and treatment strategies; the
Institute works to ensure the transfer of scientific data to
policy makers, practitioners, and the public.
Centers for Drug Abuse Research and Treatment.--The
Committee commends NIDA for its strategy of developing and
establishing centers for drug abuse research and treatment
around the country. Consideration should be given to locating
one or more centers in areas where drug trafficking, the
production of illegal drugs such as methamphetamine, and drug
abuse is more prevalent.
Clinical Trials.--The Committee commends NIDA for launching
the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network. By
providing a national research infrastructure to test and
disseminate new and improved behavioral and pharmacological
treatments in real-life treatment settings, the Institute is
improving the quality of drug treatment across the country.
Neuroimaging and Drug Abuse.--The sophisticated research
questions now being probed by NIDA-supported researchers
require advanced state-of-the-art technologies. The Committee
commends NIDA for applying the rapidly developing neuroimaging
technologies to research in drug abuse treatment and prevention
to gain a better understanding of the human brain's underlying
circuitry and mechanisms. NIDA is encouraged to expand these
research efforts.
national institute on aging
The Committee provides $790,299,000 for the National
Institute on Aging (NIA), which is $102,438,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $64,350,000 above the
Administration request; however, due to limited funding within
the allocation, funding increases in the bill are constrained
to the amount proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The NIA conducts biomedical, behavioral, and
social research related to the aging process to prevent disease
and other problems of the aged, and to maintain the health and
independence of older Americans.
Alzheimer's Disease.--An estimated four million Americans
now suffer with Alzheimer's disease and by the time the ``baby
boomer'' generation reaches the age of greatest risk, as many
as 14 million persons will be afflicted. The disease has a
significant impact on the Nation's health care system, which
will only be exacerbated as the population ages. NIA has
launched large-scale clinical trials in search of compounds
that will prevent Alzheimer's disease from taking hold. The
Committee urges NIA to devote additional resources to this
effort. The Committee also encourages NIA to enhance research
into the relationship between Alzheimer's and vascular disease,
particularly in minority populations and to work in close
collaboration with NINDS, NIMH, and NINR. The Committee
encourages NIA to enhance efforts to train and educate health
care professionals to improve the diagnosis, treatment and
prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
Bone Diseases.--The Committee encourages NIA to coordinate
research with NIAMS on osteoporosis and Paget's disease. The
Committee also encourages NIA to study the effects of aging on
people with Osteogenesis Imperfecta.
Cardiovascular Aging Research.--Heart attack, congestive
heart failure, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases remain
the number one killer of older men and women and a main cause
of disability. The Committee encourages the Institute to
support ongoing studies and expand into innovative intramural
and extramural cardiovascular disease research programs.
Demographic Research.--The research program on the
demography and economics of aging provide important insights
into changing risk factors for chronic disease, including
socio-economic health inequalities, and disease processes at
the population level. The Committee understands that ten
Demography of Aging Centers were competitively renewed last
year and encourages the Institute to provide an adequate level
of support for the Centers as well as for the Health and
Retirement Study.
Parkinson's Disease.--Parkinson's disease continues to
exact a costly toll on the nation, both in human and financial
terms. With the average age of diagnosis at 57 years, the
demographic surge known as the baby boomers will vastly
increase this problem. The Committee is encouraged, however, by
the continued discoveries in the cause, pathophysiology, and
treatment of the disease and by the growing opportunities for
collaboration with Alzheimer's disease. Given the age-related
impact and the potential for development of more effective
treatments, the Committee urges the Institute to use all
available mechanisms, as appropriate, to increase funding to
implement the Parkinson's-focused research agenda
recommendations.
national center for research resources
The Committee provides $832,027,000 for the National Center
for Research Resources (NCRR), which is $156,973,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $117,835,000 above the
Administration request; however, due to limited funding within
the allocation, funding increases in the bill are constrained
to the amount proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The NCRR develops and supports critical research
technologies and shared resources that underpin biomedical
research. The NCRR programs develop a variety of research
resources; provide resources for complex biotechnologies,
clinical research and specialized primate research; develop
research capacity in minority institutions; and enhance the
science education of pre-college students and the general
public. The Committee places a special emphasis on programs
such as the Research Centers in Minority Institutions and urges
their continued support at levels commensurate with the
importance of their mission.
Animal Research Facilities.--The Committee encourages NCRR
to work with minority health professions schools to upgrade
their animal research facilities in an effort to assist them in
complying with Federal laws and regulations and receive
accreditation by the appropriate scientific accreditation
organization.
Extramural Facilities.--The Committee has included bill
language identifying $75,000,000 in extramural biomedical
facility renovation and construction, which is the same as the
fiscal year 2000 level and $2,500,000 above the Administration
request. These funds are to be awarded competitively,
consistent with the requirements of section 481A of the Public
Health Service Act, which allocates 25 percent of the total
funding to institutions of emerging excellence. The Committee
commends NCRR for taking a more proactive role in fulfilling
this requirement.
General Clinical Research Centers.--The Committee is
concerned about the number of physician-scientists leaving
biomedical research careers. The General Clinical Research
Centers program provides regional access to clinical research
patients to foster opportunities for clinical investigators to
translate basic science discoveries into care for patients. The
Committee strongly urges NCRR to enhance its support of General
Clinical Research Centers, through all available mechanisms, as
appropriate, in such areas as the training of clinical
investigators, implementing the newly established guidelines
for Informatics, providing support for Centers to conduct pilot
studies, and enhancing patient access to clinical research. The
Committee also strongly urges NCRR to continue progress toward
funding the Centers at Advisory Council approved levels.
Institutional Development Awards.--The Institutional
Development Awards (IDeA) program provides capacity building
assistance for biomedical research efforts in States which have
not previously participated fully in the research programs of
the NIH. It is the Committee's intention to provide
$100,000,000 for this program, if the conference agreement
includes a 15 percent increase in total funding for NIH. These
funds would be used to enhance efforts in this area so that
States can more fully exploit the opportunities to develop a
competitive biomedical research base. Included in this amount
are funds to continue the Centers of Biomedical Research
Excellence program as well as funds for NIH to work with each
of the IDeA states to bring together the institutions within
that State to establish networks which, over a number of years
of support can identify areas of strength and enhance
capability of submitting research grant applications in those
areas as well as to foster collaborations to enhance training
of the next generation of researchers and to develop areas of
potential research through staff development, access to
research resources, and strengthened research management within
institutions.
Primate Centers.--The Committee is pleased with the
addition of an eighth Regional Primate Research Centers during
fiscal year 1999. The Center will complement existing Centers
by providing expertise in primate genetics and chronic disease
research and by strengthening the current programs capabilities
in infectious disease research. The Committee strongly urges
NCRR to enhance its funding support for this Center.
Regional Resource Centers.--The Committee understands that
NCRR plans to fund regional resource centers for the purpose of
supplying human islet cells for researchers. The Committee
commends NCRR for this initiative.
national eye institute
The Committee provides $514,673,000 for the National Eye
Institute (NEI), which is $64,572,000 above the fiscal year
2000 comparable level and $40,721 above the Administration
request; however, due to limited funding within the allocation,
funding increases in the bill are constrained to the amount
proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The NEI conducts and supports basic and clinical
research, research training, and other programs with respect to
blinding eye diseases, visual disorders, mechanisms of visual
function, preservation of sight, and the special health
problems and needs of individuals who are visually-impaired or
blind. In addition, the NEI is responsible for the
dissemination of information, specifically public and
professional education programs aimed at the prevention of
blindness.
Diabetic Retinopathy.--The Committee supports the diabetic
retinopathy research that NEI is sponsoring, including the
study of molecular pathways involved in the progression of the
disease, and the use of this information to develop novel
therapies. The Committee encourages NEI to continue its efforts
in these areas to decrease the burden of this disease.
Health Disparities.--The Committee encourages NEI to
continue its clinical research and health education activities
aimed at reducing the disproportionate burden of certain eye
diseases on minority populations. The Committee is pleased that
NEI is making strides in characterizing eye diseases within the
Hispanic population. NEI is also conducting a clinical trial to
help determine whether topical medications that reduce
intraocular pressure, prevent or delay the onset of glaucoma.
Low Vision.--The Committee commends the low vision
initiative developed by the National Eye Health Education
Program. Through this public awareness program that includes a
traveling exhibit and information on visual rehabilitation
services and devices, the NEI is providing important
information to consumers and health professionals about
successful interventions for the more than 14 million Americans
with uncorrectable visual impairments.
New Pharmaceuticals.--The Committee requests that the
Director of the Institute be prepared to testify at the fiscal
year 2002 appropriations hearing on the amount of funding spent
on research for new pharmaceuticals.
Ocular Albinism.--Ocular Albinism (OA) is an x-linked
genetic disorder affecting only male individuals, while females
may be healthy carriers of the disease. Affected patients show
nystagmus, strabismus, photophobia, severe reduction of visual
acuity, and loss of three-dimensional vision due to abnormal
development of the retina and optic pathways. The Committee
encourages NEI to enhance research into the function of the OA1
protein and potential treatments and cure for this genetic
disease.
Retinal Degenerative Diseases.--The Committee is encouraged
by the progress that has been made in understanding retinal
degenerative diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa and
macular degeneration. The Committee supports the Institute's
pursuit of basic research areas including studies of mechanisms
of cell survival and regeneration, growth factors, and
immunologic issues related to transplantation. NEI is
encouraged to work with voluntary organizations that are also
supporting research in this area to maximize research outcomes
and hasten the pace of discovery.
Vision Research.--The Institute's strategic planning
process has resulted in some very promising recommendations for
genomics research, including the creation of a visual web-site
encompassing the full array of databases and resources needed
by the vision community. The Committee encourages NEI to
continue to use its planning process and focused workshops to
stimulate research strategies and to implement them with
adequate resources to the research community.
national institute of environmental health sciences
The Committee provides $506,730,000 for the National
Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS), which is
$64,042,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$38,081,000 above the Administration request; however, due to
limited funding within the allocation, funding increases in the
bill are constrained to the amount proposed in the
Administration request.
Mission.--The NIEHS mission is to reduce the burden of
environmentally related illness and dysfunction by
understanding how environmental exposures affect health, how
individuals differ in their susceptibility to these effects,
and how these susceptibilities change over time. This mission
is achieved through multidisciplinary biomedical research
programs, prevention and intervention efforts, and
communication strategies that encompass training, education,
technology transfer, and community outreach.
Breast Cancer.--Three of four women who are diagnosed with
breast cancer have no family history of the disease and it is
not known how factors such as air and water quality,
pesticides, diet, or electromagnetic fields affect a woman's
chance of getting the disease. The Committee urges NIEHS to
enhance its research efforts into the environment's role in the
development of breast cancer.
Children's Health.--The Committee is pleased that NIEHS, in
collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
is supporting eight children's health centers focused on
environmental aspects of asthma and other respiratory diseases.
The Committee encourages NIEHS and EPA to support additional
centers with a focus on disease endpoints in children.
Environmental Stewardship.--The Committee encourages NIEHS
to continue its work to advocate environmental stewardship in
biomedical research laboratories and clinical research
facilities nationwide. These efforts are important to prevent
environmental pollution and to improve energy efficiency.
Health Disparities Outcomes.--Many of the populations
disproportionately exposed to the impact of environmental
factors are minority and disadvantaged groups. This exposure
manifests itself into a variety of health problems such as
asthma. The environmental justice programs of the NIEHS serve
as models in addressing this issue. The Committee urges the
Institute to continue this program and encourages the Institute
to work closely with minority communities and organizations to
enhance the participation of special populations in biomedical
research.
Lymphoma.--The Committee encourages NIEHS to collaborate
its research efforts with NCI, through participation in the
progress review group, to better understand environmental
factors that may contribute to the cause of the disease.
Marine Systems.--Marine systems and processes impact public
health in a variety of ways, including natural disasters,
waterborne diseases, and toxic algal blooms. The Committee
encourages NIEHS to collaborate with other relevant agencies
such as the National Science Foundation to pursue research that
would lead to a better understanding of the role of oceans in
human health.
National Occupational Research Agenda.--The Committee
encourages NIEHS to work with the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health to enhance research in relevant
National Occupational Research Agenda Priority areas such as
Indoor Environment, Fertility and Pregnancy Abnormalities,
Hearing Loss, Mixed Exposures, Emerging Technologies, Cancer
Research Methods, exposure Assessment Methods, Risk Assessment
Methods, and Special Populations at Risk.
Parkinson's Disease.--The Committee supports the
Institute's increased emphasis on understanding the cause and
pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease with the goal of
prevention, effective treatment, and a cure for this
devastating disorder. A scientific foundation exists for
research into the possible link between Parkinson's and
environmental factors to better understand the cause and
pathophysiology of the disease. The Committee encourages NIEHS
to enhance research in this area to implement the Parkinson's-
focused research agenda recommendations.
Red Tide.--The Committee encourages NIEHS to support
research on the human effects of accumulation, metabolism, and
depuration of algal toxins and cynaobacteria toxins in lakes,
rivers, and estuaries.
Training of Pediatricians.--The Committee heard testimony
about the need to train pediatricians about the impact of
environmental toxins on children's health. The Committee
believes this is an important recommendation and urges NIH to
study the feasibility of implementing such a program. NIEHS
should be prepared to provide a status report on this issue at
the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL AND SKIN DISEASES
The Committee provides $400,025,000 for the National
Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
(NIAMS), which is $50,545,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $31,313,000 above the Administration
request; however, due to limited funding within the allocation,
funding increases in the bill are constrained to the amount
proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The NIAMS conducts and supports basic and
clinical research and research training, and the dissemination
of health information on the more than 100 forms of arthritis;
osteoporosis and other bone diseases; muscle biology and muscle
diseases; orthopaedic disorders, such as back pain and sports
injuries; and numerous skin diseases.
Childhood Skeletal Malignancies.--There is a need to
conduct clinical outcome assessments of children with skeletal
cancers. While mortality rates have improved among children
with these tumors, little is known of the long-term effects and
risks associated with various treatment options. The Committee
encourages NIAMS to enhance research into the effects of
treatment protocols on the health of persons treated as
adolescents for skeletal cancers.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.--Duchenne muscular dystrophy
remains the most common childhood form of muscular dystrophy.
The Committee is encouraged by the recent scientific workshop
to explore promising research efforts in this field. The
Committee encourages NIAMS to build on this promising research
and collaborate with other Institutes to develop an enhanced
focus on muscle disease research and finding a cure for this
tragic disease through all available mechanisms, as
appropriate, including establishing a muscle study section
whose members would have both knowledge of muscle tissue
structure and function, and technical expertise on
pathophysiology, biochemistry, and genetics.
Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue.--The Committee
acknowledges NIAMS for its support of research on heritable
disorders of connective tissue, for its sponsorship of two
conferences held on this body of disorders in 1990 and 1995,
and for the upcoming Scientific Conference. These disorders are
rare; they involve a variety of organs in the body, are genetic
in origin, and affect the connective tissue. Because of their
multi-organ character, the Committee believes a coordinated
research approach will more quickly lead to development of
effective therapies and perhaps ultimately a cure for these
disorders. NIAMS is encouraged to use all available mechanisms,
as appropriate, to enhance efforts in this area, including
establishing scientific research centers.
Lupus.--Lupus is an autoimmune disease that mainly affects
women of child-bearing age, can lead to severe organ injury,
and the treatment is often as devastating as the disease.
African-American women are three times more likely to have
lupus than Caucasian women. The Committee is encouraged by
recent NIAMS research success in identifying genes and
mechanisms which lead to the onset of lupus and urges enhanced
research to continue this work. Gaining understanding of the
factors associated with the high prevalence of lupus in women
and minorities and developing new and innovative treatments
while protecting the poor and the uninsured from financial
devastation are important priorities for the Committee. The
Committee encourages NIAMS, in collaboration with other
Institutes to enhance research efforts at developing safer and
more effective treatments, and ultimately, a cure.
National Occupational Research Agenda.--The Committee
encourages NIAMS to work with the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health to enhance research in relevant
National Occupational Research Agenda priority areas such as
Allergic and Irritant Dermatitis, Low Back Disorders, Traumatic
Injuries, Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Upper Extremities,
and Special Populations at Risk.
Osteoporosis.--The Committee encourages NIAMS to enhance
research in the area of osteoporosis with a particular emphasis
on studying osteoporosis in the non-white population. The
Institute is encouraged to focus on interventions to improve
quality of life and the relationship between hypertension and
osteoporosis.
Paget's Disease.--The Committee is aware of the importance
of research on the viral and genetic factors that may cause
Paget's disease and encourages NIAMS to enhance efforts in this
area.
national institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism
The Committee provides $349,216,000 for the National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which is
$55,982,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$40,555,000 above the Administration request; however, due to
limited funding within the allocation, funding increases in the
bill are constrained to the amount proposed in the
Administration request.
Mission.--The NIAAA supports research to generate new
knowledge to answer crucial questions about why people drink;
why some individuals are vulnerable to alcohol dependence or
alcohol-related diseases and others are not; the relationship
of genetic and environmental factors involved in alcoholism;
the mechanisms whereby alcohol produces its disabling effects,
including organ damage; how to prevent alcohol misuse and
associated damage and how alcoholism treatment can be improved.
NIAAA addresses these questions through a program of
biomedical, behavioral, and epidemiologic research on
alcoholism, alcohol abuse, and related problems. This program
includes various areas of special emphasis such as medications
development, fetal alcohol syndrome, genetics, and moderate
drinking.
Alcohol-Induced Liver Disease.--A high percentage of deaths
from cirrhosis are due to alcohol. The Committee encourages
NIAAA to continue its work on the role of tumor necrosis
factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and with gene knockouts which holds
promise for development of interventions to mitigate or disrupt
the liver-damaging effects of TNF-alpha.
Biological Basis for Recovery.--Alcohol researchers have
the initial data to begin to explore the biology of why some
patients are able to recover from alcoholism, while others
fail. The Committee encourages NIAAA to enhance research in
this area and to apply its findings to develop interventions
that promote recovery through all available mechanisms, as
appropriate, including clinical trials.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.--Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a
leading preventable cause of mental retardation and birth
defects in the United States. Educating women about the danger
that maternal alcohol consumption poses to unborn children is
important in the effort to prevent FAS. The Committee is
pleased with the efforts of NIAAA to begin implementing a plan
to establish a FAS clearinghouse.
Minority and Ethnic Groups.--NIAAA is commended for its
efforts to increase participation of minority-serving
institutions in alcohol research. The Committee encourages the
Institute to continue research on the prevention and treatment
of alcohol-use disorders among minority groups and,
particularly, to continue research on the genetic differences
in alcohol dependence among ethnic groups.
Neuroscience.--Research on the biological mechanisms that
underlie neuroadaptation may result in the development of
improved interventions, such as medications, for the treatment
of alcoholism. The Committee commends NIAAA for laying the
groundwork to overcome barriers to research on neuroadaptive
responses to alcohol by establishing the integrative
neuroscience initiative on alcoholism and will follow its
progress.
national human genome research institute
The Committee provides $386,410,000 for the National Human
Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), which is $50,548,000 above
the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $28,670,000 above the
Administration request; however, due to limited funding within
the allocation, funding increases in the bill are constrained
to the amount proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The NHGRI coordinates extramural research and
research training for the NIH component of the Human Genome
Project, an effort to determine the location and sequence of
the estimated 100,000 genes which constitute the human genome.
The Division of Extramural Research supports research in
genetic and physical mapping, DNA sequencing and technology
development, database management and analysis, and studies of
the ethical, legal, and social implications of human genome
research. The Division of Intramural Research focuses on
applying the tools and technologies of the Human Genome Project
to understanding the genetic basis of disease and developing
DNA-based diagnostics and gene therapies.
Diabetes.--The Committee urges NHGRI, in collaboration with
NIDDK and NICHD, to enhance research to identify the genes
associated with juvenile, or Type I, diabetes. The Director of
the Institute should be prepared to testify on this issue at
the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
Renal Genomics.--The Committee encourages NHGRI, in
collaboration with NIDDK, to explore the feasibility of
creating a kidney genome anatomy program.
national institute of dental and craniofacial research
The Committee provides $309,007,000 for the National
Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), which is
$39,822,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$24,832,000 above the Administration request; however, due to
limited funding within the allocation, funding increases in the
bill are constrained to the amount proposed in the
Administration request.
Mission.--The NIDCR conducts and supports research and
research training to improve craniofacial, oral and dental
health. The Institute's programs reflect the genetic,
behavioral and environmental factors that result in complex
human disease and are clustered into the following areas:
inherited disorders; infection and immunity; oral, pharyngeal
and laryngeal cancers; chronic and disabling conditions such as
bone and joint diseases and chronic pain; behavioral science,
epidemiology and health promotion; and tissue engineering and
biomimetics research to improve diagnostics and tissue repair
and regeneration.
Bone Diseases.--Osteoporosis and related bone diseases
affect millions of Americans. The Committee encourages the
Institute to enhance its research efforts to compare bone loss
in the oral cavity with bone loss elsewhere in the body. With
over 750 million dental x-rays performed in the U.S. each year,
there exists a source of information that may be useful to such
research. The Committee also encourages NIDCR to enhance
research on dentinogenesis imperfecta and orthodontic
manipulation in people with osteogenesis imperfecta.
Osseointegration.--The Committee urges NIDCR to support
research that would improve the structure of and materials used
in the production of implants, particularly surfaces and bio-
compatible materials.
Reducing Oral Health Disparities.--Scientific literature
shows the importance of craniofacial, oral, and dental health
in an individual's overall health as well as the
disproportionate burden on complex oral diseases on certain
groups of children and adults. The Committee commends NIDCR for
its collaboration with NICHD, NINR, ORWH, ORMH, OBSSR, HRSA,
and CDC in developing centers for research to reduce oral
health disparities and encourages the Institute to implement
this initiative to the fullest scientific extent possible.
national institute on deafness and other communication disorders
The Committee provides $301,787,000 for the National
Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
(NIDCD), which is $38,126,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $23,778,000 above the Administration
request; however, due to limited funding within the allocation,
funding increases in the bill are constrained to the amount
proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The NIDCD funds and conducts research in human
communication. Included in its program areas are research and
research training in the normal and disordered mechanisms of
hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech and language. The
Institute addresses special biomedical and behavioral problems
associated with people who have communication impairments or
disorders. In addition, the NIDCD is actively involved in
health promotion and disease prevention, dissemination of
research results, and supports efforts to create devices that
substitute for lost and impaired sensory and communication
functions.
Dysphonia.--The Committee continues to be pleased with
NIDCD's intramural research with respect to dysphonia and
encourages NIDCD to enhance its extramural research efforts.
Hearing Screening Research.--The Committee urges NIDCD to
enhance research on the efficacy of new screening techniques
through all available mechanisms, as appropriate, including
clinical studies on screening methodologies and studies on the
efficacy of intervention and follow-up and related research.
Neurofibromatosis.--NF2 accounts for approximately five
percent of genetic forms of deafness and, unlike other genetic
forms of deafness, NF2 associated deafness is potential
preventable or curable if tumor growth is halted before damage
has been done to the adjacent nerve. Conditional mutant mice
can be used to test the effectiveness of gene therapy for NF2,
which could be beneficial for all patients suffering from
meningiomas and other tumors. The Committee encourages NIDCD to
enhance its NF research and to coordinate its efforts with
other Institutes conducting NF research.
Research Collaborations.--The Committee recognizes the
benefits that are gained when research is conducted in a
collaborative effort, not only between Institutes and other
Federal agencies, but also in private sector partnerships. The
Committee is aware of the collaborative efforts NIDCD has with
the National Space Biomedical Research Institute and encourages
the Institute to continue such collaborations.
Translating Research to Practice.--NIDCD is encouraged to
enhance efforts to translate basic science into better human
health through all available mechanisms, as appropriate,
including patient-oriented clinical research trials.
national library of medicine
The Committee provides $256,281,000 for the National
Library of Medicine (NLM), which is $41,082,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $26,146,000 above the
Administration request; however, due to limited funding within
the allocation, funding increases in the bill are constrained
to the amount proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The National Library of Medicine collects,
organizes, disseminates, and preserves biomedical literature in
all forms, regardless of country of origin, language, or
historical period. The Library's collection is widely
available; it may be consulted at the NLM facility on the NIH
campus; items may be requested on interlibrary loan; and the
extensive NLM bibliographic databases may be searched online by
health professionals around the world. NLM has a program of
outreach to acquaint health professions with available NLM
services. The Library also is mandated to conduct research into
biomedical communications and biotechnology; to award grants in
support of health science libraries and medical informatics
research and training; and to create specialized information
services in such areas as health services research,
environmental health, AIDS, hazardous substances, and
toxicology.
Outreach.--The Committee continues to note the success of
the MEDLINE database and the new MEDLINEplus initiative and
encourages NLM to continue its outreach activities aimed at
educating health care professionals and the general public
about the Library's products and services, in coordination with
medical librarians and other health information specialists.
PubMed Central.--PubMed Central is an electronic online
repository for life science articles and holds promise for
increasing access to health care literature by health
professions, students, educators, researchers, and the general
public. The Committee encourages NLM to work with the medical
library community regarding issues related to copyright, fair
use, peer-review, and classification of information.
national institute of nursing research
The Committee provides $102,312,000 for the National
Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), which is $12,773,000
above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $9,788,000
above the Administration request; however, due to limited
funding within the allocation, funding increases in the bill
are constrained to the amount proposed in the Administration
request.
Mission.--The NINR supports and conducts scientific
research and research training to reduce the burden of illness
and disability; improve health-related quality of life; and
establish better approaches to promote health and prevent
disease.
National Occupational Research Agenda.--The Committee
encourages NINR to work with the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health to enhance research in relevant
National Occupational Research Agenda priority areas such as
Health Services Research, Special Populations at Risk, Low Back
Disorders, Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Upper Extremities,
and Fertility and Pregnancy Abnormalities.
Nursing Interventions for Psychiatric Populations.--There
is a lack of outcomes research focused on nursing interventions
for psychiatric populations. The Committee encourages NINR to
collaborate with NIMH and expand research in this area through
all available mechanisms, as appropriate, including sponsoring
a workshop to identify areas of research and interventions that
directly correlate to enhance patient care.
Pressure Ulcers.--Seventy-three percent of expenditures for
pressure ulcer treatment are for nursing care. Technology
developed through the SBIR program offer potential for treating
and preventing pressure ulcers in long-term care facility
patients. The Committee encourages NINR to advance research in
this area through all available mechanisms, as appropriate.
Web-Based Technology.--The use of computer technology has
the potential to improve the coordination and delivery of care
among persons with disabilities and severe chronic conditions
such as spinal cord injury, diabetes, and arthritis and reduce
transaction costs associated with traditional care delivery
mechanisms. The Committee encourages NINR to conduct research
in this area to demonstrate the effectiveness of an e-health
tool for nurse case managers.
john e. fogarty international center
The Committee provides $50,299,000 for the Fogarty
International Center (FIC), which is $6,971,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $2,288,000 above the
Administration request; however, due to limited funding within
the allocation, funding increases in the bill are constrained
to the amount proposed in the Administration request.
Mission.--The FIC was established to improve the health of
the people of the United States and other nations through
international cooperation in the biomedical sciences. In
support of this mission, the FIC pursues the following four
goals: mobilize international research efforts against global
health threats; advance science through international
cooperation; develop human resources to meet global research
challenges; and provide leadership in international science
policy and research strategies.
International Cooperative Biodiversity Group.--The
International Cooperative Biodiversity Group program has become
a leading model for ethical bioprospecting, promoting high
quality science in multi-purpose partnerships between U.S. and
developing country universities, pharmaceutical companies, and
non-governmental organizations. The Committee encourages FIC to
continue this program.
Tuberculosis.--The Committee recognizes the growing
importance of international research surveillance programs with
respect to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (TB). The
Committee is pleased by the Center's research collaboration
with international organizations and governments on multi-drug
resistant TB and encourages the Center to continue these
studies.
national center for complementary and alternative medicine
The Committee provides $78,880,000 for the National Center
for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), which is
$9,869,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$6,488,000 above the Administration request; however, due to
limited funding within the allocation, funding increases in the
bill are constrained to the amount proposed in the
Administration request.
Mission.--The Center was established to stimulate, develop,
and support rigorous and relevant research of high quality and
open, objective inquiry into the safety and effectiveness of
complementary and alternative medicine practices in order to
provide the American public with reliable information about
these practices.
Integrative Medicine Fellowships.--The Committee urges the
Center to give priority consideration to funding post-graduate
fellowships that train physicians in integrative medicine, that
support research on strategies for implementing the teaching of
integrative medicine in education curricula, and that support
efforts to design medical school curricula on integrative
medicine.
office of the director
The Committee provides $342,307,000 for the Office of the
Director (OD), which is $60,307,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $33,329,000 above the Administration
request; however, due to limited funding within the allocation,
funding increases in the bill are constrained to the amount
proposed in the Administration request. The bill includes
language proposed by the Administration and included in the
1998 through 2000 appropriations bill authorizing the
collection of third party payments for the cost of clinical
services.
Mission.--The Office of the Director provides leadership to
the NIH research enterprise and coordinates and directs
initiatives which cross-cut the NIH. The OD is responsible for
the development and management of intramural and extramural
research and research training policy, the review of program
quality and effectiveness, the coordination of selected NIH-
wide program activities, and the administration of centralized
support activities essential to operations of the NIH.
Minority Health Initiative.--The Minority Health Initiative
(MHI) is a coordinated set of programs designed to address the
health needs of minorities across the lifespan and to expand
the participation of minorities in all phases of biomedical and
biobehavioral research. The MHI comprises a portfolio of multi-
year research projects as collaborative efforts with NIH
Institutes, centers and divisions (ICDs) as well as new
components developed to confront emerging and unaddressed
health research areas. It is understood that the MHI has an
interest in supporting the improvement of animal research
facilities at minority health professions schools through the
NCRR
Office of Research on Minority Health.--The Office of
Research on Minority Health (ORMH) serves as the coordinating
office for minority health research and research training
activities at NIH. Through partnerships with the ICDs, and
other federal agencies and outside organizations, the ORMH
strives to improve the health status of all minorities and
increase the numbers of minority scientists. The ORMH provides
supplemental support to ICD projects, develops programs to
increase minority participation in clinical trials, and
initiates and develops programs to increase the competitiveness
of grant applications submitted by minority researchers.
Office of Research on Women's Health.--The Office of
Research on Women's Health (ORWH) works in collaboration with
the ICDs of the NIH to promote and foster efforts to address
gaps in knowledge related to women's health through the
enhancement and expansion of funded research and/or the
initiation of new investigative studies. The ORWH is
responsible for ensuring the inclusion of women in clinical
research funded by the ICDs, including the development of a
computerized tracking system and the implementation of new
guidelines on such inclusion. This Office is also involved in
promoting programs to increase the number of women in
biomedical science, and in the development of women's health as
a focus of medical/scientific research.
ORWH plays a critical role in assuring that women's health
and gender-based research are addressed in a systematic manner
throughout the NIH. The Committee urges NIH to continue to
bring appropriate focus to these issues through all available
mechanisms, as appropriate, including the BIRCWH program.
Office of AIDS Research.--The Office of AIDS Research (OAR)
is responsible for coordination of the scientific, budgetary,
legislative, and policy elements of the NIH AIDS research
program. The OAR develops a comprehensive plan for NIH AIDS-
related research activities which is updated annually. The plan
is the basis for the President's budget distribution of AIDS-
related funds to the Institutes, centers and divisions within
NIH. The Committee expects the Director of NIH to use this plan
and the budget developed by OAR to guide his decisions on the
allocation of AIDS funding among the Institutes. The Director
of NIH also should use the full authority of his office to
ensure that the ICDs spend their AIDS research dollars in a
manner consistent with the plan. In addition, the OAR allocates
an emergency AIDS discretionary fund to support research that
was not anticipated when budget allocations were made.
The Committee has included the same general provisions in
bill language that was contained in the 2000 appropriations
bill. This language permits the Director of OAR, jointly with
the Director of NIH, to transfer between ICDs up to three
percent of the funding determined by NIH to be related to AIDS
research. This authority could be exercised throughout the
fiscal year subject to normal reprogramming procedures, and is
intended to give NIH flexibility to adjust the AIDS allocations
among Institutes if research opportunities and needs should
change. The Committee also repeats language from last year's
bill making the research funds identified by NIH as being AIDS
related available to the OAR account for transfer to the
Institutes. This provision permits the flow of funds through
the OAR in the spirit of the authorization legislation without
requiring the Congress to earmark a specific dollar amount for
AIDS research.
Office of Dietary Supplements.--The Office of Dietary
Supplements (ODS) was established in recognition that dietary
supplements can have an important impact on the prevention and
management of disease and on the maintenance of health. ODS is
charged with promoting, conducting, and coordinating scientific
research within NIH relating to dietary supplements.
The Office is encouraged, in consultation with NCCAM, AHRQ,
and FDA to review the current scientific evidence on the safety
and efficacy of dietary supplements now on the market, which
could then form a basis for further research, education of
practitioners and consumers, and whether further regulatory
requirements are necessary.
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research.--The
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)
provides leadership and direction for the development of a
trans-NIH plan to increase the scope of and support for
behavioral and social science research and in defining an
overall strategy for the integration of these disciplines
across NIH institutes and centers; develops initiatives to
stimulate research in the behavioral and social sciences arena
and integrate a biobehavioral perspective across the research
areas of NIH; and promotes studies to evaluate the
contributions of behavioral, social and lifestyle determinants
in the development, course, treatment, and prevention of
illness and related public health problems.
Office of Rare Disease Research.--The Office of Rare
Disease Research (ORDR) was established in recognition of the
need to provide a focal point of attention and coordination at
NIH for research on rare diseases. ORDR works with Federal and
non-Federal national and international organizations concerned
with rare disease research and orphan products development;
develops a centralized database on rare diseases research; and
stimulates rare diseases research by supporting scientific
workshops and symposia to identify research opportunities.
Autism.--The Committee is pleased with the expansion that
has occurred in autism research and with the activities of the
NIH Autism Coordinating Committee. The Committee is also aware
of concerns that have been raised about reports of a possible
association between the measles component of the MMR vaccine
and a subset of autism termed autistic enterocolitis. The
Committee urges the NIH Coordinating Committee to give serious
attention to these reports and pursue appropriate research that
will permit scientific analysis and evaluation of the concerns
that have been raised through all available mechanisms, as
appropriate, including an attempt to replicate the molecular
evidence of persistent measles virus infection in children with
autistic entercolitis. This research should be pursued in a way
that does not cause undue harm to the Nation's efforts to
protect children against vaccine-preventable diseases.
Autoimmune Diseases.--The Committee commends the Director
for establishing a coordinating committee for autoimmune
disease research. Autoimmunity is at the root of 80
interrelated diseases affecting at least five percent of the
population. Autoimmune diseases also disproportionately affect
women.
Bioinformatics.--The biomedical community is increasingly
taking advantage of the power of computing, both to manage and
analyze data and to model biological processes. The Committee
commends NIH for pursuing its Biomedical Information Science
and Technology Initiative. This initiative is developing
innovative programs that will allow biomedical researchers to
make optimal use of information technology and develop cross-
disciplinary skills in biology, computation, and mathematics.
This initiative should take into account the contributions that
other agencies' programs have made, particularly that of the
Partnerships for Advanced Computational Infrastructure program.
Cancer in Ethnic Minorities and the Medically
Underserved.--The Committee continues to be concerned about the
disproportionately high incidence and/or mortality rates of
many cancers in ethnic minorities, rural poor, and other
medically underserved populations. The Committee encourages the
NIH to develop a strategic plan to address the recommendations
in the January 1999 Institute of Medicine study on this issue.
The Committee also encourages the NIH to enhance funding for
population, behavioral, socio-cultural, communications, and
community-based research; recruiting and training efforts to
attract more candidates from ethnic minority and medically
underserved populations in all areas of cancer research; cancer
data collection and management and interagency coordination of
data collection, and support for the NCI's SEER program.
Chimpanzees.--The Committee understands that NIH has
recently taken title to 288 chimpanzees from the Coulston
Foundation and is in the process of soliciting a contract for
the operation and maintenance of a chimpanzee long-term holding
facility located at the Holloman Air Force Base for the care of
these animals. The Committee strongly encourages NIH to make
sure that the grantee for this contract will provide adequate,
long-term care for these animals and is financially stable.
Further, the Committee hopes that NIH is close to finalizing a
plan for the long-term care of all chimpanzees used in NIH
research.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.--The Committee is pleased that
the Office of the Director has assumed management of Cronic
Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) activities. The Committee is concerned
by reported difficulties NIH has had in attracting extramural
scientists with established track records to the CFS research
field and urges NIH to continue its outreach efforts to public
and private scientists in the CFS field. NIH is encouraged to
focus on promising areas such as efforts to define etiology and
pathophysiology of the illness, identify diagnostic biomarkers,
and pediatric CFS.
Cigarette Smoking and Nicotine Research on Non-Human
Animals.--The Committee heard testimony that some cigarette
smoking and nicotine research being conducted on non-human
animals at NIH is duplicative and unnecessary. The Committee
understands the NIH must continue to support research on
smoking and nicotine in order to develop more effective methods
for preventing or modifying the illnesses from smoking both for
smokers and non-smokers and to develop better ways of helping
people eliminate or reduce their dependency on smoking. In
doing such research, the Committee urges NIH to carefully
review the use of non-human animals and only use them when
necessary.
Diabetes.--Diabetes remains a leading cause of early death
and disability. Because diabetes impacts so many different
parts of the body, the Committee urges the Director to work
with NIDDK to lead a trans-NIH approach to diabetes research,
including an effort to develop a vaccine to prevent juvenile,
or Type 1, diabetes. The Committee also urges the Director to
work with NIDDK, NICHD, and NHGRI to enhance efforts to
identify the genes associated with juvenile, or Type I,
diabetes as recommended by the Diabetes Research Working Group
report. The Committee requests that the Director be prepared to
provide a status of these efforts at the fiscal year 2002
appropriations hearing.
Endometriosis.--The Committee encourages NIH to enhance
research efforts into the cause and treatment of endometriosis,
a non-cancerous gynecological condition which affects between
two and four percent of the female population and causes severe
pain, infertility, scar tissue formation, and adhesions.
Facioscapularhumeral Muscular Dystrophy.--The Committee
commends NIH for initiating a joint research agenda for
facioscapularhumeral (FSH) muscular dystrophy between NINDS and
NIAMS. The Committee encourages NIH to enhance research efforts
in this area to address the recommendations of the FSH research
community.
Infectious Etiology of Chronic Diseases.--A number of
chronic human diseases are suspected to be caused by infectious
agents in conjunction with various hereditary, environmental,
or nutritional factors. While the Committee is pleased that a
number of Institutes are conducting or supporting studies in
this area to determine the scientific validity of such links,
the Committee urges the Director to establish trans-NIH
coordinating activities on infectious etiology of chronic
diseases to promote further opportunities for successful
research outcomes.
Lyme Disease.--The Committee encourages NIH to improve the
collaborative efforts of all Institutes involved in Lyme
disease research and outreach activities and to identify
appropriate NIH advisory committees for Lyme disease
representation and appoint qualified persons thereon. The
Committee also encourages NIH to include a broad range of
scientific viewpoints in the research planning process,
including those from community-based clinicians, voluntary
agencies, and patient advocates.
Microbicide Research.--The Committee urges the Director to
enhance microbicide research and development and in
coordination with OAR, NIAID, NICHD, NIMH, NIDA, and ORWH
expand basic research on the initial mechanisms of STD/HIV
infection, identify appropriate models for evaluating safety
and efficacy of microbial products, enhance clinical trials,
and expand behavioral research on use, acceptability, and
compliance with microbicides through all available mechanisms,
as appropriate. The Committee requests that the Director be
prepared to testify on the progress in this area at the fiscal
year 2002 appropriations hearing.
Native American Biomedical Research.--The Committee
encourages NIH to increase research efforts in the areas of
Native American biomedical research.
Parkinson's Disease.--The Committee is aware that NIH has
recently developed a Parkinson's-focused research agenda and
urges the Director to enhance research efforts in this area
through all available mechanisms, as appropriate. As the
science base develops, the Committee encourages NIH to
periodically revise and update the agenda, including the
funding projections, in close consultation with the research
community, clinicians, and patient advocates. The Committee is
pleased with the joint initiative of NIEHS and NINDS on
investigating environmental determinants of Parkinson's disease
and supports efforts by the Director to encourage further
collaboration among Institutes.
Pediatric Research.--The Committee urges NIH to continue to
strengthen and expand its portfolio of pediatric research
across all Institutes and establish priorities based on the
severity and impact of pediatric diseases and on the potential
for scientific breakthroughs. The Committee urges the Director
to continue to ensure that the Institutes involved in pediatric
research coordinate their efforts, with NICHD taking the lead,
in order to avoid duplication and maximize funding allocations.
The Committee encourages NIH to enhance research into the
therapeutic treatments for pediatric illnesses to understand
the impacts of traditional therapies on children and identify
new treatments. NIH is also encouraged to enhance research into
the impact of therapeutic agents on children as compared to
adults.
Peer Review Process.--The Committee has heard concerns that
the initial peer review groups tend to be dominated by
researchers from institutions and geographic areas that receive
relatively large shares of NIH funding rather than representing
the full breadth of the research community. In order to address
this concern, the Committee requests that the NIH staff who are
involved in the peer review of grant applications should seek
broadly, through various sources that, for example, search the
scientific and medical research literature, to identify
individuals who might serve on initial peer review groups.
These individuals could be given opportunities to serve as, and
be mentored on, the duties of peer reviewers for several review
cycles and then be appointed for full terms as warranted.
Regulatory Burden.--The Committee commends NIH and the
Department for its progress in reducing the regulatory burdens
imposed on Federally-supported scientists and the institutions
where they perform their research. The Committee is pleased to
see that an external advisory committee, reporting directly to
the NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research, has been
formed to address additional areas where regulatory reform may
be needed. The Committee is also pleased that NIH has begun to
implement recommendations made in the 1999 report, NIH
Initiative to Reduce Regulatory Burden.
The Committee is aware that the research community and
Federal agencies have commented favorably on proposals to
dedicate an uncapped portion of indirect costs as reimbursement
for the costs of complying with Federal regulatory mandates.
The Committee encourages the Deputy Director for Extramural
Research to conduct a workshop for representatives of the
extramural research community, Federal research-supporting
agencies, and Federal regulatory agencies to examine the
feasibility of requiring Federal agencies to determine what
impact proposed regulations would have on scientists and
institutions prior to implementation. The Committee requests
that the Director of NIH be prepared to provide a status report
on this issue at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
Religiousness and Health.--Given the religiousness of the
U.S. population, as well as the increasing amount of research
demonstrating the importance of religious commitment in
addressing chronic and serious illnesses, the NIH is encouraged
to enhance research in this area. This research may prove
helpful in reducing health care costs, increase longevity,
improve the quality of life for chronically and seriously ill
patients, and reduce risky lifestyles. Also, with some evidence
of the enhancement of longevity for those who regularly attend
church, synagogue, and mosque, it is useful to understand this
prevalent population factor in preventing and coping with
illnesses and improving the quality of life and clinical
outcomes. The Committee understands that these areas are part
of the NIH mind-body research agenda.
Urological Research.--The Committee remains concerned with
the degree of coordination of urologic research across the
various Institutes. While the Committee is pleased with the
creation of a special emphasis panel to review urology grant
applications, the Director of NIH is encouraged to consider
further steps to strengthen this research program to better
address unmet public health needs.
Women's Health and Gender-Based Biology.--NIH has
increasingly emphasized the importance of including women in
clinical trials and analyzing research results for gender-based
differences. The Committee urges NIH to continue its efforts to
include women in all aspects of research, including phase III
clinical trials. The Director should be prepared to provide a
progress report of its efforts in this area at the fiscal year
2002 appropriations hearing.
BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
The Committee provides $178,700,000 for buildings and
facilities, which is $53,324,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $29,800,000 above the Administration
request; however, due to limited funding within the allocation,
funding increases in the bill are constrained to the amount
proposed in the Administration request. In addition, the
Committee provides language to allow NIH to contract for the
full scope of phase I of the National Neuroscience Research
Center.
Mission.--The Buildings and Facilities appropriation
provides for the design, construction, improvement, and major
repair of clinical, laboratory, and office buildings and
supporting facilities essential to the mission of the National
Institutes of Health. The funds in this appropriation support
the 77 buildings on the main NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland;
the Animal Center in Poolesville, Maryland; the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences facility in Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina; and other smaller facilities
throughout the United States.
Essential Safety and Health Improvement.--This account
supports continued essential safety and health improvements to
maintain the clinical center; the continuation of the campus
infrastructure modernization program as well as programs for
power plant safety, asbestos abatement, fire protection and
life safety, the elimination of barriers to persons with
disabilities, safety and reliability upgrades at the Rocky
Mountain Laboratory, and indoor air quality improvement.
Repairs and Improvements.--Support is also provided for the
continuing program of repairs and improvements required to
maintain existing buildings and facilities.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
substance abuse and mental health services
The Committee provides a program level of $2,727,626,000
for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA), which is $75,758,000 above the fiscal
year 2000 comparable level and $95,390,000 below the
Administration request. Many programs funded in this account
are not authorized for fiscal year 2000.
SAMHSA is responsible for supporting mental health,
alcoholism, and other drug abuse prevention and treatment
services nationwide through discretionary knowledge development
and applied research grants and formula block grants to the
States. The agency consists of three principal centers: the
Center for Mental Health Services, the Center for Substance
Abuse Treatment, and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
The Office of the Administrator is responsible for overall
agency management.
Center for Mental Health Services
The Committee provides a total of $691,298,000 for the
Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), which is $59,874,000
above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $40,126,000
below the Administration request.
Knowledge development and application
The Committee provides $132,749,000 for the mental health
knowledge development and application (KDA) program, which is
$4,126,000 below the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$34,126,000 below the Administration request. The program
includes multi-state studies and other knowledge development
activities that identify the most effective service delivery
practices, knowledge synthesis activities that translate
program findings into useful products for the field, and
knowledge application projects that support adoption of
exemplary service approaches throughout the country. The
Committee has provided last year's funding level less the
amount earmarked for projects.
The Committee recognizes the role that the Minority
Fellowship program plays in training mental health
professionals to provide services to individuals who would
otherwise go untreated and urges SAMHSA to enhance its efforts
in this program through its three Centers.
It is estimated that eight to ten percent of men and women
admitted to jail have a mental illness, many of which have
committed minor, non-violent offenses directly related to lack
of service. Local programs to divert people with serious mental
illness into community-based services, including mental health,
substance abuse, and case management, have proven effective in
reducing contacts with criminal justice. The Committee
encourages SAMHSA to assist local jurisdictions, in
collaboration with States, to apply current knowledge about
effective interventions to meet the needs of adults with
serious mental illness who come in contact with the criminal
justice system. CMHS is encouraged to work collaboratively with
the Bureau of Justice Assistance at the Department of Justice.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents.
There is concern over data indicating that nearly one-in-three
Latina adolescents has seriously considered suicide, the
highest rate of any racial or ethnic group of girls and that
fewer treatment and prevention services reach this population
than any of their counterparts. The Committee urges CMHS to
strengthen community-based organizations and other entities
that provide innovative and culturally sensitive treatment and
prevention services to address the issue of teen suicide
through interventions and support services to those individuals
who are at risk.
Mental health performance partnerships
The Committee provides $416,000,000 for mental health
performance partnership grants, which is $60,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the same as the
Administration request. The performance partnerships provide
funds to States to support mental health prevention, treatment,
and rehabilitation services. Funds are allocated according to
statutory formula among the States that have submitted approved
annual plans. The Committee notes that the mental health
performance partnerships grant funding represents less than 2%
of total State mental health funding and less than 5% of State
community-based mental health services.
Children's mental health
The Committee provides $86,763,000 for the grant program
for comprehensive community mental health services for children
with serious emotional disturbance, which is $4,000,000 above
the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the same as the
Administration request. Funding for this program supports
grants and technical assistance for community-based services
for children and adolescents up to age 22 with serious
emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders. The program assists
States and local jurisdictions in developing integrated systems
of community care. Each individual served receives an
individual service plan developed with the participation of the
family and the child. Grantees are required to provide
increasing levels of matching funds over the five-year grant
period.
Grants to states for the homeless (PATH)
The Committee provides $30,883,000 for the grants to States
for the homeless (PATH) program, which is the same as the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $5,000,000 below the
Administration request. PATH grants to States provide
assistance to individuals suffering from severe mental illness
and/or substance abuse disorders and who are homeless or at
imminent risk of becoming homeless. Grants may be used for
outreach, screening and diagnostic treatment services,
rehabilitation services, community mental health services,
alcohol or drug treatment services, training, case management
services, supportive and supervisory services in residential
settings, and a limited set of housing services.
Protection and advocacy
The Committee provides $24,903,000 for the protection and
advocacy program, which is the same as the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $1,000,000 below the Administration
request. This funding is distributed to States according to a
formula based on population and income to assist State-
designated independent advocates to provide legal assistance to
mentally ill individuals during their residence in State-
operated facilities and for 90 days following their discharge.
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
The Committee provides a total of $1,844,716,000 for the
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), which is
$30,150,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$44,704,000 below the Administration request.
Knowledge development and application
The Committee provides $213,716,000 for the substance abuse
treatment knowledge development and application (KDA) program,
which is $850,000 below the fiscal year 2000 comparable level
and $44,704,000 below the Administration request. The program
supports activities of developing and field testing new
treatment models in order to facilitate the provision of
quality treatment services and service delivery. These
activities are undertaken in actual service settings rather
than laboratories and results are disseminated to State
agencies and community treatment providers. The goal is to
promote continuous, positive treatment service delivery change
for those people who use and abuse alcohol and drugs. The
Committee does not provide funding for projects that were
earmarked in the fiscal year 2000 appropriations bill.
The Committee is concerned that Federal resources may not
be reaching hard-to-serve populations, like the homeless, and
therefore has provided $10,000,000 to initiate grants to local
non-profit and public entities for the purpose of developing
and expanding substance abuse services for homeless persons.
Substance abuse performance partnerships
The Committee provides $1,631,000,000 for the substance
abuse performance partnership grants, which is $31,000,000
above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the same as the
Administration request. The substance abuse performance
partnerships provide funds to States to support alcohol and
drug abuse prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services.
Funds are allocated among the States according to a statutory
formula. State applications including comprehensive state plans
must be approved annually by SAMHSA as a condition of receiving
funds.
The Committee has modified bill language that was included
in the fiscal year 2000 appropriations bill to distribute the
block grant funding to the States so that no State's funding is
reduced below the fiscal year 2000 level.
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
The Committee provides a total of $132,742,000 for the
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, which is $7,082,000
below the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $2,487,000
below the Administration request. The Committee does not
provide funding for high-risk youth grants.
Knowledge development and application
The Committee provides $132,742,000 for the substance abuse
prevention knowledge development and application (KDA) program,
which is $7,082,000 below the fiscal year 2000 comparable level
and $2,487,000 below the Administration request. The program
identifies effective approaches in preventing substance abuse
and implements its primary mission in bridging the gap between
research and practice. The Committee has provided last year's
funding level less the amount earmarked for projects.
Program management
The Committee provides $58,870,000 for program management
activities, which is $184,000 below the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $1,073,000 below the Administration
request. The appropriation provides funding to coordinate,
direct, and manage the agency's programs. Funds are used for
salaries, benefits, space, supplies, equipment, travel and
overhead. The Committee has provided last year's funding level
less the amount earmarked for projects.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The Committee provides a total of $223,649,000 for the
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), which is
$24,850,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$26,294,000 below the Administration request. Included in this
amount is $123,669,000 in general funds and $99,980,000 in one
percent evaluation funding. The Administration proposed to
increase the Public Health Service evaluation set-aside from
one percent to 1.6 percent and fund the agency's request from
evaluation funding. The Committee did not approve this request.
The mission of the Agency is to generate and disseminate
information that improves the delivery of health care. Its
research goals are to determine what works best in clinical
practice; improve the cost-effective use of health care
resources; help consumers make more informed choices; and
measure and improve the quality of care. The Committee is
supportive of high quality, peer-reviewed research and supports
appropriate funding for investigator-initiated research within
the funding levels provided.
For Research on Health Costs, Quality, and Outcomes, the
Committee provides $180,299,000, which is $19,984,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $26,294,000 below the
Administration request. The Research on Health Costs, Quality,
and Outcomes program identifies the most effective and
efficient approaches to organize, deliver, finance, and
reimburse health care services; determines how the structure of
the delivery system, financial incentives, market forces, and
better information affects the use, quality, and cost of health
services; and facilitates the translation of research findings
for providers, patients/consumers, plans, purchasers, and
policymakers. It also funds research that determines what works
best in medical care by increasing the cost effectiveness and
appropriateness of clinical practice; supports the development
of tools to measure and evaluate health outcomes, quality of
care, and consumer satisfaction with health care system
performance; and facilitates the translation of information
into practical uses through the development and dissemination
of research databases.
The increase provided is to support the budget request for
enhancing patient safety. The recent Institute of Medicine
(IOM) report, To Err Is Human, estimated that between 44,000
and 98,000 people die each year due to medical errors. The
report concluded that many errors can be avoided or their
potentially harmful effects on patients minimized, if we can
learn enough from the errors that occur to understand how to
redesign the processes and systems of care to be safer. The
Committee provides an increase of $19,984,000 to support the
budget request for enhancing patient safety. The increase will
be used to initiate research that will further the
understanding of when, how, and under what circumstances errors
occur; identify the causes of errors; develop the tools, data,
and researchers needed to foster a national strategy to improve
patient safety; and work with public and private partners to
apply evidence-based approaches to the improvement of patient
safety. The Committee encourages the agency to take a
comprehensive approach to improving patient safety and to
include research into the causes and types of medical errors
that occur in emergency care settings as well as hospital
settings.
For Medical Expenditures Panel Surveys, the Committee
provides $40,850,000, which is $4,850,000 above the fiscal year
2000 comparable level and the same as the Administration
request. The entire amount provided is derived through the one
percent evaluation set-aside. The Medical Expenditures Panel
Surveys provide data for timely national estimates of health
care use and expenditures, private and public health insurance
coverage, and the availability, costs, and scope of private
health insurance benefits. This activity also provides data for
analysis of changes in behavior as a result of market forces or
policy changes on health care use, expenditures, and insurance
coverage; develops cost/savings estimates of proposed changes
in policy; and identifies the impact of changes in policy for
subgroups of the population.
For program support, the Committee provides $2,500,000,
which is $16,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level and the same
as the Administration request. This activity supports the
overall direction and management of the agency.
The Committee is pleased that AHRQ is conducting an
evidence-based research report on chronic fatigue syndrome
(CFS). The Committee encourages AHRQ to appoint qualified
clinicians, researchers, and advocates to its CFS advisory
committee and to include information from a variety of sources,
including, but not limited to, peer-reviewed medical
literature, clinical practice, and patient educational
materials when compiling evidence for its report.
As evidenced in the IOM report, fatigue and sleep
deprivation played a prominent role in the occurrence of
medical errors. The Committee urges AHRQ to support research on
fatigue, circadian rhythms, and sleep disorders and their
impact on human performance as part of its research effort on
the causes of medical errors and the effectiveness of programs
to address them.
The past three decades have seen the introduction of highly
effective drugs to prevent or treat a wide array of diseases
and disorders. However, there is growing concern about the
extent to which drugs and devices are used inappropriately.
Recent research has shown that adverse drug reactions are the
fourth leading cause of death in the United States among
hospitalized patients. The Committee is pleased that the agency
has initiated the Centers for Education and Research in
Therapeutics (CERT) and urges AHRQ to provide the necessary
funds to the CERT program. The agency is encouraged to
emphasize patient-oriented clinical pharmacology and assure
that translational research is fostered.
The agency is encouraged to examine the literature and
research that has been conducted on the use of hyperbaric
oxygen therapy as it relates to brain injury and stroke.
The Committee encourages the agency to examine the use of
telemedicine to allow critical care specialists to monitor
intensive care patients and the benefits it may provide to the
health care system.
The HIV Data Coordinating Center supports the participation
of HIV health care providers to create a public-use database
with information from providers' records for a large and
diverse sample of HIV-infected patients. This database is the
only study collecting extensive resource utilization data that
reflect the current state of HIV care delivery. The agency is
urged to continue its funding.
Creating a statewide repository of nurse staffing and
outcomes data would provide a standardized comparison of
nursing quality of a hospital against an aggregated benchmark
and identify best practices and innovative methods to deliver
nursing care. The agency is encouraged to examine this area, if
feasible.
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of age-related
vision loss in the United States. More than 10 million
Americans suffer from macular degeneration and millions more
experience vision impairment due to other age-related chronic
conditions, including diabetes retinopathy, glaucoma, and
cataracts. The Committee encourages AHRQ to conduct research
into models of care, its cost effectiveness, and the impact it
has on the quality of life for those with low vision
impairment.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health
issue resulting in 500,000 hospitalizations and 60,000 deaths
per year. There are approximately 1000 trauma centers in the
U.S., which acutely treat TBI and accordingly to recent surveys
more than two-thirds of these hospitals follow a variable
quality of care. A more uniform, evidence-based standard of
care for TBI will assure that optimal care is provided to all
patients and improve patient outcomes resulting in lowered
long-term care costs. The Committee encourages AHRQ to conduct
research to develop a uniform, scientific evidenced-based
standard of care for TBI patients in all trauma centers to
provide for a consistent base of care in which research on
therapeutic advances can be conducted.
Health Care Financing Administration
grants to states for medicaid
The bill provides $93,586,251,000 for the Federal share of
current law State Medicaid costs, which is $6,203,073,000 above
the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the same as the
Administration request. This amount does not include
$30,589,003,000, which was advance funded in the fiscal year
2000 appropriation. In addition, the bill provides an advance
appropriation of $36,207,551,000 for program costs in the first
quarter of fiscal year 2002. The bill also includes indefinite
budget authority for unanticipated costs in fiscal year 2000.
Federal Medicaid grants reimburse States for 50 to 83
percent (depending on per capita income) of their expenditures
in providing health care for individuals whose income and
resources fall below specified levels. Subject to certain
minimum requirements, States have broad authority within the
law to set eligibility, coverage, and payment levels. It is
estimated that 33.8 million low-income individuals will receive
health care services in 2000 under the Medicaid program. State
costs of administering the program are matched at rates that
generally range from 50 to 90 percent, depending upon the type
of cost. Total funding for Medicaid includes $469,054,000 for
the entitlement Vaccines for Children program. These funds,
which are transferred to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention for administration, support the costs of
immunization for children who are on Medicaid, uninsured or
underinsured and receiving immunizations at Federally qualified
health centers or rural health clinics. Indefinite authority is
provided by statute for the Vaccines for Children program in
the event that the current estimate is inadequate.
The Committee is pleased with HCFA's legislative proposal
to provide demonstration grants to States, through the Medicaid
program, to test innovative asthma disease management
techniques for children enrolled in Medicaid.
Payments to health care trust funds
The bill includes $70,381,600,000 for the Payments to the
Health Care Trust Funds account, which is $1,092,500,000 above
the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and the same as the
Administration request.
This entitlement account includes the general fund subsidy
to the Medicare Part B trust fund as well as other
reimbursements to the Part A trust fund for benefits and
related administrative costs which have not been financed by
payroll taxes or premium contributions. The amount provided
includes $151,600,000 for program management administrative
expenditures, which is the fiscal year 2001 estimate of the
general fund share of HCFA program management expenses. This
general fund share will be transferred to the Federal Hospital
Insurance Trust Fund to reimburse for the funds drawn down in
fiscal year 2001 from the trust fund to finance program
management.
The bill limits the amount HCFA can collect and spend for
the Medicare+Choice program to the authorized level of
$19,300,000, which is $75,700,000 below the fiscal year 2000
level and the same as the Administration request. The Balanced
Budget Act of 1997 authorized the collection of user fees from
managed care organizations to fund the Medicare+Choice
information campaign. In fiscal year 2000, these collections
were authorized at $100,000,000 and the appropriations bill
allowed $95,000,000 to be collected. The Balanced Budget
Refinement Act of 1999 limited Medicare+Choice user fee
collections to an amount based on the ratio of the average
number of beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare+Choice plans to
the average number of Medicare beneficiaries eligible to
receive Part A benefits and enrolled in Medicare Part B, which
is estimated to be $19,300,000. The Committee does not have the
discretionary funds available to provide additional funding for
this initiative.
Program management
The bill makes available $1,866,302,000 in trust funds for
Federal administration of the Medicare and Medicaid programs,
which is $127,032,000 below the fiscal year 2000 comparable
level and $220,000,000 below the Administration request.
Research, demonstration, and evaluation
The bill provides $55,000,000 for research, demonstration
and evaluation, which is $6,786,000 below the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and the same as the Administration request.
These funds support a variety of studies and demonstrations in
such areas as monitoring and evaluating health system
performance; improving health care financing and delivery
mechanisms; modernization of the Medicare program; the needs of
vulnerable populations in the areas of health care access,
delivery systems, and financing; and information to improve
consumer choice and health status.
New technology has been developed that would allow
physician to prescribe medications and transmit prescriptions
electronically. The Committee encourages HCFA to conduct a
demonstration project to compare system-related medication
error rates, system efficiencies, and cost-effectiveness
between the traditional prescription process involving
handwritten prescriptions and an automated prescription process
that employs electronic prescribing and prescription
transmission technologies.
Web-based technology has the potential to improve the
coordination and delivery of care among persons with
disabilities and severe chronic conditions such as spinal cord
injury, diabetes, and arthritis while also reducing transaction
costs associated with traditional care delivery mechanisms. The
Committee encourages HCFA to demonstrate the effectiveness of
an e-health tool for managed care nurse case managers in an
integrated application with online claims adjudication
capabilities which applies a prescription benefits manager to
medical equipment, supplies, and related products as currently
utilized for pharmaceuticals.
The Committee is concerned that although one in six people
over the age of 65 has a vision impairment, the Medicare
program has not been responsive to the needs of visually
impaired older adults, and coverage of low vision services is
inconsistent and inadequate. The Committee urges HCFA to study
the impact of vision loss on beneficiary health status and
health care costs, including but not limited to increased
lengths of hospital stay and a higher incidence of medication
errors in the treatment of visually impaired patients.
It is estimated that more than 400,000 children eligible
for Federal health care programs have undetected harmful levels
of lead in their blood. The Committee understands that HCFA has
revised its Medicaid screening and reimbursement policy for
childhood lead poisoning testing. The Committee urges HCFA to
monitor the impact of these policy changes and to take every
appropriate step to ensure that screening rates among children
enrolled in Medicaid are substantially increased. The Committee
also encourages HCFA to consider the development of new
screening technologies that have the potential to significantly
increase screening rates when evaluating its reimbursement
policy.
There is concern that brain injured patients, especially
those who are brain injured after the age of 22, are denied
access to rehabilitative services because of age rather than by
an assessment of the disability and projected progress and
outcome. The Committee encourages HCFA to conduct research in
an effort to resolve this inequity and provide a proper level
of services to all brain injured patients.
Malnutrition is a frequent complication of dialysis
patients, leading to increased likelihood of hospitalization
and higher mortality risk. An NIH consensus conference
recommended that nutrition therapy be made a part of treatment
for chronic renal disease. The Committee urges HCFA, in
collaboration with the National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases, to explore the feasibility of
investigating the efficacy of nutritional therapy for dialysis
patients. The Administrator should be prepared to provide a
status of this issue at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations
hearing.
The Committee encourages HCFA to conduct a demonstration to
evaluate the use of Medicaid reimbursement to analyze and
control lead hazards in the homes of lead-poisoned children
enrolled in Medicaid.
Medicare contractors
The bill includes $1,165,287,000 to support Medicare claims
processing contracts, which is $78,713,000 below the fiscal
year 2000 comparable level and $136,000,000 below the
Administration request. In addition, the bill includes language
limiting the amount from the Health Care Fraud and Abuse
Control Account to carry out the Medicare Integrity Program to
$630,000,000, which is the same as the fiscal year 2000 level.
Medicare contractors are responsible for paying Medicare
providers promptly and accurately. In addition to processing
claims, contractors also identify and recover Medicare
overpayments, as well as review claims for questionable
utilization patterns and medical necessity. Contractors also
provide information and technical support both to providers and
beneficiaries regarding the administration of the Medicare
program. In 2001, contractors are expected to process 918
million claims.
The Committee encourages HCFA to implement effective and
innovative educational programs for physicians and providers
through the Medicare Integrity Program (MIP). The Committee
also encourages HCFA to separate inadvertent billing errors
from actual fraud. Details concerning the types of billing
uncovered related to medical specialty, geographic region, and
particular coding issues are invaluable in designing an
effective educational program.
The Committee encourages HCFA to urge carriers to work with
the State medical societies and national medical specialty
societies to educate physicians about billing problems and to
help them understand how to address them in the future. The
Committee also urges HCFA to implement education efforts for
individual physicians when the carrier identifies that a
physician has a billing problem.
The Committee is aware that HCFA has assembled an internal
committee, the Physicians Regulatory Initiative Team (PRIT), to
review the multitude of rules, regulations, and instructions
with which physicians must comply in order to treat Medicare
patients. The Committee requests that the Administrator be
prepared to testify on the status of PRIT and its
recommendations at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
The Committee understands that HCFA will be restoring the
toll-free telephone lines that allow physicians to call their
local carrier for answers to billing and coding questions
regarding Medicare claims submissions. These toll-free lines
are an important error prevention tool. The Committee request
that the Administrator be prepared to testify on the status of
this initiative at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
State survey and certification
The bill includes $171,147,000 for State inspection of
facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, which
is $33,527,000 below the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and
$63,000,000 below the Administration request.
Survey and certification activities ensure that
institutions and agencies providing care to Medicare and
Medicaid beneficiaries meet Federal health, safety and program
standards. On-site surveys are conducted by State survey
agencies, with a pool of Federal surveyors performing random
monitoring surveys. Over 30,000 facilities are expected to be
reviewed in 2001.
Federal administration
The bill includes $474,868,000 to support Federal
administrative activities related to the Medicare and Medicaid
programs, which is $8,006,000 below the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $21,000,000 below the Administration
request.
The Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance
programs ensure the health care security of over 70 million
beneficiaries. The Federal Administration costs budget provides
funds for the staff and operations of HCFA to administer these
programs.
The Committee applauds HCFA's use of auditing of Medicare
providers as a means of reducing waste, fraud, and abuse in the
Medicare program. However, the Committee is concerned that some
provider audits are not resolved for as long as six months,
which places an undue financial and time burden on these
providers. The Committee requests that the Administrator be
prepared to testify as the fiscal year 2002 appropriations
hearing on the average time span of provider audits, how it can
expedite the auditing process, and what steps the
Administration has taken to improve this process.
There are concerns with recent changes in Medicare policy
on critical care physician work values. The Committee is aware
that HCFA and the medical community have made progress in
resolving the concerns and urges HCFA to continue working with
the medical community to bring issues surrounding critical care
to a successful resolution.
The Committee continues to be concerned about Medicare
policy with regard to coverage of drugs or biologicals
administered incident to a physician's service where the drug
is one that is not usually self-administered by the patient.
The Committee is aware that, in accordance with the Committee's
direction, HCFA recently released a program memorandum to
intermediaries and carriers. The Committee intends to monitor
the reestablishment of previous policy and expects this change
will result in coverage of life saving drugs for Medicare
beneficiaries. The Committee understands that HCFA is in the
process of implementing the directive to hold at least two
regional town hall meetings to give interested individuals,
patients, and organizations the opportunity to engage with HCFA
officials in a constructive dialogue on this issue.
In 1994, Congress enacted a statutory definition of the
term audiologist for the Medicare program, which relies
primarily on state licensure and registration as the mechanism
for identifying audiologists who are qualified to participate
in that program. The Committee urges HCFA to promulgate
regulations for the Medicaid program using the same definition
of audiologist that exists in the Medicare program.
The Committee is concerned about the lack of options
available to beneficiaries due to the few number of Medicare
HMO plans in certain areas. The Committee urges HCFA to study
the disparity of reimbursement rates in Sarasota, Charlotte,
and Manatee counties in Florida for Medicare HMO and identify
options to increase Medicare options for beneficiaries in the
area.
The Committee understands that HCFA is working to find an
alternative to the current population-based performance
measures used to recertify organ procurement organizations.
HCFA has contracted with the Harvard School of Public Health to
further validate a model developed by Harvard and the
Partnership for Organ Donation and plans to propose new
performance standards after reviewing the Harvard model and
AOPO's study. The Committee also understands that the Secretary
has the authority under section 1138(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-8(b)(1)(A)(i)) to extend the
period for recertification of an organ procurement organization
from 2 to 4 years. The Committee strongly urges the Secretary
to extend the recertification period until such time as new
performance measures are developed and implemented.
The Committee is aware that HCFA and the State of Arkansas
are in consultation on a Medicaid waiver granted in 1997 for
the ARKids First program. The Committee directs HCFA to work
with the State to resolve all issues related to this waiver and
provide the Committee with a status report by June 15, 2000.
The Committee will monitor these negotiations and take further
action, if necessary, as the bill moves through the
appropriations process.
The Committee is aware that in addition to Arkansas, other
states such as Wisconsin are currently negotiating waiver
requests with HCFA to extend health care coverage to uninsured
children and families. The Committee urges HCFA to resolve all
such requests as expeditiously as possible, without preference
to individual states, so that all states can move forward to
implement their programs on an equitable basis.
A provision was included in the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act to redesign the specialty
code system to alpha-numeric; however, implementation of this
new system could be years away. In the interim, to ensure that
pregnant women receive risk-appropriate care, the Committee
urges HCFA to work to create an interim two-digit specialty
code recognizing maternal-fetal medicine.
The Committee commends HCFA for issuing its June 1999
guidance letter to the States on the Program for Assertive
Community Treatment (PACT) for individuals with severe mental
illnesses. PACT is a successful evidence-based approach for
serving the most disabled, treatment resistant adults with
severe mental illnesses. The Committee encourages HCFA to
expand assistance to States in initiating PACT programs and
report back to the Committee on ways that Medicaid could be
improved to help foster development of such programs at the
State level.
Administration for Children and Families
PAYMENTS TO STATES FOR CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AND FAMILY SUPPORT
PROGRAMS
The Committee recommends $2,473,800,000 for the Child
Support Enforcement program, the same as the request. The bill
also provides $1,000,000,000 in advance funding for the first
quarter of fiscal year 2002 to ensure timely payments for the
child support enforcement program, the same as the request. The
bill continues to provide estimated funding of $23,000,000 for
Payments to Territories, the same as the comparable amount for
fiscal year 2000 and the budget estimate. The bill provides
$1,000,000 for the repatriation program, the same as the
request and the comparable amount provided for fiscal year
2000.
The Committee does not agree with the President's
recommendation to change the match rate for paternity testing
or to repeal the provision in statute that holds the States
harmless from receiving less than the fiscal year 1995 State
share of collections.
low-income home energy assistance
The Committee recommends an advance appropriation of
$1,100,000,000 for the fiscal year 2002 for the low-income home
energy assistance program (LIHEAP), the same as the budget
request and the same as the appropriation for fiscal year 2001
that was enacted in last year's appropriations act. The bill
also provides $300,000,000 as requested for LIHEAP for fiscal
year 2001 subject to Presidential submission to Congress of a
budget request designating the amount of the request as an
emergency for the purposes of the Budget Act.
The LIHEAP program provides assistance to low-income
households to help pay the costs of home energy. Funds are
provided through grants to States, Indian Tribes and
territories, and are used for summer cooling and winter
heating/crisis assistance programs.
refugee and entrant assistance
The bill provides $433,109,000 for refugee assistance
programs, an increase of $540,000 above the President's request
and an increase of $7,218,000 above the comparable fiscal year
2000 amount.
In addition, the bill provides the Office of Refugee
Resettlement (ORR) the authority to carry over unexpended funds
from fiscal year 2001 to reimburse the costs of services
provided through September 30, 2003. It is estimated that
approximately $20,000,000 will be available in fiscal year 2001
from carryover funds, and the Committee intends that these
funds be used under social services to increase educational
support to schools with a significant proportion of refugee
children and for the development of alternative cash assistance
programs that involve case management approaches to improve
resettlement outcomes. Such support should include intensive
English language training and cultural assimilation programs.
Transitional and medical services
The bill provides $225,176,000 for transitional and medical
services, the same as the request and $4,483,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 level. The bill continues the policy of
providing eight months of assistance to new arrivals. The
transitional and medical services program provides funding for
the State-administered cash and medical assistance program that
assists refugees who are not categorically eligible for AFDC or
Medicaid, the unaccompanied minors program that reimburses
States for the cost of foster care, and the voluntary agency
grant program in which participating national refugee
resettlement agencies provide resettlement assistance with a
combination of Federal and matched funds.
Social services
The bill provides $143,621,000 for social services, the
same as the fiscal year 2000 appropriation and $305,000 above
the budget request. Funds are distributed by formula as well as
through the discretionary grant making process for special
projects. The Committee agrees that $19,000,000 is available
for assistance to serve communities affected by the Cuban and
Haitian entrants and refugees whose arrivals in recent years
have increased. The Committee has set aside $26,000,000 for
increased support to communities with large concentrations of
refugees whose cultural differences make assimilation
especially difficult justifying a more intense level and longer
duration of Federal assistance. Finally, the Committee has set
aside $14,000,000 to address the needs of refugees and
communities impacted by recent changes in Federal assistance
programs relating to welfare reform. The Committee urges ORR to
assist refugees at risk of losing, or who have lost, benefits
including SSI, TANF and Medicaid, in obtaining citizenship.
Preventive health
The bill includes $4,835,000 for preventive health
services, the same as the fiscal year 2000 appropriation and
the request. These funds are awarded to the States to ensure
adequate health assessment activities for refugees.
Targeted assistance
The bill provides $49,477,000 for the targeted assistance
program, about the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount and the
request. These grants provide assistance to areas with high
concentrations of refugees.
Victims of torture
The bill includes $10,000,000 to provide a comprehensive
program of support for domestic centers and programs for
victims of torture. This is $235,000 above the budget request
and $2,735,000 above last year's level. Funds under this
program are appropriated to assist victims of foreign
governmental torture and are distributed to non-governmental
organizations specifically established to assist victims of
torture. This assistance should be limited to rehabilitation
and social services for victims of torture and to support
training of resettlement and health care workers on how to
assist torture victims.
child care and development block grant
The bill includes an advance appropriation of
$2,000,000,000 for the Child Care and Development Block Grant
program for fiscal year 2002, the same as the budget request.
The bill also includes an additional $400,000,000 in fiscal
year 2001 funding which would supplement the $1,182,672,000
that was advanced in last year's appropriations bill for this
program. This supplemental fiscal year 2001 funding is
$417,328,000 below the budget request for fiscal year 2001
supplemental funding.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant program was
originally enacted in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1990 to increase the availability, affordability and quality of
child care by providing funds to States, Territories and Indian
Tribes for child care services for low-income families. In the
1996 Welfare Reform Act, the block grant was reauthorized
through 2002. In addition, that Act contains additional
mandatory appropriations for child care in the amounts of
$2,367,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 and increasing amounts for
each year through 2002.
The Committee is concerned that the Department has not
identified specific, measurable performance standards
consistent with the requirements of the Government Performance
and Results Act for the Child Care Block Grant. The Committee
believes that it is essential for the Department to develop
specific, measurable outcomes for this program. Such data
should include meaningful baseline data and specific,
measurable improvements that are expected to occur as a result
of proposed increased funding.
social services block grant
The bill provides $1,700,000,000 for the social services
block grant (SSBG), $75,000,000 below the fiscal year 2000
appropriation and the same as the President's request, as
amended. This represents the full funding level that is
authorized for this program for fiscal year 2001 pursuant to
the provisions of P.L. 105-85, the Transportation Equity Act
for the 21st Century.
SSBGs are designed to encourage States to furnish a variety
of social services to needy individuals to prevent and reduce
dependency, help individuals achieve and maintain self-
sufficiency, prevent or reduce inappropriate institutional
care, secure admission or referral for institutional care when
other forms of care are not appropriate, and prevent neglect,
abuse and exploitation of children and adults.
Funds are distributed to the territories in the same ratio
such funds were allocated in fiscal year 1981. The remainder of
the appropriation is distributed to the States and the District
of Columbia according to population.
children and families services programs
The bill includes $7,231,253,000, an increase of
$402,262,000 over the fiscal year 2000 amount and $574,464,000
under the budget request. This account finances a number of
programs aimed at enhancing the well-being of the Nation's
children and families, particularly those who are disadvantaged
or troubled.
Head Start
The bill includes $5,667,000,000 for the Head Start program
for fiscal year 2001, an increase of $400,000,000 over the
fiscal year 2000 amount and $600,000,000 below the budget
request. Of this total, the Committee continues the policy
begun last year of advancing $1,400,000,000 of this account
into fiscal year 2002. This is the same as the budget request.
Head Start provides comprehensive development services for
children and their families. Intended for preschoolers from
low-income families, the program seeks to foster the
development of children and enable them to deal more
effectively with both their present environment and later
responsibilities in school and community life. Head Start
programs emphasize cognitive and language development,
emotional development, physical and mental health, and parent
involvement to enable each child to develop and function at his
or her highest potential. At least ten percent of enrollment
opportunities in each State are made available to handicapped
children.
Grants to carry out Head Start programs are awarded to
public and private non-profit agencies. Grantees must
contribute 20 percent of the total cost of the program; this is
usually an in-kind contribution. The Head Start Act does not
include a formula for the allotment of funds to local grantees;
however, it does require that 87 percent of the appropriation
be distributed among States based on a statutory formula. In
addition, grants, cooperative agreements and contracts are
awarded in the areas of research, demonstration, technical
assistance and evaluation from the remaining 13 percent.
The Committee is concerned about the effect of sleep apnea
and snoring and the effect of sleep deprivation on children.
The Committee encourages the Head Start Bureau to examine
research focusing on the relationship between sleep apnea in
children and learning difficulties.
Runaway and homeless youth
The bill includes $64,155,000 for runaway and homeless
youth activities, the same as the amount available for fiscal
year 2000 and $10,000,000 less than the budget request.
The bill follows the structure of P.L. 106-71, the Missing,
Exploited, and Runaway Children Protection Act of 1999, which
consolidates the authorization for the current Runaway and
Homeless Youth, Transitional Living for Homeless Youth, and the
Drug Education and Prevention for Runaway and Homeless Youth
programs into a single funding stream, while retaining the
formula based allocation for basic center grants and the
national competitive process for transitional living grants.
The Runaway and Homeless Youth Program will continue to provide
grants to local public and private organizations to establish
and operate local runaway and homeless youth centers to address
the crisis needs of runaway and homeless youth and their
families. Grants will continue to be used to develop or
strengthen community-based centers, which are outside the law
enforcement, juvenile justice, child welfare, and mental health
systems. Additionally, home-based, street-based, and drug
education and prevention activities are all allowable uses of
funds under the basic center grants. The Runaway and Homeless
Youth Act continues to require that 90% of the program funds be
used to establish and operate basic centers and transitional
living programs which meet the immediate needs of runaway and
homeless youth. Basic center grants would continue to be
allotted among the States based on each State's youth
population under 18 years of age. Applications for basic center
grants are selected for funding through a competitive review
process based on each State's allocation of funds under the
formula.
The Transitional Living Program would no longer have a
separate funding stream, but would continue to receive no less
than 20% and no more than 30% of the appropriation. The
Transitional Living grants will continue to be awarded by the
Secretary on a national competitive basis.
While the Administration has proposed consolidation of
these two programs in the past, the fiscal year 2001 budget
request continues to request funding for runaway and homeless
youth under two separate line-items: the basic program, for
which $43,652,000 was requested; and the transitional living
program for homeless youth, for which $20,503,000 was
requested. The Committee's recommends funding at a level which
reflects the combination of these two programs.
The Committee includes no funding for the new initiative
proposed in the budget request called strengthening parent/
child relationships for which $10,000,000 was requested.
Child abuse
For child abuse prevention and treatment, the Committee
recommends $39,054,000, the same as both the fiscal year 2000
level and the budget request. The total amount recommended
includes $21,026,000 for State grants, which is the same as
both last year and the budget request, and $18,028,000 for
discretionary projects, which is the same as both last year and
the budget request. The child abuse programs attempt to improve
and increase activities at all levels of government which
identify, prevent, and treat child abuse and neglect through
State grants, technical assistance, research, demonstration,
and service improvement.
Abandoned infants assistance
The Committee recommends $12,207,000 for the Abandoned
Infants Assistance Act, the same as the fiscal year 2000
appropriation and the budget request. The purpose of this
program is to provide financial support to public and non-
profit private entities to develop, implement, and operate
demonstration projects that will prevent the abandonment of
infants and young children; identify and address their needs,
especially those infected with HIV; assist such children to
reside with their natural families or in foster care, as
appropriate; provide respite care for families and caregivers;
and recruit and train caregivers. Grantees must establish a
care plan and case review system for each child.
Child welfare services
The bill includes $291,986,000 for child welfare services,
the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount and the budget request.
This program authorized by title IV-B of the Social Security
Act provides grants to States to assist public welfare agencies
establish, extend, and strengthen child welfare services in
order to enable children to remain in their homes under the
care of their parents, or, where that is not possible, to
provide alternative permanent homes for them.
The bill also includes $7,000,000 for child welfare
training, the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount and the
budget request. The Committee recognizes the need for trained,
skilled and qualified child welfare protection personnel. This
program provides teaching and traineeship grants to schools of
social work to train social workers in the specialty of child
welfare.
Adoption opportunities
The Committee recommends $27,419,000 for adoption
opportunities, the same as the budget request and the fiscal
year 2000 amount. The Adoption Opportunities Program provides
funding specifically targeted to improving the adoption of
children with special needs and minority children and for
providing for innovative services that support families
involved in adoption. The Committee believes that the
activities funded by this program should provide the direction,
leadership, and innovation which are needed to achieve the
goals and reforms of the Adoption and Safe Families Act.
Toward that end, the Committee intends that funds available
for Adoption Opportunities be broadly directed toward
supporting innovative strategies which can improve practices
and establish model procedures for organizations and agencies
serving children and families in every State, including: model
services that demonstrate reasonable efforts to place children
for adoption; public education on the adoption of children with
special needs; the development of models for the removal of
geographic barriers to adoption; recruiting adoptive parents;
post-adoption services to families; and the increased use of
electronic exchange systems to facilitate adoptive placements.
Adoption incentives
The bill includes $43,000,000 for the adoption incentives
program, $1,209,000 above the budget request and the 2000
level. This program was authorized in the Adoption and Safe
Families Act of 1997. These funds are used to pay bonuses to
States that increase their number of adoptions; the goal is to
double the number of children adopted or permanently placed out
of public child welfare systems by 2002. This funding level
should make adoption a higher priority at the State level.
Social services and income maintenance research
The bill includes $27,491,000 for social services and
income maintenance research, the same as the fiscal year 2000
amount and $20,991,000 above the budget request. These funds
support research, demonstration, evaluation and dissemination
activities. Areas covered include such things as welfare
reform, child care, and child welfare.
Recognizing that TANF assigns significant responsibilities
to states for meeting complex information systems and reporting
requirements, the Committee two years ago urged ACF to help
states address those issues. ACF turned to the state
information technology consortium to determine best practices
for addressing new TANF requirements. As a result, a knowledge
base will soon be available that will enable each state to
review an array of best practices and determine which best suit
their information system needs. The Committee is especially
pleased that this knowledge base is built upon the practical
experiences of states. Focus should now turn to helping states
implement the lessons learned by others. The Committee
encourages continuation of this effort at the current level of
support.
Community-based resource centers
The bill includes $32,835,000 for community-based resource
centers; the fiscal year 2000 amount and the budget request
were the same. The purpose of the program is to assist each
State in developing and operating a network of community-based,
prevention-focused family resource and support programs that
coordinate resources among a broad range of human service
organizations.
Developmental disabilities
For programs authorized by the Developmental Disabilities
Assistance Act, the Committee recommends $122,328,000, an
increase of $53,000 above the amount available for fiscal year
2000 and the same as the budget request. The total includes
$65,803,000 for allotments to the States to fund State
Councils, the same as the budget request and $53,000 above
fiscal year 2000. These Councils engage in such activities as
planning, policy analysis, demonstrations, training, outreach,
interagency coordination, and public education. They do not
provide direct services to the developmentally-disabled
population.
In addition, $28,110,000 will be available to the States to
be used for operating an advocacy program to protect the rights
of the developmentally disabled. This is the same as both the
fiscal year 2000 level and the budget request.
The bill includes $10,244,000 for special discretionary
projects for training, technical assistance and demonstration.
This is the same as the fiscal year 2000 funding level and the
budget request.
The Committee approves a total of $18,171,000 for grants to
university affiliated facilities and satellite centers to
support the cost of administering and operating demonstration
facilities and interdisciplinary training programs. This is the
same as the fiscal year 2000 level and the budget request.
These are discretionary grants to public and private non-profit
agencies affiliated with a university. These grants provide
basic operational and administrative core support for these
agencies. In addition, these funds support interdisciplinary
training, community services, technical assistance to State
agencies and information dissemination.
Native American programs
The bill includes $35,420,000, the same as the fiscal year
2000 level and $9,000,000 below the budget request. The
Administration for Native Americans assists Indian Tribes and
Native American organizations in planning and implementing
their own long-term strategies for social and economic
development. In promoting social and economic self-sufficiency,
this organization provides financial assistance through direct
grants for individual projects, training and technical
assistance, and research and demonstration programs.
Community Services
The bill includes $595,376,000 for Community Services
activities, which is $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
level and $54,876,000 over the budget request.
State block grant
For the State Block Grant, the bill includes $527,700,000,
which is an increase of $17,700,000 over the President's
request and the same as the fiscal year 2000 level. This
program provides grants to States for services to meet
employment, housing, nutrition, energy, emergency services, and
health needs of low-income people. By law, 90% of these funds
are passed directly through to local community action agencies
which have previously received block grant funds. The Committee
is convinced that this program provides the kind of flexibility
at the local level necessary to assist people who are in
temporary need of government assistance to get back on their
feet.
Community economic development/rural facilities
The bill includes $30,040,000 for community economic
development grants, which is the same as the fiscal year 2000
level and $24,540,000 above the budget request. These
activities provide assistance to private, locally-initiated
community development corporations which sponsor enterprises
providing employment, training and business development
opportunities for low-income residents in poor communities. In
certain instances, projects which have been awarded funding may
not be able to go forward because of changed circumstances. The
Secretary may approve the use of the funds for another project
sponsored by the same community development corporation if the
project meets the requirements of the law and the goals and
objectives of the original project for which the grant was
made. The bill also includes $5,321,000 for rural community
facilities, the same as the fiscal year 2000 level. The
President proposed no funding for this. These grants are
provided to multi-state, private nonprofit organizations to
provide training and technical assistance to small, rural
communities in meeting their community facilities needs.
Individual development account
The bill includes $10,000,000 for individual development
accounts, the same as the fiscal year 2000 level and
$15,000,000 below the budget request. Individual development
accounts are dedicated savings accounts that can be used by
families with limited means for purchasing a first home, paying
for postsecondary education or capitalizing a business. The
intent of the program is to encourage participants to develop
and reinforce strong habits for saving money. 501(c)(3)
organizations are eligible to apply for the funds and
applicants must match federal funds with non-federal funds.
National youth sports program
The bill includes $16,000,000 for the National Youth Sports
Program, which is $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level.
The President proposed no funding for this program. These funds
are made available to a private, non-profit organization to
provide recreational activities for low-income youth, primarily
in the summer months. College and university athletic
facilities are employed in the program.
Community food and nutrition
The bill provides $6,315,000 for the Community Food and
Nutrition program, the same as the fiscal year 2000 level. The
President did not propose funding for this program. This
program provides grants to public and private agencies to
coordinate existing food assistance programs, to identify
sponsors of child nutrition programs and attempt to initiate
new programs and to do advocacy work at the State and local
levels.
Family violence prevention programs
The bill includes $118,074,000 for programs formerly funded
from the Violent Crime Trust Fund. That is the same as the
amount for fiscal year 2000 and $16,000,000 below the request.
Included is $14,999,000 for a program which is designed to
reduce the sexual abuse of runaway youth. The fiscal year 2000
amount and the budget request were the same. The Committee
recommends $101,118,000 for family violence prevention and
services and battered women's shelters, which is the same as
the fiscal year 2000 level and $15,800,000 below the budget
request. This program is designed to assist States in efforts
to prevent family violence and to provide immediate shelter and
related assistance for victims of family violence and their
dependents, and to provide for technical assistance and
training relating to family violence programs to State and
local public agencies (including law enforcement agencies),
nonprofit private organizations, and persons seeking such
assistance. The bill also includes $1,957,000 to continue
funding the National Domestic Violence Hotline. This is the
same as the fiscal year 2000 level and $200,000 below the
budget request. The Committee applauds the work of the Domestic
Violence hotline and encourages their efforts to expand
services to victims of sexual assault.
Program direction
The Committee has approved $147,908,000 for program
direction expenses of the Administration for Children and
Families, the same as the fiscal year 2000 level and
$16,540,000 below the budget request.
family preservation and support
The Committee recommends $305,000,000 for the family
preservation and support account, an increase of $10,000,000
over the fiscal year 2000 appropriation and the same as the
budget request. This capped entitlement program provides grants
to States to develop and expand child welfare services
including family preservation, family reunification, and
community-based family support services for families at-risk or
in crisis.
payments to states for foster care and adoption assistance
The bill provides $4,863,100,000 for payments to States for
foster care and adoption assistance, that in combination with
$1,538,000,000 in advance fiscal year 2001 appropriations
provided in the fiscal year 2000 Appropriations Act, makes
available $6,401,100,000 for foster care and adoption
activities, $5,000,000 below the budget request and
$703,800,000 above last year's level. The reduction from the
request is accounted for by the fact that $5,000,000 of the
request is based upon proposed legislation which has not been
enacted. The bill also includes an advance appropriation of
$1,735,900,000 for the first quarter of fiscal year 2002 to
ensure timely completion of first quarter grant awards.
Of the total appropriation, including the advance
appropriation from the prior year, the bill provides
$5,063,500,000 for the foster care program to provide
maintenance payments to States on behalf of children who must
live outside their homes, the same as the request and
$526,300,000 above the fiscal year 2000 amount.
Within the total appropriation, including the advance
appropriation from the prior year, the bill provides
$1,197,600,000 for adoption assistance, the same as the budget
request and an increase of $177,500,000 above the fiscal year
2000 appropriation. This program provides training for parents
and State administrative staff as well as payments on behalf of
categorically eligible children considered difficult to adopt.
This annually appropriated entitlement is designed to provide
alternatives to long, inappropriate stays in foster care by
developing permanent placements with families.
Within the total appropriation for this account, the bill
provides $140,000,000 for the independent living program, the
same as the fiscal year 2000 level and the budget request. The
program is designed to assist foster children age 16 or older
to make successful transitions to independence. Funds assist
children to earn high school diplomas, receive vocational
training, and obtain training in daily living skills. Funds are
awarded to States on the basis of the number of children on
behalf of whom Federal foster care payments are received.
Administration on Aging
aging services programs
For programs administered by the Administration on Aging,
the Committee recommends a total of $925,805,000, which is a
decrease of $7,043,000 below the fiscal year 2000 level and
$157,814,000 below the budget request. This account finances
all programs under the Older Americans Act in this bill, with
the exception of the Community Services Employment Program
under title V, which is administered by the Department of
Labor. The Committee notes that the older Americans programs
again this year lack an authorization for appropriations.
The Committee has not recommended funding for a new
national family caregiver support program proposed in the
budget request. This proposal has never been specifically
authorized by law. The Committee believes that it should be
acted upon by the authorizing committees of jurisdiction prior
to any appropriations being made for it.
The Committee remains disappointed that the Department has
not identified better and more ambitious performance standards
for the Older Americans Act programs consistent with the
requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act. The
Committee believes that it is essential for the Department to
develop more meaningful outcome measures for these programs,
rather than simply measuring outputs.
Supportive services and centers
The Committee has included $325,082,000 for supportive
services and centers. The amount provided is $15,000,000 over
the fiscal year 2000 level and $125,000,000 below the budget
request. This includes funding for in-home services for frail
elderly persons who are at risk of losing their self-
sufficiency due to physical or mental impairments.
Funds for supportive services and centers are awarded to
each State with an approved State plan. The formula under title
III of the Older Americans Act mandates that no State be
allotted less than the total amount allotted to it in fiscal
year 1987. The statute also requires that additional funds be
distributed on the basis of each State's proportionate share of
the total age 60 and over population, with no State receiving
less than one-half of one percent of the funds awarded. The
funds contained in the bill will support coordinated,
comprehensive service delivery systems at the local level.
The States have the ability under the basic law to transfer
up to 20% of funds appropriated between the senior centers
program and the nutrition programs; this allows the State to
concentrate its resources in the program it deems most
critical. Many States do transfer funds into this program from
the congregate meals program.
The Committee is aware that family members provide nearly
80 percent of all health care to frail elders. The Committee
encourages the Administration on Aging to support and evaluate
innovative community-based programs that build on the strengths
of families to provide cost-effective and high quality care.
Ombudsman/elder abuse
The bill includes $13,181,000 for the State long-term care
ombudsman activities, the elder abuse prevention program, State
elder rights and outreach and counseling authorized by title
VII of the Older Americans Act. The amount provided is the same
as the fiscal year 2000 level and the budget request. This
program provides the assistance needed by vulnerable older
Americans to protect themselves from abuse and exploitation, to
exercise control over their environment, and to locate the
resources they need for care and daily living.
Preventive health
The bill includes $16,123,000 for preventive health
services authorized under part F of title III of the Act. This
is the same as the budget request and the fiscal year 2000
funding level. These funds are awarded to States by formula to
allow States and communities the flexibility to meet the health
promotion and disease prevention needs of older people.
Nutrition programs
For congregate nutrition services, the Committee includes
$374,412,000, the same as the fiscal year 2000 level and the
budget request. For home-delivered nutrition services, the
Committee provides $147,000,000, the same as the fiscal year
2000 level and the budget request. These programs are intended
to address some of the difficulties confronting older
individuals, namely nutrition deficiencies due to inadequate
income, lack of adequate facilities to prepare food, and social
isolation. The States have the ability under the basic law to
transfer up to 20% of funds appropriated between the senior
centers program and the nutrition programs; this allows the
State to concentrate its resources in the program it deems most
critical.
The nutrition programs also collect substantial sums each
year in voluntary contributions from participants; private
sector funds are also contributed. Volunteers also make a
significant contribution to these programs.
Grants to Indian tribes
The bill provides $18,457,000 for grants to Indian tribes.
This is the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount and $5,000,000
below the budget request. Funds under this program are awarded
to tribal organizations to be used to promote opportunities for
older Indians, to secure and maintain independence and self-
sufficiency, and to provide transportation, nutrition, health
screening and other services to help meet the needs of this
population.
Research, training and special projects
The bill provides $9,119,000 for research, training and
special projects under title IV of the Older Americans Act,
$22,043,000 below the fiscal year 2000 funding level and
$27,043,000 below the President's request. Funds under this
program are used to support education and training activities
for personnel working in the field of aging and to finance
research, development, and demonstration projects.
The Committee urges continued funding for research into
Alzheimer's disease care options, best practices and other
Alzheimer's research priorities as described in last year's
House report (106-370).
Alzheimer's demonstration grants
The Committee provides $5,970,000 for Alzheimer's
demonstration grants, which is the same as the fiscal year 2000
level and the budget request. The program provides grants to
States to help them plan and establish programs to provide
health care services to individuals with Alzheimer's disease.
Funds are used for respite care and supportive services,
clearinghouses, training, and administrative costs for State
offices. By law, States are required to match the Federal
funding at 45 percent of the cost of the program by the third
year of the grant.
Program administration
The bill includes $16,461,000 for program administration
expenses of the Administration on Aging. This is $771,000 below
the budget request and the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount.
This activity provides administrative and management support
for all Older Americans Act programs administered by the
Department.
Office of the Secretary
GENERAL DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT
The bill includes $212,631,000 for general departmental
management, which is $1,207,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $3,039,000 above the adjusted
Administration request. Included in this amount is authority to
spend $5,851,000 from the Medicare trust funds. The Committee
provides funding for the health informatics initiative under
the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. The
Administration requested $20,000,000 for this initiative within
the Office of the Secretary.
This appropriation supports those activities that are
associated with the Secretary's roles as policy officer and
general manager of the Department. The Office of the Secretary
also implements Administration and Congressional directives,
and provides assistance, direction and coordination to the
headquarters, regions and field organizations of the
Department. This account also supports several small health
activities that are centrally administered.
The Committee encourages the Secretary to allocate
necessary funds to maintain the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Coordinating Committee (CFSCC). The Committee urges the CFSCC
to create a yearly action plan focusing attention on expanding
research on CFS, augmenting health care provider education, and
executing the CFSCC's charter to provide coordination and
ensure accountability of the agencies' CFS programs.
The Committee encourages the Department and the agencies
represented on the CFSCC to take a leadership role in informing
health care professionals and the general public about CFS,
focusing on the prevalent and serious nature of CFS. The
Committee also encourages the Secretary and the Surgeon General
to undertake a prominent educational campaign to inform the
public that CFS is a serious and disabling illness. The
Committee urges the Secretary to ensure that all of the PHS
agencies' CFS research programs are effective and ambitious.
The Committee is pleased that a representative of the
primary immune deficiency community has been appointed to the
Department's Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and
Availability. The Committee encourages the Advisory Committee
to continue to address the longstanding shortage of intravenous
immune globulin, a pooled plasma derivative that primary immune
deficient patients need to maintain their health.
There is concern over the ability of long term care
facility's to retain nursing staff. Often, the staff is the
patients' only family and patients form relationships with
staff that are integral to caregiving. The Committee requests
the Secretary to conduct a study on staff retention in long
term care facilities, including the cost of programs set up by
long term care facilities to deal with this problem and its
impact on quality of patient care. The Secretary should provide
a report to the Committee by June 30, 2001. The report should
also include what steps can be taken to improve staff
retention, such as special training to enhance the skill level
of certified nurse assistants in targeted areas such as
Alzheimers care and nutrition and hydration.
The Committee is supportive of the various research efforts
into the growing use of and the effects of pharmacoepidology
drugs on the physical, cognitive, and emotional development of
children. The Committee urges the Secretary to undertake
increased inter-departmental efforts to publicize the findings
of these research efforts with an emphasis on education efforts
of parents and pediatricians on the safe use and potential
dangers of these drugs.
There is concern about the increase in lawsuits against
nursing homes nationwide, the high costs of insurance, and the
increases in bankruptcies and operating costs associated with
these lawsuits. The Committee encourages the Secretary to study
the effects of nursing home lawsuits on the costs to Medicare
and Medicaid, its effects on the access to care by
beneficiaries, and its effects on the facility and its ability
to hire qualified and dedicated worker professionals. The
Secretary should be prepared to provide a status report on this
issue at the fiscal year 2002 appropriations hearing.
The Office of the Surgeon General is to be commended for
its efforts toward improving the health status of all citizens.
However, the Committee continues to be concerned about the
devastating and disproportionate impact that cardiovascular
disease has on African Americans. African Americans have a 50%
greater risk of heart disease and a 50% greater risk of fatal
stroke than Whites. The Office of the Surgeon General plays an
important role in addressing this critical issue and is
encouraged to work with health professionals which have
expertise in this area in order to formulate new strategies
aimed at improving access to cardiovascular care, as well as
intervention strategies to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and
mortality among African Americans. The Secretary is requested
to provide a progress report as part of the fiscal year 2002
budget submission.
The Committee encourages the Secretary to consider moving
the Lyme Disease Coordinating Council to the Office of the
Secretary and restructure the Council to include all tick-borne
disorders in an effort to assure coordination and communication
regarding all tick-borne diseases across all Departmental
agencies and with other governmental agencies, the biomedical
research community, community-based clinicians, voluntary
organizations, and patient advocates.
The Committee understands that the Department is succeeding
in educating immigrant communities about the serious health
risks associated with female genital mutilation and has
distributed a manual for health care professionals to assist
them in dealing with the complications of this procedure. The
Committee urges the Secretary to continue these activities.
The Committee is concerned about the more than 30 million
people living with HIV and AIDS in Africa and in other parts of
the developing world, most of whom currently receive little, if
any, health care or support. In some countries, HIV infection
rates already approach 20 percent of the entire population. In
the next decade, without international assistance and massive
prevention efforts, millions of more new cases of HIV infection
and AIDS-related deaths appear unavoidable, resulting in a 20
to 30 year drop in overall life expectancy in some countries,
and a projected explosion of the AIDS orphan population from 4
million currently to 40 million by 2010. The Committee believes
that it is important to develop health care and support
services in addition to prevention and education activities,
and that agencies with expertise and experience in training
providers, as well as mobilizing communities for the delivery
of palliative care, basic treatment, and support services be
included in these essential activities. The Committee urges the
Secretary to ensure that CDC, in cooperation with USAID,
pursues an aggressive response to the epidemic, and draws upon
the full range of expertise within HHS, including NIH and HRSA,
to ensure that all support and in-country assistance coming
from the U.S. government is as fully responsive as possible to
each nation's needs for HIV/AIDS surveillance, research,
prevention and treatment services.
Adolescent family life
The bill provides $24,327,000 for the adolescent family
life program, which is $5,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $16,700,000 above the Administration
request. The Committee has included increased funds in an
effort to fund new care programs for pregnant and parenting
teens. No new programs for pregnant and parenting teens have
been funded since 1995, despite consistently high numbers of
applications for such programs. The additional funding is to be
used to give renewed and focused support to the primary purpose
of the program, to provide care programs for pregnant and
parenting teens.
Physical fitness and sports
The bill provides $1,091,000 for the President's Council on
Physical Fitness and Sports, which is the same as the fiscal
year 2000 comparable appropriation and $61,000 below the
Administration request. The Council has sought to improve the
level of physical fitness nationwide through professional
consultation, technical assistance, and public information
which is provided to school systems, government agencies,
employee organizations, private business and industry, and
professional organizations.
Minority health
The bill includes $38,638,000 for the Office of Minority
Health, which is $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable amount and the same as the Administration request.
According to the budget request, the Office of Minority Health
works with Public Health Service agencies and other agencies of
the Department in a ``catalytic, coordinative, advocacy and
policy development role'' to establish goals and coordinate
other activities in the Department regarding disease
prevention, health promotion, service delivery and research
relating to disadvantaged and minority individuals; concludes
interagency agreements to stimulate and undertake innovative
projects; supports research, demonstration, and evaluation
projects; and coordinates efforts to promote minority health
programs and policies in the voluntary and corporate sectors.
The Committee is pleased that the Office of Minority Health
has taken a leadership role in conducting and coordinating a
study on managed care and historically minority health
professions schools, and encourages continued support.
The Committee urges the Secretary to provide adequate funds
for minority health professions and research training
fellowships across all Departmental agencies. These programs
are critical to increasing the numbers of minority health
professionals and researchers who are essential to ensuring
patients' access to culturally competent health care services
as well as their inclusion in clinical trials.
The Committee encourages the Secretary to support grants to
eligible non-governmental agencies for the development of
outreach programs to inform individuals in medically
underserved areas how to access managed care organizations in
their communities and assist physicians and other health care
professionals who serve in medically underserved areas to
enroll as providers in managed care organizations in their
communities.
Office on Women's Health
The bill includes $16,495,000 for the Office on Women's
Health, which is $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and the same as the Administration request.
The Committee notes that each of the Public Health Service
agencies under its jurisdiction supports an office or program
which focuses on women's health. The Office on Women's Health
advises the Secretary and provides Department-wide coordination
of programs focusing specifically on women's health.
The Committee is aware of the unique role played by the
various offices throughout the Department, including NIH, CDC,
FDA, HRSA, SAMHSA, AHRQ, and HCFA dedicated to women's health
and women's health research. The Committee believes that these
offices are essential to the mission of the Department and that
they need to be adequately supported to accomplish their goals.
The Committee requests the Secretary to provide a report by
January 15, 2001 outlining in detail the major programs of each
of these offices and the Department's plan for the future.
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
The bill includes $31,394,000 for the Office of the
Inspector General, which is the same as the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $2,455,000 below the Administration
request. A large permanent appropriation for this office is
contained in the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996. Total funds provided between this
bill and the permanent appropriation would be $151,394,000 in
FY 2001. The bill includes language limiting the permanent
appropriation to the fiscal year 2000 funding level.
The Office of the Inspector General was created by law to
protect the integrity of Departmental programs as well as the
health and welfare of beneficiaries served by those programs.
Through a comprehensive program of audits, investigations,
inspections and program evaluations, the OIG attempts to reduce
the incidence of fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, and to
promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness throughout the
Department.
The Committee instructs the Inspector General of the
Department of Health and Human Services to provide the
Committee with semi-annual reports on the actual deficit
reduction impact of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996. The Committee has made this request
in the past and has received some reports from the IG. However,
the reports have been sporadic.
The Committee complements the work of the Office of the
Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human
Services for their work in obtaining information on actual
collections, offsets, and funds put to better use as required
in House Report 105-635. This information is of great use to
the Committee and the Committee understands the difficulty
encountered by the OIG in obtaining it. The Committee expects
that the Office of Inspector General will continue to report
the information to it.
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
The bill includes $22,088,000, the same as the fiscal year
2000 comparable level and $1,968,000 below the Administration
request. This includes authority to transfer $3,314,000 from
the Medicare trust funds.
The Office for Civil Rights is responsible for enforcing
civil rights statutes that prohibit discrimination in health
and human services programs. OCR implements the civil rights
laws through a compliance program designed to generate
voluntary compliance among all HHS recipients.
POLICY RESEARCH
The bill includes $16,738,000, which is the same as the
amount available in fiscal year 2000 and the same as the budget
request. The Policy Research account, authorized by section
1110 of the Social Security Act, is the Department's principal
source of policy-relevant data and research on the income
sources of low-income populations; the impact, effectiveness,
and distribution of benefits under existing and proposed
programs; and other issues that cut across agency lines.
public health and social services emergency fund
The Committee provides an emergency allocation of
$500,640,000 for the Public Health and Social Services
Emergency Fund, which is $81,563,000 below the fiscal year 2000
comparable level and $10,140,000 above the Administration
request, when adjusted for comparable transfers. The
Administration did not request this funding as an emergency.
The amount provided includes $182,000,000 for bioterrorism and
related activities at the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), of which $30,000,000 is for the Health Alert
Network and $2,000,000 is to discover, develop, and transition
anti-infective agents to combat emerging diseases. Also within
this total, the Committee has provided funding for the National
Electronic Disease Surveillance System/Preventing Emerging
Infectious Diseases and Health Informatics Initiative requested
under CDC and the Office of the Secretary respectively. The
Committee does not identify specific amounts for these or other
activities within the remaining $150,000,000, rather it allows
the Secretary to prioritize activities and fund them
accordingly.
In addition, the amount provided includes $54,600,000 for
bioterrorism activities of the Office of Emergency
Preparedness; $100,000,000 for the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief
Fund Act within the Health Resources and Services
Administration, of which up to $8,000,000 for program
administration; $61,000,000 for global HIV/AIDS activities at
CDC; $50,000,000 for minority HIV/AIDS activities within the
Office of the Secretary; $25,000,000 for polio eradication
activities at CDC; $18,040,000 for continuation of anthrax
vaccine research at CDC; and $10,000,000 for activities related
to West Nile-like virus at CDC.
Within the funding provided to the National Electronic
Disease Surveillance System, the Committee encourages the
Secretary to include a focus on antimocrobial resistance,
including the development of effective public health strategies
to combat the many factors contributing to the rise of
antimicrobial resistance.
Within the funding provided for minority HIV/AIDS
activities, the Committee encourages the Secretary to implement
a media campaign on prevention of AIDS in the black community.
Within the funding provided to CDC for bioterrorism and
related activities, the Committee urges CDC to carry out
research, testing, and related activities aimed at protecting
workers such as firefighters and emergency medical personnel
who respond to public health needs in the event of a terrorist
incident.
TITLE III DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
The bill includes a total of $39,590,049,000 for programs
in the Department of Education, an increase of $1,646,480,000
above last year. Overall, the bill provides an increase in
Elementary and Secondary Education programs of $576,182,000
above last year. However, there are many education programs
funded elsewhere in the bill. The following chart indicates the
major funding sources for education in the bill.
EDUCATION FUNDING
[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2001 FY 2001, above
FY 2000 (Committee (+) or below (-
Action) ) FY 2000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary:
Department of Education..................................... $35,605 $37,190 $1,585
Head Start.................................................. 5,267 5,667 400
NIH Training Grants......................................... 895 935 40
Health Professions Training................................. 342 411 69
-----------------------------------------------
Total Discretionary....................................... 42,109 44,203 2,094
===============================================
Mandatory:
Department of Education..................................... 2,339 2,400 61
Medicare direct/indirect costs of medical education......... 7,680 8,170 490
-----------------------------------------------
Total Mandatory........................................... 10,019 10,570 551
===============================================
``Off budget'' spending:
Direct loan obligations..................................... 14,855 15,613 758
Federal Family Education Loans.............................. 25,540 26,902 1,362
-----------------------------------------------
Total ``Off budget''...................................... 40,395 42,515 2,120
Total Education Spending........................................ 92,523 97,288 4,765
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Funds for this agency are appropriated under current law.
The Education and the Workforce Committee is currently
undertaking a reauthorization of programs within the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act. The President submitted his budget
reflecting his proposals for the reauthorization. The Committee
has chosen to fund activities as defined under current law and
will address changes in programs as a result of reauthorization
in conference.
The Committee is deeply concerned that some secondary
schools receiving Department of Education funds are denying
military recruiters the same access to students that is
provided to postsecondary institutions and prospective
employers of these students. The Committee strongly urges the
Department of Education to communicate with secondary schools
about this matter and to encourage them to provide military
recruiters the same minimum access to students provided to
post-secondary institutions and potential employers.
EDUCATION REFORM
The bill includes $1,505,000,000 for Education Reform
programs. This amount is $601,000,000 less than the budget
request and $260,182,000 less than the 2000 amount. This
appropriation account includes Goals 2000 under the Goals 2000:
Educate America Act, School-to-Work under the School-To-Work
Opportunities Act, technology programs under the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, and 21st Century Schools under the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Goals 2000: Educate America Act: State and local education systematic
improvement grants and parental assistance
The bill does not include funding for programs authorized
by titles III and IV of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act.
This amount is $83,000,000 below the budget request and
$491,000,000 below the fiscal year 2000 appropriation level for
this activity. The Goals 2000 programs will be repealed on
September 30, 2000 pursuant to the provisions of P.L. 106-113,
the fiscal year 2000 appropriations Act.
Recognition and reward
The bill does not include funding for a new initiative
proposed in the budget called recognition and reward for which
$50,000,000 was requested. This program would give financial
rewards to states that demonstrate significant statewide gains
in student achievement. However, this program is not currently
authorized in law. The Committee has chosen to fund activities
as defined under current law and will address changes in
programs that occur as a result of reauthorization in
conference.
School-to-work opportunities
The bill does not include funding for State grants and
local partnerships under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act.
This is the same as the budget request and $55,000,000 below
the fiscal year 2000 level. The recommended funding level
reflects the final phase-out of the program as States assume
full responsibility for institutionalizing their school-to-work
systems, as outlined in the School-to-Work Opportunities Act.
Education technology
The bill includes $905,000,000 for Education Technology.
This amount is $2,000,000 above the Administration's fiscal
year 2001 request and $139,195,000 above the fiscal year 2000
appropriation. Included in this account are the technology
literacy challenge fund, technology innovation challenge
grants, regional technology in education consortia, teacher
training in technology, community-based technology centers, and
technology leadership activities. Three demonstration programs
(star schools, ready to learn TV, and telecommunications
demonstration projects for mathematics) are also included in
this account.
The Committee remains concerned by the rapid increase in
funding in this program in addition to other funding provided
in title I, title VI, Special Education, and other programs of
the Department of Education as well as funding made available
to elementary and secondary schools from the Telecommunications
Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-9104). The Committee expects that the
Department will continue to abide by, and supply the data
required by, the conference report on P.L. 104-208. In
addition, the Committee expects the Department to continue
providing such data for all programs funded in this account
under the heading ``Education Technology'' and for funding made
available through the ``E-Rate'' program as part of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104) in their annual
operating plan.
Education technology: technology literacy challenge fund
The Committee recommends $517,000,000 for the technology
literacy challenge fund, $67,000,000 above the budget request
and $92,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level. The fund
assists States in integrating technology into curriculum. The
goal of this program is to assure that students become
technologically literate and possess the academic,
communications and critical thinking skills essential for
success in the information age.
Each State receives a share of funding based on its share
of funds under part A of title I of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act. Funds are distributed to local
education agencies on the basis of competitive sub-grants.
States receive funding on the basis of a State plan describing
its long-term strategies for financing technology education in
the State, involving the private sector and assisting school
districts with the greatest needs.
The Committee believes that, while the Department has made
good progress toward developing measurable student achievement
standards consistent with the requirements of the Government
Performance and Results Act for the technology literacy
challenge fund, more work remains. For example, the Department
should develop data on the percentage of students who are
currently computer-proficient and how that figure will increase
as a result of proposed funding increases.
Education technology: technology innovation challenge grants
The Committee recommends $197,500,000 for technology
innovation challenge grants, $51,245,000 above fiscal year 2000
level. The President did not request separate line-item funding
for this program.
The technology innovation challenge grants program is
designed to support partnerships among educators, business, and
industry, and other community organizations to develop
innovative applications of technology and plans for fully
integrating technology into schools. The program provided 99
new and continuing competitive grants in fiscal year 2000 to
consortia that include at least one local educational agency
with a high percentage or number of children living in poverty.
In past years, the Committee has funded initiatives to
improve student mathematics and reading skills through the use
of in-class technology. The Committee continues to support
interactive, computer learning programs that are being used to
deliver textbook materials and integrate technology into
elementary and secondary pre-algebra and algebra classrooms.
The Committee believes that, while the Department has made
good progress toward developing measurable student achievement
standards consistent with the requirements of the Government
Performance and Results Act for the technology innovation
challenge grants, more work remains. For example, the
Department should develop data on the percentage of students
who are currently computer-proficient and how that figure will
increase as a result of proposed funding increases.
Education technology: regional technology in education consortia
The Committee recommends $10,000,000 for regional
technology in education consortia, the same as the budget
request and the fiscal year 2000 level. The regional technology
in education consortia supports 6 regional programs of
information and resource dissemination, professional
development, and technical assistance. The Committee is
disappointed with the lack of baseline data and outcome-based
performance indicators for this program.
Next generation technology initiative
The bill does not provide funding for the new line item
proposed by the budget called next generation technology
initiative for which $170,000,000 was requested. This is part
of the Administration's proposed new structure for education
technology programs under the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act reauthorization. The Committee has chosen to fund
activities as defined under current law and will address
changes in programs that occur as a result of reauthorization
in conference.
Education technology: national activities
The Committee recommends $119,500,000 for education
technology national activities: Teacher training in technology,
community based technology, and technology leadership
activities.
Teacher training in technology
The Committee recommends $85,000,000 for teacher training
in technology, which is $65,000,000 below the budget request
and $10,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 funding level. This
program helps prepare teachers to use technology to improve
instructional practices and to enhance student learning in the
classroom.
Community-based technology centers
The Committee recommends $32,500,000 for community-based
technology centers, which is the same as fiscal year 2000 and
$67,500,000 below the budget request. This program provides
access to technology and other services for disadvantaged
students and adults unable to purchase computers for use at
home.
Technology leadership activities
The Committee recommends $2,000,000 for technology
leadership activities, which is the same as both fiscal year
2000 and the budget request. Funds under this program will be
used to strengthen evaluation of the effectiveness of
technology programs and to bring together public and private
entities to help schools and communities effectively use all
available resources in technology.
Educational technology: star schools
The Committee recommends $45,000,000 for the star schools
program, $5,550,000 below the fiscal year 2000 amount. The
President did not request funding for this program through a
separate line item. Star schools programs use distance learning
technologies to enhance student learning, especially in rural
areas.
Educational technology: ready to learn television
The bill includes $16,000,000 for ready to learn
television, the same as both the budget request and the 2000
amount. Program objectives include the development and
distribution of educational and instructional video programming
for preschool and elementary school children and their parents.
The Committee expects that the original program objectives
of developing, producing and distributing new, high-quality
televised educational programming for preschool and elementary
school children and their caregivers will remain a top priority
in determining specific uses for this funding in fiscal year
2001.
The Committee is aware of the educational potential of
digital television and the nation's local public television
stations' commitment to establishing partnerships to produce
high quality education digital content. The Committee
encourages the Department to support such activities within
available funds.
Telecommunications demonstration projects for mathematics
The Committee recommends no funding for this demonstration
program. This amount is $8,500,000 below the fiscal year 2000
amount and the same as the budget request. The Committee
continues to be concerned about the significant delays in
funding draw-downs in this account and subsequently directs the
Public Broadcasting Service, in consultation with the
Department of Education and the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting, to submit a report to the Committee no later than
July 1, 2000 on the amounts of funding spent and planned to be
spent on each specific object classification and activity for
the past five fiscal years.
21st century community learning centers
The bill provides $600,000,000 for 21st century community
learning centers, $400,000,000 below the budget request and
$146,623,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level. The Committee's
proposal represents the largest funding level in the program's
history and is estimated to provide over 1 million children
with safe environments for them to gain academic enrichment in
fiscal year 2001.
Funding for after school centers has increased dramatically
since fiscal year 1996, at which time these programs were
funded at less than $1 million. The Committee is aware that the
Administration has proposed several changes to this program
including conversion to a formula grant and matching
requirements for grantees. Until the program structure is
ultimately agreed upon through the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act reauthorization process, the Committee believes
that a 30 percent increase in the current program demonstrates
continued commitment to after school centers.
The Committee is also aware that H.R. 4141, the Education
Opportunities to Protect and Invest in Our Nation's Students
(Education OPTIONS) Act, combines the Safe and Drug-Free
Schools program and 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act
and allows schools to use funds for comprehensive drug and
violence prevention programs, counseling and mentoring, before
and after school programs and other safety measures, as long as
these activities are based on research that shows the activity
will prevent or reduce drug abuse and violence. The Committee
intends that, if this legislation is enacted, funding for the
Safe and Drug Free Schools Program and the 21st Century
Community Learning Centers Program will be consolidated.
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program
supports grants to rural and inner-city public elementary or
secondary schools, or consortia of such schools, to enable them
to plan, implement, or expand projects that benefit the
educational, health, social service, cultural, and recreational
needs of a rural or inner-city community. Assistance must be
equitably distributed among the States, among urban and rural
areas of the United States, and among urban and rural areas of
a State. Grants must be made for at least $35,000, and priority
must be given to applications offering a broad selection of
services that address the needs of the community. Each grantee
must provide at least four services listed in the authorizing
legislation. These include: literacy education programs;
children's day care services; summer and weekend school
programs in conjunction with recreation programs; expanded
library service hours to serve community needs;
telecommunications and technology education programs for
individuals of all ages; parenting skills education programs;
employment counseling, training, and placement; services for
individuals who leave school before graduating from secondary
school, regardless of the age of such individual; and services
for individuals with disabilities.
Funding under the 21st Century Community Learning Centers
may be used for after-school activities. These funds are to
support, not supplant, existing programs which are being
offered by nonprofit organizations in communities of need.
The Committee is pleased with the progress the Department
has made in developing measurable indicators for the 21st
Century Learning Centers program and believes the progress made
thus far in achieving these targets is promising.
EDUCATION FOR THE DISADVANTAGED
The bill includes $8,816,986,000 for the education for the
disadvantaged programs. This amount is $332,514,000 less that
the budget request and $116,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
appropriation. This appropriation account includes compensatory
education programs authorized under title I of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
Grants to local educational agencies
Of the amounts provided for Title I programs,
$6,783,000,000 is available for basic grants to local education
agencies and State administration. This is the same as the
amount for the 2000-2001 school year and $1,255,397,000 above
the request. Funding for concentration grants, which targets
funds to local education agencies in counties with high levels
of disadvantaged children, is $1,158,397,000, the same as last
year and the request level. The Committee has not provided
funds under Targeted Grants. The administration requested
$1,671,500,000 for Targeted Grants.
Of the total of $7,941,397,000 made available for school
year 2001-2002 for grants to LEAs, $1,733,134,000 is
appropriated for fiscal year 2001 for obligation after July 1,
2001 and $6,204,763,000 is appropriated for fiscal year 2002
for obligation on, or after, October 1, 2001. A remaining
$3,500,000 for title I evaluations is made available for
obligation on October 1, 2000.
This program is currently undergoing reauthorization.
Several changes have been proposed by both the Administration
and the authorizing committees with respect to accountability
provisions and school choice within that context. Until the
program's structure is ultimately agreed upon through the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization process,
the Committee is recommending level funding for the program.
Financial assistance flows to school districts by formula,
based in part on the number of school-aged children from low-
income families. Within districts, local school officials
target funds on school attendance areas with the greatest
number or percentage of children from poor families. Local
school districts develop and implement their own programs to
meet the needs of disadvantaged students. About 14,000 local
school districts participate in the program, which served an
estimated 6.2 to 6.5 million pupils in 1995.
Funds under this account will also be used to pay the
Federal share of State administrative costs for title I
programs. The maximum State administration grant is equal to 1
percent of title I local educational agency plus State agency
grants to the State, or $400,000, whichever is greater. These
funds are included in the grants to local educational agencies
account, rather than being a separate line item.
The Committee believes that the Department has made good
progress in developing measurable standards for improvement in
student academic achievement consistent with the requirements
of the Government Performance and Results Act for education for
the disadvantaged.
The Committee does not include a ``100 percent hold
harmless'' legislative rider for the Title I program for fiscal
year 2001. The Committee notes that the budget request also
rejects this provision. The Committee believes that such
legislative riders unfairly penalize underprivileged and
immigrant children in growing states, including Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii,
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Texas, Virginia and the District of Columbia. These
states represent over half of the U.S. population of
underprivileged schoolchildren. The Committee strongly concurs
with the following statement of the Department of Education
submitted for the record as part of the fiscal year 1999 budget
hearings:
The hold harmless prevented retargeting from taking
effect with the use of new poverty data. We strongly
believe that special [hold-harmless] appropriations
language should not be included, since the authorizing
statue for Title I already provides a hold-harmless for
Title I Basic Grants in an amount equal to between 85
and 95 percent of each district's prior year Title I
allocation, depending on the district poverty level.
Inserting a 100 percent hold-harmless prevents funds
from flowing to districts that are gaining poor
children, as documented by the updated data. But the
whole purpose of using updated data is to reflect, in
the allocations, these population shifts. A basic
principle in targeting should be to drive funds to
where the poor children are, not to where they were a
decade ago.
Demonstrations of comprehensive school reform
The bill includes $190,000,000 for demonstrations of
comprehensive school reform; this is the same as the budget
request and $20,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level. The
Committee expects that the Department will continue to follow
the directives in the conference report accompanying the fiscal
year 1998 bill (House Report 105-390) and in the conference
report accompanying the fiscal year 1999 bill (House Report
105-825). The Committee provides these funds to continue the
wide-scale application of effective approaches to comprehensive
school reform in title I schools.
This program provides schools with funds to develop and
implement school reforms based on reliable research that will
enable children to meet State academic standards. The Committee
is pleased with the progress being made on developing specific,
measurable goals for this program.
Capital expenses for private school students
The Committee recommends no funding for capital expenses
grants for private schools. This amount is the same as the
Administration's request and $12,000,000 below the fiscal year
2000 amount.
Capital expenses grants were authorized to pay some of the
additional costs of providing title I services to children who
attend nonpublic schools. A 1985 U.S. Supreme Court decision,
Aguilar v. Felton, determined that public school teachers or
other employees could not be sent to sectarian nonpublic
schools for the purpose of providing title I services. The
capital expenses grants were used for rental of classroom space
in neutral sites (i.e., locations other than private or public
schools), rental of mobile vans used for title I instruction,
or transportation of nonpublic pupils to public schools or
neutral sites.
The United States Supreme Court recently reconsidered, and
reversed, its decision in the Aguilar case and both the budget
request and the Committee's recommendation implement a policy
of discontinuing this program. The Committee notes that school
districts may continue to reserve funds from their annual Title
I allocations to cover extra expenses involved in providing
services to private-school students.
Even Start
The Committee provides $250,000,000 for Even Start,
$100,000,000 above both last year and the request. Even Start
provides demonstration grants for model programs of joint
education of disadvantaged children, aged 1-7 years, who live
in title I target school attendance areas, plus their parents
who are eligible to be served under the Adult Education Act.
These parents are not in school, are above the State's
compulsory school attendance age limit, and have not earned a
high school diploma (or equivalent). At appropriations levels
above $50,000,000, Even Start funds are allocated to the
States, generally in proportion to title I basic grants.
The Committee believes that the Department has made good
progress in developing specific, outcome-based performance
indicators for the Even Start program. The Committee notes that
funding under the Reading Excellence Act and the Adult
Education Act state grants program can also be used to support
and expand family literacy activities.
State agency programs: migrant
The bill includes $354,689,000 for the migrant education
program, $25,311,000 below the budget request and the same as
the fiscal year 2000 appropriation. This program supports
formula grants to State agencies for the support of special
educational and related services to children of migratory
agricultural workers and fishermen. The purpose of this program
is to provide supplementary academic education, remedial or
compensatory instruction, English for limited English
proficient students, testing, guidance and counseling.
State agency programs: neglected and delinquent
For the State agency program for neglected and delinquent
children, the bill includes $42,000,000; this level is the same
as the budget request and the same as the fiscal year 2000
appropriation. This formula grant program provides services to
participants in institutions for juvenile delinquents, adult
correctional institutions, or institutions for the neglected.
The Committee believes that the Department must continue to
work on developing specific, numerical standards for
improvement in student academic achievement consistent with the
requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act for
the State agency program for neglected and delinquent youth.
The Committee believes that the indicators developed thus far
do not contain the specific, numerical baseline data or
expected improvement resulting from the funding request needed
to adequately meet the requirements of GPRA.
Evaluation
The Committee provides $8,900,000 for evaluation, the same
as the 2000 appropriation. The President did not propose
separate line item funding for this program. Title I evaluation
supports large scale national evaluations that examine how
title I is contributing to improved student performance at the
State, local education agency, and school levels. It also
supports short-term studies that document promising models and
other activities to help States and local education agencies
implement requirements in the title I statute.
The Committee believes that the Department should allocate
resources for evaluations such that sufficient funding is
provided to assure the full implementation of the Government
Performance and Results Act.
Migrant education, high school equivalency program
The bill includes $20,000,000 for the high school
equivalency program. This amount is the same as the budget
request and $5,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level. The
high school equivalency program recruits migrant students aged
16 and over and provides academic and support services to help
those students obtain a high school equivalency certificate and
subsequently to gain employment or admission to a postsecondary
institution or training program.
College assistance migrant programs
The bill includes $10,000,000 for the college assistance
migrant programs. This amount is the same as the budget request
and $3,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level. The college
assistance migrant program (CAMP) provides tutoring and
counseling services to first-year, undergraduate migrant
students and assists those students in obtaining student
financial aid for their remaining undergraduate years.
IMPACT AID
The bill provides $985,000,000 for Federal impact aid
programs in fiscal year 2001, an increase of $78,548,000 above
the comparable fiscal year 2000 appropriation and $215,000,000
above the budget request. This account supports payments to
school districts affected by Federal activities and is
authorized under title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act. Impact Aid represents a federal responsibility
to local schools educating children whose families are
connected with the military or who live on Indian land.
While military deployments and poverty on Indian
reservations continue, the Committee is perplexed as to why the
Administration continues to recommend cuts in the Impact Aid
program. Impact Aid represents a federal responsibility to
local schools educating children whose families are connected
with the military or who live on Indian land. Therefore, the
Committee bill does not adopt the Budget proposal to amend the
authorizing statute to reduce the number of school districts
receiving payments and to reduce the number of children on
behalf of whom payments are made. The Committee regards impact
aid as an obligation of the Federal Government and has included
funds sufficient to adequately reimburse school districts
impacted by Federal activities. The Committee notes that the
President proposes to substantially increase funding for
general Federal assistance to school districts at the same time
it proposes to dramatically reduce impact aid payments to some
of the neediest school districts.
The Committee commends the Department for making Impact Aid
payments for FY 2000 in a timely manner, following several
consecutive years of increasingly burdensome delays. The Impact
Aid payment delays cost the nation's poorest, most isolated
schools the most, and imposed upon them substantial interest
payments and other unanticipated costs.
Basic support payments
The bill includes $780,000,000 for basic support payments
to local educational agencies, an increase of $42,800,000 above
the comparable fiscal year 2000 appropriation and $60,000,000
above the budget request. Basic support payments compensate
school districts for lost tax revenue and are made on behalf of
Federally-connected children such as children of members of the
uniformed services who live on Federal property.
Payments for children with disabilities
The Committee recommends $50,000,000 for payments on behalf
of Federally-connected children with disabilities, an increase
of $10,000,000 above the budget request and the same as the
comparable fiscal year 2000 appropriation. These payments
compensate school districts for the increased costs of serving
Federally-connected children with disabilities.
Payments for heavily impacted districts
The bill includes $82,000,000 for payments to heavily
impacted districts, an increase of $9,800,000 above the
comparable fiscal year 2000 level. The President proposed to
terminate this program. These payments assist especially
heavily impacted school districts to raise their per-pupil
spending to levels comparable to other school districts in
their States.
In the past two years, the Committee has included a
legislative provision that changes the method by which payments
made under this section are allocated to provide supplemental
payments for federally connected students only. The Committee
understands that this provision has resulted in greater budget
stability for school districts that are heavily impacted by the
presence of federally connected children. The Committee further
understands that this provision will be made part of the
permanent Impact Aid law through the reauthorization process
this year and therefore it is no longer necessary to carry this
special provision in the Committee bill.
Facilities maintenance
The Committee recommends $8,000,000 for facilities
maintenance, $3,000,000 above both the fiscal year 2000 amount
and the budget request. These capital payments are authorized
for maintenance of certain facilities owned by the Department
of Education.
Construction
The Committee recommends $25,000,000 for the construction
program, an increase of $14,948,000 above the fiscal year 2000
appropriation and $20,000,000 above the budget request. This
program provides formula grants to eligible locally owned
school districts for building and renovating school facilities.
The Committee notes that while the President has proposed a
new, unauthorized school construction program aimed at Indian
school districts, the budget at the same time cuts funding
under this more flexible construction program by over 50
percent.
The Committee also notes that the Administration's school
construction proposal omits any benefit to federally impacted
schools who have reached their maximum bonding capacity, which
includes many schools serving Native Americans and the military
in isolated parts of the country. Should additional funds come
available, the Committee will give consideration to allocating
sums to improve and replace such dilapidated schools.
Payments for Federal property
The bill provides $40,000,000 for payments related to
Federal property, an increase of $8,000,000 above the fiscal
year 2000 appropriation. The President proposed to terminate
this program. The Committee does not concur in the budget
proposal to terminate assistance to all 223 school districts
currently receiving assistance under this program. Funds are
awarded to school districts to compensate for lost tax revenue
as the result of Federal acquisition of real property since
1938.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS
The bill includes $3,165,334,000 for school improvement
programs. This amount is $158,450,000 more than the fiscal year
2000 appropriation and $703,700,000 below the budget request.
This appropriation account includes programs authorized under
titles II, IV, V, VI, X, and XIII of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act; title VII of the Stewart B. McKinney
Homeless Assistance Act; and title IV-A of the Civil Rights
Act.
Professional development and program innovation: Eisenhower
professional development State grants
The Committee provides no separate line-item funding for
the Eisenhower professional development state grants, the same
as the budget request. This program was funded at $335,000,000
in fiscal year 2000. This program provides funds to state
educational agencies, local educational agencies, state
agencies for higher education, institutions of higher education
and qualified non-profit organizations to support sustained and
intensive high-quality professional development for educators
in the core academic subjects.
Consistent with the Teacher Empowerment Act, the Committee
has consolidated funding for this program under a new line
item, subject to the Teacher Empowerment Act's enactment into
law. The President has proposed a number of new national
programs related to teachers, as well as consolidations and
restructuring of existing teacher training programs, including
the Eisenhower professional development program. The Committee
is aware that these ideas are currently being considered
through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act. Teacher training program funding will follow the
structure that is ultimately agreed upon through this
reauthorization process.
Teaching to high standards
The bill does not include $690,000,000 for a new program
called teaching to high standards as proposed in the budget
request.
The President has proposed a number of new national
programs related to teachers, as well as consolidations and
restructuring of existing teacher training programs. The
Committee is aware that these ideas are currently being
considered through the reauthorization of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act. Teacher training program funding will
follow the structure that is ultimately agreed upon through
this reauthorization process.
National programs
The bill does not include funding for several new national
programs relating to teaching that the budget request proposes.
These initiatives, along with their proposed funding levels,
are as follows: School leadership initiative, $40,000,000;
Improvement of teaching and school leadership, $25,000,000;
Hometown teachers, $75,000,000; Higher standards/higher pay,
$50,000,000; Teacher quality incentives, $50,000,000; Troops to
teachers, $25,000,000; and Early childhood educator
professional development, $30,000,000.
The Committee is aware that these ideas are currently being
considered through the reauthorization of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act. Teacher training program funding will
follow the structure that is ultimately agreed upon through
this reauthorization process.
Professional development and program innovation: Innovative Education
Program Strategies State Grants. (the title VI education block
grant)
The Committee recommends $365,700,000 for State grants
under Innovative Education Program Strategies, the same as the
fiscal year 2000 level. The President proposed to terminate
this progarm. The Committee supports this program, which
provides funding, without bureaucratic strings, to State and
local educational agencies that can be used for:
(1) obtaining technology and training in technology
related to the implementation of school based reform;
(2) acquiring and using educational materials;
(3) educational reform projects such as ``effective
schools'' and magnet schools;
(4) improving educational services for disadvantaged
students;
(5) combating illiteracy among children and adults;
(6) addressing the educational needs of gifted and
talented children;
(7) implementing school reform activities consistent
with Goals 2000; and
(8) implementing school improvement and parental
involvement activities under ESEA Title I.
In several states, districts are allowed to enter into
``contracts'' that designate them as ``charter districts'',
similar to the concept of charter schools. These agreements
promise to streamline bureaucracy and reduce regulations, thus
enabling districts to put student performance first, not
compliance with bureaucratic requirements. Therefore school
districts should be able to use Title VI dollars to implement
these performance based relationships with their state
education agencies.
Class-size reduction
The Committee recommends no funding for the Class Size
Reduction program, $1,300,000,000 below fiscal year 2000 and
$1,750,000,000 below the budget request. Consistent with the
Teacher Empowerment Act, the Committee has consolidated funding
for this program under a new line item, subject to the Teacher
Empowerment Act's enactment into law.
Teacher empowerment act
The Committee recommends $1,750,000,000 for the Teacher
Empowerment Act, subject to authorization. This funding level
is $1,750,000,000 above both fiscal year 2000 and the budget
request. The Teacher Empowerment Act consolidates and
streamlines multiple teacher training programs and provides
States and local schools additional flexibility in how to use
these funds in exchange for increased accountability to parents
and taxpayers.
The Teacher Empowerment Act strikes a balance between
hiring more teachers to reduce class size, and recruiting,
retaining and retraining quality teachers. It also empowers
teachers to choose the training that best meets their classroom
needs and encourages states and localities to implement
innovative strategies such as tenure reform, merit-based
performance plans, alternative routes to certification and
differential and bonus pay for teachers. Ninety-five percent of
funds would go directly to the local level.
Safe and drug-free schools and communities
The Committee recommends $599,250,000 for the Safe and Drug
Free Schools and Communities Act. This funding level is
$50,750,000 below the budget request and $750,000 below the
fiscal year 2000 level.
The Committee is aware that H.R. 4141, the Education
Opportunities to Protect and Invest in Our Nation's Students
(Education OPTIONS) Act, combines the Safe and Drug-Free
Schools program and 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act
and allows schools to use funds for comprehensive drug and
violence prevention programs, counseling and mentoring, before
and after school programs and other safety measures, as long as
these activities are based on research that shows the activity
will prevent or reduce drug abuse and violence. The Committee
intends that, if this legislation is enacted, funding for the
Safe and Drug Free Schools Program and the 21st Century
Community Learning Centers Program will be consolidated.
The Committee is interested in learning more about the
increased use of pharmacoepidologic drugs by elementary and
high school aged children and the possible relationship between
use of these drugs, school violence and the overall learning
environment of all children. The Committee encourages the
Department to be prepared to discuss any relevant research on
this issue at the fiscal year 2002 budget hearings and, when
educating teachers, parents and doctors about the public health
and educational impact of the use of these drugs, to coordinate
efforts with the National Institutes of Health, the Food and
Drug Administration, the Administration on Children and
Families and other public health researchers.
Safe and drug-free schools and communities: State grants
The Committee bill includes $439,250,000 for the State
grants program of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and
Communities Act. This level is the same as the budget request
and the same as the fiscal year 2000 level. The program
supports State formula grants for comprehensive, integrated
approaches to drug and violence prevention. Local educational
agencies must use their funds to implement a drug and violence
prevention program for students and employees.
The Committee continues to be concerned about the general
lack of evidence of the effectiveness of the Safe and Drug Free
Schools Program. The Committee believes that the Department
should focus on disseminating drug and violence prevention
programs that have been rigorously evaluated and found to be
promising or exemplary to more school districts.
Safe and drug-free schools and communities: national programs
For the national programs under the Safe and Drug-Free
Schools and Communities Act, the bill provides $110,000,000
which is $750,000 below the fiscal year 2000 amount and
$40,750,000 below the budget request. Under this program, the
Secretary of Education administers a variety of activities to
prevent the illegal use of drugs and violence among, and
promote safety and discipline for, students at all educational
levels, preschool through postsecondary.
Safe and drug free schools and communities: coordinator initiative
The Committee recommends $50,000,000 for the safe and drug
free schools and communities coordinator initiative, the same
as the fiscal year 2000 funding level and the budget request.
This initiative funds discretionary grants for LEAs to
recruit, hire, and train drug prevention and school safety
program coordinators in middle schools with significant drug
and school safety problems.
The Committee remains disappointed that the only
performance indicator the Department has identified for this
program is the number of coordinators who have received
training. The Department has provided no indicators on the
expected impact of the program on reduced student drug use and
school violence. Given the demonstrated interest of the
Committee in numerical goals focusing of the achievement of
programmatic goals, such limited effort by the Department is
particularly disturbing.
Safe and drug free schools and communities: Project SERV
The Committee recommends no funding for the proposed new
initiative, Project SERV (School Emergency Response to
Violence). The Administration requested $10,000,000 for this
program. The Administration proposed this initiative to provide
resources to school districts that experience a major crisis.
This program is not authorized. The Safe and Drug Free
Schools and Communities Act is currently undergoing
reauthorization this year and it is in this context that the
Administration's proposal should be considered.
Inexpensive book distribution (reading is fundamental)
The bill provides $21,000,000 for the inexpensive book
distribution program. This is $1,000,000 above both the fiscal
year 2000 appropriation and the budget request. This program
makes an award to Reading is Fundamental, Inc., to buy
inexpensive books, offer them through local community programs
to children from low-income families, and motivate children to
read. Federal funds provide for up to 75 percent of the costs
of the books. This program annually provides an estimated 7.6
million books to 2.4 million children nationwide.
The Committee is disappointed that the Department failed to
provide specific, measurable goals for the inexpensive book
distribution program in the fiscal year 2001 budget request
with regard to how participation in this program increases
student reading achievement.
Arts in education
The bill provides $16,500,000 for the arts in education
program. This is $5,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
appropriation and $6,500,000 below the budget request. This
program supports arts programs in elementary and secondary
education and supports demonstration programs for the
involvement of disabled persons in the arts.
Specifically, the Committee bill does not include funding
for a new $10,000,000 grant competition to be administered in
collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts. The
Committee continues to believe this program should primarily
support the Very Special Arts organization, which develops
programs that integrate the arts into the education of children
with disabilities, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts, which supports a variety of arts education
activities with states and schools. The Committee intends that
$9,031,000 of the amount recommended be for the Very Special
Arts and that $7,469,000 be for the Kennedy Center programs.
Magnet schools assistance
The bill includes $110,000,000 for the magnet schools
assistance program, the same as the budget request and the same
as the fiscal year 2000 level. The magnet schools assistance
program awards competitive grants to local educational agencies
for use in establishing or operating magnet schools that are
part of a desegregation plan approved by a court or by the
Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. A magnet
school is defined by the statute as ``a school or education
center that offers a special curriculum capable of attracting
substantial numbers of students of different racial
backgrounds.'' A funding priority is given to local educational
agencies that have not participated during the most recent
funding cycle.
Education for homeless children and youth
For the education of homeless children and youth program,
authorized by section 722 of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless
Assistance Act, the Committee recommends $32,000,000. This
level is $300,000 above the budget request and $3,200,000 above
the fiscal year 2000 appropriation. Grants are allocated to
States in proportion to the total that each State receives
under the title I program. For local grants, at least 50
percent must be used for direct services to homeless children
and youth, including tutoring or remedial or other educational
services.
Homeless children--estimated to number more than one
million each year--face many barriers in their efforts to
attend school. The Education for Homeless Children and Youth
program provides resources to assist these children in having
the opportunity to enroll, attend and succeed in school.
Currently, the program is serving substantially fewer children
than the national demand. In fact, less than 40 percent of
homeless children identified by states are able to receive
program services. The Committee has included additional funding
beyond the Administration request to ensure that local school
districts have the resources to help these children.
Women's educational equity
The bill includes $3,000,000 for Women's Educational
Equity, the same as the fiscal year 2000 and the request level.
This program supports projects, technical assistance and
dissemination activities to promote educational equity for
girls and women including those who suffer multiple
discrimination based on gender and race, ethnicity, national
origin, disability, or age. It also provides funds to help
educational agencies and institutions meet the requirements of
title IX of the Education amendments of 1972.
The Committee remains concerned that the Department has not
identified specific, measurable student achievement standards
consistent with the requirements of the Government Performance
and Results Act for Women's Educational Equity. The Committee
believes that it is essential for the Department to focus its
primary, if not exclusive, efforts on the development of
baseline data and indicators of specific, measurable student
academic achievement for this program and the ability to
integrate successful techniques developed in this program into
other federally funded and other education programs.
Training and advisory services
The bill includes $7,334,000 for training and advisory
services authorized by title IV-A of the Civil Rights Act. This
amount is the same as the budget request and the fiscal year
2000 amount. Title IV-A authorizes technical assistance and
training services for local educational agencies to address
problems associated with desegregation on the basis of race,
sex, or national origin. Competitive awards are made to civil
rights units within State educational agencies and to regional
desegregation assistance centers. The Department awards 3-year
grants to regional equity assistance centers (EACs) (formerly
known as desegregation assistance centers or DACs) located in
each of the 10 Department of Education regions. The EACs
provide services to school districts upon request. Typical
activities include disseminating information on successful
education practices and legal requirements related to
nondiscrimination on the basis of race, sex, and national
origin in educational programs; training designed to develop
educators' skills in specific areas, such as the identification
of race and sex bias in instructional materials; increasing the
skills of educational personnel in dealing with race-based
confrontations such as hate crimes; and providing technical
assistance in the identification and selection of appropriate
educational programs to meet the needs of limited English
proficient students.
The Committee remains concerned that, after three years of
Committee interest and seven years since the passage of GPRA,
the Department has not identified specific, measurable
indicators for the training and advisory services program. In
fact, the Department presented only one indicator for this
program in the 1999 Performance Report released in March 2000.
This indicator had no actual performance data, no performance
targets, and no baselines set. Therefore, the Committee is
puzzled by the fact that the report claims that ``progress
toward target is likely.'' The Committee does not understand
how progress toward any target can be judged in the absence of
any data set whatsoever. Accordingly, the Committee expects
that the Department will substantially revise this indicator in
the fiscal year 2002 budget submission and include such data as
is available at that time.
Ellender fellowships/Close-Up
The bill provides $1,500,000 for Ellender fellowships, the
same as the fiscal year 2000 level and $1,500,000 above the
budget request. The Ellender fellowship program makes an award
to the Close-Up Foundation of Washington D.C. This organization
provides fellowships to students from low income families and
their teachers to enable them to participate with other
students and teachers for a week of seminars on government and
meetings with representatives of the three branches of the
Federal government.
Education for Native Hawaiians
The Committee recommends $23,000,000 for education for
Native Hawaiians, the same as the budget request and the fiscal
year 2000 amount. A number of programs limited to Native
Hawaiians are supported with these funds, including a model
curriculum project, family-based education centers,
postsecondary education fellowships, gifted and talented
education projects, and special education projects for disabled
pupils.
Alaska native education equity
The Committee recommends $13,000,000 for the Alaska native
education equity program, the same as both the budget request
and the fiscal year 2000 amount. These funds are used to
develop supplemental educational programs to benefit Alaska
natives.
Charter schools
The Committee recommends $175,000,000 for support of
charter schools, the same as the budget request and $30,000,000
above the fiscal year 2000 amount. Charter schools are
developed and administered by individuals or groups of
individuals, which may include teachers, administrators, and
parents. These groups enter into charters for operation of
their schools, which must be granted exemptions from State and
local rules that limit flexibility in school operation and
management. Under this program, grants are made to State
educational agencies in States that have charter school laws;
the State educational agencies will in turn make sub-grants to
authorized public chartering agencies in partnerships with
developers of charter schools.
Opportunities to improve our nation's schools (OPTIONS)
The Committee bill does not include funding for a new
program proposed in the budget request called opportunities to
improve our nation's schools (OPTIONS). The budget requested
$20,000,000 for this new program which would provide grants to
states and school districts to implement new approaches to
public school choice, including interdistrict programs and
public schools at work sites and on college campuses. This
program is currently unauthorized; however, the Committee is
aware that this proposal is being considered by the authorizing
committees in the context of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act reauthorization. The Committee will consider
funding for this program upon its authorization.
Technical assistance for improving ESEA programs: comprehensive
regional assistance centers/Strengthening technical assistance
capacity grants
The Committee recommends $28,000,000 for comprehensive
regional assistance centers, the same as the fiscal year 2000
amount. The President proposed a new program in place of this
called strengthening technical assistance capacity grants. The
President proposed $38,000,000 for the new program.
The existing program supports the consolidation of 7 former
technical assistance programs that funded 48 technical
assistance centers into a program of 15 comprehensive regional
technical assistance centers for improving ESEA programs. The
proposed new program would replace the current network of
centers with a demand-based system under which states and
districts would receive direct formula grants to purchase
technical assistance that best fits their needs.
While the Committee is intrigued with this demand-based
system approach, the bill continues to fund the existing
centers pending any changes that may be included in the
reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
The Committee instructs the Department to continue the
policy of informing it of any directives or funding earmarks
that would require the Centers to carry out work not directly
in response to local or State requests for assistance.
Advanced placement test fee program
The Committee recommends $20,000,000 for advanced placement
fees. This recommendation is the same as the budget request and
$5,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 amount. The advanced
placement test fee program awards grants to States to enable
them to cover part or all of the cost of advanced placement
test fees of low-income students who are enrolled in advanced
placement classes and plan to take the advanced placement test.
This program also supports competitive grants to states for
programs that encourage greater participation by low-income
students in advanced placement courses.
READING EXCELLENCE ACT
The Committee recommends $260,000,000, the same as the
fiscal year 2000 funding level and $26,000,000 below the budget
request.
The Reading Excellence Act supports competitive, 3-year
grants to state educational agencies that have established a
state reading and literacy partnership. States that receive
funding will make 2-year subgrants, called ``local reading
improvement grants,'' on a competitive basis to LEAs that have
at least one school in Title I school improvement status, have
the highest or second highest percentage of poverty or number
of poor children in the state. School districts use the funds
to provide professional development for teachers, operate
tutoring programs and provide family literacy services. States
must also award at least one ``tutorial assistance grant'' to
LEAs most in need of help. The Act also requires $10,000,000 of
the appropriation to be reserved for the Even Start program.
The Committee understands that this Act is currently being
reauthorized in the context of reauthorization of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Pending any changes to
the program that may result from the reauthorization, the
Committee has chosen to fund the Reading Excellence Act at the
level fully authorized for the program in fiscal year 2000.
The Committee expects the Department to continue to develop
specific, measurable baseline data and performance indicators
for this program. Specifically, the Committee expects the
Department to report on how this program has improved student
reading abilities and improved the instructional practices of
teachers and other instructional staff.
INDIAN EDUCATION
The bill includes $107,765,000 for Indian education. This
amount is $30,765,000 above the fiscal year 2000 appropriation
and $7,735,000 below the budget request. This account supports
programs authorized by part A of Title IX of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act and section 215 of the Department of
Education Organization Act.
Grants to local education agencies
The bill provides $92,765,000 for grants to local education
agencies, the same as the budget request and $30,765,000 above
the fiscal year 2000 amount. This program provides assistance
through formula grants to school districts and schools
supported or operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The
purpose of this program is to reform elementary and secondary
school programs that serve Indian students, including preschool
children. Grantees must develop a comprehensive plan and assure
that the programs they carry out will help Indian students
reach the same challenging standards that apply to all
students. This program supplements the regular school program
to help Indian children sharpen their academic skills, bolster
their self-confidence, and participate in enrichment activities
that would otherwise be unavailable.
Special programs for Indian children
The Committee recommends $13,265,000 for special programs
for Indian children, the same as fiscal year 2000 and
$6,735,000 below the budget request. These programs make
competitive awards to improve the quality of education for
Indian students. Beginning last year, this program also funds a
new Indian Teacher Corps, which hopes to train over 1,000
Indian teachers over a five-year period to take positions in
schools that serve concentrations of Indian children. The
Committee expects that the funds provided will continue this
program in fiscal year 2001.
National activities
The bill provides $1,735,000 for national activities, the
same as fiscal year 2000 and $1,000,000 below the budget
request. Funds under this authority support research,
evaluation and data collection to provide information on the
status of education for the Indian population and on the
effectiveness of Indian education programs.
SCHOOL RENOVATION
The bill does not include $1,300,000,000 proposed by the
Administration for a new school construction initiative. These
programs are not currently authorized in law.
The Committee is aware that the existing Qualified Zone
Academy Bonds program may currently be used for renovating
school buildings, purchasing educational equipment, developing
curriculum, or training teachers. The Committee also notes that
the 106th Congress passed the Taxpayer Refund and Relief Act of
1999, which included the National Public School Construction
Initiative. This initiative would have made permanent changes
to bond rules so that state and local governments issuing
public school construction bonds could take increased advantage
of arbitrage rebate rules to help finance school construction
and renovation. However, the President vetoed this bill. In the
absence of any authorization, the Committee bill does not
include funding for the proposed new program.
BILINGUAL AND IMMIGRANT EDUCATION
The bill includes $406,000,000 for bilingual and immigrant
education programs. This amount is $54,000,000 below the budget
request and the same as the fiscal year 2000 appropriation.
This account supports programs authorized by parts A, B, and C
of title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Bilingual education: Instructional services
The bill provides $162,500,000 for instructional services,
$17,500,000 below the budget request and the same as the fiscal
year 2000 amount. Instructional Services programs assist local
educational agencies (LEAs) in implementing programs for
limited English proficient (LEP) students.
There are four types of grants, primarily to LEAs, for
instructional services to limited English proficient students:
Three-year Program Development and Implementation
Grants for school districts to develop and implement
new programs for LEP students;
Two-year Program Enhancement Grants to enhance or
expand existing programs for LEP students;
Five-year Comprehensive School Grants for school-wide
programs for LEP students that reform, restructure, and
upgrade all relevant programs and operations within an
individual school; and
Five-year Systemwide Improvement Grants for district-
wide projects for LEP students to improve, reform, and
upgrade relevant programs and operations within an
entire LEA.
Funding for projects that primarily instruct in English and
emphasize the rapid transition to regular classes (``special
alternative instruction projects''), is limited to 25 percent
of the appropriation.
The Committee notes that the bilingual education programs
are currently undergoing reauthorization and is recommending
level funding for such programs pending the outcome of the
reauthorization process.
The Committee is pleased that the Department has included
performance indicators for this program that will examine the
speed of transition to regular classes by limited English
proficient students and the levels of academic achievement of
these students while still in bilingual classes and after the
transition to regular classes.
Bilingual education: Support services
The bill provides $14,000,000 for support services. This
amount is $2,000,000 below the budget request and the same as
the fiscal year 2000 amount. This program provides
discretionary grants and contracts in four specific areas:
research and evaluation; dissemination of effective
instructional models; data collection and technical assistance;
and a national clearinghouse to support the collection,
analysis, and dissemination of information about programs for
limited-English proficient students.
The Committee urges the Department to continue to develop
specific, measurable indicators of the degree to which local
education agencies and teachers are accessing training and
technical assistance services, the degree to which these new
techniques are integrated into school or classroom practices
and the degree to which the techniques are successful in
improving the rapid transition to regular classes by limited
English proficient students and how these techniques have
improved the success of students that have made the transition
to regular classes. The primary indicator currently tracked for
this program appears to be the number of inquiries to the
national clearinghouse. The Committee believes this is
insufficient and urges the Department to work on developing
indicators that will address the issues described above.
Bilingual education: Professional development
The bill provides $71,500,000 for professional development
services. This amount is $28,500,000 below the budget request
and the same as the fiscal year 2000 level.
The purpose of Professional Development grants is to
increase the pool of trained teachers and strengthen the skills
of teachers providing instruction to limited English proficient
students. Funds are available to support the training and
retraining of bilingual education teachers and teacher's aides,
graduate fellowships related to fields of bilingual education,
and grants to institutions of higher education to improve
bilingual teacher training programs.
The Committee notes that funding for the professional
development component of bilingual education has increased from
a level of $1.1 million in fiscal year 1996 to $71.5 million in
fiscal year 2000. This dramatic increase, coupled with the
increases provided in the Class Size Reduction, Teacher Quality
Enhancement Grants, Reading Excellence Act and other programs
focused on hiring, training and retaining highly-qualified
teachers should be helping to relieve the reported vacancies
for bilingual and English-as-a-Second Language teachers.
Immigrant education
The bill includes $150,000,000 for immigrant education, the
same as both the budget request and the fiscal year 2000 level.
The Immigrant Education program provides Federal assistance
to local educational agencies (LEAs) that have large numbers of
recently arrived immigrant students. LEAs then use those funds
to enhance instruction for immigrant children and youth or for
the costs of basic instructional services directly attributable
to the presence of immigrant children. Eligible LEAs are those
that enroll at least 500 recent immigrant students or where
those students represent at least 3 percent of the total
enrollment. Immigrant students may be counted only if they have
been enrolled in U.S. schools for less than three complete
academic years.
The Department makes grants to State educational agencies,
which then make subgrants to eligible LEAs within the State. A
1991 GAO study found that most LEAs use their Immigrant
Education funds to provide special instruction to limited
English proficient students.
The Department has included measures required under the
Government Performance and Results Act relating to the amount
of immigrant education funds used for direct services. However,
in this program, as in most others, the Committee feels that
indicators of academic achievement must be developed.
Foreign language assistance
The bill provides $8,000,000 for the foreign language
assistance program, the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount and
$6,000,000 below the budget request. This program provides
competitive grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) and
local educational agencies (LEAs) to increase the quantity and
improve the quality of instruction in foreign languages deemed
critical to the economic and security interests of the United
States. Under this program, 3-year grants are awarded to SEAs
to promote systemic improvement of foreign language instruction
and to LEAs to support model programs of instruction that
exhibit the capability for continuing beyond the 3-year grant
period. LEA grants may include a professional development
component. At least three-quarters of the appropriation must be
used for the expansion of foreign language education in the
elementary grades.
special education
The bill includes $6,550,161,000 for programs for children
with disabilities authorized under the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This funding level is
$181,320,000 above the Administration's fiscal year 2000 budget
request and $513,965,000 above the fiscal year 2000
appropriation.
State Grants: State grants for special education
The bill provides $5,489,685,000 for grants to States,
which is $210,000,000 above the budget request and $500,000,000
above the fiscal year 2000 level. Out of the total of
$5,489,685,000 made available for school year 2001-2002,
$1,747,685,000 is appropriated for fiscal year 2001 for
obligation after July 1, 2001 and $3,742,000,000 is
appropriated for fiscal year 2002 for obligation on, or after,
October 1, 2001.
This program provides formula grants to assist the States
in meeting the excess costs of providing special education and
related services to children with disabilities. In order to be
eligible for funds, States must make free appropriate public
education available to all children with disabilities. Funds
are currently distributed based on the number of children with
disabilities to whom the States provide a free appropriate
education.
The Committee believes that the Department has made good
progress in developing specific, measurable standards of
academic achievement and postsecondary attendance or employment
consistent with the requirements of the Government Performance
and Results Act for special education State grants.
State grants: Preschool grants
The bill provides $390,000,000 for preschool grants, the
same as the fiscal year 2000 level and the budget request. This
program provides grants to States on the basis of their
proportionate share of the total number of children in the 3
through 5 age range. These funds are provided in order to
assist States to make a free appropriate education available to
all children with disabilities in the 3 through 5 age range.
State Grants: Grants for infants and families
The bill provides $375,000,000 for grants for infants and
families, the same as fiscal year 2000 and $8,567,000 below the
budget request. This formula grant assists States in developing
and implementing statewide systems of coordinated,
comprehensive, multidisciplinary, interagency programs to make
available early intervention services to all children with
disabilities, aged birth through 2, and their families.
The Committee recognizes that there has been confusion
around the term ``natural environment'' under this program. As
in all programs under IDEA, the individual needs of the child
must be the first consideration when determining what services
to provide and where to provide those services. While the
Committee recognizes that providing services in the ``natural
environment'' may not be appropriate for all children, the
Committee believes that parents must be involved in that
decision. Under the infants and families program, parents fully
participate in the development of the Individualized Family
Service Plan (IFSP) that determines the early intervention
services their child receives and where such services are
provided. Such plan is developed by a multidisciplinary team
and requires the written consent of the parents prior to
providing any early intervention services. The IFSP must
include a statement of the natural environment where the
services will be provided including a justification of the
extent, if any, to which the services will not be provided in a
natural environment. The Committee encourages the Secretary to
ensure that this process takes place so that parents are fully
participating in the development of the IFSP.
IDEA National Program: State improvement
The bill includes $45,200,000 for State improvement, which
is the same as the budget request and $10,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 appropriation. This program supports
competitive grants to State educational agencies to assist
them, in partnership with parents, teachers, institutions of
higher education, interest groups, and others, to improve
results for children with disabilities by reforming and
improving their educational, early intervention, and
transitional service systems. Among these systems are those for
professional development, technical assistance, and
dissemination of knowledge about best practices. Awards are
based on State improvement plans developed by the States.
The Department has made progress in developing performance
indicators for this program. The Committee encourages the
Department to continue to work on indicators which assess the
degree to which local education agencies and teachers are
accessing training and technical assistance services, the
degree to which these new techniques are integrated into school
or classroom practices and the degree to which the techniques
are successful in improving the academic achievement and
successful transition to postsecondary education and
employment.
IDEA National Program: Research and innovation
The bill includes $64,433,000 for research and innovation,
$10,000,000 below the budget request and the same as the fiscal
year 2000 appropriation. This program supports competitive
awards to produce and advance the use of knowledge to improve
services and results for children with disabilities. The
program focuses on producing new knowledge, integrating
research and practice and improving the use of knowledge.
IDEA National Program: Technical assistance and dissemination
The bill includes $45,481,000 for technical assistance and
dissemination. This funding level is $8,000,000 below the
budget request and the same as the fiscal year 2000
appropriation. This program provides technical assistance and
information through competitive awards that support institutes,
regional resource centers, clearinghouses, and efforts to build
State and local capacity to make systemic changes and improve
results for children with disabilities.
IDEA National Program: Personnel preparation
The bill includes $81,952,000 for personnel preparation,
which is the same as the budget request and the fiscal year
2000 appropriation. This program supports competitive awards to
help address State-identified needs for qualified personnel to
work with children with disabilities, and to ensure that those
personnel have the skills and knowledge they need to serve
those children. Awards focus on addressing the need for
personnel to serve low incidence populations and high incidence
populations, leadership personnel, and projects of national
significance.
IDEA National Program: Parent information centers
The bill includes $22,000,000 for parent information
centers which is $3,465,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level
and $4,000,000 below the budget request. This program makes
awards to parent organizations to support parent training and
information centers, including community parent resource
centers. These centers provide training and information to meet
the needs of parents of children with disabilities living in
the areas served by the centers, particularly underserved
parents and parents of children who may be inappropriately
identified. Technical assistance is also provided under this
program for developing, assisting and coordinating centers
receiving assistance under this program.
IDEA National Program: Technology and media services
The bill includes $36,410,000 for technology and media
services, which is $2,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
appropriation and $1,887,000 above the budget request. This
program makes competitive awards to support the development,
demonstration, and use of technology and educational media
activities of educational value to children with disabilities.
The bill includes $9,500,000 for Recording for the Blind
and Dyslexic, an increase of $2,000,000 over the amount
appropriated for 2000. These funds support continued production
and circulation of recorded textbooks, increased outreach
activities to print-disabled students and their teachers, and
an accelerated use of digital technology. The Committee
believes that the increase recommended will enable RFB&D to
significantly expand its outreach activities and to accelerate
its efforts to digitize its vast storehouse of materials.
The Committee continues to recognize the importance of very
small businesses in increasing the quality and cost-
effectiveness of the television captioning program. As this
program transitions into a mandatory program under the
Telecommunications Act, the Committee urges the Department to
give full and fair consideration to the applications of very
small businesses.
rehabilitation services and disability research
The bill includes $2,776,803,000 for rehabilitation
services and disability research. This amount is $21,848,000
below the budget request and $69,814,000 above the fiscal year
2000 appropriation. The programs in this account are authorized
by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Helen Keller National
Center Act, and the Technology-Related Assistance for
Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988.
Vocational rehabilitation grants to States
For vocational rehabilitation State grants, the bill
includes $2,399,790,000, $60,813,000 above fiscal year 2000 and
the same as the budget request. This program supports basic
vocational rehabilitation services through formula grants to
the States. These grants support a wide range of services
designed to help persons with physical and mental disabilities
prepare for and engage in gainful employment to the extent of
their capabilities. Emphasis is placed on providing vocational
rehabilitation services to persons with the most severe
disabilities.
Client assistance
The bill includes $10,928,000 for the client assistance
program, $219,000 below the budget request and the same as the
fiscal year 2000 amount. A client assistance program is
required in each State as a condition of receipt of a basic
State grant. State formula grants are used to help persons with
disabilities overcome problems with the service delivery system
and improve their understanding of services available to them
under the Rehabilitation Act.
Training
For training personnel to provide rehabilitation services
to persons with disabilities, the bill includes $39,629,000,
the same as the budget request and the same as the fiscal year
2000 amount. The program supports long-term and short-term
training, in-service personnel training, and training of
interpreters for deaf persons. Projects in a broad array of
disciplines are funded to ensure that skilled personnel are
available to serve the vocational needs of persons with
disabilities.
Demonstration and training programs
The bill includes $16,492,000 for demonstration and
training programs, $5,180,000 below both the fiscal year 2000
level and the budget request. These programs authorize
discretionary awards on a competitive basis to public and
private organizations to support demonstrations, direct
services, and related activities for persons with severe
disabilities.
Migratory workers
For programs serving migratory workers, the bill provides
$2,350,000, which is the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount
and $500,000 below the budget request. This program provides
discretionary grants to make comprehensive vocational
rehabilitation services available to migrant or seasonal
farmworkers with vocational disabilities. Projects emphasize
outreach activities, specialized bilingual rehabilitation
counseling, and coordination of vocational rehabilitation
services with services from other sources.
Recreational programs
For recreational programs, the bill provides $2,596,000,
$925,000 below the fiscal year 2000 amount and the same as the
budget request. This program provides individuals with
recreation and related activities to aid in their employment,
mobility, independence, socialization, and community
integration. Discretionary grants are made on a competitive
basis to States, public agencies, and nonprofit private
organizations, including institutions of higher education.
Protection and advocacy of individual rights
For protection and advocacy for persons with severe
disabilities, the bill provides $14,000,000, $1,868,000 above
the budget request and $2,106,000 above the fiscal year 2000
level. Grants are awarded to entities that have the authority
to pursue legal, administrative, and other appropriate remedies
needed to protect and advocate the rights of persons with
severe disabilities.
Projects with industry
For projects with industry, the bill provides $22,071,000,
the same as both the fiscal year 2000 amount and the budget
request. This program is the primary Federal vehicle for
promoting greater participation of business and industry in the
rehabilitation process. The program provides training and
experience in realistic work settings to persons with
disabilities to prepare them for employment in the competitive
labor market. Awards are made to a variety of agencies and
organizations, including business and industrial corporations,
rehabilitation facilities, labor organizations, trade
associations, and foundations.
Supported employment State grants
For supported employment State grants, the bill includes
$38,152,000, which is the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount
and the budget request. These formula grants assist States in
developing collaborative programs with public agencies and
nonprofit agencies for training and post-employment services
leading to supported employment. In supported employment
programs, persons with severe disabilities are given special
supervision and assistance to enable them to perform a job.
Independent living: State grants
For State grants for independent living, the bill includes
$22,296,000. This amount is the same as both the fiscal year
2000 amount and the budget request. This program supports
formula grants to the States to provide services designed to
meet the current and future needs of persons whose disabilities
are so severe that they do not presently have the potential for
employment, but who may benefit from services to enable them to
live and function independently.
Independent living: Centers
For centers for independent living, the bill provides
$58,000,000, which is the same as the budget request and
$10,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level. Discretionary
grants support a network of consumer-controlled,
nonresidential, community-based private nonprofit centers that
provide a wide range of services to help persons with severe
disabilities live more independently in family and community
settings. Centers provide information and referral services,
independent living skills training, peer counseling, and
individual and systems advocacy. Discretionary grants are made
to State vocational rehabilitation agencies or other public
agencies or private nonprofit organizations.
Independent living: Services for older blind persons
For independent living services for older blind
individuals, the bill provides $18,000,000. This amount is
$3,000,000 above both the fiscal year 2000 amount and the
budget request. Discretionary grants support services for
persons 55 years old or over whose severe visual impairment
makes gainful employment extremely difficult to obtain, but for
whom independent living goals are feasible.
Program improvement
For program improvement activities, the bill provides
$1,900,000, which is the same as the fiscal year 2000 level and
the budget request. The program: (1) provides technical
assistance and consultative services to public and non-profit
private agencies and organizations; (2) provides short-term
training and technical instruction; (3) conducts special
demonstrations; (4) collects, prepares, publishes and
disseminates educational or informational materials, and; (5)
carries out monitoring and conducts evaluations.
Evaluation
The bill includes $1,587,000 for program evaluation, the
same as the fiscal year 2000 amount and the budget request.
These funds are used to evaluate the impact and effectiveness
of individual programs authorized under the Rehabilitation Act.
Contracts are awarded on an annual basis for studies to be
conducted by persons not immediately involved in the
administration of the programs authorized by the Act.
Helen Keller National Center
For the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth
and Adults, the bill includes $8,550,000, which is the same as
the fiscal year 2000 amount and $167,000 below the budget
request. These funds are used for the operation of the national
center for intensive services for deaf-blind individuals and
their families at Sands Point, New York and a network of 10
regional offices for referral and counseling. In addition to
support for the national and regional staff, the Helen Keller
Center provides seed money to State and private nonprofit
affiliate agencies to assist them in initiating programs for
deaf-blind persons.
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
The bill includes $86,462,000 for the National Institute on
Disability and Rehabilitation Research, the same as the fiscal
year 2000 amount and $13,538,000 below the budget request. The
Institute supports research, demonstration and training
activities that are designed to maximize the employment and
integration into society of individuals with disabilities of
all ages.
Assistive technology
For assistive technology activities, the bill provides
$34,000,000, $7,112,000 below the budget request and the same
as the fiscal year 2000 amount. Technology assistance
activities are authorized under the Technology-Related
Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988, which
was reauthorized in 1994. This program provides discretionary
grants to the States to assist them in developing statewide
programs to facilitate the provision of devices for, and
services to, persons with disabilities.
Special Institutions for Persons With Disabilities
AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND
The bill provides $11,000,000 for the American Printing
House for the Blind, an increase of $900,000 above the
comparable fiscal year 2000 appropriation and $735,000 above
the budget request. This appropriation subsidizes the
production of educational materials for legally blind persons
enrolled in pre-college programs. The Printing House, which is
chartered by the State of Kentucky, manufactures and maintains
an inventory of special materials that is distributed free of
charge to schools and States based on the number of blind
students in each State. The Printing House also conducts
research and field activities to inform educators about the
availability of materials and how to use them.
NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF
The bill provides $54,000,000 for the National Technical
Institute for the Deaf (NTID), an increase of $5,849,000 above
the comparable fiscal year 2000 amount and $2,214,000 above the
request. The bill allows the NTID to transfer a portion of its
appropriation to the endowment at its discretion. The Committee
directs the NTID to report to it within 15 days of executing
such a transfer.
The bill includes $6,000,000 to remain available until
expended for construction on dormitory renovations. The
Committee notes that NTID has voiced concerns in its budget
hearings for the past two years that the construction funds
requested by the Department of Education are insufficient for
dormitory renovations. The Department of Education has
requested that NTID raise 15 percent of the renovation costs
through private contributions. NTID has had difficulty in doing
so and the Committee has therefore provided a slight increase
above the budget request for the construction account in fiscal
year 2001 in order to ameliorate this situation to some extent.
The Committee will continue to monitor this situation and
encourages NTID to continue to pursue private contributions to
pay for a portion of the renovation costs to the extent
practicable.
The Committee is pleased with the progress NTID has made in
achieving most of its performance measures.
The NTID was established by Congress in 1965 to provide a
residential facility for postsecondary technical training and
education for deaf persons with the purpose of promoting the
employment of deaf individuals. The Institute also conducts
applied research and provides training in various aspects of
deafness. The Secretary of Education administers these
activities through a contract with the Rochester Institute of
Technology in Rochester, New York.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY
The bill provides $89,400,000 for Gallaudet University, an
increase of $3,420,000 above the comparable fiscal year 2000
appropriation and $1,750,000 above the budget request. The bill
includes a provision that allows Gallaudet to transfer a
portion of its appropriation to the endowment at its
discretion. The Committee directs Gallaudet to report to it
within 15 days of executing such a transfer. The Committee
expects $2,500,000 of this total to be used for deferred
maintenance activities as described in the President's fiscal
year 2001 budget justification.
Gallaudet is a private, non-profit educational institution
Federally-chartered in 1864 providing elementary, secondary,
college preparatory, undergraduate, and continuing education
for deaf persons. In addition, the University offers graduate
programs in fields related to deafness for deaf and hearing
students, conducts various deafness research, and provides
public service programs for deaf persons.
The Committee is pleased with the progress Gallaudet has
made in achieving most of its performance measures.
VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION
The bill includes $1,718,600,000 for vocational and adult
education programs. This amount is $36,850,000 above the fiscal
year 2000 appropriation and $32,650,000 below the budget
request. This appropriation account includes vocational
education programs authorized by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational
and Applied Technology Education Act. The account also includes
adult education programs originally authorized by the Adult
Education Act and reauthorized under the Workforce Investment
Act of 1998.
Vocational education basic grants
This bill includes $1,100,000,000 for basic grants to
States under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied
Technology Education Act, which is $44,350,000 above the fiscal
year 2000 amount and $244,350,000 above the budget request. Out
of the total of $1,100,000,000 made available for school year
2001-2002, $309,000,000 is appropriated for fiscal year 2001
for obligation after July 1, 2001 and $791,000,000 is
appropriated for fiscal year 2002 for obligation on, or after,
October 1, 2001.
State grants support a variety of vocational education
programs developed in accordance with the State plan. The Act
concentrates federal resources on institutions with high
concentrations of low-income students. The populations assisted
by Basic Grants range from secondary students in pre-vocational
courses to adults who need retraining to adapt to changing
technological and labor markets.
Tech-prep
The bill includes $106,000,000 for tech-prep, which is the
same as fiscal year 2000 and the budget request for fiscal year
2001. The Committee bill does not include the recommendation
made in the budget request to advance fund $200,000,000 in this
account for fiscal year 2002.
This appropriation includes activities under title III,
part E of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology
Education Act. The tech-prep education program provides
planning and demonstration grants to consortia of local
educational agencies and postsecondary institutions to develop
and operate model technical education programs. These programs
begin in high school and provide students with the
mathematical, science, communications and technological skills
needed to enter a 2-year associate degree or 2-year certificate
program in a given occupational field, and to make a successful
transition into further postsecondary education or begin their
careers. The purpose of tech-prep is to develop structural
links between secondary and postsecondary institutions that
integrate academic and vocational education and better prepares
students to make the transition from school to careers.
Tribally controlled postsecondary vocational institutions
The bill includes $4,600,000 for grants for tribally
controlled postsecondary vocational institutions, the same as
the budget request and the fiscal year 2000 amount. This
program provides grants for the operation and improvement of
training programs to ensure continuation and expansion of
vocational training opportunities for Indian youth.
National programs
For national programs, the Committee provides $17,500,000,
which is the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount and the budget
request. This authority supports the conduct and dissemination
of research in vocational education, and includes support for
the National Center for Research in Vocational Education, six
regional curriculum coordination centers, and other
discretionary research.
The Committee notes that one of the key provisions of the
Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act is the
development of stronger linkages between education and
employers. One aspect of this is the development of curricula
for career clusters. The Committee encourages the Department to
continue development of this curricula, and, to help address
the shortage of labor in the construction industry, recommends
that the design of the construction curriculum receive high
priority.
National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee
The bill does not include funding for the National
Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (NOICC). The
President's budget did not request funding for it. Last year
NOICC was funded at $9,000,000. NOICC provides career
information and guidance services to students and adults
through a network of state agencies.
State programs for adult education
For state grants, the Committee recommends $470,000,000,
which is $20,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 amount, and
$10,000,000 above the budget request. State formula grants
support programs to enable all adults to acquire basic literacy
skills, to enable those who so desire to complete a secondary
education, and to make available to adults the means to become
more employable, productive, and responsible citizens.
Grants are provided on a formula basis to States under the
new Adult Education and Family Literacy Act. The formula
provides an initial allotment of $25,000 for each state and
$100,000 to each outlying area, with additional allotments
distributed on the basis of population aged 16 or over who are
without a high school diploma or equivalent who are not
enrolled in secondary school.
States may use 12.5% of their allotments for state
leadership activities and may use an additional 5% or $65,000
for state administration. States and localities must give
priority to adult education and literacy activities that are
built on a strong foundation of research on effective practices
and that effectively employ technology. Funds are provided on a
forward-funded basis.
The Committee notes that over 40 percent of new adult
education entrants are seeking English as-a-second language
(ESL) services and that ESL accounts for 51 percent of all
adults receiving adult education services and 76 percent of the
hours of instruction received. The Committee expects that the
funds provided in this program will be used by states with
large concentrations of students who seek English language
proficiency training to meet the needs of those individuals.
The Committee bill retains language similar to that contained
in last year's bill that guarantees a portion of the funds will
be used to provide civics education services to new immigrants.
National Programs--National Leadership Activities
The Committee provides $14,000,000 for national leadership
activities. This amount is the same as the fiscal year 2000
level and $75,000,000 below the budget request.
Through applied research, development, dissemination,
evaluation, and program improvement activities, this program
assists State efforts to improve the quality of adult
education. The funds support such projects as evaluations on
the status and effectiveness of adult education programs,
national and international adult literacy surveys, and
technical assistance on using technology to improve instruction
and administration that show promise of contributing to the
improvement and expansion of adult education.
The Committee has not included funding for a separate,
competitive grant program proposed by the Administration for
civics education. The Committee believes that the proposed
initiative would result in unnecessary duplication, paperwork,
and cost for states and localities that already operate
successful ESL programs. The Committee has included language
similar to that contained in last year's bill that guarantees a
portion of the funds will be used to provide civics education
services to new immigrants.
The Committee notes that $7,000,000 in fiscal year 1999
funds were used by the Department to support a discretionary
competition to identify best practices in teaching English-as-
a-Second Language programs. The Committee is hopeful that this
program will identify successful models for teaching ESL
programs to new immigrants and that the Department will quickly
disseminate its findings to all States and to the Committee.
National Institute for Literacy
For the National Institute for Literacy, the bill provides
$6,500,000, which is $500,000 above the fiscal year 2000 amount
and the same as the budget request. The Institute supports
research and development projects, tracks progress made toward
national literacy goals, supports research fellowships,
disseminates information through a national clearinghouse, and
coordinates literacy information data from national and State
sources.
State grants for incarcerated youth offenders
The Committee recommends no funding for state grants for
incarcerated youth offenders, $12,000,000 below the budget
request and $19,000,000 below the fiscal year 2000 amount.
Given the limited Federal discretionary budget, the Committee
has chosen to focus its resources on higher priority programs
in this bill.
student financial assistance
The bill provides $10,198,000,000 for student financial
assistance programs, an increase of $823,283,000 over the
comparable fiscal year 2000 appropriation and a decrease of
$60,000,000 below the President's budget request.
It has come to the Committee's attention that the Higher
Education Assistance Fund (HEAF) Board recently met and started
shut-down procedures after dealing with the last claim and
determining that there would be no further claims to settle
related to the closure of HEAF. The Committee understands that
approximately $10,000,000 remains in the HEAF account, which is
under the control of the Department of Education. These funds
may not be obligated by the Department of Education prior to
consultation with the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the
appropriations and authorizing committees of the House and the
Senate.
The Committee strongly encourages the office of Student
Financial Assistance, through the Office's web site, to include
links or contact information for all banks and financial
institutions within the United States who are eligible Federal
Family Education Loan (FFEL) program lenders and who wish to be
identified on the Office's website.
Pell grants
The bill increases the maximum Pell Grant to $3,500, the
same as the President's request and $200 above the comparable
fiscal year 2000 amount, providing the highest maximum grant
ever awarded. This raise in the maximum grant will increase the
number of students who qualify for Pell Grants to 3,885,000.
The bill provides $8,356,000,000 in new budget authority
for the Pell Grant program, the same as the President's request
and $716,283,000 above the comparable fiscal year 2000 amount.
The Committee considers this program to be among the highest
priorities under its jurisdiction. Pell Grants provide portable
education vouchers to postsecondary students who may use them
at any of over 6,000 eligible schools.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
The bill provides $691,000,000 for federal supplemental
educational opportunity grants, the same as the request and
$70,000,000 above the comparable fiscal year 2000
appropriation. The SEOG program provides grants through
postsecondary institutions to qualified students who
demonstrate exceptional financial need. Institutions have broad
flexibility within the eligibility criteria for awarding these
grants with the exception that priority must be given to Pell
Grant recipients.
Work-study
The bill provides $1,011,000,000 for the work-study
program, an increase of $77,000,000 over the comparable fiscal
year 2000 appropriation and the same as the budget request.
Funding for this program is provided through institutions to
students who work part-time to meet the cost of education.
Institutions receive funding according to a statutory formula
and may allocate it for job location and job development
centers.
The administration requires that ``...at least one tutoring
or family literacy project [must be included] as part of
...community service activities [under Work Study.]'' The
Committee believes that, given the priority placed on this
activity by the Administration, they should include performance
data on the baseline literacy level of children and adults
participating in family literacy or tutoring and numerical
measures of expected improvements. These measures should
parallel, to the degree possible, the measures used in programs
such as even start, head start, and other literacy programs.
Perkins loans capital contributions
The Committee bill provides $100,000,000 in funding for new
capital contributions to federal perkins revolving loan funds,
the same as the budget request and the comparable fiscal year
2000 appropriation.
Perkins loans cancellations
The bill provides $40,000,000 for federal perkins loans
cancellations, $20,000,000 below the budget request and
$10,000,000 above the comparable fiscal year 2000 amount. The
Federal Government reimburses institutional perkins revolving
loan funds for loan cancellations permitted under Federal law.
Loans may be canceled when the borrower pursues a career in one
of 12 statutorily-designated professions including corrections,
medical technical work, and peace corps or VISTA service.
Leveraging educational assistance partnership
The bill does not provide funding for the leveraging
educational assistance partnership (LEAP) program. The fiscal
year 2000 Appropriations Act provided $40,000,000 for this
program and the President requested $40,000,000 for fiscal year
2001. The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 reauthorized the
state student incentive grant (SSIG) program as the new
leveraging educational assistance partnership (LEAP) program.
LEAP provides dollar-for-dollar matching funds to States as an
incentive for providing need-based grant and work study
assistance to eligible postsecondary students. Federally
supported grants and job earnings are limited to $5,000 per
award year for full-time students. By law, each State's
allocation is based on its relative share of the total national
population of students eligible to participate in the programs,
except that no state is to receive less than it received in
1979, when the appropriation was $76,750,000. If LEAP amounts
are below this level, each State is allocated an amount
proportional to the amount of funds it received in 1979. If a
state does not use all of its allocation, the excess funds are
distributed to other States in the same proportion as the
original distribution. States must, at a minimum, match LEAP
grants dollar for dollar with state funds provided through
direct state appropriations for this purpose.
GPRA Measures
The Committee is encouraged by the Office of Student
Financial Aid's focus on the development of performance
measures. The Office should use these measures as the primary
management tool for resource allocation and the evaluation of
programs and individuals. The Committee is very concerned that
the Office has not consulted with it, and other Committees of
Congress, on the definition of performance measures, baseline
development and the development and implementation of regular
progress reports to Congress. The Office of Student Financial
Aid is directed to establish a regular consultative process
with the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on
Education and the Workforce and the analogous Committees in the
Senate. The Committee also instructs the Office regularly to
brief the Congress on how these tools are being used to manage
the Student Financial Assistance programs, how such data is
used to establish program and individual performance goals, how
actual performance is measured against these goals and the
kinds of incentives, both positive and negative, that are in
place to assure the achievement of overall goals.
The Committee concurs with the Secretary's proposal to
provide a single set of performance measures. However, it also
believes that, in addition to various measures of timeliness,
accuracy and student satisfaction, the Secretary should include
measures relating to the successful completion of degrees or
certificates by students assisted through the various student
financial aid programs.
Federal family education loan program
The bill provides $48,000,000 for administration of the
federal family education loan (FFEL) program, the same as
fiscal year 2000 and the budget request. This discretionary
administrative funding is provided in the FFEL appropriation
account rather than under the Department's Salaries and
Expenses account pursuant to a requirement of the Federal
Credit Reform Act of 1990. These funds support Federal
administrative activities including processing payments and
claims, reducing loan default costs, and program monitoring.
FFEL loans are financed with private capital and reinsured by
the Federal Government against borrower default, death,
disability and bankruptcy. Federal costs include payments for
such insurance claims as well as support for borrower interest
benefits. FFEL loans have supported over $150,000,000,000 in
loans to student and parent borrowers since their inception.
This account includes discretionary Federal administrative
costs only. Additional amounts for new FFEL subsidies and
mandatory administrative expenses for fiscal year 2001 are
provided under permanent legislative authority.
Higher education
The bill provides $1,688,081,000 for higher education
programs, an increase of $158,502,000 above the fiscal year
2000 appropriation and $107,892,000 below the budget request.
Strengthening institutions
The bill provides $73,000,000 for the regular strengthening
institutions program, $10,000,000 above the budget request and
$12,750,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level. This program
provides general operating subsidies to institutions with low
average educational and general expenditures per student and
significant percentages of low-income students. Awards may be
used for faculty and academic program development, management,
joint use of libraries and laboratories, acquisition of
equipment, and student services.
Hispanic serving institutions
The bill provides $68,500,000 for the Hispanic serving
institutions (HSI) program, $6,000,000 above the budget request
and $26,250,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level.
The HSI program provides operating subsidies to schools
that serve at least 25 percent Hispanic students of whom at
least half are low-income, first-generation students and at
least a quarter of whom are either low-income or first-
generation students.
The Committee expects the Department to continue to develop
specific numerical goals for this program. Specifically, the
Committee expects the Department to focus on performance
indicators related to student persistence, academic skills,
endowment building, technology, institutional stability and
program quality.
Dual degree programs
The Committee bill does not include funding for the dual
degree program proposed by the Administration to be funded at
$40,000,000. This program is not authorized. The proposal would
provide grants to minority serving institutions to establish
dual-degree program articulation agreements, provide some
scholarship funds for participating students and compensate the
minority serving institutions for revenue losses associated
with the participating students' accelerated matriculation.
Strengthening historically black colleges and universities
The bill provides $185,000,000 for strengthening
historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs),
$36,250,000 above the fiscal year 2000 appropriation and
$16,000,000 above the budget request.
This program provides operating subsidies to accredited,
legally authorized HBCUs established prior to 1964 whose
principal mission is the education of Black Americans. Funds
may be used to support both programs and management and are
distributed through a formula grant based on the enrollment of
Pell Grant recipients, number of graduates, and the number of
graduates entering graduate or professional schools in which
Blacks are underrepresented. The minimum grant is $500,000.
The Committee expects the Department to continue to develop
specific numerical goals for this program. Specifically, the
Committee expects the Department to focus on performance
indicators related to student persistence, academic skills,
endowment building, technology, institutional stability and
program quality.
Strengthening historically black graduate institutions
The bill provides $45,000,000 for the strengthening
historically black graduate institutions program, $14,000,000
above the fiscal year 2000 appropriation and $5,000,000 above
the budget request.
The program provides 5-year grants to the following 16
post-secondary institutions that are specified in section
326(e)(1) of the Higher Education Act: Morehouse School of
Medicine, Meharry Medical School, Charles R. Drew Postgraduate
Medical School, Clark-Atlanta University, Tuskegee University
School of Veterinary Medicine, Xavier University School of
Pharmacy, Southern University School of Law, Texas Southern
University Schools of Law and Pharmacy, Florida A&M University
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North Carolina Central
University School of Law, Morgan State University qualified
graduate program, Hampton University qualified graduate
program, Alabama A&M qualified graduate program, University of
Maryland Eastern Shore qualified graduate program, and Jackson
State qualified graduate program. No grants may be made to the
last 11 institutions until the first 5 institutions have
received at least $12 million. Grants are limited to $500,000
unless the institution agrees to match the entire grant with
the exception of a minimum $3,000,000 set-aside for the
Morehouse School of Medicine. Awards may be used for building
endowments as well as the same purposes for which the
strengthening HBCU grants may be used.
The Committee expects the Department to continue to develop
specific numerical goals for this program. Specifically, the
Committee expects the Department to focus on performance
indicators related to student persistence, academic skills,
endowment building, technology, institutional stability and
program quality.
Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions
The Committee recommends $5,000,000 for strengthening
Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, the
same as both the fiscal year 2000 level and the budget request.
The Committee expects the Department to continue to develop
specific numerical goals for this program. Specifically, the
Committee expects the Department to focus on performance
indicators related to student persistence, academic skills,
endowment building, technology, institutional stability and
program quality.
Strengthening tribally controlled colleges and universities
The Committee recommends $12,000,000 for the strengthening
tribally controlled colleges and universities program,
$3,000,000 above the budget request and $6,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 level.
The Committee expects the Department to continue to develop
specific numerical goals for this program. Specifically, the
Committee expects the Department to focus on performance
indicators related to student persistence, academic skills,
endowment building, technology, institutional stability and
program quality.
Fund for the improvement of postsecondary education
The Committee recommends $31,200,000 for the fund for the
improvement of postsecondary education (FIPSE), the same as the
budget request and $43,049,000 below the fiscal year 2000
amount. FIPSE awards grants and contracts to a variety of
postsecondary institutions and other organizations to improve
the quality and delivery of postsecondary education.
Minority science improvement
The bill provides $8,500,000 for the minority science
improvement program (MSIP), $1,000,000 above the fiscal year
2000 appropriation and the same as the budget request.
The MSIP program awards grants to improve mathematics,
science, and engineering programs at institutions serving
primarily minority students and to increase the number of
minority students who pursue advanced degrees and careers in
those fields. The Committee encourages the Department to
develop specific numerical goals and baseline data for this
program.
International education and foreign languages studies
Domestic programs
The bill provides $67,000,000 for the domestic activities
of the international education and foreign languages studies
programs, $5,000,000 above both the fiscal year 2000
appropriation and the budget request. The program assists
graduate and undergraduate foreign language and area studies
programs and students at institutions of postsecondary
education. Programs include national resource centers, foreign
language and area studies fellowships, undergraduate
international studies and foreign language programs,
international research and studies projects, business and
international education projects, international business
education centers, language resource centers, and American
overseas research centers. In general, the Secretary has
discretion to allocate funding among these various activities.
The Department has developed some performance indicators
for this program; however, the Committee believes more work
needs to be done in developing specific, numeric goals and
baseline data for these programs.
Overseas programs
The bill provides $10,000,000 for the overseas programs in
international education and foreign language studies authorized
under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961,
popularly known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The appropriation is
the same as the budget request and $3,320,000 above the fiscal
year 2000 appropriation. Funding for these programs supports
group projects abroad, faculty research abroad, special
bilateral projects, and doctoral research abroad.
The Department has developed some performance indicators
for this program, however, the Committee believes more work
needs to be done in developing specific, numeric goals and
baseline data for these programs.
Institute for International Public Policy
The bill provides $1,022,000 for the Institute for
International Public Policy, the same as both the budget
request and the fiscal year 2000 appropriation. This program
provides a grant to the United Negro College Fund to operate
the Institute through sub-grantees chosen among minority
serving institutions.
The Department has developed some performance indicators
for this program, however, the Committee believes more work
needs to be done in developing specific, numeric goals and
baseline data for these programs.
Interest subsidy grants
The bill provides $10,000,000 for interest subsidy grants
authorized under section 702 of the Higher Education Act, the
same amount requested in the budget and $2,000,000 below the
fiscal year 2000 appropriation. This program provides loan
subsidies to higher education institutions for facilities
acquisition, construction and renovation loans taken prior to
1974. All loans will terminate by the fiscal year 2013. The
authority to initiate new loan subsidy commitments was repealed
in the 1992 amendments to the Higher Education Act. Interest
subsidies provide institutions the difference between the
interest they pay on commercially-obtained loans and 3 percent
of the loan balance. The bill provides funding sufficient to
meet the Federal Government's commitments on the 241 loans
expected to be in repayment status in fiscal year 2001.
TRIO
The bill provides $760,000,000 for the six TRIO programs,
an increase of $35,000,000 above the budget request and
$115,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000 appropriation.
The TRIO programs provide a variety of outreach and support
services to encourage low-income, potential first-generation
college students to enter and complete college. Discretionary
grants of up to four or five years are awarded competitively to
institutions of higher education and other agencies. At least
two-thirds of the eligible participants in TRIO must be low-
income, first-generation college students.
The Committee urges the Department to use a funding
allocation strategy in making awards under TRIO that balances
the need to fund a larger number of grantees with the need for
projects to improve the quality of student services and expand
to serve all eligible students.
GEAR UP
The Committee recommends $200,000,000 for the GEAR UP
program, the same as the fiscal year 2000 appropriation and
$125,000,000 below the budget request.
GEAR UP provides grants to states and partnerships of low-
income middle and high schools, institutions of higher
education and community organizations to target entire grades
of students and give them the skills and encouragement to
successfully pursue postsecondary education.
Byrd scholarships
The Committee recommends $39,859,000 for the Byrd
scholarships program, $1,142,000 below the budget request and
the same as the fiscal year 2000 appropriation. The Byrd
scholarship program provides formula grants to States to award
four-year, $1,500 scholarships to students who demonstrate
academic excellence in high school.
Javits fellowships
The Committee recommends $10,000,000 for the Javits
fellowship program, the same as the budget request and
$10,000,000 below the fiscal year 2000 appropriation.
Under the Javits program, institutions receive Federal
support to make fellowship awards of up to $14,400 to students
pursuing doctoral study in the arts, humanities, and social
sciences.
The Committee is aware that, due to a contractor error, 39
students were incorrectly notified in writing that they were
recipients of a Javits Fellowship for the 2000-2001 school
year. Because of a provision in the authorizing law
guaranteeing funding to a student once he or she is notified in
writing of receipt of such an award, the Department believes it
is obligated to grant the 39 alternate students awards.
However, the Department has also informed the Committee that,
although this error was made by a Department contractor, the
Department has not terminated the contract nor required the
contractor to pay for this mistake. Although this situation
appears to have resolved itself without additional cost, the
Committee remains deeply concerned that this could have
resulted in federal taxpayers assuming the responsibility for a
contractor error while the contractor continued to receive
payments. Accordingly, the Committee urges the Department to
carefully review this contractor's performance and take
appropriate steps, up to and including termination of the
contract, to ensure that future such errors will not occur.
Graduate assistance in areas of national need program
The Committee recommends $31,000,000 for the graduate
assistance in areas of national need (GAANN) program, the same
as both the budget request and the fiscal year 2000
appropriation.
The GAANN program awards grants to institutions of higher
education to provide fellowships of up to five years and
$14,400 to economically disadvantaged students who have
demonstrated academic excellence and who are pursuing graduate
education in designated areas of national need.
Learning anytime anywhere
The Committee recommends $10,000,000 for learning anytime
anywhere partnerships, which is $13,269,000 below the fiscal
year 2000 appropriation and $20,000,000 below the budget
request.
This program supports grants of up to 5 years for regional
or national partnerships aimed at widening the availability of
new forms of distance education, as well as improving
instructional and program quality.
Teacher quality enhancement grants
The Committee recommends $98,000,000 for teacher quality
enhancement grants, which is the same as the budget request and
the fiscal year 2000 appropriation. Teacher quality enhancement
grants have three components: state grants, partnership grants
and recruitment grants. By statute, state and partnership
grants each receive 45 percent of the appropriation, and
recruitment grants receive 10 percent.
Under the state grant component, states apply to receive up
to three years of funding to improve the quality of their
teaching force through promoting reform activities such as
teacher licensing and certification, accountability for high
quality teacher preparation and professional development and
recruiting teachers for high-need schools. States must match 50
percent of the federal award.
Under the partnership component, partnerships apply to
receive a five-year grant to strengthen the capacity of K-12
educators in designing and implementing effective teacher
education programs, and by increasing collaboration among these
practitioners and departments of arts and sciences and schools
of education at institutions of higher education. Partnerships
must match 25 percent of the federal grant in the first year,
35 percent in the second year, and 50 percent for the remaining
years.
The recruitment component supports the efforts to reduce
shortages of qualified teachers in high-need school districts.
States or partnerships may apply to receive these grants.
Child care access means parents in school
The Committee recommends $15,000,000 for child care access
means parents in school program, which is the same as the
budget request and $10,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
appropriation.
Under this program, institutions may receive discretionary
grants of up to four years to support or establish a campus-
based childcare program primarily serving the needs of low-
income students enrolled at the institution. Priority is given
to childcare programs that leverage significant local or
institutional resources and utilize a sliding fee scale. Grants
can only be used to supplement childcare services or start new
programs.
Demonstration projects to ensure quality higher education for students
with disabilities
The Committee recommends $5,000,000 for demonstration
projects to ensure quality higher education for students with
disabilities, the same as both the budget request and the
fiscal year 2000 level.
This program provides discretionary grants for three years
to support model demonstration projects that provide technical
assistance and professional development activities for faculty
and administrators in institutions of higher education in order
to provide students with disabilities a high-quality
postsecondary education.
Underground railroad program
The Committee recommends no funding for the underground
railroad program, which is $1,750,000 below both the budget
request and the fiscal year 2000 appropriation. The underground
railroad program is a grant to a non-profit institution to
research, display, interpret and collect artifacts relating to
the history of the underground railroad. Because of the limited
resources available to it this year, the Committee has chosen
to fund programs that provide direct services to low-income
students.
Community Scholarship Mobilization
The Committee bill does not include funding for the
community scholarship mobilization program. This program was
funded at $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2000. The President's
budget did not request funding for it.
GPRA data/HEA program evaluation
The Committee recommends $3,000,000 for program evaluation
and development of data required under the Government
Performance and Results Act for Higher Education programs
administered by the Department. This is the same as the budget
request and the fiscal year 2000 appropriation.
The Committee understands that for many higher education
programs, baseline and performance indicator data is sparse,
nonexistent or difficult to collect. Funding under this
activity will support the Department in developing high-quality
data as required under the Government Performance and Results
Act.
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
The bill provides $226,474,000 for Howard University,
$2,474,000 above the budget request and $7,030,000 above the
comparable fiscal year 2000 appropriation. Howard University is
a ``Research I'' university located in the District of
Columbia. Direct appropriations for Howard University are
authorized by 20 U.S.C. 123, originally enacted in 1867.
The budget request earmarks a minimum of $3,530,000 for the
endowment. The Committee bill increases this amount to
$3,600,000, which represents an increase of $70,000 above the
current level.
Howard University provides undergraduate liberal arts,
graduate and professional instruction to 10,400 students from
all 50 States. Masters degrees are offered in over 85 fields
and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in 24 fields.
The Committee is pleased with the progress Howard
University has made in achieving most of its performance
measures.
COLLEGE HOUSING AND ACADEMIC FACILITIES LOANS PROGRAM
The bill provides $737,000 for the Federal administration
of the college housing and academic facilities loan (CHAFL)
program, the Higher Educational Facilities Loans program and
the College Housing Loans program, the same as the budget
request and the same as the fiscal year 2000 appropriation.
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CAPITAL AND FINANCING PROGRAM
Federal administration
The bill provides $207,000 for the administration of the
historically black college and university capital financing
program authorized under part B of title VII of the Higher
Education Act, the same as the fiscal year 2000 appropriation
and $1,000 below the budget request. The program is intended to
make capital available for repair and renovation of facilities
at historically black colleges and universities. In exceptional
circumstances, capital provided under the program can be used
for construction or acquisition of facilities.
Bond subsidies
Under the HBCU capital program, a private, for-profit
``designated bonding authority'' issues construction bonds to
raise capital for loans to historically black colleges and
universities for construction projects. The Department provides
insurance for these bonds, guaranteeing full payment of
principal and interest to bond holders. Federally insured bonds
and unpaid interest are limited by statute to $357,000,000. The
letter of credit limitation establishes the total amount of
bonds which can be issued by the designated bonding authority.
The credit limitation must be explicitly stated in an
appropriation Act according to the authorizing legislation.
EDUCATION RESEARCH, STATISTICS, AND IMPROVEMENT
The bill includes $494,367,000 for education research,
statistics, and improvement programs. This amount is
$23,200,000 less than the budget request, and $96,714,000 below
the fiscal year 2000 level. This account supports education
research authorized under the Educational Research,
Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994; title
VI of P.L. 103-27; the National Center for Education Statistics
and the National Assessment of Educational Progress authorized
by the National Education Statistics Act of 1994, title VI of
P.L. 103-382; and titles II, X, and XIII of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act.
Research
This bill includes $103,567,000 for educational research,
the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount. The President's budget
did not request separate line item funding for this program.
The Office of Educational Research and Improvement conducts
research and development activities, which are authorized under
the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and
Improvement Act of 1994, title IX of P.L. 103-227. The 1994 Act
established a National Educational Research Policy and
Priorities Board within the Office of Educational Research and
Improvement, and authorizes five new national research
institutes for the following subject areas: (1) student
achievement, curriculum, and assessment; (2) education of at-
risk students; (3) educational governance, finance,
policymaking, and management; (4) early childhood development
and education; and (5) postsecondary education, libraries, and
lifelong learning. The Assistant Secretary is authorized to
support activities to increase the participation of minority
researchers and institutions as well as research and
development centers, in order to support the objectives of the
national research institutes.
The Committee is very concerned about the Department's
endorsement of mathematics programs that do not emphasize
rigorous mathematics education. This nation must have the best
mathematics education possible to teach the next generation of
scientists, and to help prepare students for the modern, high
tech workplace. The Committee urges the Department to
reevaluate these programs and the process by which they were
identified as ``promising'' or ``exemplary'' to ensure that
such programs focus on sound scientific research.
Regional educational laboratories
The Committee has included $65,000,000 for the regional
educational laboratories. This amount is the same as the fiscal
year 2000 level. The President's budget did not request
separate line item funding for this program.
The Committee reiterates its intent, expressed in the
Conference Report on the fiscal year 1996 bill (Report No. 104-
537) that all work of the Regional Education Laboratories be
based on the priorities established by their regional governing
boards.
The Committee notes that the request for proposals for
regional educational laboratories issued by the Department,
which would be in effect in fiscal year 2001, would shift part
of the programmatic control of the individual laboratories'
governing boards to the Department, and could pull the
laboratories programs of work away from the needs of educators
and policymakers in the ten individual laboratory regions.
Consistent with House Report 104-537, it is the intent of the
Committee that funds provided to the regional educational
laboratories shall not be conditioned on meeting performance
standards that compromise the priorities of the regional
governing boards of each of the individual laboratories.
Further, the Committee intends that regional educational
laboratory funds shall be obligated and distributed on the same
basis as the fiscal year 2000 allocations not later than
January 31, 2001.
Statistics
This bill includes $68,000,000 for the activities of the
National Center for Education Statistics, exclusive of the
National Assessment of Educational Progress. This amount is the
same as the fiscal year 2000 amount. The President's budget did
not request separate line item funding for this program.
Statistics activities are authorized under the National
Education Statistics Act of 1994, title VI of P.L. 103-382. The
Center collects, analyzes, and reports statistics on all levels
of education in the United States. Activities are carried out
directly and through grants and contracts. Major publications
include ``The Condition of Education'' and ``Digest of
Education Statistics.'' Other products include projections of
enrollments, teacher supply and demand, and educational
expenditures. Technical assistance to state and local education
agencies and postsecondary institutions is provided.
International comparisons are authorized.
Research, Development and Dissemination
The Committee bill does not include funding for a proposed
research, development and dissemination initiative proposed by
the Administration for funding at $198,567,000. This represents
the President's proposal to consolidate existing research
institutes, educational laboratories and national dissemination
activities into a single line-item.
It is the Committee's understanding that these ideas are
currently being considered by the authorizing committees.
Education research funding will follow the structure that is
ultimately agreed upon through this reauthorization process.
Until this process is complete, the Committee recommends level
funding through existing education research line items.
Assessment
This bill includes $40,000,000 for the National Assessment
of Educational Progress, the same as the fiscal year 2000
amount, and $2,500,000 below the budget request. The Assessment
is authorized under section 411 of the National Education
Statistics Act of 1994, and is the only nationally
representative survey of educational ability and achievement of
American students. The primary goal of the Assessment is to
determine and report the status and trends of the knowledge and
skills of students, subject by subject. Subject areas assessed
in the past have included reading, writing, mathematics,
science, and social studies, as well as citizenship,
literature, art, and music. The Assessment is operated by
contractors through competitive awards made by the National
Center for Education Statistics; a National Assessment
Governing Board formulates the policy guidelines for the
program. Within the amounts provided, $4,000,000 is for the
National Assessment Governing Board.
Fund for the improvement of education
The bill includes $145,000,000 for the fund for the
improvement of education, which is $7,850,000 above the budget
request and $98,864,000 below the fiscal year 2000 amount. The
fund for the improvement of education has a broad portfolio of
activities related to the national education goals and systemic
education reform. Under the fund, the Secretary of Education
supports activities that identify and disseminate innovative
educational approaches.
The Committee has not provided funding for the following
activities identified in the budget request: National
Constitution Center, Elementary School Counseling
Demonstration, and College Test Preparation.
The Committee remains concerned that major initiatives have
been established within the fund for the improvement of
education with no Congressional involvement in the past. It is
particularly concerned that these major initiatives were not
disclosed in the Congressional justifications submitted by the
Department as part of the budget submission. In addition, the
Committee is concerned that funding levels displayed in the
Justifications and other submissions to the Committee during
the consideration of the budget request have been unilaterally
changed by the Department without notification of the
Committee.
The Committee therefore continues the policy of last year
which directs the Department to treat these changes as
reprogrammings, and to employ the usual reprogramming rules,
for any significant change in funding for programs or
activities within FIE from the levels provided to the Committee
during the appropriations process. The Committee also directs
the Department to consider any new activities, not mandated by
Congress, to be reprogrammings and to follow the usual
reprogramming rules prior to any public notification or
obligation of funds for these new activities. The Committee
further directs the Department to provide a complete and final
listing of activities within FIE in the annual operating plan
required by this bill.
The Committee has included funding for Comprehensive School
Reform in this account. The Committee expects that the
Department will continue to follow the directives in the
Conference Report accompanying the fiscal year 1999 bill (House
Report 105-390) and in the conference report accompanying the
fiscal year 1999 bill (House Report 105-825).
The Committee commends the Office of Educational Research
and Improvement at the Department of Education for the
significant contributions it has provided to the Interagency
Educational Research Initiative undertaken with the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the
National Science Foundation. OERI is urged to continue its
active participation in this promising joint effort.
The final report of the National Reading Panel has made a
significant contribution by making widely accessible rigorous
research-based evidence on reading development, reading
difficulties, and reading instruction. The Committee is pleased
with the coordinated efforts of the Department of Education and
the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development on
this project.
The Committee is pleased to learn of the progress being
made in the Spanish-to-English Reading Initiative launched by
NICHD and the OERI of the Department of Education, and looks
forward to receiving a report at next year's hearing on the
research funded by this important effort.
The Committee is aware that over 14 million young people in
this country have been identified as ``at risk'' and in need of
a positive mentoring relationship. Yet only 4 million adults
give of their time to participate in mentoring programs. E-
mentoring offers a unique, new avenue to connect young people
with positive adult role models. The Committee encourages the
Department to support and build on existing expertise in
delivering safe, responsible and productive e-mentoring
opportunities for young people.
The Committee also recognizes the role of one-to-one
mentoring programs in providing children with adult support and
guidance so that they may grow to become competent and caring
men and women. The Committee supports the establishment and
expansion of one-to-one mentoring programs into local schools
in order to reach more children in need of caring adult
guidance.
The Committee continues to be aware of a growing body of
research strongly associating the formal study of music with
the development of spatial reasoning skills in young children.
Spatial-temporal ability is required in mathematics, physics,
engineering, architecture and any subject or task requiring an
understanding of how objects fit together in time and space. A
recent study found that children given piano training and time
playing with specially designed computer software scored nearly
30 percent higher on proportional math and fractions tests than
other children, and were performing math skills at the sixth-
grade level. These findings underscore the academic benefits of
in-school music instruction for children of various
socioeconomic backgrounds. To the extent possible, the
Committee encourages the Department of Education to pursue
further study in this area, with the goal of informing
citizens, students, music educators and local school districts,
so that they may consider the future of their own music
education programs with the benefit of peer-reviewed research.
The Committee is also aware of several recent research
studies which clearly substantiate that active participation in
the arts has a significant effect on a student's success in
reading and math and is a valuable tool for the enhancement of
intellectual development overall. The Committee supports
efforts to bring well-established arts education programs to
national audiences of students and teachers through distance
learning.
The Committee is impressed with vision screening programs
operating for children in inner-city schools in several states.
These programs provide refractions by eye doctors and supply
prescription glasses to students in economically distressed
school systems. The simple and low cost act of providing
glasses can improve the educational performance of children who
have been severely hindered because of their inability to see
properly. The Committee encourages the Department of
Education's continued support of this initiative.
International education exchange
The Committee includes $7,000,000 for the international
education exchange program which is the same as the fiscal year
2000 amount and $1,000,000 less than the budget request.
International education exchange is authorized under title VI
of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. The International
Education Exchange program provides support for education
exchange activities in civics and government education and
economic education between the United States and eligible
countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of
Independent States, and any country that was formerly a
republic of the Soviet Union. Grantees provide for the exchange
of ideas and experiences among educators and leaders through
seminars on the basic principles of U.S. constitutional
democracy and economics, and through visits to school systems,
institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations
which are conducting exemplary programs in civics and economic
education.
The program is designed and implemented in collaboration
with the United States Information Agency, which is charged
with ensuring that the assistance provided is not duplicative
of other efforts. The authorizing statute requires that 50
percent of the funds be reserved for activities in civics and
government education activities, and 50 percent for economic
education.
Civic education
This bill includes $10,000,000 for the civic education
program, $150,000 above both the budget request and the fiscal
year 2000 level. The Civic Education program funds the Center
for Civic Education to educate students about the history and
principles of the Constitution of the United States and foster
civic competence and responsibility. This purpose is
accomplished primarily through the Center's program ``We the
People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution.'' In addition to
a course of instruction made available to public and private
elementary and secondary schools, the program provides, at
local request, simulated congressional hearings, and sponsors a
national competition of such hearings for secondary school
students. We the People is made available in all 435
Congressional districts. Funds may also be used for training
teachers about the Constitution and the political system of the
United States, and to provide instruction for middle school
students on the roles of State and local governments in the
Federal system established by the Constitution.
Eisenhower professional development national activities
This bill includes $23,300,000 for the Eisenhower
professional development national activities, which is the same
as the fiscal year 2000 amount. The President did not propose
separate line item funding for this program. This program
supports activities of national significance contributing to
the development and implementation of high-quality professional
development in the core subject areas. Examples of authorized
activities include: providing seed money to agencies and
organizations to develop their capacity to provide professional
development; supporting professional development with strong
academic and pedagogical content for teams of teachers and
other educators from individual schools; encouraging the
development of professional networks to allow for interaction
among teachers of the core academic subjects; encouraging
development of models for recruiting and retaining new, highly
qualified teachers; promoting the transferability of
certification; and disseminating information about emerging
academic standards and related professional development.
Support for the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS), which has implemented a voluntary system of
challenging professional certification for teachers, is
specifically authorized. The President proposes to continue
funding the Board under a proposed new program in the School
Improvement account. Funding is also authorized for the
National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education.
Evaluation of activities carried out under both the Federal and
State Eisenhower programs is also authorized.
Eisenhower regional mathematics and science education consortia
This bill includes $15,000,000 for the Eisenhower regional
mathematics and science education consortia, the same as the
budget request and the same as the fiscal year 2000 amount.
Regional mathematics and science education consortia (at least
one in each of the ten regions served by the regional
educational laboratories) disseminate exemplary mathematics and
science instructional materials and provide technical
assistance in the use of improved teaching methods and
assessment tools. Awards are for up to 5 years. Matching is
required, with the Federal share set at 80 percent and at least
10 percent of the 20 percent non-Federal share required to come
from sources other than State or local government. Eligible
recipients--State and local educational agencies, elementary or
secondary schools, institutions of higher education, nonprofit
organizations, regional educational laboratories, or
combinations of these entities--must demonstrate their
expertise in mathematics and science education. Each recipient
must establish a regional board, representative of
participating organizations, to oversee administration of the
project and establish program priorities.
Javits gifted and talented education
This bill includes $7,500,000 for the Jacob K. Javits
Gifted and Talented Students Education Act, the same as the
budget request and $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2000
amount. The purpose of this program is to build nationwide
capability to meet the special educational needs of gifted and
talented students. The program functions through support for
research, demonstration projects, teacher training, and other
activities. Competitive grants are awarded to State and local
educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and
other public and private agencies and organizations. Not more
than 30 percent of available funds may be used for research,
evaluation, and the collection and analysis of information
related to program purposes. These funds include support for a
National Center for Research and Development in the Education
of Gifted and Talented Children and Youth.
Priority must be given to projects identifying and serving
gifted and talented students who may not be identified and
served through traditional assessment methods, and to those
developing or improving the capacity of schools in an entire
State or region of the Nation to identify and serve gifted and
talented students. At least half of the applications approved
for funding each year must address the priority of serving
students not identified through traditional means.
America's tests
The bill does not include $5,000,000 requested by the
Administration for the implementation of voluntary national
tests. The Committee notes that the fiscal year 1999 conference
report included a permanent amendment to the General Education
Provisions Act which specifically prohibited any pilot testing,
field testing, administration or distribution of individualized
national tests that are not specifically and explicitly
provided for in authorizing legislation enacted into law. The
Committee notes that, at the present time, there is no specific
and explicit authority in Federal law for individualized
national tests. The Committee has therefore provided no funding
for national testing activities in fiscal year 2001.
National writing project
The bill provides $10,000,000 for the National Writing
Project, the same as the budget request and $1,000,000 above
the fiscal year 2000 level. Funds are provided to the National
Writing Project (NWP), a nonprofit educational organization
that supports teacher training programs in the effective
teaching of writing, and supports classroom-level research on
teaching writing that documents effectiveness in terms of
student performance. To provide these services, the National
Writing Project contracts with numerous institutions of higher
education and nonprofit education providers to operate small
($40,000 or less) teacher training programs. Federal funds
support 50 percent of the costs of these programs, and
recipients must contribute an equal amount. A National Advisory
Board provides advice and support and reviews the Project's
programs and activities.
departmental management
The bill includes $488,134,000 for departmental management
(salaries and expenses) at the Department of Education. This
amount is the same as the fiscal year 2000 appropriation and
$37,550,000 less than the budget request. These activities are
authorized by the Department of Education Organization Act,
P.L. 96-88, and include costs associated with the management
and operations of the Department as well as separate costs
associated with the Office for Civil Rights and the Office of
the Inspector General.
The Committee continues to be pleased with the emphasis the
Department's senior management team has placed on complying
with the Government Performance and Results Act. The Committee
expects the Department to continue to develop and refine GPRA
measures for all programs, focusing particularly on student
achievement outcomes.
Program administration
The bill includes $382,934,000 for program administration.
This amount is the same as the fiscal year 2000 appropriation
and $30,250,000 below the budget request. These funds support
the staff and other costs of administering programs and
activities at the Department. Items include personnel
compensation and health, retirement and other benefits as well
as travel, rent, telephones, utilities, postage fees, data
processing, printing, equipment, supplies, technology training,
consultants and other contractual services.
The Department is instructed to continue to provide
information on revenues resulting from the actions of the
inspector general as required in the fiscal year 2000 House
report (105-635).
Office for Civil Rights
The bill includes $71,200,000 for the salaries and expenses
of the Office for Civil Rights. This amount is the same as the
fiscal year 2000 appropriation and $4,800,000 below the budget
request. This Office is responsible for enforcing laws that
prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, handicap, and age in all programs and institutions
that receive funds from the Department. These laws extend to 50
State educational agencies, 16,000 local educational agencies,
3,500 institutions of higher education, as well as to
proprietary schools, State rehabilitation agencies, libraries,
and other institutions receiving Federal funds.
Office of the Inspector General
The bill includes $34,000,000 for the Office of the
Inspector General. This amount is the same as the fiscal year
2000 appropriation and $2,500,000 below the budget request.
This Office has authority to inquire into all program and
administrative activities of the Departments as well as into
related activities of grant and contract recipients. It
conducts audits and investigations to determine compliance with
applicable laws and regulations, to check alleged fraud and
abuse, efficiency of operations, and effectiveness of results.
The Committee complements the work of the Office of the
Inspector General of the Department of Education for their work
in obtaining information on actual collections, offsets, and
funds put to better use as required in House Report 105-635.
This information is of great use to the Committee and the
Committee understands the difficulty encountered by the OIG in
obtaining it. The Committee expects that the Office of
Inspector General will continue to report the information to
it.
General Provisions
The bill includes a limitation on the use of educational
technology funds by local school districts unless the district
has in place, on computers that are accessible to minors and
during use by such minors, technology which filters or blocks
material that is obscene, child pornography and material
harmful to minors.
The bill includes a limitation on the use of funds for any
activities related to any federally sponsored national test in
reading, mathematics, or any other subject that is not
specifically and explicitly provided for in authorizing
legislation enacted into law, except for certain international
comparative assessments.
TITLE IV--RELATED AGENCIES
Armed Forces Retirement Home
The bill provides authority to expend $69,832,000 from the
Armed Forces Retirement Home Trust Fund for operations and
capital activities at the United States Soldiers' and Airmen's
Home and the United States Naval Home, an increase of
$1,537,000 above the comparable fiscal year 2000 authority and
the same as the budget request.
Operations
The bill provides authority to expend $60,000,000 from the
Armed Forces Retirement Home Trust Fund for operations of the
United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home and the United States
Naval Home, an increase of $4,401,000 above the comparable
fiscal year 2000 authority and the same as the budget request.
Capital outlay
The bill provides authority to expend $9,832,000 from the
Armed Forces Retirement Home Trust Fund for capital activities
at the Soldiers' and Airmen's Home and the United States Naval
Home, a decrease of $2,864,000 below the comparable fiscal year
2000 authority and the same as the budget request. The
Committee supports the capital proposal submitted by the AFRH,
the largest component of which is construction of a health care
facility and repair of hurricane damage at the United States
Naval Home.
Corporation for National and Community Service
domestic volunteer service programs
The bill provides $294,527,000 for the Domestic Volunteer
Service Programs that are administered by the Corporation for
National and Community Service. The recommended amount is
$6,000 above the comparable fiscal year 2000 appropriation and
$18,089,000 below the budget request. Appropriations for these
programs are not authorized in law for fiscal year 2001.
Funding for the Americorps program that is also administered by
the Corporation for National and Community Service is provided
in the VA/HUD and Independent Agencies appropriations bill.
The Committee directs the Corporation not to reduce funding
for traditional VISTA and senior volunteer programs below the
amounts allocated for fiscal year 2000. In addition, the
Committee directs the Corporation not to reduce the number of
traditional VISTAs or senior volunteers below fiscal year 2000
levels.
VISTA
The bill provides $80,574,000 for the Volunteers in Service
to America (VISTA) program, the same as fiscal year 2000 and
$5,426,000 below the budget request. The VISTA program supports
individuals who recruit volunteers and organize community
volunteer activities but who do not provide direct volunteer
services.
National Senior Volunteer Corps
The bill provides a total of $181,724,000 for the National
Senior Volunteer Corps, $1,094,000 below fiscal year 2000 and
$10,792,000 below the budget request.
The bill provides $95,988,000 for the Foster Grandparents
program, the same as fiscal year 2000 and $1,794,000 below the
budget request. This program provides volunteer service
opportunities for low-income people aged 60 and over.
The bill provides $39,219,000 for the Senior Companion
program, the same as the comparable fiscal year 2000
appropriation and $2,450,000 below the budget request. The
program provides project grants to private, non-profit
organizations and State and local public agencies to offer
volunteer service opportunities to low-income individuals aged
60 and over. These volunteers assist older adults with
physical, mental or emotional impairments that put them at risk
for institutionalization.
The bill provides $46,117,000 for the Retired Senior
Volunteer Program (RSVP), the same as the fiscal year 2000
appropriation and $4,448,000 below the budget request. This
program provides part-time volunteer service opportunities for
low-income individuals aged 55 and over to recruit volunteers
and organize volunteer activities relating to a variety of
social needs.
The bill includes $400,000 for senior demonstration
programs, $1,094,000 below the fiscal year 2000 level and
$2,100,000 below the budget request. The Committee intends this
funding to be used to carry out evaluations and to provide
recruitment, training and technical assistance to local
projects particularly in the area of outcome-based programming
as described in the fiscal year 2001 budget justification. The
Committee is aware that the Corporation is developing a new
proposal for working with large organizations to mobilize
senior volunteers in these organizations. It is the Committee's
understanding that, pursuant to concerns regarding the payment
of non-taxable stipends or incentives to people who do not meet
the income guidelines established by Congress for senior
service programs, this new proposal will not involve the use of
federal dollars for these purposes.
The Committee notes that the Domestic Volunteer Service Act
has been unauthorized since 1996. The Committee believes that
the proper venue for developing and expanding new ideas such as
the proposal to work with large organizations and various other
proposals to provide incentives to encourage a greater time
commitment per volunteer is through the reauthorization
process. The Committee therefore has not provided funding for
any such activities, but will consider funding them at such
time as senior service activities are reauthorized.
Program administration
The bill provides $32,229,000 for program administration,
$1,100,000 above the fiscal year 2000 appropriation and
$1,871,000 below the budget request.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The bill provides $365,000,000 in advance funding for
fiscal year 2003 for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
(CPB), $15,000,000 above the comparable appropriation for
fiscal year 2002 and the same as the budget request.
Appropriations for the CPB are not authorized in law for fiscal
year 2003.
The bill does not include $20,000,000 requested by the
Administration for fiscal year 2001 for CPB digital conversion
activities. Digital activities are currently unauthorized. The
Committee notes that $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2000 funding is
currently available for digital activities if such activities
are authorized by September 30, 2000.
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
The bill provides $37,500,000 for the Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service (FMCS), an increase of $807,000 above
fiscal year 2000 and a decrease of $1,501,000 below the budget
request.
The FMCS attempts to prevent and minimize labor-management
disputes having a significant impact on interstate commerce or
national defense, except in the railroad and airline
industries. The agency convenes boards of inquiry appointed by
the President in emergency disputes and conducts dispute
mediation, preventive mediation, and arbitration. In addition,
the Service offers alternative dispute resolution services and
training to other Federal agencies to reduce litigation costs
and speed Federal administrative proceedings.
The bill also includes provisions first enacted in the
fiscal year 1996 Appropriations Act granting the agency the
authority to accept gifts and to charge fees for certain
services.
Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission
The bill provides $6,200,000 for the Federal Mine Safety
and Health Review Commission, $64,000 above the fiscal year
2000 level and $120,000 below the budget request. The
Commission is responsible for reviewing the enforcement
activities of the Secretary of Labor under the Federal Mine
Safety and Health Act. The Commission's administrative law
judges hear and decide cases initiated by the Secretary of
Labor, mine operators, or miners. The five-member Commission
hears appeals from administrative law judge decisions, rules on
petitions for discretionary review, and may direct, of its own
initiative, review of cases that present unusual questions of
law.
Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Committee recommends $170,000,000 for the Institute of
Museum and Library Services, $3,749,000 above the comparable
fiscal year 2000 appropriation and $3,000,000 below the budget
request. The Institute makes state formula grants for library
services and discretionary national grants for joint library
and museum projects.
The Committee supports programs to expand telephone access
for the blind to include the distribution of national and local
newspapers through local dial-in distribution sites maintained
by a national network.
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
The Committee recommends $8,000,000 for the Medicare
Payment Advisory Commission, $985,000 above the comparable
fiscal year 2000 appropriation and the same as the budget
request. The Commission advises Congress on matters of
physician and hospital reimbursement under the Medicare and
Medicaid programs.
National Commission on Libraries and Information Science
The bill provides $1,400,000 for the National Commission on
Libraries and Information Science, $105,000 above the
comparable fiscal year 2000 appropriation and $95,000 below the
budget request. The Commission advises the President and
Congress on national policy in the library and information
fields, developing overall plans for meeting national library
and information needs, and coordinating activities at the
Federal, State and local levels. Pursuant to the 1996
reauthorization of Federal library programs, the Commission
advises the Institute on Museum and Library Services regarding
implementation of the new library legislation.
National Council on Disability
The bill provides $2,450,000 for the National Council on
Disability (NCD), $59,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level and
a decrease of $165,000 below the budget request. The Council
monitors implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act
and makes recommendations to the President, the Congress, the
Rehabilitation Services Administration, and the National
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research on public
policy issues of concern to individuals with disabilities.
The Committee continues to encourage NCD to augment its
appropriation with other sources of Federal and non-Federal
revenues including grants and contracts.
National Education Goals Panel
The Committee does not recommend funding for the National
Education Goals Panel. The Panel was funded at $2,241,000 in
fiscal year 2000 and the budget requested $2,350,000 for it in
fiscal year 2001. The NEGP was established in 1990 following
the National Education Summit held in September 1989. The
Committee notes that the Goals Panel has been repealed in H.R.
4141, the Education Opportunities to Protect and Invest in Our
Nation's Students (Education OPTIONS) Act.
National Labor Relations Board
The bill provides $205,717,000 for the National Labor
Relations Board, the same as fiscal year 2000 and $10,721,000
below the budget request. The NLRB receives, investigates, and
prosecutes unfair labor practice charges filed by businesses,
labor unions, and individuals. It also schedules and conducts
representation elections. The five-member Board considers cases
in which administrative law judge decisions are appealed.
National Mediation Board
The bill provides $9,800,000 for the National Mediation
Board (NMB), $238,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level and
$600,000 below the budget request. The NMB mediates labor
disputes between employees and railroad and airline carriers
subject to the Railway Labor Act. The Board also resolves
representation disputes involving labor organizations seeking
to represent railroad or airline employees.
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
The bill provides $8,600,000 for the Occupational Safety
and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), $130,000 above the fiscal
year 2000 level and $120,000 below the budget request. The
Commission adjudicates contested citations issued by the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) against
employers for violations of safety and health standards. The
Commission's administrative law judges settle and decide cases
at the initial level of review. The agency's three appointed
Commissioners also review cases, issue rulings on complicated
issues, and may direct review of any decision by an
administrative law judge.
Railroad Retirement Board
dual benefits account
The bill provides $160,000,000 for dual benefits, the same
as the request and a reduction of $13,399,000 below the
comparable fiscal year 2000 appropriation. These funds are used
to pay dual benefits to those retirees receiving both railroad
retirement and social security benefits. The bill includes a
provision permitting a portion of these funds to be derived
from income tax receipts on dual benefits as authorized by law.
The Railroad Retirement Board estimates that approximately
$10,000,000 may be derived in this manner.
federal payment to the railroad retirement account
The bill provides $150,000 for the interest earned on
unnegotiated checks, the same as the budget request and the
comparable amount provided for fiscal year 2000.
limitation on administration
The bill provides a consolidated limitation of $95,000,000
on the expenditure of railroad retirement and railroad
unemployment trust funds for administrative expenses of the
Railroad Retirement Board, $2,500,000 above the budget request
and $4,345,000 above the fiscal year 2000 limitation. The bill
includes a provision from the fiscal year 1999 Appropriations
Act prohibiting the transfer of resources formerly identified
in a Memorandum of Understanding from the RRB to the Inspector
General.
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers
comprehensive retirement-survivor and unemployment-sickness
insurance benefit programs for railroad workers and their
families. This account limits the amount of funds in the
railroad retirement and railroad unemployment insurance trust
funds that may be used by the RRB for administrative expenses.
The Committee is pleased with the management of the Board
and reiterates its interest in quickly and comprehensively
implementing the Government Performance and Results Act.
limitation on the office of inspector general
The bill provides authority to expend $5,380,000 from the
railroad retirement and railroad unemployment insurance trust
funds for the Office of Inspector General, $320,000 below the
budget request and the same as the comparable fiscal year 2000
limitation. This account provides funding for the Inspector
General to conduct and supervise audits and investigations of
programs and operations of the Board.
The Committee complements the work of the Office of the
Inspector General of the Railroad Retirement Board for their
work in obtaining information on actual collections, offsets,
and funds put to better use as required in House Report 105-
635. This information is of great use to the Committee and the
Committee understands the difficulty encountered by the OIG in
obtaining it. The Committee expects that the Office of
Inspector General will continue to report the information to
it.
Social Security Administration
payments to social security trust funds
The bill provides $20,400,000 for mandatory payments
necessary to compensate the Old Age and Survivors Insurance
(OASI) and Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Funds for special
payments to certain uninsured persons (for which no payroll tax
is received), costs incurred for administration of pension
reform activities and interest lost on the value of benefit
checks issued but not negotiated. This appropriation restores
the trust funds to the position they would have been in had
they not borne these costs properly charged to the general
funds.
special benefits for disabled coal miners
The bill provides $365,748,000 for special benefits for
disabled coal miners, the same as the budget request. This
amount does not include $114,000,000 in advance funding
provided in this bill for the first quarter of fiscal year
2002. It also does not include $124,000,000 in advance funding
for fiscal year 2001 which was provided in the fiscal year 2000
Appropriations Act. The appropriation provides cash benefits to
miners who are disabled because of black lung disease and to
widows and children of such miners. The Social Security
Administration was responsible for taking, processing, and
paying claims for miners' benefits filed from December 30, 1969
through June 30, 1973. Since that time, SSA has continued to
take claims but forwards most to the Department of Labor for
adjudication and payment. The SSA will continue to be
responsible for paying benefits and maintaining the beneficiary
roll for the lifetime of all persons who filed during its
jurisdiction. During fiscal year 2000, SSA expects to provide
benefits to 87,000 miners, widows, and dependents who will
receive a basic benefit rate of $505.50.
supplemental security income program
The bill provides $22,791,000,000 for the Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) program, not including $9,890,000,000 in
fiscal year 2001 funding provided in the fiscal year 2000
Appropriations Act and not including $10,470,000,000 in advance
funding provided in the bill for the first quarter of fiscal
year 2002. The appropriation is the same as the budget request.
These funds are used to pay Federal cash benefits to
approximately 6,441,000 aged, blind, and disabled persons with
little or no income. The maximum monthly Federal benefit in
fiscal year 2001 is expected to be $525 for an individual and
$788 for an eligible couple. In addition to Federal benefits,
SSA administers a program of supplementary State benefits for
those States that choose to participate. The funds are also
used to reimburse the trust funds for the administrative costs
of the program. The SSI appropriation includes $71,000,000 for
beneficiary services, the same as the budget request. This
funding reimburses State vocational rehabilitation services
agencies for successful rehabilitation of SSI recipients.
Within the appropriation for SSI, the Committee provides
$30,000,000 for research and demonstration activities conducted
under section 1110 of the Social Security Act, the same as the
request.
The bill provides an additional $245,000,000 to process
continuing disability reviews (CDRs) related to the SSI
caseload as authorized by P.L. 104-121, $35,000,000 above the
budget request and $45,000,000 above the comparable fiscal year
2000 appropriation.
limitation on administrative expenses
The bill provides a limitation on administrative expenses
for the Social Security Administration (SSA) of $6,367,036,000
to be funded from the Social Security and Medicare trust funds,
$260,000,000 above the comparable fiscal year 2000 limitation
and a decrease of $225,964,000 below the budget request. The
bill provides that not less than $1,800,000 within the
limitation on administration shall be available for the Social
Security Advisory Board, the same as the budget request and the
comparable fiscal year 2000 amount.
User fees
In addition to other amounts provided in the bill, the
Committee recommends an additional limitation of $91,000,000
for administrative activities funded from user fees. This is
the same as the request and an increase of $11,000,000 over the
comparable fiscal year 2000 amount.
Continuing disability reviews
The bill provides $650,000,000 for continuing disability
reviews (CDRs). This activity is funded both by the regular
Limitation on Administrative Expenses account and by provisions
of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 103-193). The total funding
level represents an increase of $65,000,000 above the
comparable fiscal year 2000 appropriation and is the same as
the budget request. The Committee's funding level provides
funding under the provisions of P.L. 104-193 of $520,000,000,
the statutory maximum. This level is $135,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2000 amount and $70,000,000 above the President's
request. The Committee has provided this funding with the
expectation that processing of additional CDRs will reduce
trust fund liabilities far in excess of the cost of such
processing.
office of inspector general
The bill provides $14,944,000 for the Office of the
Inspector General, the same as the comparable fiscal year 2000
appropriation and $2,056,000 below the budget request. The bill
also provides authority to expend $50,808,000 from the Social
Security trust funds for activities conducted by the Inspector
General, the same as the comparable fiscal year 2000
appropriation and a decrease of $5,192,000 below the budget
request.
The Committee complements the work of the Office of the
Inspector General of the Social Security Administration for
their work in obtaining information on actual collections,
offsets, and funds put to better use as required in House
Report 105-635. This information is of great use to the
Committee and the Committee understands the difficulty
encountered by the OIG in obtaining it. The Committee expects
that the Office of Inspector General will continue to report
the information to it.
United States Institute of Peace
The bill provides $15,000,000 for the United States
Institute of Peace, $2,049,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level
and $550,000 above the budget request. The Institute was
created in 1984 to provide education and training, basic and
applied research, and information services to promote conflict
resolution.
TITLE V--GENERAL PROVISIONS
The bill includes language to restore Supplemental Security
Income payments to the appropriate year, so that all payments
are made consistent with the normal rules for making SSI
payments which come due on a weekend or non-banking day.
The bill includes a provision, as proposed by the
President, to issue Supplemental Grants for Population Increase
at the FY 1998 amounts. This grant was created over a concern
that states that had high rates of population growth or had
very low benefits under the predecessor Aid to Families with
Dependent Children program might need additional funds beyond
their base TANF Block Grant. However, each of the states
eligible for these grants has experienced double digit decline
in welfare rolls. This change will not affect any beneficiary
payments.
The bill includes language advancing the date, each month,
that states must reimburse the federal government for state
supplements to Supplemental Security Income payments to
beneficiaries. Under current law, enacted in the Ticket to Work
and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, states have until
five days after payments are issued to beneficiaries to
reimburse the federal government for mandatory or optional
state supplemental payments included in the payments. In 2009,
states must begin reimbursing the federal government one day
prior to the issuing of checks. The Committee has included
language advancing that date to 2001. SSI and State
supplementary payment beneficiaries will not be affected by
this proposal.
constitutional authority
Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives states that:
Each report of a committee on a public bill or public
joint resolution shall contain the following: (1) A
statement citing the specific powers granted to
Congress in the Constitution to enact the law proposed
by the bill or joint resolution.
The Committee on Appropriations bases its authority to
report this legislation on Clause 7 of Section 9 of Article I
of the Constitution of the United States of America which
states:
No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in
consequence of Appropriations made by law * * *.
Appropriations contained in this Act are made pursuant to
this specific power granted by the Constitution.
comparison with budget resolution
Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires an explanation of compliance with
section 308(a)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
(Public Law 93-344), as amended, which requires that the report
accompanying a bill providing new budget authority contain a
statement detailing how the authority compares with the report
submitted under section 302 of the Act for the most recently
agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget for the fiscal
year. This information follows:
[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 302(b) This bill \*\
---------------------------------------------------------------
Budget Budget
authority Outlays authority Outlays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary................................... 95,888 90,433 97,185 92,665
Mandatory....................................... 237,067 237,514 237,067 237,514
Total..................................... 332,955 327,947 334,252 330,179
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\*\ Excludes scoring of the House-passed FY2000 supplemental appropriations bill, which would increase budget
authority by $21 million and decrease outlays by $1,532 million.
Note.--Pursuant to Sec. 314 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended, increases to the Committee's
Sec. 302(a) allocation are mandated for funding in the reported bill for continuing disability reviews under
the heading ``Limitation on Administrative Expenses'' for the Social Security Administration, for adoption
incentive payments under the heading ``Children and Families Services Programs'' in the Administration for
Children and Families, and for amounts provided and designated as emergency requirements under the headings
``Low Income Home Energy Assistance'', and ``Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund'', After the
bill is reported to the House, the Chairman of the Committee on the Budget will provide an increased Sec.
302(a) allocation consistent with the funding provided in the bill, and the Committee will increase the
suballocation accordingly.
In accordance with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
(Public Law 93-344), as amended, the following information was
provided to the Committee by the Congressional Budget Office:
Five-Year Projections
In compliance with section 308(a)(1)(B) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as
amended, the following table contains five-year projections
associated with the budget authority provided in the
accompanying bill:
[In millions of dollars]
Budget authority in the bill.......................... 277,696
Outlays:
2001.............................................. 222,071
2002.............................................. 38,018
2003.............................................. 9,919
2004.............................................. 1,899
2005.............................................. 943
financial assistance to state and local governments
In accordance with section 308(a)(1)(C) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as
amended, the financial assistance to State and local
governments is as follows:
[In millions of dollars]
Budget authority...................................... 135,513
Fiscal year 2000 outlays resulting therefrom.......... 115,394
transfer of funds
Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2), rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following table is submitted
describing the transfers of funds provided in the accompanying
bill.
The table shows, by Department and agency, the
appropriations affected by such transfers.
APPROPRIATION TRANSFERS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Account from which transfer is
Account to which transfer is to be made Amount to be made Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Labor: Department of Labor:
Special Benefits.......................... (\1\) Postal Service.................. (\1\)
Employment Standards Administration-- $30,393,000 Black Lung Disability Trust Fund $30,393,000
Salaries and Expenses.
Departmental Management:
Salaries and Expenses..................... 21,590,000 Black Lung Disability Trust Fund 21,590,000
Office of Inspector General............... 318,000 Black Lung Disability Trust Fund 318,000
Related Agencies: Related Agencies:
Social Security Administration: Office of 50,808,000 Social Security 50,808,000
Inspector General. Administration: Limita-.
tion on Administrative
Expenses.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rescissions
Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2), rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following table is submitted
describing the rescissions recommended in the accompanying
bill.
rescissions recommended in the bill
Department of Health and Human Services: Children and
Families Services Programs.......................... $21,000,000
Compliance With Rule XIII, Cl. 3 (Ramseyer Rule)
In compliance with clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
* * * * * * *
SECTION 403 OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT
SEC. 403. GRANTS TO STATES.
(a) Grants.--
(1) * * *
* * * * * * *
(3) Supplemental grant for population increases in
certain states.--
(A) In general.--Each qualifying State shall,
subject to subparagraph (F), be entitled to
receive from the Secretary--
(i) for fiscal year 1998 a grant in
an amount equal to 2.5 percent of the
total amount required to be paid to the
State under former section 403 (as in
effect during fiscal year 1994) for
fiscal year 1994; [and]
(ii) for each of fiscal years [1999,
2000, and 2001] 1999 and 2000, a grant
in an amount equal to the sum of--
(I) the amount (if any)
required to be paid to the
State under this paragraph for
the immediately preceding
fiscal year; and
(II) 2.5 percent of the sum
of--
(aa) the total amount
required to be paid to
the State under former
section 403 (as in
effect during fiscal
year 1994) for fiscal
year 1994; and
(bb) the amount (if
any) required to be
paid to the State under
this paragraph for the
fiscal year preceding
the fiscal year for
which the grant is to
be made[.]; and
(iii) for fiscal year 2001, a grant
in an amount equal to the amount of the
grant to the State under clause (i) for
fiscal year 1998.
* * * * * * *
(5) Welfare-to-work grants.--
(A) * * *
* * * * * * *
(H) Funding for evaluation of abstinence
education programs.--
(i) * * *
* * * * * * *
(iii) Deadline for outlays.--Outlays
from funds used pursuant to clause (i)
for evaluation of programs under
section 510 shall not be made after
fiscal year [2001] 2005.
(iv) Interim report.--Not later than
January 1, 2002, the Secretary shall
submit to the Congress an interim
report on the evaluations referred to
in clause (i).
* * * * * * *
----------
SECTION 410 OF THE TICKET TO WORK AND WORK INCENTIVES IMPROVEMENT ACT
OF 1999
SEC. 410. SCHEDULE FOR PAYMENTS UNDER SSI STATE SUPPLEMENTATION
AGREEMENTS.
(a) * * *
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by a subsection
(a) shall apply to payments and fees arising under an agreement
between a State and the Commissioner of Social Security under
section 1616 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1382e) or
under section 212 of Public Law 93-66 (42 U.S.C. 1382 note)
with respect to monthly benefits paid to individuals under
title XVI of the Social Security Act for months after September
[2009] 2001 (October [2009] 2001 in the case of a State with a
fiscal year that coincides with the Federal fiscal year),
without regard to whether the agreement has been modified to
reflect such amendments or the Commissioner has promulgated
regulations implementing such amendments.
----------
SECTION 251 OF THE BALANCED BUDGET AND EMERGENCY DEFICIT CONTROL ACT OF
1985
SEC. 251. ENFORCING DISCRETIONARY SPENDING LIMITS.
(a) * * *
(b) Adjustments to Discretionary Spending Limits.--
(1) * * *
(2) Sequestration reports.--When OMB submits a
sequestration report under section 254(e), (f), or (g)
for a fiscal year, OMB shall calculate, and the
sequestration report and subsequent budgets submitted
by the President under section 1105(a) of title 31,
United States Code, shall include adjustments to
discretionary spending limits (and those limits as
adjusted) for the fiscal year and each succeeding year
through 2002, as follows:
(A) * * *
* * * * * * *
(C) Continuing disability reviews.--(i) * * *
(ii) As used in this subparagraph--
(I) the term ``continuing disability
reviews'' means reviews or
redeterminations as defined under
section 201(g)(1)(A) of the Social
Security Act and reviews and
redeterminations authorized under
section 211 of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996;
(II) the term ``additional new budget
authority'' means the amount provided
for a fiscal year, in excess of
[$200,000,000] $130,000,000, in an
appropriations Act and specified to pay
for the costs of continuing disability
reviews under the heading ``Limitation
on Administrative Expenses'' for the
Social Security Administration; and
(III) the term ``additional outlays''
means outlays, in excess of
[$200,000,000] $130,000,000 in a fiscal
year, flowing from the amounts
specified for continuing disability
reviews under the heading ``Limitation
on Administrative Expenses'' for the
Social Security Administration,
including outlays in that fiscal year
flowing from amounts specified in Acts
enacted for prior fiscal years (but not
before 1996).
* * * * * * *
Changes in Application of Existing Law
Pursuant to clause 3, rule XIII of the Rules of the House
of Representatives, the following statements are submitted
describing the effect of provisions in the accompanying bill
which may directly or indirectly change the application of
existing law.
In some instances the bill includes appropriations for
certain ongoing programs which are not yet authorized for
fiscal year 2000.
The bill provides that appropriations shall remain
available for more than one year for some programs for which
the basic authorizing legislation does not presently authorize
such extended availability.
In various places in the bill, the Committee has earmarked
funds within appropriation accounts in order to fund specific
sections of a law. Whether these actions constitute a change in
the application of existing law is subject to individual
interpretation, but the Committee felt that this fact should be
mentioned.
In several instances, the bill provides advance
appropriations for fiscal year 2001 for programs for which such
advances are not authorized by law.
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Training and Employment Services
Language prohibiting the use of funds from any other
appropriation to provide meal services at or for Job Corps
centers.
State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service Operations
Language allowing the use of funds for amortization
payments to States which had independent retirement plans in
their State employment service agencies prior to 1980.
Language allowing the Labor Department to withhold from
State allotments funds available for penalty mail under the
Wagner-Peyser Act.
Language providing that funds in this Act for one-stop
career centers and unemployment insurance national activities
may be used for contracts, grants or agreements with non-State
entities.
Language providing that funds in this Act may be used by
the States for integrated Employment Service and Unemployment
Insurance automation efforts.
Employment Standards Administration
salaries and expenses
Language authorizing the Secretary of Labor to accept and
spend all sums of money ordered to be paid to the Secretary, in
accordance with the terms of a Consent Judgment in U.S.
District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands.
Language authorizing the Secretary of Labor to collect user
fees for processing certain applications and issuing certain
certificates and registrations under the Fair Labor Standards
Act and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection
Act.
special benefits
Language providing funds may be used under the Federal
Employees' Compensation Act in which the Secretary of Labor may
reimburse an employer, who is not the employer at the time of
injury, for portions of the salary of a reemployed, disabled
beneficiary.
Language allowing the Secretary of Labor to transfer
certain administrative funds from the Postal Service fund and
certain other government corporations and agencies related to
the administration of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act.
Language allowing the Secretary of Labor to require any
person filing a claim for benefits under the Federal Employees'
Compensation Act or the Longshore and Harbor Workers'
Compensation Act to provide such identifying information as the
Secretary may require, including a Social Security number.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
salaries and expenses
Language establishing a maximum amount available for grants
to States under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which
grants shall be no less than 50 percent of the costs of State
programs required to be incurred under plans approved by the
Secretary under section 18 of the Act.
Language authorizing the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration to retain and spend up to $750,000 of training
institute course tuition fees for training and education
grants.
Language allowing the Secretary of Labor to collect and
retain fees for services provided to Nationally Recognized
Testing Laboratories.
Mine Safety and Health Administration
salaries and expenses
Language allowing the Mine Safety and Health Administration
to collect up to $750,000 at the National Mine Health and
Safety Academy for room, board, tuition, and the sale of
training materials, otherwise authorized by law to be
collected, to be available for mine safety and health education
and training activities, notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302.
Language allowing the Mine Safety and Health Administration
to purchase and bestow certificates and trophies in connection
with mine rescue and first-aid work; to accept land, buildings,
equipment, and other contributions from public and private
sources; to prosecute projects in cooperation with other
agencies, Federal, State, or private; and to promote health and
safety education and training in the mining community through
cooperative programs with States, industry, and safety
associations.
Language allowing the Secretary of Labor to use any funds
available to the Department to provide for the costs of mine
rescue and survival operations in the event of major disasters.
Departmental Management
salaries and expenses
Language providing that no funds made available by this Act
may be used by the Solicitor of Labor to participate in a
review in any United States court of appeals of any decision
made by the Benefits Review Board under section 21 of the
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act where such
participation is precluded by the decision of the Supreme Court
in Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs v.
Newport News Shipbuilding, 115 S. Ct.1278 (1995),
notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in
Rule 15 of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.
Language providing that any decision under the Longshore
Act pending before the Benefits Review Board for more than one
year shall be considered affirmed by the Board and shall be
considered the final order of the Board.
TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
health resources and services
Language providing that the Division of Federal
Occupational Health may utilize personal services contracting
in certain instances.
Language providing that $25,000,000 from general revenues,
notwithstanding Sec. 1820(j) of the Social Security Act, shall
be available for carrying out the Medicare rural hospital
flexibility grants program under section 1820 of such Act.
Language providing that in addition to fees authorized by
Sec. 427(b) of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986,
fees shall be collected for the full disclosure of information
under the Act sufficient to recover the full costs of operating
the National Practitioner Data Bank, and shall remain available
until expended to carry out that Act.
Language providing that all pregnancy counseling under the
family planning program shall be nondirective.
Language identifying a specific amount for maternal and
child health SPRANS activities, notwithstanding current law.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Language permitting the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to insure official motor vehicles in foreign
countries.
Language providing that collections from user fees may be
credited to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
appropriation.
Language making amounts under Sec. 241 of the Public Health
Service Act available to carry out the National Center for
Health Statistics surveys.
Language allowing the Director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention to redirect certain funds appropriated
under Public Law 101-502.
National Institutes of Health
national library of medicine
Language providing that the National Library of Medicine
may enter into certain personal services contracts.
office of the director
Language providing that the National Institutes of Health
is authorized to collect third party payments for the cost of
the clinical services that are incurred in NIH research
facilities and that such payments shall be credited to the NIH
Management Fund and shall remain available for one fiscal year
after they are deposited.
Language providing the Director of NIH authority to
transfer funds between appropriation accounts in this or any
other Act.
Language permitting funds to be transferred from the
Foundation for the National Institutes of Health to the
National Institutes of Health, notwithstanding current law.
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
Language is included to permit the Agency for Health Care
Policy and Research to retain and expend amounts received from
Freedom of Information Act fees, reimbursable and interagency
agreements and the sale of data tapes.
Health Care Financing Administration
Grants to States for Medicaid
A provision that in the administration of title XIX of the
Social Security Act, payments to a state for any quarter may be
made with respect to a State plan or plan amendment in effect
during any such quarter, if submitted in, or prior to, such
quarter and approved in that or any such subsequent quarter.
program Management
A provision that all funds collected in accordance with
section 353 of the Public Health Service Act, together with
such sums as may be collected from authorized user fees,
administrative fees collected relative to Medicare overpayment
recovery activities, and the sale of data, shall be available
for expenditure by the Health Care Financing Administration.
Language allowing fees charged in accordance with 31 U.S.C.
9701 to be credited to the Health Care Financing Administration
administrative account.
Language limiting the amount of funds available from the
Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account of the Federal
Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.
Administration for Children and Families
payments to states for child support enforcement and family support
programs
Language providing that the sum of the amounts available to
a State with respect to expenditures under title IV-A of the
Social Security Act in fiscal year 1997 under this
appropriation and under such title IV-A as amended by the
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
of 1996 shall not exceed the limitations under Sec. 116(b) of
such Act.
children and families services programs
Language providing that unexpended Community Services Block
Grant funds may be carried over to the next fiscal year by
local grantees.
Language reducing the funds appropriated from mandatory
accounts for research activities under the Social Security Act.
Administration on Aging
aging services programs
Language providing that State administrative costs under
title III of the Older Americans Act shall not be reduced more
than 5 percent below the amount that was available to each
State in fiscal year 1995.
Language providing that in considering grant applications
for nutrition services for elder Indian recipients, the
Assistant Secretary for Aging shall provide maximum flexibility
to applicants who seek to take into account subsistence, local
customs, and other characteristics that are appropriate to the
unique cultural, regional, and geographic needs of the American
Indian, Alaska and Hawaiian Native communities to be served.
Office of the Secretary
office of the inspector general
Language limiting the amount of funds available from the
Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account of the Federal
Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.
TITLE III--DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
education reform
Language setting aside up to one-half of one percent of
certain technology funds for the outlying areas to be
distributed by the Secretary; and language stating that if a
State does not apply for a grant under Sec. 3132 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Secretary shall use
the State's share for grants directly to local educational
agencies in that State that apply directly for the funds.
Education for the Disadvantaged
The bill includes language providing that funds may be used
by the Department of Education to obtain certain data from the
Census Bureau.
Language providing that certain amounts shall be reserved
for section 1308 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Language providing that funds shall be available to
demonstrate effective approaches to comprehensive school reform
to be allocated and expended in accordance with the
instructions relating to this activity in the statement of the
managers on the conference reports accompanying Public Law 105-
78 and Public Law 105-277 and that in carrying out this
initiative, the Secretary and the States shall support only
approaches that show the most promise of enabling children
served by title I to meet challenging State content standards
and challenging State student performance standards based on
reliable research and effective practices, and include an
emphasis on basic academics and parental involvement.
School Improvement Programs
Language providing that certain funding will be available
for the Teacher Empowerment Act, if such legislation is
enacted.
Bilingual and Immigrant Education
Language is included waiving Sec. 7103(b) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
The bill includes language providing that immigrant
education funds may be allocated by States for competitive
grants to local school districts.
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Gallaudet University
The bill includes language providing that the National
Technical Institute for the Deaf and Gallaudet University may
use funds for their endowment programs at their discretion.
Student Financial Assistance
The bill includes language providing that the maximum Pell
grant a student may receive in the 2001-2002 academic year
shall be $3,500.
The bill includes language providing that notwithstanding
section 401(g) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, if the
Secretary determines, prior to publication of the payment
schedule for award year 2001-2002, that the funds included
within this appropriation for Pell Grant awards for award year
2001-2002, and any funds available from the FY 2000
appropriation for Pell Grant awards, are insufficient to
satisfy fully all such awards for which students are eligible,
as calculated under section 401(b) of the Act, the amount paid
for each such award shall be reduced by either a fixed or
variable percentage, or by a fixed dollar amount, as determined
in accordance with a schedule of reductions established by the
Secretary for this purpose.
Higher Education
The bill includes language providing that funds are
available to fund fellowships for academic year 2002-2003 under
part A, subpart 1 of title VII of the Higher Education Act of
1965, under the terms and conditions of part A, subpart 1.
Howard University
The bill includes language providing that Howard University
shall use not less than $3,600,000 for the endowment program
pursuant to the Howard University Endowment Act.
Education Research, Statistics, and Improvement
The bill includes language providing that a certain amount
shall be available to demonstrate effective approaches to
comprehensive school reform to be allocated and expended in
accordance with the instructions relating to this activity in
the statement of managers on the conference reports
accompanying Public Law 105-78 and Public Law 105-277 and that
in carrying out this initiative, the Secretary and the States
shall support only approaches that show the most promise of
enabling children to meet challenging State content standards
and challenging State student performance standards based on
reliable research and effective practices, and include an
emphasis on basic academics and parental involvement.
Language providing that $30,000,000 of the funds provided
for the national education research institutes shall be
allocated notwithstanding Sec. 912(m)(1)(B-F) and subparagraphs
(B) and (C) of Sec. 931(c)(2) of Public Law 103-227.
TITLE IV--RELATED AGENCIES
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Language providing that notwithstanding any other provision
of law, a single contract or related contracts for development
and construction, to include construction of a long-term care
facility at the United States Naval Home, may be employed which
collectively include the full scope of the project and
providing that the solicitation and contract shall contain the
clause ``availability of funds'' found at 48 CFR 52.232-18 and
252.232-7007, Limitation of Government Obligations.
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
Salaries and Expenses
The bill includes language specifying that notwithstanding
31 U.S.C. 3302, fees charged by the Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service, up to full-cost recovery, for special
training activities and for arbitration services shall be
credited to and merged with its administrative account, and
shall remain available until expended; that fees for
arbitration services shall be available only for education,
training, and professional development of the agency workforce;
and that the Director of the Service is authorized to accept on
behalf of the United States gifts of services and real,
personal, or other property in the aid of any projects or
functions within the Director's jurisdiction.
National Labor Relations Board
Salaries and Expenses
The bill includes a provision requiring that appropriations
to the NLRB shall not be available to organize or assist in
organizing agricultural laborers or used in connection with
investigations, hearings, directives, or orders concerning
bargaining units composed of agricultural laborers as referred
to in Sec. 2(3) of the Act of July 5, 1935 (29 U.S.C. 152), and
as amended by the Labor-Management Relations Act, 1947, as
amended, and as defined in Sec. 3(f) of the Act of June 25,
1938 (29 U.S.C. 203), and including in said definition
employees engaged in the maintenance and operation of ditches,
canals, reservoirs, and waterways, when maintained or operated
on a mutual non-profit basis and at least 95 per centum of the
water stored or supplied thereby is used for farming purposes.
Railroad Retirement Board
Dual Benefits Payments Account
The bill includes language providing that the total amount
provided for railroad retirement dual benefits shall be
credited to the Dual Benefits Payments Account in 12
approximately equal amounts on the first day of each month in
the fiscal year.
Limitation on Administration
The bill includes language providing that the Railroad
Retirement Board shall determine the allocation of its
administrative budget between the railroad retirement accounts
and the railroad unemployment insurance administration fund.
Social Security Administration
Limitation on Administrative Expenses
Language providing that unobligated balances at the end of
fiscal year 2001 shall remain available until expended for the
agency's information technology and telecommunications hardware
and software infrastructure, including related equipment and
non-payroll administrative expenses associated solely with the
infrastructure; language authorizing the use of up to $10,000
for official reception and representation expenses; and
language providing that reimbursement to the trust funds under
this heading for expenditures for official time for employees
of the Social Security Administration pursuant to Sec. 7131 of
title 5, United States Code, and for facilities or support
services for labor organizations pursuant to policies,
regulations, or procedures referred to in Sec. 7135(b) of such
title shall be made by the Secretary of the Treasury, with
interest, from amounts in the general fund not otherwise
appropriated, as soon as possible after such expenditures are
made.
Language providing that funds may be derived from
administration fees collected pursuant to Sec. 1616(d) of the
Social Security Act or Sec. 212(b)(3) of Public Law 93-66 and
that, to the extent that the amounts collected pursuant to such
sections in fiscal year 2001 exceed $91,000,000, the amounts
shall be available in fiscal year 2002 only to the extent
provided in advance in appropriations Acts.
Language providing that unobligated funds at the end of
fiscal year 2000 previously appropriated to continue Federal-
State partnerships to evaluate a means to promote Medicare buy-
in programs shall remain available.
office of inspector general
Language permitting the transfer of a certain amount of
funds into this account from the SSA administrative account
provided that the Appropriations Committees are promptly
notified.
General Provisions
Sections 102, 201, 202, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210,
211, 212, 301, 302, 303, 501, 504, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510,
511, 513 and 514 of the bill are general provisions, most of
which have been carried in previous appropriations acts, which
place limitations on the use of funds in the bill or authorize
or require certain activities, and which might, under some
circumstances, be construed as changing the application of
existing law.
Definition of program, project, and activity
During fiscal year 2000 for purposes of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-177),
as amended, the following information provides the definition
of the term ``program, project, and activity'' for departments
and agencies under the jurisdiction of the Labor, Health and
Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies
Subcommittee. The term ``program, project, and activity'' shall
include the most specific level of budget items identified in
the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and
Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000, the
accompanying House and Senate Committee reports, the conference
report and accompanying joint explanatory statement of the
managers of the committee of conference.
Appropriations Not Authorized by Law
Pursuant to clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of the House
of Representatives, the following table lists the
appropriations in the accompanying bill which are not
authorized by law:
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Training and Employment Services
Skills Standards
School-to-work
Community Service Employment for Older Americans
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Health Resources and Services
National Health Service Corps:
Field placements
Recruitment
Other HRSA Programs:
Organ Transplantation
Health Teaching Facilities Interest
Subsidies
Nursing loan repayment for shortage
area service
Ryan White AIDS Programs
Emergency Assistance
Comprehensive Care Programs
AIDS Drug Assistance Program
(ADAP)
Early Intervention Program
Pediatric Demonstrations
AIDS Dental Services
Education and Training Centers
Family Planning
Centers for Disease Control
Preventive Health Services Block Grant
Program
Salaries and Expenses
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Program
Salaries and Expenses
Injury Control
Program
Salaries and Expenses
Crime: Trust funds
Rape Prevention and Education
National Institutes of Health
National Cancer Institute
``National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute''
National Institute of Dental Research
Nat. Inst. Of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases
National Inst. of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development
National Eye Institute
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
National Institute on Aging
National Institute on Arthritis & Musculoskeletal &
Skin Diseases
National Institute on Deafness & Other Comm. Disorders
National Institute of Nursing Research
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institute of Mental Health
National Human Genome Research Institute
National Center for Research Resources
National Library of Medicine
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Mental Health
Knowledge Development and Application
Mental Health Performance Partnership
Children's Mental Health
Grants to States for the homeless (PATH)
Protection and Advocacy
Substance Abuse Treatment:
Knowledge Development and Application
Substance abuse performance partnership
Administration for Children and Families
Developmental Disabilities Program
Domestic Violence Hotline
Battered Women's Shelters
Administration on Aging: Aging Services Programs
Office of the Secretary
General Departmental Management
Adolescent family life (Title XX)
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Education Reform
Educational Technology
21st Century Community Learning Centers
School Improvement Programs
Teacher Empowerment Act
Innovative Education (Education Block Grant)
Safe and Drug Free Schools:
Inexpensive Book Distribution (RIF)
Arts in Education
Magnet Schools Assistance
Education for Homeless Children & Youth
Women's Educational Equity
Ellender Fellowships/Close Up
Education for Native Hawaiians
Alaska Native Education Equity
Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers
Education for the Disadvantaged
Grants to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs)
Capital Expenses for Private School Children
Even Start
State Agency Programs
Evaluation
Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration
Impact Aid
Reading Excellence Act
Indian Education
Bilingual and Immigrant Education
Education Research, Statistics, and Improvement
Research and Statistics
Fund for the Improvement of Education
International Education Exchange
Civic Education
Eisenhower Professional Dvp. Federal Activities
Eisenhower Regional Math & Science Ed. Consortia
Javits Gifted and Talented Education
National Writing Project
RELATED AGENCIES
Corporation for National and Community Service:
Domestic Volunteer Service Programs, Operating Expenses
Cooperation for Public Broadcasting:
FY 2003 Regular Appropriation
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the results
of each rollcall vote on an amendment or on the motion to
report, together with the names of those voting for and those
voting against, are printed below:
rollcall no. 1
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Mr. Obey.
Description of motion: To strike language appropriating
funds for the Teacher Empowerment Act, to provide funding for
various professional development grants to be determined by the
Secretary of Education, and to provide funds to reduce class
size.
Results: Rejected 22 yeas to 31 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Boyd Mr. Aderholt
Mr. Cramer Mr. Bonilla
Ms. DeLauro Mr. Callahan
Mr. Dicks Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Dixon Mr. Dickey
Mr. Edwards Mrs. Emerson
Mr. Farr Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Forbes Ms. Granger
Mr. Hinchey Mr. Hobson
Mr. Hoyer Mr. Istook
Mr. Jackson Mr. Kingston
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Knollenberg
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Kolbe
Mr. Mollohan Mr. Latham
Mr. Obey Mr. Lewis
Mr. Olver Mr. Miller
Mr. Pastor Mr. Nethercutt
Mr. Price Mrs. Northup
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Packard
Mr. Sabo Mr. Peterson
Mr. Serrano Mr. Porter
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Regula
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Wolf
Mr. Young
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall vote on an amendment or on the motion to report,
together with the names of those voting for and those voting
against, are printed below:
rollcall no. 2
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Mrs. Lowey.
Description of motion: To provide for grants and loans to
carry out school renovation subject to such terms and
conditions as the Secretary of Education shall establish.
Results: Rejected 21 yeas to 29 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Boyd Mr. Bonilla
Mr. Cramer Mr. Cunningham
Ms. DeLauro Mr. DeLay
Mr. Dixon Mr. Dickey
Mr. Edwards Mrs. Emerson
Mr. Farr Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Forbes Mr. Goode
Mr. Hoyer Ms. Granger
Mr. Jackson Mr. Hobson
Ms. Kaptur Mr. Istook
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Kingston
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Knollenberg
Mrs. Meek Mr. Latham
Mr. Obey Mr. Lewis
Mr. Olver Mr. Miller
Mr. Pastor Mr. Nethercutt
Ms. Pelosi Mrs. Northup
Mr. Price Mr. Packard
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Peterson
Mr. Serrano Mr. Porter
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Regula
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Wolf
Mr. Young
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall vote on an amendment or on the motion to report,
together with the names of those voting for and those voting
against, are printed below:
rollcall no. 3
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Mr. Hoyer.
Description of motion: To add funds for Title I grants to
Local Educational Agencies, Head Start, 21st Century Community
Learning Centers and the Child Care and Development Block
Grant.
Results: Rejected 23 yeas to 30 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Aderholt Mr. Bonilla
Mr. Boyd Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Cramer Mr. Dickey
Ms. DeLauro Mrs. Emerson
Mr. Edwards Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Farr Mr. Goode
Mr. Forbes Ms. Granger
Mr. Hoyer Mr. Hobson
Mr. Jackson Mr. Istook
Ms. Kaptur Mr. Kingston
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Knollenberg
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Kolbe
Mrs. Meek Mr. Latham
Mr. Mollohan Mr. Lewis
Mr. Obey Mr. Miller
Mr. Olver Mr. Nethercutt
Mr. Pastor Mrs. Northup
Ms. Pelosi Mr. Packard
Mr. Price Mr. Peterson
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Porter
Mr. Sabo Mr. Regula
Mr. Serrano Mr. Rogers
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Wolf
Mr. Young
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall on an amendment or on the motion to report, together
with the names of those voting for and those voting against,
are printed below:
rollcall no. 4
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Mrs. Northup.
Description of motion: To add language prohibiting the use
of funds by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
to promulgate, issue, implement, administer, or enforce any
proposed, temporary, or final standard or final standard on
ergonomic protection.
Results: Adopted 32 yeas to 22 nays.
Members Voting Members Voting
Yea Nay Members Voting Present
Mr. Aderholt Mr. Cramer Mr. Lewis
Mr. Bonilla Ms. DeLauro Mr. Porter
Mr. Callahan Mr. Lextra Mr. Dixon
Mr. Cunningham Mr. Edwards
Mr. DeLay Mr. Farr
Mr. Dickey Mr. Forbes
Mrs. Emerson Mr. Hinchey
Mr. Frelinghuysen Mr. Hoyer
Mr. Goode Mr. Jackson
Mr. Granger Ms. Kaptur
Mr. Hobson Ms. Kilpatrick
Mr. Istook Mrs. Lowey
Mr. Kingston Mrs. Meek
Mr. Knollenberg Mr. Mollenhan
Mr. Kolbe Mr. Obey
Mr. Latham Mr. Olver
Mr. Miller Mr. Pastor
Mr. Nerthercutt Ms. Pelosi
Mrs. Northup Ms. Roybal-Allard
Mr. Packard Mr. Sabo
Mr. Peterson Mr. Serrano
Mr. Regula Mr. Visclosky
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Wolf
Mr. Young.
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall on an amendment or on the motion to report, together
with the names of those voting for and those voting against,
are printed below:
Rollcall No. 5
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Ms. Pelosi.
Description of motion: To strike a provision limiting the
amount of National Institutes of Health obligations to the
President's budget request.
Results: Rejected 23 yeas to 29 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Boyd Mr. Aderholt
Mr. Cramer Mr. Bonilla
Ms. DeLauro Mr. Callahan
Mr. Dixon Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Edwards Mr. Dickey
Mr. Farr Mrs. Emerson
Mr. Forbes Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Hinchey Mr. Goode
Mr. Hoyer Ms. Granger
Mr. Jackson Mr. Istook
Ms. Kaptur Mr. Kingston
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Knollenberg
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Latham
Mr. Mollohan Mr. Lewis
Mr. Obey Mr. Miller
Mr. Olver Mr. Nethercutt
Mr. Pastor Mr. Northup
Ms. Pelosi Mr. Packard
Mr. Price Mr. Peterson
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Porter
Mr. Sabo Mr. Regula
Mr. Serrano Mr. Rogers
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Skeen
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Tiart
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Young
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall on an amendment or on the motion to report, together
with the names of those voting for and those voting against,
are printed below:
Rollcall No. 6
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Ms. Pelosi.
Description of motion: To add funds for activities related
to substance abuse treatment and prevention services and
designate these funds as emergency spending.
Results: Rejected 22 yeas to 30 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Boyd Mr. Aderholt
Mr. Cramer Mr. Cunningham
Ms. DeLauro Mr. DeLay
Mr. Dicks Mr. Dickey
Mr. Edwards Mrs. Emerson
Mr. Farr Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Forbes Mr. Goode
Mr. Hinchey Ms. Granger
Mr. Jackson Mr. Hobson
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Istook
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Kingston
Mrs. Meeks Mr. Knollenberg
Mr. Mollohan Mr. Kolbe
Mr. Moran Mr. Latham
Mr. Obey Mr. Lewis
Mr. Olver Mr. Miller
Mr. Pastor Mr. Nethercutt
Ms. Pelosi Mrs. Northup
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Packard
Mr. Sabo Mr. Peterson
Mr. Serrano Mr. Porter
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Regula
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Young
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall vote on an amendment or on the motion to report,
together with the names of those voting for and those voting
against, are printed below:
rollcall no. 7
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Mrs. Lowey.
Description of Motion: To provide a maximum Pell grant of
$3,800.
Results: Rejected 18 yeas to 30 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Aderholt Mr. Bonilla
Mr. Boyd Mr. Callahan
Mr. Cramer Mr. Dickey
Mr. Dicks Mrs. Emerson
Mr. Edwards Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Forbes Mr. Goode
Mr. Hinchey Ms. Granger
Mr. Jackson Mr. Hobson
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Istook
Mrs. Meek Mr. Kingston
Mr. Mollohan Mr. Knollenberg
Mr. Moran Mr. Kolbe
Mr. Obey Mr. Lewis
Mr. Olver Mr. Miller
Mr. Price Mr. Nethercutt
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mrs. Northup
Mr. Serrano Mr. Packard
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Peterson
Mr. Porter
Mr. Regula
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Wolf
Mr. Young
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall vote on an amendment or on the motion to report,
together with the names of those voting for and those voting
against, are printed below:
rollcall no. 8
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Mr. Jackson.
Description of Motion: To add funds for skills training
programs at the Department of Labor and to authorize the use of
training grants on new entrants in the workforce and incumbent
workers.
Results: Rejected 19 yeas to 30 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Boyd Mr. Aderholt
Mr. Cramer Mr. Bonilla
Ms. DeLauro Mr. Callahan
Mr. Dixon Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Edwards Mr. Dickey
Mr. Farr Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Forbes Mr. Goode
Mr. Hinchey Ms. Granger
Mr. Jackson Mr. Hobson
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Istook
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Knollenberg
Mrs. Meek Mr. Kolbe
Mr. Moran Mr. Latham
Mr. Obey Mr. Lewis
Mr. Olver Mr. Miller
Mr. Pastor Mr. Nethercutt
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mrs. Northup
Mr. Sabo Mr. Packard
Mr. Serrano Mr. Peterson
Mr. Porter
Mr. Regula
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Wolf
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall vote on an amendment or on the motion to report,
together with the names of those voting for and those voting
against, are printed below:
rollcall no. 9
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Ms. DeLauro.
Description of Motion: To add funds for part B grants to
states under the special education account.
Results: Rejected 20 yeas to 28 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Boyd Mr. Aderholt
Mr. Cramer Mr. Bonilla
Ms. DeLauro Mr. Callahan
Mr. Dixon Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Edwards Mr. DeLay
Mr. Farr Mr. Dickey
Mr. Forbes Mrs. Emerson
Mr. Frelinghuysen Mr. Goode
Mr. Hinchey Ms. Granger
Mr. Jackson Mr. Hobson
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Kingston
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Knollenberg
Mrs. Meek Mr. Kolbe
Mr. Mollohan Mr. Latham
Mr. Obey Mr. Miller
Mr. Olver Mr. Nethercutt
Mr. Pastor Mrs. Northup
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Packard
Mr. Sabo Mr. Peterson
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Porter
Mr. Regula
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall vote on an amendment or on the motion to report,
together with the names of those voting for and those voting
against, are printed below:
rollcall no. 10
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Ms. DeLauro.
Description of motion: To add funds to the Health Resources
and Services Administration, the Health Care Financing
Administration, the Administration on Aging, and the Social
Security Administration supplemental security income program
and administrative expenses. In addition, to strike a provision
limiting the funding for the Medicare Integrity Program to last
year's level.
Results: Rejected 24 yeas to 26 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Aderholt Mr. Bonilla
Mr. Boyd Mr. Callahan
Ms. DeLauro Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Dickey Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Dixon Mr. Goode
Mr. Edwards Ms. Granger
Mrs. Emerson Mr. Hobson
Mr. Farr Mr. Istook
Mr. Forbes Mr. Kingston
Mr. Hinchey Mr. Knollenberg
Mr. Hoyer Mr. Kolbe
Mr. Jackson Mr. Latham
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Miller
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Nethercutt
Mrs. Meek Mr. Packard
Mr. Mollohan Mr. Peterson
Mr. Moran Mr. Porter
Mr. Obey Mr. Regula
Mr. Olver Mr. Rogers
Mr. Price Mr. Skeen
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Sununu
Mr. Sabo Mr. Taylor
Mr. Serrano Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall vote on an amendment or on the motion to report,
together with the names of those voting for and those voting
against, are printed below:
rollcall no. 11
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Mr. Obey.
Description of motion: To add funds for the Department of
Labor, Departmental Management.
Results: Rejected 23 yeas to 30 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Boyd Mr. Aderholt
Mr. Cramer Mr. Bonilla
Ms. DeLauro Mr. Callahan
Mr. Dixon Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Edwards Mr. Dickey
Mr. Farr Mrs. Emerson
Mr. Forbes Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Hinchey Mr. Goode
Mr. Hoyer Ms. Granger
Mr. Jackson Mr. Hobson
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Istook
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Kingston
Mrs. Meek Mr. Knollenberg
Mr. Mollohan Mr. Kolbe
Mr. Moran Mr. Latham
Mr. Obey Mr. Miller
Mr. Olver Mr. Nethercutt
Mr. Pastor Mrs. Northup
Mr. Price Mr. Packard
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Peterson
Mr. Sabo Mr. Porter
Mr. Serrano Mr. Regula
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall vote on an amendment or on the motion to report,
together with the names of those voting for and those voting
against, are printed below:
rollcall No. 12
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Mr. Obey.
Description of motion: To add a Sense of the House
provision that tax cuts for taxpayers in the top one percent
income levels should not be enacted until Congress enacts a
universal voluntary prescription drug benefit for all Americans
under Medicare.
Results: Rejected 22 yeas to 28 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Boyd Mr. Bonilla
Mr. Cramer Mr. Callahan
Ms. DeLauro Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Dixon Mr. Dickey
Mr. Edwards Mrs. Emerson
Mr. Farr Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Forbes Mr. Goode
Mr. Hinchey Mr. Hobson
Mr. Hoyer Mr. Istook
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Kingston
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Knollenberg
Mrs. Meek Mr. Kolbe
Mr. Mollohan Mr. Latham
Mr. Moran Mr. Miller
Mr. Obey Mr. Nethercutt
Mr. Olver Mrs. Northup
Mr. Pastor Mr. Packard
Mr. Price Mr. Peterson
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Porter
Mr. Sabo Mr. Regula
Mr. Serrano Mr. Rogers
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule
XIII of the House of Representatives, the results of each
rollcall vote on an amendment or on the motion to report,
together with the names of those voting for and those voting
against, are printed below:
rollcall No. 13
Date: May 24, 2000.
Measure: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001.
Motion by: Mr. Rogers.
Description of motion: To report the bill, to authorize the
chairman to seek a rule for consideration of the bill, and to
authorize the chairman to move that the House disagree to the
amendments of the Senate and agree to a conference requested by
the Senate.
Results: Adopted 29 yeas to 22 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Aderholt Mr. Boyd
Mr. Bonilla Mr.Cramer
Mr. Callahan Ms. DeLauro
Mr. Cunningham Mr. Dixon
Mr. Dickey Mr. Edwards
Mrs. Emerson Mr. Farr
Mr. Frelinghuysen Mr. Forbes
Mr. Goode Mr. Hinchey
Mr. Hobson Mr. Hoyer
Mr. Istook Ms. Kilpatrick
Mr. Kingston Mrs. Lowey
Mr. Knollenberg Mrs. Meek
Mr. Kolbe Mr. Mollohan
Mr. Latham Mr. Moran
Mr. Miller Mr. Obey
Mr. Nethercutt Mr. Olver
Mrs. Northup Mr. Pastor
Mr. Packard Mr. Price
Mr. Peterson Ms. Roybal-Allard
Mr. Porter Mr. Sabo
Mr. Regula Mr. Serrano
Mr. Rogers Mr. Visclosky
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Sununu
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Mr. Wicker
DISSENTING VIEWS OF HON. DAVID OBEY, HON. STENY HOYER, HON. NANCY
PELOSI, HON. NITA LOWEY, HON. ROSA DeLAURO, AND HON. JESSE JACKSON, JR.
For the third year in a row, the Majority has produced a
fictional Labor, Health, and Human Services-Education
Appropriations bill that is going nowhere. We have gone up and
down this hill so many fruitless times. This bill contains
major reductions in the President's Budget for education,
healthcare, and training; and overall it is $6 billion below
his request. It declines to step up to the plate on problem
after problem in this country, all for purposes of providing a
large tax cut aimed primarily at high income individuals. That
is why this bill is
$2.9 billion below the President's request for the
Department of Education
$1.7 billion below the President's request for the
Department of Labor, and
$1.1 billion below the President's request for the
Department of Health and Human Services
This bill is completely inadequate for the needs of the
country, and we know it is not going to survive. It fails to
respond to the needs of all Americans so that they will be
prepared for the high skill jobs of the 21st Century and
equipped to function productively in a global economy. Our
nation is growing and our efforts to address the changing needs
of Americans must grow as well. By 2010, our population will
increase by approximately 23 million people to nearly 300
million people, an 8 percent increase over today.
We must address the needs of an increasing number of
students and prepare them for the future. More than 53 million
children are in school today--7.3 million or 16% more than 10
years ago. And, in the next 10 years, that number will grow by
nearly 1 million children, with the greatest growth occurring
in grades 9-12. College enrollment also rose by nearly 10
percent between 1989 and 1999, and is expected to grow by
nearly 1.5 million students--another 10% increase--over the
next 10 years. By 2009, more than 16 million students will be
enrolled in some type of postsecondary institution.
A few decades ago, employers were looking for typists,
keypunchers and elevator operators. Today, they are looking for
webmasters and telecommunications specialists. And, even if
future labor markets are not as tight as they are today, it is
likely that tomorrow's workers will have to be even more highly
skilled. Occupational groups that require the most education
are projected to be among the fastest growing in the future.
Technology, combined with increasing globalization, presents
immense challenges for the unskilled workers of today and also
working Americans who will face the need for supplementary
skills training to remain competitive in their jobs.
In addition to addressing the needs of the young and our
workforce, we must begin to prepare for an aging population as
well. The 76 million Americans who make up the Baby Boom
generation will begin reaching retirement age in just eight
years. The population of those over age 85 who often present
the most urgent needs is expected to grow 33% in the next ten
years alone. To adequately prepare, we should be making
investments now to help seniors secure their futures and
maintain their independence.
This bill does not help prepare us to be the kind of
country that we are going to be. That is why we are opposed to
this bill in its present form, and that is why the President
has said that he would veto it.
That is why Democrats decided to offer several amendments
adding $10.9 billion to the bill for our country's highest
priority needs that were fully paid for under the Democratic
version of the Budget Resolution. These amendments do not
correct all of the bill's flaws, but would address the bill's
most serious deficiencies. The Democratic amendments include:
Obey Amendment: to restore $1.025 billion to
improve teacher quality and strike the block grant language
that prevents Congress from assuring adequate and dedicated
funding for class size reduction and teacher quality. Rejected
22:31
Lowey Amendment: to restore $1.3 billion to
leverage up to $7.0 billion for urgent safety and health school
facility repairs. Rejected 21:29
Hoyer Amendment: to restore $1.833 billion to
improve the education, care and well-being of at-risk children
through early childhood education, child care and after school
initiatives. Rejected 23:30
Pelosi Amendment: to strike provisions that reduce
NIH research funding in the bill by $1.7 billion. Rejected
23:29
Pelosi Amendment: to add $600 million for
substance abuse demand reduction and to increase substance
abuse treatment capacity. Rejected 22:30
Lowey Amendment: to add $938 million for a $300
increase in maximum Pell grant to low-income college students
(from $3,500 to $3,800). Rejected 18:30
Jackson Amendment: to restore $1.25 billion to
sustain and expand skills and job training for disadvantaged
youth and adults, and dislocated workers. Rejected 19:30
DeLauro Amendment: to add $1.510 billion to
provide $7.0 billion in total for IDEA Part B state grants for
children with disabilities, putting IDEA on a path toward full
funding. Rejected 20:28
DeLauro Amendment: to add $661 million to protect
the health and welfare of senior citizens, through better
nursing home care, increased meals on wheels, assistance for
family caregivers, and more accessible health care. Rejected
24:26
Obey Amendment: to restore $97 million for Clinton
initiatives to attack the problem of weak international labor
standards, including international child labor standards.
Rejected 23:30
Obey Amendment: to add a Sense of the House of
Representatives provision that tax cuts for taxpayers in top 1%
of income levels should not be enacted until Congress enacts a
universal voluntary prescription drug benefit for all Americans
under Medicare. Rejected 22:28
None of the Democratic amendments were adopted in the
Committee. The only major change the Majority approved in
Committee was to break a previous commitment and adopt the
Northup amendment to weaken worker protection through yet
another appropriations rider that blocks issuance of the OSHA
ergonomics regulation.
The cuts in this bill are a direct result of the decisions
made by the Majority to provide massive tax cuts mostly to our
wealthier citizens. Two key tax cut bills, the minimum wage
bill and the Budget Resolution, are reflective of those
decisions and have made it impossible to meet our obligations
in education, health care, and workforce development in this
bill.
The Republicans attached to the minimum wage bill $122
billion in tax cuts over 10 years. When combined with the
impact on the debt service, the bill would reduce surpluses by
$154 billion over 10 years. In FY 2001 alone, the tax cuts
passed in the minimum wage bill would cut revenues by $2.4
billion. According to the Citizens for Tax Justice, 73% of
these tax cuts would go to the top 1% of all taxpayers--those
making over $319,000 a year. The average income for these
citizens is about $915,000 a year. Yet, the bottom 60% of all
taxpayers would get only 2.8% of the tax cuts under that bill.
So those in the top 1% get a tax cut of $6,128, and the bottom
60% get a $4 tax cut.
The Republican Budget Resolution calls for $175 billion in
tax cuts over 5 years, including a $150 billion reconciliation
directive and a $25 billion reserve fund for additional tax
cuts. These cuts exceed the projected budget surplus and
require deep cuts in non-defense discretionary appropriations.
The Democratic alternative to the Budget Resolution would cut
taxes $50 billion over 5 years.
In FY 2001, under the Republican Budget Resolution,
revenues would be cut by $12.6 billion. The Democratic
alternative cut taxes $2.6 billion in FY 2001. That is a $10
billion difference in FY 2001 alone.
To make room for their massive tax package, the Republican
Budget Resolution calls for a dramatic cut to appropriations.
In FY 2001, the Budget Resolution provides $289 billion for
non-defense discretionary, which is a cut of $7 billion or 6%
below 2000 enacted, and $19 billion below what is needed to
keep up with inflation.
With a more modest tax cut, the Democratic alternative
would have provided $309 billion for non-defense discretionary
programs in FY 2001, $20 billion more than the Republican
Budget Resolution. That $20 billion would have provided the
room we need to live up to our responsibilities in this
appropriations bill. And we could have done so without touching
Social Security or returning to deficit spending.
While the budgetary cost of the Republican tax plan is
significant and serious, the real cost is not what it will do
to the fiscal balance this country experiences in the short
term, but what it does to schools and the quality of the
American workforce in the coming decades. If this country is
going to have the kind of economic health and vitality in
future decades that we are enjoying today, it will be because
we have found new ways to grow through new technologies and new
and better work skills.
The House should reject this bill. The country deserves,
and needs a better bill.
----------
Attached to these Dissenting Views is additional supporting
information, including:
Tables listing key Administration education
requests that are cut in the bill.
A copy of the President's statement on the bill.
A copy of Secretary Riley's statement on the bill.
A copy of Secretary Herman's statement on the
bill.
A copy of Commissioner Apfel's statement on the
bill.
A letter from the OMB Director stating the
Administration's views on the bill.
Following the OMB letter is more specific information about
some of our urgent national problems, the deficiencies in this
bill, and Democratic efforts to provide alternative funding
levels. State tables showing cuts in selected programs on a
state-by-state basis conclude this section.
DESCRIPTION OF NATIONAL PROBLEMS AND THE DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE
----------
EDUCATION
Including Head Start, the President's education budget
request contains a $5.5 billion increase in education
spending--and the largest proposed increase--in dollar and
percentage terms--for the Department of Education since it was
established in 1980.
The bill reported by the Majority turns a cold shoulder to
education and cuts $3.5 billion out of the Administration's
request. This bill particularly undermines the President's
request for $2.9 billion to provide more and better teachers in
the classroom, by cutting more than $1.0 billion for teacher
quality. In the last two years, Democrats and Republicans have
had a disagreement about whether smaller classes or quality
teachers are more important in raising student achievement.
Democrats believe that both are important: we need high quality
teachers in every classroom and enough teachers to give every
student the attention they need. We need to take the best of
the Majority's ideas and our ideas, and provide enough money in
this bill to make a real difference on both fronts.
We face a crisis in this country with respect to who will
be standing in front of our classrooms in America by the end of
the current decade. Twenty-five percent of our veteran teachers
are 50 years or older and will be retiring soon. We will have
to replace these teachers in a tight labor market and when the
private sector is paying increasingly higher salaries for
college graduates, particularly in mathematics and the
sciences. More than half of our young graduates are women who
do not face the same barriers to employment in other
professions that they did a generation ago.
This is coming at a time when we are faced with increasing
enrollments, a higher proportion of low-income and limited
English speaking students, the realization that cutting class
size is even more important to improved learning than
previously understood and the demands that a technologically
driven economy place on the next generation of workers.
This bill will disappoint most Americans. The American
people understand the federal role in education and believe
that the federal government should help shoulder part of the
financial burden of educating our children. Education is their
highest priority for additional federal funding and is more
important to them than health care, tax cuts or paying down the
debt. A large majority (61%) believes that the federal
government spends too little on education.
Our nation is prosperous, our economy is booming and our
debt is lower than nearly all other industrialized nations.
What better time to strengthen our national investment in our
schools than now?
Problem #1: The Need To Invest in High Quality Teaching and More
Teachers
Perhaps more than any other area, Americans want to ensure
that their children have good teachers in small classes where
their children can get the personal attention they need. We
face unprecedented need and demand for high quality teaching at
a time when we also face a potential crisis in teacher quality
and supply.
More than 53 million children are in school today--7.3
million or 16% more than 10 years ago. And, over the next 10
years, that number will grow by another 1 million children,
with the greatest growth occurring in grades 9-12.
Schools will need to hire an estimated 2.2 to 2.5 million
public school teachers over the next 10 years to replace a
projected 765,000 teachers who are expected to retire, address
enrollment growth, and accommodate smaller classes. More of
these new hires will be brand new teachers who lack experience
and solid training. And, we will have to work harder to attract
and retain the 30% of new teachers who leave the profession
after five years.
In addition to meeting the demand for more teachers, our
schools need more highly skilled teachers. These teachers must
bring new knowledge and skills to the classroom, but too many
teachers are providing instruction in subjects in which they
have little or no preparation and academic background and are
not well prepared for the classroom. For example,
One of every 10 teachers is teaching a subject for
which they were not trained to teach, and the problem of
teaching out of field is most acute at the secondary level
where most of the enrollment growth will occur over the next
few years.
More than one of every three new teachers is not
fully licensed to teach.
Nearly two-thirds of teachers do not feel very
well prepared to implement state or district curriculum and
performance standards.
Four out of five teachers do not feel very well
prepared to integrate educational technology into the
curriculum.
Four out of five teachers do not feel very well
prepared to address the needs of students with disabilities.
Americans want a Marshall Plan now to help schools deal
with pressing teacher recruitment, retention and quality
issues, and to cut the size of classes. This bill provides no
plan at all.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Democrats offered an amendment to
restore $1.025 billion to improve teacher quality and strike
the block grant language that prevents Congress from assuring
adequate and dedicated funding for class size reduction and
teacher quality, but it was rejected by the Majority by a vote
of 22:31. (Obey amendment, Roll Number 1 located in this report
immediately preceding the table). This amendment would have
restored:
$690 million for high-quality professional
development that is content-focused, embedded in the life of
the classroom, provided to teams of teachers in the same grade
or subject area, and of sufficient duration to be effective
under the Teaching to High Standards State Grants program.
$25 million for an expanded Transition to Teaching
program to help schools hire 4,000 mid-career professionals who
promise to teach in high-poverty school districts.
$75 million for the Hometown Teachers program to
help about 100 high-poverty school districts to develop a
``grow your own'' approach to teacher recruitment which has
been effective in addressing teacher shortages in hard-to-serve
communities.
$50 million for the Higher Standards, Higher Pay
program to help high-poverty school districts (with an average
of about 800 teachers per school district) attract and retain
high-quality teachers and principals through better pay linked
to (1) regular, rigorous peer evaluations of every teacher that
include student performance as one measure; (2) professional
development and intensive support to help all teachers and
principals succeed; and (3) streamlined, but fair, systems to
improve or remove teachers identified as low-performing through
their peer evaluation.
$50 million for the Teacher Quality Incentives
program to reward about 200 high-poverty school districts for
demonstrating significant progress in improving teacher quality
by increasing the percentage of certified teachers and
decreasing the percentage of secondary teachers who are
teaching out-of-field.
$40 million for the School Leadership Initiative
to provide leadership training to 10,000 superintendents,
principals, and prospective principals and to address shortages
of skilled district- and school-level administrators.
$30 million for the Early Childhood Professional
Development program to improve the knowledge and skills of
early childhood educators and caregivers who work in
communities with high concentrations of young children living
in poverty.
$65 million for Teacher Technology Training to
help train teachers to use computers and the Internet for
classroom instruction, when 80% of teachers report that they
are not well prepared to use these technologies.
This bill repeals last year's bipartisan plan to hire
100,000 additional teachers for smaller classes.
This bill block grants the $1.75 billion requested by the
President for the third installment of a plan to make classes
smaller by hiring 100,000 teachers over 7 years. School
districts have already hired 29,000 teachers to reduce class
size, and the budget requested funds for those teachers and to
hire another 20,000 teachers. Instead, the bill provides these
funds for the Teacher Empowerment Act, subject to enactment.
Providing high quality teachers goes hand in hand with
smaller classes, but we must provide the necessary funds to
make a difference. The Majority's bill would provide $1.0
billion less than the $2.9 billion requested by the President
for enhancing teacher quality and hiring more teachers.
Moreover, the block grant provisions in the bill would do
little more than provide another form of general revenue
sharing to states--many of which have produced little in the
way of educational results. On the other hand, we know that
reducing class size is a research-tested and proven method of
raising student achievement. Small classes allow teachers to
spend more time on instruction and less on classroom
management. Teachers are better able to identify students with
learning problems and to provide help to those children.
Reducing class size also reduces the need to refer students to
costly special education programs.
We all know what happens with block grants--eventually they
get cut. Already, the Teacher Empowerment Act (TEA) block grant
proposed in this bill is $250 million below the level
authorized in the TEA bill last year--a 12.5% cut. One also
need look no further than the Title XX Social Services Block
Grant to see what eventually happens with block grants. In
1998, Title XX was cut from $2.38 billion to $1.7 billion to
pay for roads and highways in TEA21, and is cut another 65% to
$600 million in the FY2001 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations
bill reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The Majority argues that under its approach, schools will
have the option of using the $1.75 billion block grant funding
to hire new teachers or to support teacher training activities.
But, that is a Hobson's choice. We shouldn't have to force
schools to choose between hiring new teachers or training those
teachers already in the school.
School districts have already hired 29,000 teachers who are
on the payroll, teaching classes. If schools do not fire these
teachers, then approximately $1.3 billion of the $1.75 billion
provided in the bill for the block grant would be need to pay
those 29,000 teachers, leaving only $450 million for teacher
training and professional development--a cut of $650 million
below the President's request for teacher training, recruitment
and retention initiatives.
Alternatively, under the Majority's approach, if schools
use more of the block grant for teacher training, as many as
2.9 million children could be denied the benefits of getting a
better education in smaller classes.
Problem #2: The Need To Invest in Modern Schools
Studies show that the physical condition of our schools
makes a difference in student learning. A classroom of 5th
graders will tune out even the best teacher when they have to
wear coats in class to ward off cold, or when water is pouring
into the classroom due to a leak in the roof.
We can't control all the influences that affect a child's
learning. We must take each child as he or she comes to us.
But, we can control the condition of learning facilities to
which we send our young people.
Our schools are old, overcrowded, and outmoded. Not only
are they not ready for state-of-the-art instruction in the 21st
century, they cannot even meet 20th century standards for
security, safety, and sanitation.
One-third of the nation's 80,000 schools, serving
about 14 million students nationwide, report needing extensive
repair or replacement of one or more school buildings. About 7
million children are in schools that fail to meet local health
and safety codes.
Three-fifths of schools, serving 25 million
students nationwide, need extensive repair, overhaul or
replacement of at least one major building feature, such as
roofs, windows, plumbing and heating, electrical power, and
life safety codes.
Nearly 60% of all schools have at least one major
building feature in disrepair, such as a leaky roof or
crumbling walls.
More than half of all schools have unsatisfactory
environmental conditions, such as poor ventilation, heating or
lighting problems or poor physical security.
This bill fails to provide the $1.3 billion requested to
leverage up to $7 billion to fix a backlog of leaky roofs,
outmoded plumbing, and other needed repairs to bring school
buildings into compliance with local safety codes.
We know that local communities can't foot the bill alone,
and historically the federal government has stepped up to the
plate, particularly to help the neediest communities provide a
quality education for all students. The federal government
stepped in to help build over 5,200 new schools and to upgrade
1,000 school buildings back in the 1930's when the need for
school buildings outstripped the capacity of local communities
to pay for them. We should provide similar help now.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Democrats offered an amendment to
restore $1.3 billion for urgent safety and health repairs at
5,000 schools, but it was rejected by the Majority by a vote of
21:29. (Lowey amendment, Roll Number 2 located in this report
immediately preceding the table.)
Problem #3: The Need To Invest in Early Childhood Education, Child Care
and After School Programs for At-Risk Children
Amidst unprecedented prosperity in our country, 13.5
million children are poor. One in five American children live
in poverty, representing almost 30% of school enrollment. More
than half of these children are in single parent homes and are
more likely to experience academic problems in their early
school years; 74% of poor children live in working families who
cannot make enough to escape poverty.
The achievement gap between disadvantaged children and
other children has been reduced over the past twenty years, but
a sizable gap remains. Too many disadvantaged children are
still denied a quality education, leading to a greater
likelihood of dropping out and a lifetime of diminished
success. For these reasons, providing consistent support for
education success from the earliest ages has critically
important benefits.
A national review of 36 studies on the long-term impact of
early childhood education programs (including a number of Head
Start programs) found that low-income children who participated
in such programs were less likely to be held back in school or
to be placed in special education classes, more likely to
succeed in school and to graduate, and more likely to be rated
as behaving well in class and being better adjusted in school.
Historically, the federal government has played a
significant role in helping to provide a quality education for
the most disadvantaged students in the poorest communities.
But,this bill cuts out key investments in early childhood
education and child care, extra reading and math education, and before
and after school programs for those families.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Democrats offered an amendment to add
$1.833 billion to restore the President's budget request for
key programs for at-risk children and youth, but it was
rejected by the Majority by a vote of 23:30. (Hoyer amendment,
Roll Number 3 located in this report immediately preceding the
table.) This amendment would have restored:
$600 million for Head Start in order to fund the
President's request for a $1 billion increase for Head Start.
Head Start is a comprehensive program that helps at-risk
children, 3 through 5 years, prepare for school and stay
healthy by providing education, immunizations, health checkups
and nutritious meals. Without the increase provided by this
amendment, 50,000 children would be denied a better start in
life under the Head Start program, and an additional 3,000
infants and toddlers would be denied access to early,
continuous and comprehensive services under Early Head Start.
$416 million to the Title 1 program to fully fund
the President's request of $8.4 billion for Title 1 grants to
school districts. Title 1 helps over 11 million disadvantaged
school children to gain skills in core academic subjects,
including reading and math, and helps them to achieve to high
academic standards. However, the resources provided for Title 1
have not kept pace with the increase in school children in
poverty and current Title 1 funding supports only about one-
third of the basic authorization. Without the increase
requested by the President, extra academic help for as many as
an additional 650,000 disadvantaged children and targeted
assistance to up to 7,000 schools identified by states as
needing improvement would be denied.
$400 million for the 21st Century Community
Learning Centers to fully fund the President's request of $1
billion for before and after school centers. The 21st Century
Community Learning Centers program enables schools to stay open
longer, providing a safe place for homework centers, intensive
mentoring in basic skills, drug and violence prevention
counseling, helping middle school students to prepare to take
college prep courses in high school, enrichment in the core
academic subjects as well as opportunities to participate in
recreational activities, chorus, band and the arts, technology
education programs and services for children and youth with
disabilities. While the bill provides a modest increase for
this program over last year, without the $400 million increase
provided by the Hoyer amendment, approximately 1.6 children
would be denied the opportunity to receive fun, rich learning
opportunities before and after school.
$417 million for the Child Care and Development
Block Grant program to fully fund (in addition to the $400
million increase in the bill) the President's request for a
$817 million increase. This program is the major source of
Federal child care assistance for low- and moderate-income
families, and provides funding to states for subsidizing care
of the parent's choice and improving the quality of care.
Nationally, only one out of ten children who is eligible for
child care assistance under federal law receives assistance,
and no state is currently serving all eligible families. While
research has repeatedly shown that quality care plays a key
role in children's development and school readiness, a study
found that only one in seven child care centers received a
rating of good quality care. Adding the $417 million requested
in the President's request would result in 80,000 more children
being served next year.
Problem #4: Making College More Affordable for Needy Students
Pell Grants
One of the greatest economic challenges facing America in
the 21st century will be to support the highly-skilled
workforce necessary to thrive in an increasingly complex and
technology-driven workplace.
The importance of postsecondary education in meeting this
challenge should not be understated. In terms of earning power,
there is a vast difference between those with college degrees
and those without. In 1997, the median annual income for adult
men and women with college degrees (full-time workers 25 years
and older) was 56 and 60% more, respectively, than that of men
and women with only high school diplomas.
Further, the unemployment rate for adults with high school
diplomas is twice that of adults with bachelor's degrees or
higher. There is no doubt that American workers who have
difficulty adapting to the demands of a changing workplace will
continue to experience a falling standard of living.
Since the 1944 G.I. Bill, the Federal government has
embraced the ideal that all qualified students should be able
to attend college, regardless of their financial means. A
college education benefits not only the individual, but society
as a whole. A highly educated work force has become an
essential component of economic growth and competitiveness--it
is estimated that increases in national educational attainment
have accounted for almost 30% of the growth in national income
this century. There is no better way to ensure the long-term
solvency of Social Security than to increase the earning
capacity of American workers through education which will allow
them to increase their contributions to the trust funds. When
the federal government helps students attend college, it truly
invests in our nation's future.
In the next 10 years, the number of undergraduate students
enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities will
increase by 11% to more than 14 million students. Many of these
students will be the first in their families to attend college.
One out of five of these students will be from families with
incomes below the poverty level. The continuedinvestment in
federal grant programs is essential if college is to remain an
achievable part of the American dream.
The Pell Grant program is the cornerstone of federal
student financial aid, providing aid to nearly 3.8 million
needy students in FY 1999. Pell Grants are targeted to the
neediest students. Approximately 90% of Pell Grants assistance
goes to students from families with annual incomes below
$30,000 and 41% goes to students from families with incomes
below $12,000. The grants are the foundation of a low-income
student's aid package. Without them, millions of students could
not go to college. In fact, since the inception of the Pell
Grant program in 1973-74, over 75 million grants have helped
low-income students go to college, enrich their lives, and
become productive members of society.
Unfortunately, the increases in the maximum Pell Grant
award have not kept pace with the growing cost of postsecondary
education. According to the College Board, between the 1988-89
and 1998-99 academic years, the average cost of attending a
public university rose 75%. Costs at private schools during the
same period increased 81%. This significant increase in college
costs has reduced the relative value of the Pell Grant. In
1976, the maximum Pell Grant of $1,400 covered 72% of the
$1,935 average annual cost (i.e. tuition, fees, room and board)
at a public, four-year school. In 1998, the maximum Pell Grant
of $3,000 covered only 39% of the $7,769 average annual cost at
a public, four-year school.
The House bill fully funds the President's request to
increase the maximum Pell grant for the 2001-02 school year
from $3,300 to $3,500. That is a good start. But, we need to do
more.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Democrats offered an amendment to
provide a $3,800 maximum Pell grant, but it was rejected by the
Majority 18-30. (Lowey amendment, Roll Call Number 7 located in
this report immediately preceding the table).
Problem #5: Meeting our Commitments To Help Educate Children with
Disabilities
Americans also want more help for special needs children.
And, in this area, both Democrats and Republicans can agree
that more federal support is warranted so that the 6.2 million
students with disabilities receive the education they deserve.
However, even measured by the Majority's own yardstick, this
bill fails to address the need.
Although States have the responsibility to provide a free
public education, the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA)
helps them to pay for the additional costs associated with
providing a quality education for children with disabilities.
IDEA funds support the costs of providing smaller classes,
related professional services, equipment and staff related to
serving disabled children.
The bill provides $6.6 billion for IDEA, an increase of
$514 million over last year. This includes $5.5 billion for the
Part B State Grants, an increase of $500 million for Part B
grants over last year. In contrast, the Majority's budget
resolution called for at least a $2 billion increase for
Special Education over last year. Further, on May 3rd, the
House passed by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 421:3 a bill
(H.R. 4055) calling for a $2 billion increase in 2001 and full
funding for IDEA by 2010. This bill fails to meet the 2001
funding target by $1.5 billion.
Democrats offered an amendment to add $1.5 billion to put
IDEA on a path toward full funding, but it was rejected by the
Majority by a vote of 20:28. (DeLauro amendment, Roll Number 9
located in this report immediately preceding the table.)
Other Key Education Programs Cut in This Bill
Small Schools. The bill freezes funding for Small, Safe and
Successful Schools at $45 million, a cut of $75 million from
the President's request of $120 million. The Small, Safe and
Successful Schools initiative is designed to help school
districts reorganize their large high schools into smaller,
more personalized learning communities. Over time, high schools
have become larger places and, as a result, students feel
increasingly disconnected from adults. In 1997, almost half of
the Nation's high school students attended schools that
enrolled more than 1,500 students and 70% of high school
students attended schools that enrolled more than 1,000
students.
We know that an effective way to prevent school violence is
to help students feel more connected to their teachers, schools
and communities. Research demonstrates that, on a wide range of
measures, when students are part of a smaller, more intimate
learning community, they are more successful academically and
socially. Yet, as many as 400 large high schools enrolling more
than 400,000 students would not get assistance because of the
cut in this bill for the Small Schools initiative.
School Counselors. The bill eliminates the Elementary
School Counseling Demonstration Program funded in 2000 at $20
million. Over 100,000 elementary school students would be
denied counseling services--services that are needed to help
troubled students overcome problems--and that will contribute
to better mental health and, in turn, help to make our schools
safer and more successful. The bill ignores the calls from
hundreds of communities for additional intervention services to
help troubled youth before they harm themselves or others.
Safe Schools/Healthy Students. The bill cuts $51 million
from the President's request of $650 million for the Safe and
Drug Free Schools program. Of the $51 million inadditional
funds requested in the budget, $41 million in new funding would be used
to expand the successful Safe School/Healthy Students school violence
prevention initiative to an additional 40 school districts. These
grants help schools implement comprehensive solutions to preventing
school violence before it occurs, in collaboration with law enforcement
and mental health providers.
In 1999, the agencies received 447 applications under the
Safe Schools/Healthy Students competition, but only had enough
funds to award 54 grants. An additional $100 million would have
been required to fund all of the high-scoring applications
received for projects to provide students, schools, and
communities the benefit of enhanced comprehensive educational,
mental health, social service, law enforcement, and, as
appropriate, juvenile justice services to promote healthy
childhood development, and address the problems of school
violence and alcohol and other drug abuse. This bill does not
provide that additional assistance.
School Emergency Assistance. In addition, the bill provides
no funding for Project SERV, the School Emergency Response to
Violence. The President requested $10 million for this new
initiative under which the Department of Education, in
collaboration with the Departments of Justice and Health and
Human Services and the Federal Emergency Management
Administration, would provide education-related services to
local educational agencies where the learning environment has
been disrupted due to a violent or traumatic crisis, such as a
shooting or major accident. Such services would include
assessing the crisis situation, and developing and implementing
a crisis intervention plan; providing mental health crisis
counseling to students and their families, teachers, and others
in need of such services; and increasing--at least
temporarily--school security.
Reading Excellence Act. The bill provides $260 million for
Reading and Literacy Grants, which is level funding compared to
2000, but a cut of $26 million, or 9%, below the President's
request for $286 million. Level funding for the Reading and
Literacy Grants program would deny critical reading
instructional services to approximately 100,000 children in
about 200 schools who would be served by the increase of $26
million requested by the President.
The Reading and Literacy Grants program is the first
comprehensive, nationwide effort to implement the features of
high-quality scientifically based reading research in school
reading instruction. Far too many young people are struggling
through school without having mastered reading, the most
essential and basic skill. On the 1998 National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP), 68% of all fourth graders in high
poverty schools scored below the ``basic'' reading level.
Goals 2000 Parental Centers. The bill eliminates all
funding for the Parental Information Resource Centers, for
which the President requested to continue at the 2000 level of
$33 million. These centers, authorized under Title IV of the
Goals 2000 Act, provide parents with training, information, and
support to better understand their children's educational needs
and how to help their children achieve to high academic
standards. Each center services an entire State or region, and
they are required to use at least half of their funding to
serve areas with high concentrations of low-income families.
Bilingual Education. The bill provides $248 million for
Bilingual Education, the same as the fiscal year 2000
appropriation, but a cut of $48 million or 16% below the
President's request of $296 million. Approximately 3.4 million
students--about 6% of total school enrollments--have difficulty
speaking English. This number has grown by 57% between 1990 and
1997 and will continue to grow as the number of Hispanic
children entering school increases. Based on historical
patterns, an additional 2.5-2.9 million Hispanic children may
enter school over the next 20 years with limited ability to
speak English.
These children arrive at schools often with little or no
prior formal schooling. Twelve percent of limited English
proficient (LEP) students in middle school and 20% in high
school have missed more than 2 years of schooling since age 6.
Over 1 in 5 may have limited skills in their own native
language.
The bill would deny grants to more than 100 school
districts and instructional services to 143,000 limited English
proficient students who desperately need to learn English. The
affected school districts would primarily be smaller districts
with little prior experience serving limited English proficient
students. More than 130 school districts and institutions of
higher education would not receive professional development
grants, further aggravating the already critical shortage of
trained bilingual and English as a second language teachers.
GEAR UP. The bill freezes funding for GEAR UP at $200
million, a cut of $125 million or 38% below the President's
request. At this funding level, more than 644,000 low-income
middle and high school students would be denied early college
preparation and awareness activities designed to ensure they
are prepared for and pursue postsecondary education. These
students would be denied the benefits of systemic academic
reforms and the linking of early intervention to college
scholarships, which are benefits unique to GEAR UP. In
addition, these students would be denied comprehensive support
services including mentoring, tutoring, academic and career
counseling, exposure to college campuses, and financial aid
information.
The bill would deny new grants to 6 States and 75
partnerships of high poverty middle and high schools, colleges,
and community organizations. In the 1999 competition, although
more than 670 applications were received from 41 States and 1
out of 5 colleges in the Nation, the Department of Education
was able to fund only 21 States and 1 out of 4 partnerships.
The bill also would prevent existing partnerships from adding
new cohorts of low-income 7th grade students. Partnerships
would be denied funds to reach out to these students in the
early grades and would be forced to provide services only to
existing cohorts of students in later grades.
Community-based Technology Centers. The bill provides $32.5
million for Community-based Technology Centers, a decrease of
$67.5 million or 67.5% below the President's request for $100
million. At this level, an additional 700 new centers in
280communities would not be funded.
The Department of Commerce's 1999 report Falling through
the Net: Defining the Digital Divide, found that, although the
number of Americans connected to the Nation's information
infrastructure is soaring, a digital divide still exists, and,
in many cases, is actually widening over time. Minorities, low-
income persons, the less educated, and children of single-
parent households, particularly when they reside in rural areas
or central cities, are among the groups that lack access to
information resources. Establishing and supporting community
access centers, among other steps, would help ensure that all
Americans can access new technologies. This bill fails to
provide that additional help.
Tech Prep. The bill also freezes funding for Tech-Prep
Education at $106 million, a cut of $200 million, or 65%, below
the President's request. Tech-Prep is making a critical
contribution to the new vision for vocational education, by
helping prepare students in high-tech career fields that
promise high-skill, high-wage jobs. Tech Prep is designed to
incorporate the same academic content as college prep
curriculum, and it provides internships that link classroom
work to experiences outside the classroom. Tech-Prep has
contributed to reduced student dropout rates, higher test
scores, increased enrollments in post-secondary education, and
high employer satisfaction. Without additional funding, States
cannot expand the number of Tech-Prep consortia, and they will
be denied the additional resources they need to improve
connections to 4-year post-secondary institutions and courses
of study, make effective use of educational technology and
distance learning, and integrate work-based learning
opportunities into local Tech-Prep programs.
Leveraging Educational Assistance Program (LEAP). The bill
eliminates funding for LEAP, a cut of $40 million below last
year and the President's request. This would result in a cut of
at least $90 million in aid available to needy students, and
one of the primary means of securing additional State funding
for need-based grant programs. LEAP is designed to encourage
individual states to create and sustain need-based aid
programs. LEAP leverages State funding by providing a one-for-
one match of Federal dollars for State dollars. Due to LEAP
maintenance of effort provisions, even a minimum Federal
investment requires States to maintain funding support for
their need-based programs. The elimination of the Federal
funding would allow States to reduce or eliminate funding for
these programs.
Dual Degree Programs for Minority-Serving Institutions. The
bill rejects the President's request of $40 million for a new
initiative to help students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions,
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribally
Controlled Colleges and Universities to earn dual degrees in
five years. Participants would earn one degree from their home
institution, and the other from a partner institution. Funds
would help establish consortia, provide scholarships to
students, and compensate the minority-serving institutions for
tuition revenue losses.
Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships. The bill includes
only $10 million for Learning Anytime Anywhere Partnerships, a
cut of $20 million or 67% below the President's request of $30
million. This program supports access to quality post-secondary
education for underserved individuals through the use of
technology. The bill would eliminate funding for 45 new
partnership awards as well as reduce the average size of
continuation projects that improve technology-based learning
opportunities for the disabled, dislocated workers, those
making the transition from welfare to work, and others who do
not have easy access to traditional campus-based post-secondary
education.
Recognition and Reward Grants. The bill rejects the
President's request of $50 million for a new Recognition and
Reward program that would give grants to States that (1)
demonstrate significant statewide gains in student achievement,
and (2) reduce the achievement gap between high- and low-
performing students as measured by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress.
OPTIONS. The bill rejects the President's request of $20
million for a new program, Opportunities to Improve our
Nation's Schools (OPTIONS), which would support 40 grants to
States and school districts to implement and test new
approaches to public school choice, including inter-district
programs and public schools at work sites and on college
campuses.
Research, Development and Dissemination. The bill includes
$169 million for education research, development and
dissemination, a cut of $30 million or 15% below the
President's request of $199 million. Investments in education
research and development create a knowledge base for future
improvements in educational practice. At a time when educators
are looking toward the most effective and proven methods to
raise student achievement, it is pennywise and pound foolish to
reduce funding aimed at increasing our understanding of what
works and designing more effective practices for schools and
classrooms.
This bill would cut support for critical research
activities, including interagency initiatives with NICHD and
NSF, designed to provide high quality, research based
information to improve student learning in reading, math,
science and identify the critical factors that lead to English-
language literacy for students whose first language is Spanish.
Research on Disabilities and Rehabilitation for Individuals
with Disabilities. The bill denies $14 million of the
President's request of $100 million for the National Institute
on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). NIDRR plays
an important role in generating new knowledge and applications
to maximize the full inclusion and integration into society and
employment individuals of all ages with disabilities. The
increase of $14 million in the request would have been used to
help schools evaluation and procure education technology for
children with disabilities, and to accelerate the use of
technology by disabled individuals in the workplace and in
their communities to facilitate independent living. NIDRR will
not be able to undertake these worthwhile projects with the
constrained funding in the bill.
1999 Audit of the Department of Education's Financial Statements
This bill takes punitive action against the Department of
Education by taking away limited authority to transfer funds
across accounts because of the results of the 1999 audit of the
Department of Education's financial statements. The Department
of Education, like all federal agencies, must have an
independent audit of its financial statements each year.
Relatively few federal agencies have been able to achieve an
unqualified or ``clean'' audit each year--the best possible
audit outcome.
In 1997, the Department received such a clean audit. In
1998, the Department received a disclaimer of opinion by Ernst
and Young on its audit largely because the Department was
bringing a new accounting system on line--the old accounting
system had to be replaced because the contractor stopped
supporting the system.
The Majority's action is punitive because the Department's
1999 audit actually showed improvement over the previous year,
according to testimony presented by the Department of Education
Inspector General before the Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee.
The Department of Education achieved the 1999 audit
deadline by completing the financial statement process almost
eight months ahead of last year. While the Department did not
get a clean opinion on the 1999 financial statements, it showed
improvement by moving to a qualified opinion on four of the
five required statements. Further improvement is likely in
2000, because the Department has taken corrective actions in
many areas.
Out of 139 recommendations for improvement made in
the annual audits of the Department's financial statements,
final actions on 72, or 52%, have now been completed including
45 since December, 1999. More corrective actions are planned to
get at long-standing weaknesses in financial management and
student financial aid administration.
Consultants from the Treasury Department and
private accounting firms have been retained to provide staff
training and augment existing resources in addressing short-
term issues.
Regular reconciliation of the Department's cash
accounts with Treasury has been greatly improved. A new
automated system has eliminated over 90% of the manual matching
effort and allows ED to reconcile faster and more effectively.
Education has awarded a contract to implement a
new Department-wide general ledger system that will make it
easier to produce accurate and timely financial statements by
integrating data from a variety of other systems. An interim
process will automate the production of all statements for
2000.
One reason why the Department of Education has not made
faster progress is that the Majority has insisted on cutting
its program administration budget requests that would have
provided the Department with additional funds to improve its
financial systems. Last year, the FY2000 Labor-HHS-Education
Appropriations bill produced by the Majority would have cut the
Department's program management funds by $24 million. The final
reduction was $3 million only after Democrats and the White
House insisted that funds be restored. Again, this year, the
Majority has included a cut of $30 million from the President's
request of $413 million for Departmental management. Such cuts
will only slow the Department's efforts to improve its
accounting systems.
LABOR
Problem #6: The Need to Invest in a Skilled Workforce
The Majority states at the beginning of this Committee
report that job training programs are reduced in response to
the strong economy and low unemployment. Their approach could
not be more misguided.
It is true that the unemployment rate is at 3.9%--its
lowest level in 30 years--and that over 21 million new jobs
have been created since 1993. Yet many Americans are being left
behind in this economy, and the fact that all are not well
trained is obvious to every employer in the country.
Now is precisely the time to invest in skills training that
our workers need to compete and succeed. Businesses are so
desperate for skilled workers that they are seeking an increase
in the H1B visa program to bring in more foreign workers for
good paying jobs that Americans could hold. The workers we need
to keep our economy growing are right here--in our cities and
in our rural areas. They simply need us to invest in the skills
they need to compete and succeed in the 21st Century economy.
The lack of skilled workers has even lead to wage inflation
that recently prompted the Federal Reserve Board to raise
interest rates by half a percentage point in order to slow down
economy.
In commenting on the skills shortage, Federal Reserve Board
Chairman Alan Greenspan, has said:
The rapidity of innovation and the unpredictability
of the directions it may take imply a need for
considerable investment in human capital. Workers in
many occupations are being asked to strengthen their
cognitive skills; basic credentials, by themselves, are
not enough to ensure success in the workplace. Workers
must be equipped not simply with technical know-how but
also with the ability to create, analyze, and transform
information and to interact effectively with others.
Moreover, that learning will increasingly be a lifelong
activity.
(And) . . . it is not enough to create a job market
that has enabled those with few skills to finally be
able to grasp the first rung of the ladder of
achievement. More generally, we must ensure that our
whole population receives an education that will allow
full and continuing participation in this dynamic
period of American economic history.
Economist Robert Kuttner added, ``. . . what's holding back
even faster economic growth is the low skill level of millions
of potential work.''
Our strong economy also gives us the rare opportunity to
bring skills and jobs to individuals and communities that have
been left behind for too long. The demand for skilled workers
means that millions of Americans in the untapped pools of
potential--young people who have dropped out of school, ex-
offenders, displaced workers, individuals with disabilities,
veterans and people who were on welfare--have a chance to join
to get and keep good, family-supporting jobs. But only if we
use this opportunity to provide them the skills and
opportunities needed to gain a foothold in the new economy.
In April 2000, there existed 13 million untapped
and underutilized Americans: 5.2 million who are unemployed,
4.4 million who are out of the labor force but want to work,
and 3.0 million who work part-time, but want full-time work.
The unemployment rate for teenagers was 12.7% in
April 2000. The unemployment rate for black teenage men was
22.0% and the unemployment rate for black teenage women was
22.4%.
Last October, 37.0% of the High School Graduate
Class of 1999 did not enroll in college. Their unemployment
rate was 17.5%.
The unemployment rate for those who dropped out of
high school between October 1998 and October 1999 was 26.1%.
The labor force activity of persons with a severe
disability ranges from a low of 17.3% for those with less than
a high school degree to 52.4% for college graduates. Comparable
labor force activity for persons with no disability ranges from
75.2% to 90.0%.
In March 2000, there were 22 metropolitan areas
with unemployment rates in excess of 7%. One-half of these
areas were in California.
Even in today's prosperity, American workers are not immune
to the effects of structural change ushered in by technological
advancements or globalization. In 1999, 33% of workers surveyed
were frequently concerned about being laid off. This figure
exceeds comparable figures of 17% and 21% in 1979 and 1989 at
similar points in the business cycle and even exceeds the rate
during the 1981-1982 recession. Their fears are not unfounded.
Despite the strong economy, 2 million American workers were
laid off from their jobs last year.
It is also sad that less than two years after the President
signed the bipartisan Workforce Investment Act, the House
Appropriations Committee has chosen to make deep cuts in the
very system that businesses said they want in order to get the
workers they so desperately need. For example, under this new
system, Congress envisioned one-stop career centers as the
cornerstone of the new workforce system, yet the House
Committee has eliminated funding for the centers and the
quality information needed by job seekers, and has made deep
cuts in the programs that provide the services at these
centers. Again, it makes no sense to gut this critical new
system on the eve of its implementation.
It is also ironic that on the same day that the House
passed the China Permanent Normal Trade Relations bill, and
debated the potential loss of American jobs, the House
Appropriations Committee was meeting to gut the President's
universal reemployment initiative which would help to ensure
that any dislocated worker who wants and needs retraining can
get it, and rejected the President's expansion to raise
international labor standards that will protect American
workers.
Cuts the President's Universal Reemployment Initiative
The House bill not only ignores the $275 million requested
increase for the second year of the five year plan to provide
universal re-employment services to all Americans, but cuts
$593 million (30%) below the President's request, and a 19% cut
below the FY 2000 level. As part of the initiative, the House
bill:
Eliminates all funding for the One-Stop Career
Center/America's Labor Market Information System. The House
bill eliminates the existing $110 million investment in the
One-Stop Career Center system, undermining the foundation of
the new workforce investment system, intended to ensure access
to the information and services of One-Stop Career Centers, for
all Americans. The House bill also ignores the President's FY
2001 $44 million enhancement designed to improve access to
these services for millions of Americans, through improvements
in America 's Job Bank, mobile vans for one-stop access to
rural areas, a toll-free 1-800 number for the workforce
investment system, and improvements in basic labor market
information. The One-Stop system is also the system that
provides job assistance services to veterans and individuals
with disabilities, and these essential initiatives will be
impacted by the de-funding of this national One-Stop system.
Cuts assistance to 215,800 dislocated workers. The
House bill cuts the dislocated worker program by $207 million
below 2000, and $389 million below the Request. The House bill
means that 215,800 fewer dislocated workers will be served
compared to the President, and 68,500 fewer than FY 2000,
reversing investments that Congress has made over the past four
years. For employers, this means more difficulty in finding
skilled workers for vacant positions. For dislocated workers,
this cut means even fewer of the 3.3 million dislocated each
year will be able to get the skills they need to compete and
succeed in the 21st century economy. The House bill rejects the
President's goal of providing every dislocated worker who needs
and wants reemployment services and training by 2004.
Eliminates assistance for 222,200 unemployment
insurance claimants. In addition to cuts in the Dislocated
Worker program, the bill zeros out the President's $50 million
Reemployment Services component which means anestimated 222,200
unemployment insurance claimants will not be able to get the customized
re-employment services they need to speed their reentry into
employment.
In addition to the re-employment initiative, the House bill
cuts other investments aimed at succeeding in getting employers
the workers they need and getting employees the skills they
need in the 21st Century economy:
Cuts Adult job training for 37,200 adults. The
House cuts adult employment and training services by $93
million, or 10%, below the request and 2000 levels. This
reduction undermines Congress's commitment through the
Workforce Investment Act to provide universal access to
employment-related information and services.
Eliminates the President's proposal to assist
80,000 non-custodial parents and low-income parents. The House
bill zeros out the President's $255 million initiative building
on the Welfare-to-Work program, which promotes responsible
fatherhood and supports working families. These grants are
aimed at helping noncustodial fathers get a job and pay child
support, and to help low income parents upgrade their skills so
they can move up career ladders into family-supporting jobs.
Eliminates the President's proposal to assist
20,000 Incumbent Workers. The bill zeros out the President's
$30 million initiative to address major job losses in the
manufacturing industry where one half million jobs have been
lost since March, 1998.
Cuts employment assistance to 3,100 homeless
veterans. There are an estimated one-quarter of a million
homeless veterans, yet the House mark provides only $9.6
million for job assistance to homeless veterans, a reduction of
$5 million below the President's request. This reduction means
that 3,100 fewer homeless veterans will obtain meaningful
employment with the economic security and independence that go
along with a job.
Eliminates the President's proposal to establish a
new Office of Disability Policy aimed at providing leadership
in helping people with disabilities enter, re-enter, and remain
in the workforce. At a time when the economy is booming,
America cannot afford to waste the talents of millions of
individuals with disabilities. Currently, people with moderate
disabilities are nearly twice as likely to be looking for work
or on layoff as persons without disability, and those with
severe disabilities were nearly three times as likely.
Cuts unemployment insurance administrative costs
to levels that could delay payments to workers trying to
reconnect with the workforce. The House bill cuts funding for
state operations of the unemployment insurance system by $93
million or almost 4% below the request. Administration of State
UI programs require an infrastructure to support the many
complex activities necessary to process and pay the estimated 2
million UI weekly claims. This program is a vital part of
America's commitment to workers who lose their jobs through no
fault of their own.
Rejects Improving National Economic Indicators.
The House bill cuts $14 million from the President's request
for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is responsible for
the production of some of the Nation 's most sensitive and
important economic data series. With an increase of less than
half of what is needed to cover inflation, cuts in current
statistical programs will have to be made. In addition, BLS
will not be able to implement the President's proposed
enhancements to expand price, output and productivity measures
for service industries, improve local and state employment and
unemployment projections, and conduct a new time use survey
about how Americans spend their time in market and non-market
activities. Economic statistics produced by BLS are closely
followed by business, labor, and government. In addition,
millions of in-school youth, young workers, and other entering
the labor market seeking statistical information from BLS about
future employment growth and job opportunities.
Cuts investments in at-risk youth
Although the Nation's unemployment rate has fallen from
7.3% in 1993 to 3.9%, many teenagers have not been able to
seize the opportunities of our strong economy. Teens faced an
unemployment rate of 13.8% while African American teens faced a
rate of 27.5%. Large cities face high youth unemployment rates.
For example, using the most recent data available, Los Angeles
has rates of over 15%, Baltimore exceeds 26%, and Philadelphia
central city experiences youth unemployment rates of 31%. The
Department of Labor has developed effective programs to help
disadvantaged youth find jobs and get the critical first
foothold in the world of work.
In addition to facing dramatically high levels of
unemployment, too many of our young people have found
themselves in the court-house instead of the workplace. One-
half of black male high school dropouts under age 25 and three-
quarters of black male high school dropouts ages 25 to 34 are
under some form of criminal justice supervision.
Youth that do not share in our prosperity further foster
pockets of poverty. Widespread joblessness among young males is
the principle underlying cause of a variety of our inner
cities' worst problems, including poverty, crime, youth gangs,
welfare dependency, illegal drugs and the breakdown of the two-
parent family. Every time a youth fails to complete high
school, the government and society bear huge costs. Each year
the U.S. spends roughly $20 billion for income maintenance,
health care, and nutrition to support families begun by
teenagers. In addition, one estimate suggests that crime costs
society about 2% of national income, or about $130 billion per
year.
Many youth in employment programs have never worked before.
Many of these youth, including youth with disabilities, come
from families with no strong attachment to the labor force and
from neighborhoods where poverty, unemployment, and crime are
widespread. Youth employment programs teach participants
valuable work skills andhabits, and instill a positive work
ethic. Because these young people are at a critical time in their
lives, such programs offer them a valuable experience to develop
responsible behavior.
The Administration has made an array of strategic
investments in youth initiatives to insure that they are
prepared for the jobs of the 21st Century and can share in the
benefits of our growing economy. However, the House bill cuts
$322 million out of the President's request for youth programs,
serving 72,000 fewer at-risk youth. Compared to the FY 2000
level, the House cuts a net $75 million, serving 34,000 fewer
youth. As a result, efforts to insure that today's youth have
21st Century skills for 21st Century jobs and can compete
successfully in the growing economy will be thwarted.
Slashes the Youth Opportunities Initiative by over
50%. Congress provided funds for the first 2 years of a 5-year
commitment by the President to increase the long-term
employment and educational attainment of youth living in 36 of
the Nation's poorest urban neighborhoods and rural areas. The
House bill cuts $200 million out of the President's $375
million request, eliminating the proposed expansion to 20 new
communities and reducing third year grants to the existing 36
communities by $75 million--a 30% cut. This will deny 40,000 of
some of the most disadvantaged youth a bridge to the skills and
opportunities of our strong economy and alternatives to welfare
and crime-including 15,000 youth in the existing projects. The
demand for these funds is high--over 160 communities sought
these limited resources and developed the broad partnerships
and comprehensive plans as part of last year's grant process.
These deserving communities and their young people will not get
a second chance.
Cuts summer jobs and year-round training for
12,575 disadvantaged youth. For Youth Activities (the program
that combines Summer Jobs and Year-Round Youth), the House bill
provides only $1,001 million, a decrease of $21 million, or 2%
below the President's request level. This action reduces the
estimated number of low income youth for FY 2001 in this
program by 12,575 below the request. In light of the
difficulties communities are experiencing this summer due to
the structural changes in the program required by the Workforce
Investment Act, the impacts on next summer's program will be
even more severe. Congress should be increasing rather than
decreasing funding for this important program which provides
the first work experience for many at-risk youth, offering an
important first step that can lead to a life of self-
sufficiency and independence. Over half of these jobs go to 14-
15 year olds who generally are not employed by the private
sector.
Eliminates funding for the President's proposed
reintegration services for 19,000 young offenders. The House
bill zeros out the President's $75 million initiative to bring
young offenders into the workplace through job training,
placement, and support services, and by creating new
partnerships between the criminal justice system and the WIA
workforce development system. With the approximately 500,000
people leaving prison each year, the Nation needs to provide
positive alternatives and opportunities for employment of these
individuals, which will also strengthen the future of our
communities. With the strong economy, this is an excellent time
to address their re-entry into the job market. Raising their
employment rates can decrease recidivism, reduce long-term
costs to society, and increase the pool of available workers.
Rejects expansion of the Safe Schools/Healthy
Students Initiative. The House zeros out the President's
request to provide $40 million to enable DOL to join the
existing DOJ, ED, HHS partnership in supporting community-wide
programs to prevent youth violence and drug abuse, and to
expand the effort to address out-of-school youth. Without these
funds, no new communities can join this very successful effort.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Democrats offered an amendment that
would have added $1.25 billion to restore the President's
budget request for most of these job training programs and
provide a $254 million increase over 2000 for the Summer Jobs
program. The Democratic amendment would have added resources to
train and assist over 700,000 individuals, but it was rejected
by the Majority 19-30. (Jackson amendment, Roll Number 8
located in this report immediately preceding the table). The
amendment would have restored:
$154 million for One-Stop Career Centers to
provide efficient, comprehensive workforce development services
for workers and employers in centers, by phone and over the
Internet.
$254 million to restore cuts in the Summer Jobs
program resulting from implementation of the Workforce
Investment Act.
$389 million for Dislocated Worker Assistance to
sustain the Administration's goal of reaching every dislocated
worker with reemployment services and training.
$200 million for Youth Opportunity grants to
increase long-term employment of youth in high need areas.
$50 million to provide Unemployment Insurance
claimants assessment, referral, placement and other services to
speed their return to the workplace and reduce the length of
unemployment insurance claims.
$93 million for Adult Job Training to develop the
skills of American workers.
$30 million for Incumbent Workers to partner with
states to upgrade the skills of unemployed and low-wage workers
displaced by an evolving economy.
$5 million for Homeless Veterans to ensure this
population receives the supportive services they need to
reenter the job market.
$14 million for the Disability Initiative to help
eliminate barriers disabled workers face in maintaining
employment.
$61 million for the Reintegration of young
offenders to help these youth find productive employment in the
mainstream economy.
Problem #7: The Need To Protect Workers
The House bill cuts worker protection programs at the
Department of Labor by $190 million (-14%) below the request.
By freezing most worker protection agencies at the FY 2000
level, the House bill would reduce Department of Labor worker
protection programs by $190 million from the President's FY
2001 request, or 14%. Of this reduction-about half of it is in
the Department's worker protection agencies, and the other half
is in the international labor protection initiatives. A freeze
at last year's level will result in a 4% reduction in the level
of services provided this year. This will result in a cut of
approximately 212 worker protection staff below current levels
and 433 staff below the President's request. At a time when
national efforts to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses are
working well, the impact of operating under these curtailed
levels would disrupt the programs designed to improve the
safety and health of workers and their benefits, as well as
efforts Congress has sought to encourage efforts to assist
employers comply with workplace laws and regulations.
OSHA is hit with a cut of 12% below the
President's request, 4% below last year's level of effort.
Despite gains in workplace safety, there are still more than 6
million job-related injuries and illnesses each year, and over
6,000 fatalities. With only 2,200 inspectors nationwide, and
more than 7 million worksites, the average worksite is
inspected every 109 years. Even among the 12,500 most dangerous
non-construction worksites, OSHA only has resources to inspect
3,000. Yet the bill eliminates OSHA's request for additional
resources for enforcement and enhanced compliance assistance
for employers, including expansion of the state consultation
grants which provide free consultation visits to small
businesses. This will cut approximately 1,000 inspections of
serious workplace hazards, fatal worksite accidents, and
targeted inspections of high-hazard workplaces.
Rider blocks ergonomics rule that would prevent
300,000 injuries per year. Despite a previous commitment to
never delay the ergonomics regulation after FY 1998, the
Majority on the Committee agreed to the Northup amendment 32-22
(rollcall number 4, located in this report immediately
preceding the table) Section 103 of the House bill prohibits
OSHA from promulgating, issuing, implementing, administering or
enforcing a temporary or final ergonomics regulation. This is a
rulemaking begun by the Bush Administration in 1992.
Each year, 1.8 million U.S. workers experience a work-
related musculoskeletal disorder, such as injuries from
overexertion or repetitive motion. About \1/3\ of these
injuries, or over 600,000 incidents, are serious enough to
require time off from work, and cost businesses $15-$20 billion
in workers comp. According to BLS, 34% of all lost workday
injuries are related to ergonomic injuries.
The Department of Labor estimates that the ergonomics rule
would prevent about 300,000 injuries per year, and save $9
billion in workers comp and related costs. About one-third of
general industry worksites would be covered by the rule,
protecting 27 million workers. Fewer than 30% of general
industry employers currently have effective ergonomics
programs.
The Majority has attempted to block this rule in almost
every year since the Republicans took control of Congress in
1995. There were limitation riders on the Labor HHS bill 1995,
1996, and 1998 to stop the regulation. The 1997 rider was
stricken from the House Committee bill by Floor amendment.
In FY 1998, in return for a rider that year, the Majority
agreed to House report language that stated, ``The Committee
will refrain from any further restrictions with regard to the
development, promulgation or issuance of an ergonomic standard
following fiscal year 1998.'' (House Report 105-205, p. 24)
This agreement is still binding, but the Northup amendment in
this bill breaks that agreement.
In 1999 there was no rider, but a National Academy of
Sciences study was funded with the clear understanding that it
would not be used to justify a delay. As part of that
appropriations agreement, the Chairman and Ranking Member of
the House Appropriations Committee sent a letter to the
Secretary of Labor on October 19, 1998 that stated by funding
the National Academy of Sciences study on ergonomics, ``it is
in no way our intent to block or delay issuance by OSHA of a
proposed rule on ergonomics''. Despite that agreement, last
summer, the House passed the H.R. 987 which would have had the
effect of forcing OSHA to wait another two years for completion
of a second, unnecessary National Academy of Sciences study.
Therefore, five years of Congressional interference in this
regulation has cost business billions of dollars and allowed
hundreds of thousands of painful and disabling injuries that
could have been prevented.
Another National Academy of Sciences study is unlikely to
dispute the findings of all the previous research. The National
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health evaluated 600
studies in 1997, and 27 peer reviewers confirmed the NIOSH
finding linking physical stress on the job to ergonomic
injuries. TheNational Academy of Science concluded in 1998
that: (1) ergonomic injuries are directly related to work; (2) higher
on the job physical stress leads to more ergonomic injuries; (3) most
people face their greatest exposure to physical stress at work; and (4)
interventions that reduce physical stress on the job reduce the risk of
injury. Finally OSHA has included 1,400 studies in the ergonomics
rulemaking record.
The ergonomics rulemaking has been an 8-year effort. More
than 1,000 witnesses have testified, 7,000 written comments
have been submitted, and the post-hearing comment period has
just begun. OSHA should be allowed to consider all the evidence
and construct a final rule based on the record. In the interest
of protecting millions of workers from debilitating injuries,
it is time for Congress to let the rulemaking conclude.
Cuts pension and health care plan protections. The
House bill rejects the President's proposed $9 million increase
for the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, targeted
to protect the rights and benefits of participants when an
employee benefit plan is in jeopardy. These cuts will mean
25,000 requests for assistance will go unanswered, and $64
million will not be restored to employee benefit plan assets.
The Department of Labor protects the pension and health
benefits of over 150 million individuals who participate in
ERISA covered plans, holding more than $4.3 trillion in assets.
Denies expansion of domestic child labor efforts.
The House bill denies the President's requested increase of $11
million for Wage and Hour, which included expanded efforts to
address sweatshops in the garment industry and domestic child
labor abuses.
Denies information technology investment of $54
million, needed to enhance the Department's ability to
implement its worker protection responsibilities and expand its
Internet capacity to better serve employers and the public.
Denies investment in occupational health and
safety research. The National Institute on Occupational Safety
and Health at CDC has developed an outstanding agenda for
critically needed research investments in occupational safety
and health based on broad stakeholder input. However, support
for the National Occupational Research Agenda has lagged well
behind the scientific community's capacity to address priority
areas, with success rates for extramural grants far below those
of NIH. Despite a professional judgement budget that an
additional $40 million could be well used immediately by
researchers, the House bill freezes funding for NIOSH.
Cuts NLRB $11 million below the President's
request. The bill freezes NLRB, and will curtail efforts to
rebuild the agency after five years of budget cuts. This
amounts to a 4% cut in real terms, requiring a reduction of 80
FTE's below current levels, and delaying in cases involving
unfair labor practices and union representation.
Denies enhancement of several international labor
activities to improve working conditions in developing
countries around the world.
International Child Labor Efforts Stalled. The
House bill stops the momentum created by the recent
International Labor Organization convention to ban the worst
forms of child labor, which was agreed to by 175 countries,
supported by Congress and signed by the President in December.
According to the ILO, there are about 250 million children
between the ages 5 and 14 who are working in developing nations
with approximately half of them working full time but not going
to school. The President wants to expand the successful efforts
of the ILO, Department of Labor and USAID to develop education
infrastructure, increase public awareness, and build data and
monitoring systems to take kids out of factories and put them
in schools. To move closer to making global abolition of the
worst forms of child labor a reality, the President called for
a comprehensive initiative on international child labor, but
the bill denies the entire $70 million increase to implement
it.
Core Labor Standards Stalled. The House bill also
rejects the proposed expansion of $10 million to provide
technical assistance to developing countries who are committed
to improving workplace safety, strengthening collective
bargaining, preventing discrimination against women in the
workplace, and other basic worker rights. It is also directly
in our interest to foster these efforts that will help level
the playing field so that American businesses are not at a
competitive disadvantage in the global marketplace because they
are providing their workers decent wages and benefits.
Eliminates New Global HIV/AIDS Initiative. The
bill also eliminates $10 million requested by the President to
help Sub Saharan African countries deal with the devastation of
HIV/AIDS. More than 12 million have already died from AIDS in
these countries, and another 22 million are living with the
disease. AIDS infection rates are as high as 10-20% of the
entire population in some of these countries, and many people
who don't know they are infected are spreading the disease.
Since many, if not most, individuals don't go to doctors, this
approach would reach workers with a public health education and
prevention message through their employers and unions where
they have daily contact.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Democrats offered an amendment to add
$97 million to restore the President's Budget request for these
international activities, but it was rejected by the
Majority23-30. (Obey amendment, Roll Number 11 located in this report
immediately preceding the table). As mentioned previously, it is ironic
the Majority on the Committee would deny this funding that has a direct
impact on protecting U.S. workers from low-wage foreign competition,
including child labor, on the same day that the House passed the China
Permanent Normal Trade Relations bill.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Problem #8: The Need To Protect the Health and Welfare of Seniors and
Vulnerable Populations
Some of the bill's most serious deficiencies relate to the
health and welfare of seniors and uninsured working families.
The Committee Bill pursues a risky strategy of failing to
invest in the infrastructure the Nation needs to prepare for
the aging of our population. The 76 million Americans who make
up the baby boom generation will begin reaching retirement age
in just eight years. The population of those over the age of 85
who often present the most urgent needs is expected to grow 33%
in the next ten years alone. To adequately prepare for the
aging of our population, we should be making investments now to
help seniors secure their futures and maintain their
independence.
The Committee Bill also cuts critical health programs that
touch every segment of our society. We rely on access to health
care for ourselves and our families, critical treatment
services during times of crisis, and advancements in prevention
and treatment in the battle against disease. The bill reported
by the Majority makes inadequate investments in health care
access, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and
biomedical research that threaten to hamper our productivity
and drive up health care costs in the long term.
At a time when the number of uninsured continues to drive
upward, we are faced with a bill that cuts health services for
uninsured workers. At a time when over half of all high school
seniors are still using illicit drugs, we have a bill that cuts
support for substance abuse prevention and treatment. Advances
in biomedical research and the exploration of the human genome
are showing promise to unlock the mysteries of the most dreaded
diseases. And yet, the bill fails to maintain a path of
investment needed to ensure that promise is translated into
medical breakthroughs and advances in treatments.
Eliminates the Nursing Home Initiative
The bill eliminates $36 million, or 95% of the funding, in
the Health Care Financing Administration's budget for the
Nursing Home Initiative to improve the quality of care,
primarily through state survey and certification reviews.
Almost weekly, poor conditions are uncovered in nursing
homes across the country. Just last summer a GAO report found
that one in four of all nursing homes have ``serious
deficiencies that harm residents or place them at risk of death
or serious injury.'' This report also found that out of a
sample of 107 poor performing nursing homes that have been
cited for patterns of actual harm to one or more residents
that:
23% failed to prevent or treat pressure
sores;
14% failed to prevent accidents;
8% failed to ensure adequate nutrition;
6% failed to provide acceptable quality of
care; and
4% failed to prevent mistreatment, neglect
or abuse.
The GAO report also found that two-thirds of the 107 homes
surveyed had been cited for repeat violations and their
findings ``suggest that HCFA's enhanced enforcement of homes
found to repeat these serious care problems has merit.'' An
example of a ``serious deficiency'' or G-level deficiency where
harm was done to a resident cited in the report was:
The nursing home failed to provide supervision and
assistance to prevent accidents for 14 residents. Six
residents hit other residents, two left the building
without the staff's knowledge, and eight were found on
the floor of their rooms from falls of unknown origin.
Four residents sustained multiple falls, and one other
resident sustained a broken hip.
Furthermore, HCFA reported that ``a recent survey of
seriously ill hospitalized adults'' found that 37% ``were
unwilling to live permanently in a nursing home; (and)
alarmingly, 30% indicated that they would `rather die.' ''
Despite, these findings, this bill eliminates $37.8 million for
improving conditions for our nation's elderly and disabled
nursing home residents--institutions that will house
approximately 43% of American seniors over 65 at sometime
before they die, according to the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality.
The Administration has recognized the importance of
improving nursing home conditions, and starting in 1995 began
enforcing tough regulations designed to meet this goal. In
1998, the President's Nursing Home Initiative was launched to
increase the quality of care for nursing home residents. With
funding from this initiative, HCFA has been able to begin to
turn the tide on negative conditions and make some marked
improvements.
While the President's initiative is designed to help curb
poor nursing home conditions, loss of funding for this
initiative will hinder progress that is beginning to be made to
improve the living conditions and medical care received by
residents. Critical funding is being curtailed which could be
used to help states improve their nursing home inspections,
punish homes that repeatedly violate the rules, publish ratings
on the quality of nursing homes on the internet, and increase
the quality of care received by residents.
Since the nursing home initiative has been underway, HCFA
has been able to establish new protocols for nursing home
surveys to address problems with dehydration, nutrition, and
pressure sores; identify facilities that require more frequent
inspections and monitoring based upon the outcomes of annual
inspections; work with the states on avariety of efforts
including training on use of quality indicators during surveys, and
require states to conduct surveys during off-hours. HCFA, for instance,
is stepping up its effort to meet their goal of having 10% of nursing
home surveys done off-hours (weekends & evenings) in order to a gain a
more complete picture of nursing home conditions. HCFA has seen an
increase in off-hour surveys up from 4.1% in the 3rd quarter of 1999 to
8.6% in the 4th quarter of 1999. Funding cuts however, will severely
impede the progress they have made to ensure nursing homes are safe,
high quality care facilities for their residents.
Cuts the Medicare Integrity Program
The bill makes a number of cuts that harm the
Administration's efforts to protect the integrity of the
Medicare program. The bill cuts $50 million from the current
authorization and appropriation for the Medicare Integrity
Program under the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This program provides
essential payment safeguards to prevent and detect fraud,
waste, and abuse and has produced billions in savings. By
reducing these important activities, the cut could result in an
$850 million loss to the Medicare Trust Funds.
The bill also cuts the Office of the Inspector General's
(OIG's) by $10 million from the Health Care Fraud and Abuse
Control (HCFAC) account. This program has been instrumental in
investigating and bringing to settlement a number of abusive
health care providers resulting in hundreds of millions of
dollars to the Trust Funds. The bill also reduces funding for
Medicare Contractors and Federal Administration under HCFA
Program Management that will result in the elimination of the
Administration's new Medicare Contractor Oversight Initiative.
Under this new initiative, the President's budget funded new
financial management analysts located at contractors to ensure
financial integrity. The reduction to the Medicare Contractor
and Federal Administration budgets will also halt work
implementing provisions of HIPAA and the Balanced Budget Act of
1997.
Cuts Social Security administrative expenses
As the baby boom generation begins to reach retirement age
in a few years, the Social Security Administration (SSA) must
be prepared for their arrival. It is critically important that
SSA have resources to meet this monumental challenge and at the
same time, maintain superior service for today's beneficiaries.
The House bill cuts the President's Budget request for
operating the Social Security Administration by $156 million,
and this level is $378 million below what the Commissioner's
believes is needed to appropriately operate the agency.
According to the Commissioner, this level of funding will
seriously undermine stable staffing and performance for the
agency. It will require SSA to leave positions vacant at a time
when the agency desperately needs to hire and train new
employees in preparation for its own retirement wave.
This staffing reduction will mean unavoidable declines in
service to current Social Security beneficiaries. For the 26
million individuals who visit SSA offices each year, waiting
times will increase significantly. About two million calls to
SSA's 800 number will not get through. In addition, tens of
thousands fewer claims for disability benefits will be
processed. Finally, SSA will significantly reduce continued
eligibility reviews that help ensure the integrity of the
Supplemental Security Income program. Fewer income reviews
could result in an increase in general fund outlays by as much
as $150 million, so the Treasury will lose as much in SSI
payments alone as this cut attempts to save, but the added
price will be a significant decline in services to the public.
Eliminates the President's National Family Caregiver Support Program
The Committee fails to provide $125 million requested by
the President for a new program supporting the 7 million
informal caregivers who enable their friends and relatives with
long term care needs to remain at home. Over 5 million
Americans, 3 to 4 million seniors, remain in their homes
because of services provided by caregivers. These services
would cost between $45 billion and $75 billion annually, if
provided by home care aides.
The role of the caregiver is difficult. Half of them are
over the age of 65, the majority are women, and one third have
full time jobs. The new National Family Caregiver Support
Program would provide essential services to approximately
250,000 families caring for older relatives. These services
include information on available resources; assistance with
locating services; caregiver training, counseling and support;
and respite care to give the caregiver ``time off''. These
services improve the caregiver's ability to provide care, help
preserve the family unit, prevent abuse and neglect, and
minimize out-of-home placements. The House Committee on
Education and Workforce recently authorized the Caregivers
Program at the $125 million requested level. However, funding
for the President's initiative does not require final passage
of the authorization of the Older Americans Act. States can
provide services to family caregivers under existing provisions
of Title III-D of the Older Americans Act.
Eliminates the Community Access Program to improve health care access
for uninsured workers
The Committee eliminates $125 million requested by the
President to address the growing number of uninsured Americans.
In 1998, 44.5 million Americans--24.6 million of these working
people--did not have health insurance. Nearly one in five
working age adults lack health insurance and half of working
Americans with incomes less than $20,000 could not pay their
medical bills last year. This program is designed to increase
the capacity and effectiveness of the Nation's community health
care institutions and providers that serve patients regardless
of their ability to pay. Funds will enable public and private
entities to assist safety-net providers to develop and expand
integrated systems of care and address service gaps within such
integrated systems with a focus on primary care, mental health
services and substance abuse services. The Committee
recommendation eliminates grants for up to 20 communities in
their first year of fundingand denies grants to an additional
40 to 60 communities. A recently released report of the Institute of
Medicine found the Nation's health care safety net is in a state of
crisis and called the first year of the Community Access Program a good
first step. The IOM concluded increased funding for this program is
greatly needed.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Democrats offered an amendment to add
$661 million to restore the President's request in key seniors
programs and provide additional assistance to the uninsured.
The amendment was rejected by the Majority 24-26. (DeLauro
amendment, Roll Number 10 located in this report immediately
preceding the table). The amendment would have provided:
$36 million to restore the Administration's
Nursing Home Initiative to ensure 1.6 million elderly and
disabled receive quality nursing care.
$50 million for the Medicare Integrity Program to
provide essential oversight of Medicare contractors to detect
fraud, waste, and abuse. Every $1 invested in the program saves
$17 in Medicare Trust Funds.
$125 million for the Family Caregivers initiative
to provide essential services to caregivers, including
information on available resources; assistance with locating
services; caregiver training, counseling and support; and
respite care.
$50 million for the Meals on Wheels Program to
serve additional 75,700 seniors and reduce the waiting lists
for this basic service among a growing population. The program
provides vital nutrition to low-income seniors to help them
stay healthy and remain in their homes and communities.
$156 million to restore the Social Security
Administration's request for Administrative expenses to reduce
waiting times, improve services, and accelerate disability and
other claims. The amendment would restore the Administration's
request to ensure the bill does not threaten the economic
security of our Nation's seniors.
$119 million increase for Community Health Centers
to provide affordable care to the uninsured and underinsured.
The amendment would help Community Health Centers cope with the
rising numbers of uninsured and the erosion of funding from
Medicaid and other sources.
$125 million for Health Care Access for Uninsured
Workers to strengthen the safety net by helping communities
develop integrated health systems to improve and expand health
care services for the uninsured and underinsured.
Other Key Health Programs Cut in This Bill
Eliminates funding to recover Medicare expenses from tobacco companies
The costs of preventing and treating tobacco-related
disease exceeds $50 billion per year, and the Department of
Health and Human Services pays a substantial portion of those
costs through Medicare, Medicaid, and the Indian Health
Service.
Last year, Members of the Majority party lead the efforts
to insert a rider in the FY 1999 Supplemental Appropriations
bill to permanently block the Federal government from
recovering its share of the tobacco settlement funds from the
states under Medicaid, arguing in part that the Federal
government should pursue its own litigation. Last September,
the Justice Department filed suit to recover from tobacco
companies these costs borne by American taxpayers.
This litigation will be complex, and require the
compilation of an immense evidentiary record. The Federal
government should be prepared to pursue this litigation with
the appropriate resources to match those of the tobacco
companies that are defending the case. The amount of the
potential award returned to the Medicare trust funds exceeds
the cost of litigation many times over. HHS has entered into an
agreement to provide financial support for the Justice
Department's efforts, and has requested $4 million for this
purpose. But the bill denies this critical funding to recover
these taxpayer expenditures, and handicaps the Federal
Governments efforts that could bring in billions of dollars to
extend the solvency of the Medicare trust funds.
Cuts Mental Health Treatment
The Committee cuts $4.1 million below the FY 2000 level and
$34.1 million below the President's request for SAMHSA's Mental
Health Knowledge Development and Application (KDA). The
Committee's recommendation denies the President's request to
provide awards to 45 communities to improve early
identification and treatment of mental illness in community
health centers and other non-mental health settings. The bill
cuts $5 million, or 16%, from the Administration's request for
mental health services for the homeless. Every night,
approximately 200,000 Americans with a major mental illness
have nowhere to sleep. By denying the President's request, the
Committee is denying the opportunity to reach out to an
additional 118,000 homeless individuals and provide them with
essential mental health services. The Committee also cuts $1
million from the President's request for the Protection and
Advocacy Program, which would block an additional 1,500
investigations into complaints of abuse and neglect of
residents in mental health facilities.
This recommendation could also severely impact the $40
million School Violence ``Safe Schools/Healthy Students''
initiative. Research indicates that between 1989 and 1995,
students felt increasingly unsafe in, and traveling to, school.
A 1996 Children's Institute International Poll of American
Adolescents found that 47% of all teens felt that their schools
were becoming more violent. These perceptions mirror the
reality of school violence. During the 1996-97 academic year
alone, 21% of all public high schools and19% of all public
middle schools reported at least one serious violent crime--such as
murder, rape, other types of sexual battery, physical attack with a
weapon--to law enforcement agencies. The President's request would
ensure that the 54 school districts funded under the ``Safe Schools/
Healthy Students'' initiative begun in FY 1999 receive their third year
of funding.
Cuts Family Planning Services
The bill cuts $35 million below the President's request and
denies health services to an additional 500,000 clients who are
neither Medicaid eligible nor have health insurance. Title X
funds support a wide range of preventive reproductive health
services beyond contraceptive services, including pelvic and
breast examinations, blood pressure checks, Pap smears, and
testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.
Cuts Minority AIDS Programs
The bill includes only an $8 million increase for the
Minority AIDS Initiative, and fails to respond to the
Congressional Black and Hispanic Caucuses' request for an
additional $280 million for critical health programs through
the Public Health Service that respond to this epidemic.
Despite earlier efforts to address the special needs of
communities of color, particularly African American and Latino
communities, rates of HIV infection among African Americans and
Latinos continue to climb dramatically.
The FY 2001 CBC and CHC request is targeted to be more
inclusive to other communities of color impacted
disproportionately by HIV/AIDS, particularly Native Americans,
Native Alaskans, Asian/Pacific Islanders. Due to new
epidemiological data, there is a greater need to target
enhanced funding to at-risk populations within communities of
color who continue to be impacted disproportionately by HIV/
AIDS--especially women, children, and youth.
Problem #9: The Need To Invest in Biomedical Research
Cuts NIH below current services
The federal government, primarily through NIH, funds
approximately 36% of all U.S. medical research. Improvements in
health bring about increased longevity and reductions in the
economic costs of treating illness. Science is changing at a
revolutionary pace, demanding a far greater investment in
emerging new technologies, research training programs, and
developing new skills among scientific investigators. NIH-
funded research has contributed to dramatic decreases in heart
disease and stroke mortality rates, increases in cancer
survival rates, new medications for mental illness, vaccines to
protect against infectious diseases, and many other advances in
medicine.
According to a report by the Joint Economic Committee
released earlier this week, of the 21 most important drugs
introduced between 1965 and 1992, 15 were developed using
knowledge and techniques from federally funded research. Of
these, NIH research led to the development of 7 drugs used to
treat patients with cancer, AIDS, hypertension, depression,
herpes, and anemia. Research sponsored by the NIH is
responsible for the identification of genetic mutations
relating to nearly 100 diseases, including Alzheimer's disease,
cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, osteoporosis, many forms
of cancer, and immune deficiency disorders.
The House bill language in the NIH appropriation accounts
provides a total increase of $2.7 billion over 2000, however
section 213 of the bill caps the NIH appropriation at the $1.0
billion increase requested by the President. This was done to
demonstrate how a 15% increase would be allocated if resources
allowed, even though the bill only contains funding for an
actual 5.6% increase. That actual appropriation level is $439
million below the amount needed to maintain current services,
and would force a reduction in the number of new and competing
grants from 8,950 in FY 2000, to only 7,641 in 2001. This is a
reduction of 1,309 or 15% fewer new research grants on cancer,
diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other diseases.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Democrats offered an amendment to
delete section 213 and provide a real $2.7 billion increase for
NIH, but it was rejected by the Majority 23-29. (Pelosi
amendment, Roll Number 5 located in this report immediately
preceding the table).
Problem #10: The Need To Fight Substance Abuse in Our Communities
Cuts Funding for Effective Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment
The bill cuts $7 million below the 2000 funding level for
proven prevention services through the Knowledge Development
and Application and the Targeted Capacity Expansion programs,
cutting proven prevention services to over 44,000 youth. While
rates of drug use among teens have leveled off after a rapid
increase since 1992, over half of all high schools seniors are
still using illicit drugs. And rates among young adults ages
18-25 have continued to rise. The Committee's recommendation
denies State Incentive Grants to up to 9 states to coordinate
and leverage different prevention funding streams and build a
statewide substance abuse prevention program. States must pass
85% of these funds on to community-based organizations,
coalitions, local governments and school districts to carry out
science-based prevention projects. Effective prevention
programs engage youth interactively, involve parents and
families, and build skills by starting at a young age and
reinforcing messages over an extended period. The bill also
eliminates the High Risk Youth program, which prevents
substance abuse in high risk youth through mentoring programs,
after school curricula and community service.
The bill cuts $45 million from the Administration's request
for substance abuse treatment programs through the Knowledge
Development and Application and the Targeted Capacity Expansion
programs. The President's request would have provided an
additional 24,000 treatment slots for addicted individuals
through the Targeted Capacity Program. This program responds to
the changing landscape of our Nation's drug epidemics by
focusing treatment services to areas of highest need. This bill
also cuts existing treatment slots for up to 4,000 individuals.
Currently nationwide, we have the capacity to serve a mere 37%,
or just 2 million, of the 5.3 million Americans who are in
severe need of substance abuse treatment.
A RAND Corporation study on reducing cocaine consumption,
sponsored by the U.S. Army and the Office of National Drug
Control Policy, found that achieving a one percent reduction
would cost $783 million for source-country control, or $366
million for interdiction, or $246 million for domestic
enforcement, or $34 million for treatment. In other words,
funds spent on domestic drug treatment were 23 times more
effective than source-country control, 11 times more effective
than interdiction, and 7 times more effective than law
enforcement. Further, the California Drug and Alcohol Treatment
Assessment (CALDATA) study found that every $1 spent on
substance abuse treatment results in $7 in taxpayer savings--
these savings result from reduced health care costs, less
crime, an increase in worker productivity, and decreased death
expenses.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: The Democrats offered an amendment to
provide $600 million for domestic substance abuse treatment and
prevention, but it was rejected by the Majority 22-30. The
amendment would have provided treatment for an additional
158,000 addicted individuals and proven prevention services to
690,000 youth. For the third consecutive time this year, the
Majority on the Committee rejected attempts by Democrats to
provide proven services to reduce drug abuse in our
communities, our schools, and our places of work. During
consideration of the FY 2000 Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations bill, Ms. Pelosi offered an amendment that would
have invested $1.3 billion for domestic drug demand reduction
services. At a level of funding equal to the Supplemental
Appropriations bill's investment for drug interdiction in
Colombia, the amendment recognized that our national illegal
drug control strategy must focus on demand reduction, as well
as supply reduction. The Majority voted down that amendment on
a party line vote in Committee.
In an attempt to compromise, Ms. Pelosi then scaled back
the amendment to provide $600 million to domestic demand
reduction, but the Rules Committee blocked consideration of
that amendment on the Floor. During the debate on those
amendments, the Majority offered to address the issue during
the regular appropriations process. Now that we have come to
the regular appropriations process, the Majority again has
refused to support an increase to domestic drug abuse treatment
and prevention. That refusal ignores the reality that domestic
treatment and prevention are the most effective means to reduce
the burden of drug abuse on our society.
Problem #11: The Need for a Voluntary Medicare Prescription Drug
Benefit
Currently, Medicare does not fund a prescription drug
benefit and seniors are faced with expensive out of pocket
costs to cover their much-needed prescriptions. As our
population grows increasingly elderly and the baby boomer
population approaches retirement, more Americans will require
costly prescription drugs. According to the Kaiser Family
Foundation, 31% or 37.2 million Medicare beneficiaries were
without prescription drug coverage in 1996.
Seniors living on fixed incomes are well aware that drug
prices are increasing faster than the annual increase in their
Social Security check. In fact, one study found that over the
past six years, the prices for the most commonly prescribed
drugs for seniors have risen, on average, at twice the rate of
inflation.
Just as the Majority's tax cut package is a misplaced
priority that gives too much to the wealthiest individuals in
this country at the expense of much needed discretionary
spending, so too does it divert needed resources from a much
needed prescription drug benefit.
DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Democrats offered an amendment to
include a Sense of the House that tax cuts for taxpayers in the
top 1% income levels should not be enacted until Congress
enacts a universal voluntary prescription drug benefit for all
Americans under Medicare, but it was rejected by the Majority
22-28. (Obey amendment, Roll Number 12 located in this report
immediately preceding the table).
CONCLUSION
It is ironic that this bill was voted on in Committee the
same day Congress voted to provide permanent Most-Favored-
Nation trading status for China. Some of us voted for it and
some didn't, but if Congress is going to proceed down that
road, it needs to be taking action to help the sector of
society that will be hurt as the economy becomes more and more
globalized.
Capitalist economies cannot by definition produce equal
income for all people. Each society needs risk takers who can
amass wealth so that accumulated wealth can be invested to
produce economic growth for the entire society. That is bound
to produce income inequality. But as Pope John Paul once
observed, there are certain ``norms of decency'' that must be
respected in order to produce economic justice and the social
cohesion that is necessary for any economic system to function.
The last two decades have produced just the opposite--the
widest gap between the wealthiest 1% of our people and the
least wealthy 20% of any time since the birth of the 20th
Century.
In our society the gap in income--in education, in housing,
and in medical care--has grown disgracefully worse. Those who
in this economy suffer most from that fact--largely
manufacturing workers in industries with declining employment
or workers with less than average skills--cannot be expected to
roll over and say, in the words that Walter Cronkite used to
sign off his CBS news broadcast, ``That's the way it is.''
The issue is whether those in this society--the investing
class, the managing elite, the venture capitalists, the
multinational corporations who have so much to gain by further
globalization of the economy will be willing to see a tiny
fraction of that increased wealth used to help those who will
otherwise be caught in the prop wash of their incredible
prosperity.
We need a balance of decency between the needs of the
corporate-based market economy and the needs of a family-based
society.
If Congress is going to vote for a trade bill like this,
then it has an obligation to support the job training, worker
safety, health, and education programs needed to ensure those
sectors are not left further behind. This appropriations bill
fails to do that.
When this Congress votes for a minimum wage bill that
provides $90 billion in tax relief for the wealthiest 1% of
citizens, but declines to meet needs for education, protection
for seniors in nursing homes, teacher quality, prescription
drug benefits for Medicare and other priorities, it sums up the
misplaced sense of priorities in this Congress.
David Obey.
Steny Hoyer.
Nancy Pelosi.
Nita M. Lowey.
Rosa L. DeLauro.
Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.