Democrats push $463 billion federal spending measure
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Filed Under:
Politics
The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service will see slight boosts
in their funding under a massive $463.5 billion appropriations measure unveiled by Democrats on Tuesday.
The Republican-controlled 109th Congress adjourned last year without passing all of the federal
budget bills. Though the House had approved the Interior Department's funding measure,
the Senate failed to act.
To address the situation, Democrats introduced a joint funding resolution for 2007
that will maintain funding for most federal agencies at 2006 levels.
They also cut out thousands of earmarks, also known as pork projects, that
affect millions of dollars in spending.
"I don't expect people to love this proposal, I don't love this proposal, and we probably
have made some wrong choices," said Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wisconsin), the chairman of
the House Appropriations Committee.
But some Indian programs were spared from drastic changes.
Democrats funded IHS with $2.8 billion,
an increase of $125 million to fund patient care and clinical services.
The BIA was funded at nearly $2 billion, with $75.4 million set aside for
post-secondary education. The money means schools like the
United Tribes Technical College in North Dakota, whose leaders have repeatedly battled
against funding cuts, should receive funds for the current year.
"We are not a pet project," said David Gipp, the president of UTTC. "We are not
a shady deal or some boondoggle that nobody knows about."
Elsewhere, the measure provides $42 million to make water, land claims
and other types of settlement payments to tribes. That's $8 million
above current levels and $3 million above the amount approved by the
House last year.
The bill doesn't specify any new amounts for the Office of Special Trustee.
That means the agency, whose budget has rapidly exploded since the start
of the Bush administration, will operate under 2006 levels.
The House is expected to pass the bill today. The 137-page measure
will then be taken up by the Senate in the coming weeks.
The federal government is currently being operated under a continuing
resolution. It expires February 15.
Funding Resolution:
Summary |
Text
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