October 12, 2001

House Approves HHS Funding Bill,
Senate Panel Proposes $3.4 Billion Increase for NIH

The House of Representatives Oct. 11 passed its FY 2002 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (H.R. 3061) by a vote of 373 to 43, after Rep. Melissa Hart (R-Pa.) withdrew her controversial amendment to restrict distribution of emergency contraceptive pills to girls 17 and younger.

The House Appropriations Committee had approved the bill on Oct. 9. Funding levels in the bill remain as recommended in the subcommittee mark approved Oct. 3 [see Washington Highlights, Oct. 5].

The House committee report (H. Rpt. 107-229) adopts the Administration's proposal to lower the cap on salaries on NIH grants from Executive Level I ($161,200 in 2001) to Executive Level II ($145,100 in 2001). The FY 2001 Labor-HHS appropriations bill had raised the cap from Executive Level II to Executive Level I. The House bill also would delay the obligation of $2.875 billion in NIH funds until Sept. 30, 2002, the last day of the federal fiscal year.

The House bill continues the prohibition on the use of federal funds for research involving human embryos. However, the committee report notes that "this language should not be construed to limit federal support for research involving human embryonic stem cells listed on an NIH registry and carried out in accordance with policy outlined by the President."

The Senate Appropriations Committee also passed its version of the bill Oct. 11. Limited details are available at present. The Senate Committee appropriated $23.7 billion for the NIH, a $3.4 billion (16.7 percent) increase. The Senate bill increases the authority for the evaluation transfer to other Public Health Service agencies from one to two percent of the NIH budget, and retains the NIH salary cap at Executive Level I. Health professions programs are level funded at $353 million, and as the Senate did last year, funding for individual programs is not listed. Also included is $291 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a $21.4 million (7.7 percent) increase, with all funding directly appropriated, rather than through transfers.

Information: Dave Moore or Jonathan Fishburn, AAMC Office of Governmental Relations, 202-828-0525.