February 15, 2007

FY 2007 Funding Measure Clears Congress

On Wednesday February 14, the Senate passed by a vote of 81-15 without amendments a year-long continuing resolution (H. J. Res. 20), providing FY 2007 funding for 13 of 15 cabinet-level departments and all federally funded domestic programs. The measure funds the vast majority of programs at FY 2006 levels, but provides increases for some health, education, housing, and law enforcement activities, among others. For example, the summary of the joint resolution highlights that:

• VA would receive $3.6 billion more and defense health would get $1.2 billion more to provide health care to the nation's military and veterans.
• The NIH would receive another $620 million to "reverse a projected decline in new project awards" and support an additional 500 research project grants, 1,500 new investigator awards, and new high risk, high impact research.
• Community health centers would receive $207 million more to fund existing centers and finance 300 new and expanded centers.

The President is expected to sign the bill into law before the current continuing resolution expires at midnight on February 15.

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