GOP moderates seek increased funding in areas including health

As Democrats put the finishing touches on a year-long continuing resolution Monday, House GOP moderates are weighing in on behalf of increased spending on domestic priorities such as health, education, housing and law enforcement assistance.

In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Appropriations Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., the moderates wrote that programs funded under the Labor-Health and Human Services appropriations bill should receive "no less than a 2 percent" increase over fiscal 2006 funding levels.

Such increases "will boost current efforts for health research, educational priorities like math and science, the Centers for Disease Control, after-school care, vocational education, and the National Institutes of Health," wrote GOP Reps. Michael Castle of Delaware, Dave Reichert of Washington, Christopher Shays of Connecticut and Charles Dent of Pennsylvania. At press time, they were circulating the letter for signatures.

Last year, GOP moderates broke with President Bush and Republican leaders in advocating a $7 billion increase for Labor-HHS funds above the president's request. GOP leaders agreed to shift $4 billion from defense to accommodate some increases, but that did not satisfy Republican moderates in either chamber and the Labor-HHS bill was shelved.

It was the one fiscal 2007 spending bill the House did not consider; the Senate did not take up any of the domestic funding bills, as Democrats and GOP moderates alike objected to limited spending for their priorities. Senate GOP leaders at the time considered the bills too time-consuming and politically volatile to bring up before the November elections.

Democratic leaders decided to pass a long-term CR, with adjustments in certain areas like health and education, rather than spend months trying to complete last year's work. The CR will be on the House floor Wednesday; the Senate could consider it the following week.