House panel backs more social program funds

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A House panel on Wednesday approved
a huge election-year bill that boosts spending for some
domestic social programs while trying to cut popular items such
as money for public broadcasting.

With moderate House Republicans facing tough re-election
bids in November and clamoring for more attention to social
programs, a House Appropriations subcommittee voted to spend
about $142 billion on health, education and labor programs in
the fiscal year starting October 1.

That is nearly $1 billion more than current-year spending
and over $4 billion more than requested by President George W.
Bush.

But some programs were not spared the knife by Republicans
who have set tight budget limits on domestic spending next
year.

Public radio and television would see a 21.5 percent cut in
funding next year if the bill passes the U.S. House of
Representatives in its current form.

The $104.5 million reduction would “undermine public
broadcasting’s ability to continue to offer essential
educational services and provide a backbone for a national
emergency alert system,” said Patricia Harrison, head of the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Last year, House Republicans sought about $180 million in
cuts to public broadcasting, which largely were restored by the
time the fiscal 2007 spending bill was signed into law.

Rep. Ralph Regula, the Ohio Republican who will steer the
bill through the House this summer, highlighted funding
increases in the bill, including a $100 per grant hike in Pell
Grant financial aid for college students, which would bring the
maximum grant to $4,150.

Regula said his bill also would add $184 million next year
to help the Social Security Administration speed disability
payments to recipients.

DEMOCRATS PROTEST

All seven Democrats on the subcommittee voted against the
bill.

Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, the senior Democrat on the
panel, said that the bill cuts social programs by $11 billion,
compared to spending two years ago, when adjusted for inflation
and population growth.

The $100 Pell Grant increase, he said, would be far
outpaced by rising tuition. Democrats said Pell Grants covered
42 percent of college costs at the start of the Bush
administration and 30 percent under the fiscal 2007 bill.

Obey complained the bill would provide inadequate funding
for programs ranging from prenatal health care to anti-drug and
special education programs at the same time Republicans in
Congress want to permanently repeal estate taxes, which benefit
the wealthiest families.

Rep. Nita Lowey, a New York Democrat, said the bill would
hinder Centers for Disease Control and Prevention efforts to
help state and local governments prepare for a bioterrorism
attack.

The spending bill, which still has several legislative
steps to clear, also includes funding for programs that
Congress has little control over year-to-year, including
federal retirement and health care benefits. When those are
included, the bill would spend nearly $455 billion next year.