Last month, House Republicans advanced beyond committee a bill to fund the Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services departments.
The $185.8 billion Labor-HHS measure amounts to 11% below current effective funding levels, cutting billions from health care and social programs, as well as from agencies responsible for enforcing worker protection laws.
However, in the Senate, the Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services would get a $9 billion collective increase in legislation approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee. If this increase remains the same as it goes through the Senate process, the bill would provide $122.8 billion in discretionary funding for Health and Human Services and $13.8 billion to the Labor Department.
Obviously, the vast difference between the House and Senate bills will have to be worked out so they can produce one bill to send to the President for his signature. Getting to that agreement could become very difficult and prolong the funding process in a major way.
