Last Friday, the House voted 264-153 to approve the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education spending bill for fiscal year 2010. Included in the House legislation is $73.7 billion in discretionary funding for Department of Health and Human Services programs. Funding would increase by $92 million for nursing programs, $10 million for children’s hospitals’ graduate medical education programs, $43 million for bioterrorism hospital preparedness grants, and $23 million increase for rural health programs. The measure would increase funding for NIH to $31.3 billion, an increase of $941 million over the FY09 level and $500 million above the Administration’s FY10 request. Additionally, through a combination of discretionary and mandatory funding, the bill would enable the maximum Pell Grant to increase to $5,550 in FY10, an increase of $200 over the FY09 level.
In response to criticisms that Grants.gov is an inadequate portal for grants application and reporting, the House included language in the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill that directs the Government Accountability Office to review Grants.gov and “recommend a business model that provides an adequate, reliable funding stream and the appointment of a unified administrative body that is delegated both control and resources” for the online grant application system.
It is expected that the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations subcommittee will consider an FY 2010 Labor, HHS and Education appropriations bill on Tuesday.
On a rainy Wednesday evening in the nation’s capital, Members of Congress took the field at Nationals Park for the 48th Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game for Charity. Democrats faced off against Republicans in a battle no less spirited than is typically seen on the Hill. Heading into the game, Republicans held an impressive 33-14 win-loss record. However, shaky Republican pitching and errors led the underdog Democrats to a 15-10 victory.