07.27.23

Senate Committee Approves FY24 Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Bill

Bill passes Committee by a vote of 26-2

Washington, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, providing support to strengthen America’s workforce and fund important health and education programs.

The measure, which was advanced by a bipartisan vote of 26-2, provides $224.4 billion in discretionary funding.

“This bill supports working families through increased resources for affordable childcare, helps eligible students afford the cost of high education, invests in workforce training, and provides increased funding for life-saving biomedical research,” said Senator Collins.  “Significant resources are also provided for substance use prevention and treatment programs, as well as mental health programs.  I thank Ranking Member Capito for her excellent work on this bill, and as the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”

“I’m proud that in my first year as the top Republican on the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, we have crafted an effective, responsible bill.  I’m also proud that this is the first time in five years that we have marked up a Labor-HHS bill in this subcommittee.  This bill maintains provisions critical to the departments overseen by the subcommittee, and does not include controversial policies that have derailed similar legislation in the past.  Addressing the health, education, and labor needs of our country should not be partisan, and I believe this effort reflects that,” said Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Ranking Member of the Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee.  “When I became Ranking Member of this subcommittee, I vowed to continue my efforts on priorities that are important to West Virginia – like pursuing cures to diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer, attacking the addiction crisis, and supporting our health and education institutions. This bill reflects these very same priorities.”

Bill Highlights:

National Institutes of Health: $47.4 billion, supporting an increase of $943 million for biomedical investments in research. Additionally, provides $407 million in CURES funding.

  • Alzheimer’s: Increase of $100 million for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research.
  • Cancer: $7.380 billion for the National Cancer Institute, an increase of $276 million above the enacted FY23 level, including maintaining Cancer Moonshot activities and full funding for the Childhood Cancer STAR Act.
  • Mental Health: $2.438 billion for the National Institute of Mental Health, including an increase of $100 million specifically for mental health research and maintains funding for the BRAIN Initiative.
  • Opioids: $655.6 million for the Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative, an increase of $20 million above the enacted FY23 level.
  • Diabetes: $2.311 billion for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, an increase of $10 million above the enacted FY23 level for diabetes research.

Opioid Epidemic: $5 billion, an increase of $132.5 million above the enacted FY23 level, for improving prevention, treatment, and recovery services.  Funding will support strengthening the workforce, especially in rural communities, and expanding research for critical needs, such as funding alternative pain medications.  The bill continues to provide states flexibility to use opioid response funds on stimulants across multiple programs.  In 2022, there were an estimated 109,680 drug overdose deaths, emphasizing the need to continue these critical resources.

Mental Health: $5.5 billion, an increase of $181 million above the enacted FY23 level, for mental health research, treatment, and prevention, including:

  • $519.6 million, an increase of $18 million above the enacted FY23 level, for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) suicide prevention Lifeline, 9-8-8.
  • $400 million, an increase of $15 million above the enacted FY23 level, for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.
  • $100 million increase specifically for mental health research at the National Institute of Mental Health.
  • $1.02 billion, an increase of $35 million above the enacted FY23 level, for the Mental Health Block Grant.
  • $100 million is included for school-based mental health grants at the Department of Education.

Health and Human Services Preparedness: $3.7 billion for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, an increase of $70 million above the FY23 enacted level.  This includes $75 million to create a new office to support domestic manufacturing, including warm-based manufacturing, and a $20 million increase for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

Caregiving: $233.5 million for the Administration for Community Living’s family caregiving and respite care programs, an increase of $6.5 million above the FY23 enacted level.

Early Education: $21 billion, an increase of $975 million above the enacted FY23 level, for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start.

K-12 Formula Grants: Increase of $175 million for Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies and an increase of $175 million for IDEA Grants to States.

Career, Technical, and Adult Education: $1.47 billion, an increase of $40 million above the FY23 enacted level, for Career and Technical Education State Grants and $715 million for Adult Education State Grants.

Apprenticeship Funding: $290 million, an increase of $5 million above the enacted FY23 level, to support the apprenticeship program.

Pell Maximum Award: Increase of $250 to the maximum Pell award for a total of $7,645 for the 2024-2025 school year.

Corporation for Public Broadcasting: $535 million in advance funding for FY26.  The bill also provides $60 million for the public broadcasting interconnection system.

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