House to Consider Appropriations Bills
The House of Representatives is set to consider seven appropriations bills: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.
The 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies funding bill provides $253.8 billion, which is an increase of 28% from 2021 funding levels. The legislation will include, in part:
- Strengthens lifesaving biomedical research with increased funding for the National Institutes of Health, including funding to establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health
- Bolsters our public health infrastructure with more resources for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and for states and local governments to strengthen infrastructure and capacity
- Addresses our nation’s most urgent health crises, including maternal health, mental health, gun violence, and substance misuse, while making strides to reduce persistent and unacceptable health disparities
- Advances equal treatment for women by increasing funding for the range of health services, including family planning, covered by Title X and repealing the discriminatory Hyde Amendment
The bill includes $52.7 million in funding for GWEPs; $49 billion for NIH; and $3 billion for the Administration for Community Living that includes programs such as direct care workforce demonstration, Alzheimer’s Disease Program, Home and Community based supportive services. This also includes $34.9 million for activities to protect vulnerable older Americans. These programs provide grants to states for the protection of vulnerable older Americans through the Long-Term Care Ombudsman and Prevention of Elder Abuse and Neglect programs, including to safely transition State Long- Term Care Ombudsman programs from virtual back to in-person contact and visitation in facilities, and to expand coverage to other residential care facilities
The bills were passed out of committee by a vote of 33-25 and are expected to advance to the House floor considerations shortly.