Appropriations Bills to Move Forward

APA Education Policy Office: May 24, 2006

After weeks of negotiations the House of Representatives finally adopted a budget on May 17, 2006 with a 218-210 vote. The budget passed as a result of “kind of a promise” to moderate Republicans that the House leadership would try to find $3.1 billion for labor, health and education programs. If the budget resolution had not passed, it would have been the first time in thirty years.

It is unlikely that the House and Senate can reconcile the differences between their respective budgets; nevertheless the passage of the budget resolution sets the stage for the appropriations bills to be considered. The Labor-Health & Human Services-Education bill, that contains the funding for the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program and other federal education programs, is expected to be considered on June 7th.