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Oil on Troubled Waters: Education Spending Bill Comes to a Halt

NAICU Washington Update


June 27, 2008


The full House Appropriations Committee meeting, convened on June 26 to consider the FY2009 Labor-HHS-Education funding bill, has been indefinitely postponed after a Republican amendment maneuver angered the chairman and the meeting was adjourned. The bill sets funding levels for, among other items, federal student aid.

Though few outside of members of Congress, appropriations staff, and federal agency representatives were able to get into the packed meeting room, the Webcast allowed anyone who tuned in to view the fireworks.

Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) and ranking member of the subcommittee Jim Walsh (R-N.Y.) began the session with the typical opening statements and an overview of the bill. Then ranking member of the full Appropriations Committee Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) offered an amendment to strike the language of the Labor-HHS-Education bill, and in its place, to substitute the language of the Interior-Environment bill. Lewis argued that provisions in the Interior bill could help lower gas prices, and that this should be voted on before the July 4th recess.

Obey had earlier indicated that he was aware some politicking on gas prices was likely during the mark-up. Still, he was obviously taken aback by the procedural move Lewis chose to use, commenting that it's "stunts like this that make people hate Washington."

Obey and Lewis then engaged in some back and forth about Americans facing astronomical gasoline prices as they head out for the coming holiday, the use of blackmail in getting congressional member's issues addressed, and "an administration run by two oil men."

Throwing gasoline on the verbal fire already simmering, Rep. John Peterson (R-Pa.) then offered a perfecting (or modifying) amendment to Lewis' amendment, which dealt with oil drilling and land leases. But before any discussion began, Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) called out a motion to adjourn. Following a 35 to 27 roll call vote favoring adjournment, Obey could be heard muttering under his breath, "See you in September, Jerry."

Meanwhile on the somewhat calmer Senate side, the full Appropriations Committee there approved its version of the FY2009 Labor-HHS-Education bill by voice vote, with no fireworks at all. The Senate bill includes the president's request for the Pell Grant program, which is a $2.7 billion increase in funding. This would provide a $69 increase in the maximum grant, taking it to $4,310. The bill level funds campus-based aid and LEAP state grants, and increases TRIO and GEAR UP.

The House bill, released last week, would increase Pell funding to $3.1 billion, for a $169 increase in the maximum, to $4,410. Like the Senate bill, it also level funds campus-based aid and LEAP, and increases TRIO and GEAR UP.

While no one expected the domestic funding bills to be wrapped up before the November elections, there was some hope that the House might bring their bill to the floor for a vote. After Thursday's antics, though, it could be that the FY2009 appropriations process has now run out of gas.


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