Summary Of The Labor, Health And Human Services, Education, And Related Programs FY19 Appropriations Bill

Statement

The fiscal year 2019 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations bill provides a total of $181.2 billion in discretionary budget authority - $2.2 billion more than the fiscal year 2018 level and $11.9 billion more than the budget request. The total funding includes $179.3 billion in discretionary funding as well as $1.897 billion in cap adjustment funding to prevent waste, fraud, abuse and improper payments in the Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security programs. The bill provides additional resources for biomedical research at NIH, child care, college affordability, Social Security, and addressing the opioids epidemic.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies, said:

"This bipartisan compromise is the result of hard work, negotiation, some tough choices, and a commitment to working together to write the best bill possible. It's not what either side would have written on our own, but like we did just a few months ago, I am very proud that so many of us worked together to push aside President Trump's partisan poison pills, as well as his request for massive cuts that would be devastating for families and communities. And I am so proud that, once again, this bill includes real investments in students, children, workers, families…serious new commitments to health care, research and innovation, lifesaving cures, access to higher education, and economic growth…and continued commitments to the major new steps we took just a few months ago to invest in child care early learning and care, tackling the opioid epidemic, and more. And I'm pleased the bill increases the resources for communities to tackle some of the toughest challenges we face, impacting those who too often get left behind, including increased education funding for homeless youth and disadvantaged schools; more money for mental health services; more resources to enforce civil rights laws, and more."

U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said:

"I want to thank Chairman Blunt and Ranking Member Murray for their bipartisan work on this bill. This bill continues the strong investments under the bipartisan budget deal to combat the opioid epidemic that has reached every corner of our country, including important investments in research to help address and prevent addiction in rural communities. This bill also offers strong support for children and families through increased investments in early childhood education and Head Start, special education, school safety, and homeless youth. The increases in this bill are a direct result of the bipartisan budget deal reached earlier this year and are critically needed. Chairman Blunt and Ranking Member Murray also deserve praise for putting together a bill that is free of poison pill riders or controversial authorizing legislation. This is no small accomplishment when drafting a bill that touches on issues that both sides of the aisle feel passionately about.

"The Senate allocation, which is $2.2 billion higher than the House, is essential to ensure that this investment in critical research can be maintained without requiring deep cuts in job training, education, and health care."

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