Veto-Proof Majority Not Expected For House Labor-HHS-Education Bill

July 23, 2007 – 8:52 pm | posted in Public Health

The House on Thursday is expected to approve a $607 billion fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS-Education spending bill “with broad bipartisan support,” although lawmakers predicted that it will not receive a veto-proof majority, CongressDaily reports (Cohn, CongressDaily, 7/19). The House Appropriations Committee on July 11 by voice vote approved the bill, which includes $151.5 billion in discretionary funds, exceeding FY 2007 discretionary spending by $7 billion and topping President Bush’s FY 2008 spending request by $10.6 billion.

The House bill would increase spending on health care for the uninsured by 9% above FY 2007 levels and Bush’s request for FY 2008. Funding for the uninsured includes a 10% increase in spending for community health centers. The bill also includes $1.1 billion to prepare for a potential avian flu pandemic. Earmarks in the bill total $565 million — a 50% reduction from earmarked funds in the appropriations bill that was approved two years ago (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 7/12).

Discussing Thursday’s expected vote, one Democratic aide said, “I don’t know that we’re going to get a veto-proof majority on this one.” House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) agreed, saying, “I would expect us to maintain a number that will sustain the president’s veto on this bill.”

CongressDaily reports that the lack of a veto-proof majority “would be a blow for Democrats,” but Democratic lawmakers “also see a silver lining in their potential failure to obtain a veto-proof majority, seeing a campaign issue to use against vulnerable Republicans who vote against the bill” (CongressDaily, 7/19).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

Also Read

House Approves Labor-HHS Spending Bill Without Veto-Proof Majority

Congressional Democrats Consider Combining Labor-HHS-Education, Veterans, Pentagon Spending Bills

House Votes To Remove Amendment From Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill That Would Have Reduced Ryan White Funding In Some Areas

Bush Set To Veto HHS-Labor-Education Appropriations Bill Due To Provision To Remove Mercury From Infant Vaccines

Genetic Discrimination Bill Would Increase Insurance Access, CBO Report Finds

CQ’s Carey Discusses Embryonic Stem Cell Research Funding Bill, Bush’s Surgeon General Nomination, FDA Drug Safety Legislation

House Approves Amendment To Appropriations Bill To Block Medicare Inpatient Hospital Reimbursement Reduction

Senate Approves Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill That Restores Cuts To Health Research; Democrats Prepare For Veto

House Passes Children’s Health Insurance Bill That Would Extend Abstinence Education Program For Two Years

House Passes Spending Bill That Increases Abstinence Education, Family Planning Program Funding, Bans Funding For Mandated HPV Vaccination