Washington Highlights: April 7,
2006
FY 2007 Budget Stalls in the House
Contents
Prior Issues
|
After weeks of negotiations, the House Republican leadership April
6 decided to delay action on the FY 2007 Budget Resolution (H.Con.Res.
376) until after the Easter recess. In a statement released
April 6, House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) blamed Democrats
for the budget delay and vowed to "remain committed to working with
all members to reach agreement on budget process reforms so we can
move forward with the budget after the Easter District work period."
The leadership decided to the pull the Budget Resolution when it
could not craft a compromise between three factions within the Republican
Party. On April 4, moderate Republicans Michael Castle (Del.), Nancy
Johnson (Conn.), and Dave Reichert (Wash.) announced they would
seek an amendment to add $7 billion to the budget resolution in
discretionary spending to restore cuts in health, education, and
low-income energy subsidies. AAMC President Jordan Cohen, M.D.,
sent a letter
to all members of the House urging them to vote against the budget
resolution unless it includes the additional $7 billion for health,
education, and human services programs.
Conservative Republicans strongly opposed additional funds in the
budget resolution. Republican Study Committee Chair Mike Pence (Ind.)
suggested a "significant departure" of conservative votes for the
resolution if the $7 billion was added to the budget resolution.
Conservatives also were unhappy that the budget resolution approved
by the House Budget Committee March 29 did not call for greater
cuts in mandatory spending. In return for their support of the budget
resolution, the Republican Study Committee sought a series of tougher
budget rules, including a line-item veto and earmark reform. Conservatives
announced April 6 that they had a deal with the leadership on budget
reforms, but they were immediately challenged by House appropriators,
who signaled they would oppose any change in budget rules that would
limit their authority. In an April 6 statement, House Appropriations
Chair Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) said, "I cannot and will not support
a resolution that greatly diminishes Congress' ability to respond
to national disasters and makes it more difficult for us to get
our budget work done on time."
The House adjourned April 6 and will return to Washington on Tuesday,
April 25.
Information:
Dave Moore, Senior Director
AAMC Government Relations
dbmoore@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
House Republicans Circulate Letter Opposing Proposed
Medicaid Cuts
Reps. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), Peter King (R-N.Y.), Dave Reichert
(R-Wash.), and Rob Simmons (R-Conn.) are circulating a House Republicans-only
Medicaid sign-on letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services
Michael Leavitt. The letter opposes the President's FY 2007 budget
proposals to cut $12.2 billion in Medicaid funding over five years
through regulatory changes [see Washington
Highlights, Feb. 10].
Stating that "any savings in the Medicaid program should be
a result of policy discussions with congressional input," the
letter urges Secretary Leavitt to "work with us and other members
of Congress to protect and improve the Medicaid program for our
constituents." As of press time, 9 additional House Republicans
had signed the letter: Reps. John Sweeney
(N.Y.); Jim Ramstad (Minn.); Tom Price (Ga.); Tim Murphy (Pa.);
John McHugh (N.Y.); Charles W. Dent (Pa.); Michael Simpson (Ind.);
Phil English (Pa.); and John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (N.Y.).
Information:
Christiane Mitchell, Director, Federal Affairs
AAMC Government Relations
cmitchell@aamc.org
(202) 828-0526
Senate Appropriations Committee Adds Pandemic
Flu Funding to Supplemental
The Senate Committee on Appropriations April 4 adopted by voice
vote an amendment to the FY 2006 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations
bill (H.R.
4939), adding $2.3 billion for pandemic flu preparedness. Sponsored
by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the amendment includes $300 million
for state and local preparedness, $50 million for lab capacity and
research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
and at least $200 million for surveillance, research, communication,
and other activities at CDC.
With the inclusion of other amendments, the total cost of the Senate
supplemental is $106.5 billion. The committee approved the Supplemental,
27-1, with Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) objecting to the high price
tag. The Administration proposed $92.2 billion in emergency spending
for the war and hurricane relief, and the House March 16 passed
$91.9 billion in supplemental funding.
Information:
Tannaz Rasouli, Senior Legislative Analyst
AAMC Government Relations
trasouli@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
National Biosecurity Board Considers Criteria
for Detecting "Dual Use"
The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) March
30 held its third full meeting
and reviewed progress of its several working groups on ways investigators,
research institutions, and the Federal Government might respond
to and oversee "dual use" biological research, i.e. legitimate
research that could potentially be misused to harm society.
In a highlight of the meeting, NSABB Chair Dennis Kasper, M.D.,
of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, presented
a working group's draft instrument, or series of questions, that
could help investigators and their institutions determine whether
a research project has dual use potential. For example, is it "likely"
that the research could enhance the pathologic consequences of an
agent or toxin, increase transmissibility of an agent, or render
immunization less effective? The draft instrument further probes
if it is likely that knowledge or products generated by the research
could be intentionally misapplied to threaten public health, agriculture,
the environment, etc. As envisioned, a positive indication of dual
use potential would trigger further review or oversight within the
institution.
NSABB also plans to help develop guidelines for further institutional
review and oversight. Dr. Kaspar also noted that Institutional Biosafety
or other committees as currently configured would also require additional
training and support.
Information:
Stephen Heinig, Lead Science Policy Analyst
AAMC Biomedical Health Sciences Research
sheinig@aamc.org
(202) 828-0488
President Signs Higher Ed. Act Extension
The President April 1 signed a 4th extension of the Higher Education
Act (HEA). The "Higher Education Extension Act of 2006"
(P.L.
109-212, H.R.
4911) extends the reauthorization deadline to June 30. This
extension follows the House passage of their HEA reauthorization
bill (H.R.
609) March 30 [see Washington
Highlights, March 31].
Information:
Matthew Shick, Senior Legislative Analyst
AAMC Government Relations
mshick@aamc.org
(202) 862-6116
|
