[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 177 (Thursday, November 9, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S16914]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION AND THE LABOR, HHS AND EDUCATION 
                     APPROPRIATIONS BILL, H.R. 2127

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, as chairman of the Labor, HHS and 
Education Appropriations Subcommittee, I wanted to take a minute to 
update the Senate on the status of the Labor, HHS and Education 
appropriations bill, H.R. 2127 as it relates to the continuing 
resolution and the implications of the Senate's inaction on the bill 
for programs of the Departments of Labor, HHS and Education.
  As Senators know, the Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations bill 
for fiscal year 1996 is still on the calendar. Efforts to bring it up 
in the Senate have been met with a filibuster due to the ``striker 
replacement'' provision. I opposed that provision being added to the 
bill in committee, because of the view that controversial legislative 
riders do not belong on an appropriation bill, but should be considered 
through the authorization process. In the case of the Labor, HHS and 
Education Appropriations bill, the legislative riders included by the 
House have stalled action on this important bill in the Senate, and 
indefinitely postponed funding for education, health, job training, and 
social service programs in this fiscal year.
  While the continuing resolution will ensure that some funding will be 
available for these programs, it is only on a short-term basis and at a 
minimal level. For example, a central difference between the House 
passed and the committee reported bills involves funding for the Low 
Income Home Energy Assistance Program [LIHEAP]. LIHEAP provides funds 
to states to help low income households meet their fuel bills during 
the winter months when costs soar due to cold weather. A high 
percentage of the program's beneficiaries are elderly and disabled 
people who need help in paying their fuel bills.
  Mr. President, it is already getting very cold in many parts of the 
Nation, with a major Canadian cold front making early November feel 
like winter in much of the midwest and northeast. Under the terms of 
the continuing resolution, less than $200 million will have been made 
available to the States. This is far short of the $600 million 
requested by the States to get through the first quarter of the fiscal 
year. This comports with the historic average of 60 percent of the 
annual appropriation for LIHEAP being allocated to the States in the 
first quarter.
  Many States have begun receiving requests for assistance, and under 
normal circumstances would begin distributing funds to participants at 
this time. However, because of the present stalemate in the Senate on 
the Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations bill, States have no idea 
how to plan for this winter's program, and hundreds of thousands of low 
income families are left wondering how they will be able to meet their 
winter heating bills. Low income households, as well as Governors 
and local officials across the country are waiting to learn whether, 
and how much, funding will be appropriated for this winter's LIHEAP 
program.

  Funding for education programs also are held hostage to the stalemate 
on H.R. 2127. Education program funding levels recommended by the House 
fall almost $3.6 billion below the fiscal year 1995. The Senate bill, 
as reported by the Appropriations Committee on September 15, includes 
funding for education programs which is $1.6 billion above the House 
passed levels. Under the terms of the CR, however, the lower levels of 
the House bill become the funding levels for the upcoming period of the 
CR. Absent action on the Senate bill, and a conference with the House, 
future funding levels for these education programs likely will continue 
at House passed levels.
  Finally, Mr. President, the terms of the CR maintain funding for 
medical research supported by the National Institutes of Health at the 
1995 level of $11.3 billion. But, there is clear consensus between the 
Congress and the President that medical research is a priority, 
deserving of increased funding in fiscal year 1996. Despite a 7-percent 
reduction in the subcommittee's allocation, the President's budget, the 
House passed bill, and the Senate reported bill, nonetheless 
recommended increases for NIH of no less than $300 million. Without 
Senate action on the Labor, HHS and Education appropriations bill, 
medical research funding will be frozen indefinitely, thereby stalling 
new discoveries for understanding the causes and cures of diseases.
  I will support this continuing resolution because it provides 
critical short-term funding for Federal activities. But I also want to 
make clear, it is time for the Senate to act on the Labor, Health and 
Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. Let us stop the 
filibuster, agree to bring up the bill, debate it, and let the Senate 
work its will. The critical programs in this bill deserve the attention 
and debate of the Senate. The American people are waiting for the 
Congress to complete its work.

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