The U.S. Senate approved a measure last week that would provide $150 billion in discretionary spending for the federal departments of Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services in fiscal 2008. The bill was approved Oct. 23 on a vote of 75-19.
The measure includes $60 billion in discretionary spending for the Education Department, a 4.3 percent increase over fiscal 2007. In July, the House of Representatives approved a $62 billion funding measure for the department, 7.8 percent above fiscal 2007. The bills will need to be reconciled in a conference committee. President Bush has threatened to veto either version of the Labor-HHS-Education measure because they exceed his fiscal 2008 budget request for those programs.
The administration proposed $56 billion for the Education Department, a 2.6 percent decrease from fiscal 2007. (鈥淏ush, Democrats Face Education Spending Showdown,鈥� Oct. 24, 2007.)
The 2008 fiscal year began Oct. 1. Congress has extended funding for most federal programs at existing levels until mid-November.
