House Releases FY 2019 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill

The House Appropriations Committee today released draft legislation that would provide $177.1 billion in discretionary funding for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education in fiscal year 2019, about the same as the 2018 enacted level. According to a committee summary, the draft bill would provide $89.2 billion for HHS, $1 billion more than this year and $2.4 billion more than the president’s budget request. Specific increases include $1.25 billion more for the National Institutes of Health; $860 million more for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, including a $15 million increase for Hospital Preparedness Program grants; and $448 million more for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, including a $36 million increase to address opioid and other substance use. The draft bill would reduce funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by $663 million, Health Resources and Services Administration by $196 million, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by $168 million, while HRSA’s Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education program would receive a $10 million increase. The legislation will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow.