On Wednesday, the House of Representatives began debate on its version of the FY 2006 Budget Resolution. The Senate continued its own floor debate, slogging through amendment after amendment, but a combination National Institutes of Health and education funding amendment was approved handily.
The House is in midst of general debate today with no
amendments expected to be offered until Thursday.
Yesterday, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-PA, chairman of the Labor,
HHS, Education Appropriations subcommittee that has authority over student aid
funding, successfully offered an amendment increasing discretionary spending
for health and education. The Specter amendment was approved by a vote of 63-37.
It provides an increase above the Senate
Budget Committee reported Budget Resolution of $1.5 billion going to the
National Institutes of Health and $500 million going to unspecified ED
education programs. The Senate is expected to debate and vote on several other
education amendments before Friday. On Monday, NASFAA President Dallas
Martin sent an email asking our State Presidents to contact Congress on the
Budget Resolutions. On Tuesday, an
amendment by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-NM, which would have restored funding to
a series of education programs slated for elimination by President Bush and the
Senate Budget Committee, was defeated.
By Larry Zaglaniczny
NASFAA Director for Congressional Relations
Posted March 17, 2005 on www.NASFAA.org, Web Site of the
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Copyright 2005. Redistribution to nonmember institutions is prohibited
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