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House panel backs more social program funds

Posted on: Wednesday, 7 June 2006, 13:49 CDT

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.

Source: REUTERS

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