Senate Committee on Appropriations Releases FY2020 Appropriations Bill
The Senate Committee on Appropriations has released its FY2020 recommendation for the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill.
Department of Health and Human Services
The bill provides $93.4 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Health and Human Services. Some highlights include the following:
- National Institutes of Health – $42.1 billion, an increase of $3 billion above FY2019.
- Mental Health – $3.7 billion for mental health programs, an increase of $305 million above FY2019.
- Head Start – $10.1 billion, an increase of $50 million above FY2019.
Department of Education
The bill provides $71.4 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education. Some highlights include the following:
- Institute of Education Sciences – The bill provides $615.4 million in discretionary funding for the Institute of Education Sciences, a $0 increase above FY2019.
Department of Health and Human Services
The bill provides $93.4 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Health and Human Services.
National Institutes of Health – $42.1 billion, an increase of $3 billion, or 7.7 percent, above FY2019. Some highlights include the following:
- $2.82 billion for Alzheimer’s disease research, a $350 million increase
- $50 million in new funding for the President’s Childhood Cancer Data Initiative
- $500 million for the BRAIN Initiative to map the human brain, a $71 million increase
- $380.8 million for the Institutional Development Award, a $19.2 million increase
- $500 million for the All of Us precision medicine study, a $161 million increase
- $801 million for research on opioid addiction, development of opioids alternatives, pain management, and addiction treatment
- $589.4 million for the Clinical and Translational Science Award, a $29.7 million increase
- $12.6 million for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act
- Increases to every Institute and Center to continue investments in innovative research to advance fundamental knowledge and speed the development of new therapies, diagnostics, and preventive measures to improve the health of all Americans
Mental Health – The bill provides $3.7 billion for mental health programs, an increase of $305 million above FY2019. Some highlights include the following:
- Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics: $200 million, an increase of $50 million, for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics that provide a comprehensive approach to mental health care treatment
- Project AWARE: $103 million, a $32 million increase, for this program that supports coordination between schools and State Mental Health Agencies to increase awareness of mental health among school-aged youth, train school personnel on detecting and responding to mental health issues, and connecting school-aged youth and their families with needed services
- Mental Health Awareness Training: $22 million, an increase of $1 million, for Mental Health Awareness Training
- Suicide Programs: $88 million, an increase of $14 million. These increases provide support to the suicide lifeline and grants to help identify and help those at risk of suicide
- Mental and Substance Use Disorder Workforce Training Demonstration Program: New $5 million for grants to medical institutions and community health centers to train professionals to provide SUD and mental health treatment in underserved communities
- Pediatric Mental Health Access Grants: $10 million for Pediatric Mental Health Access Grants to expand access to behavioral health services in pediatric primary care settings
- National Institute of Mental Health: $2.08 billion for mental health research at the National Institutes of Health, an increase of $200 million
Head Start – $10.1 billion, an increase of $50 million above FY2019 to help all Head Start programs keep up with costs, recruit and retain highly qualified staff, maintain enrollment, and provide high-quality early childhood services for children and families.
Department of Education
The bill provides $71.4 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education.
- $15.8 billion for Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, the same as FY2019
- $2.1 billion for Title II Supporting Effective Instruction State grants, the same as FY2019
- $1.2 billion for Title IV Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, a $50 million increase, which supports a wide range of activities including STEM education and school safety activities
- $12.3 billion for IDEA State Grants to support special education for students with disabilities, the same as FY2019
- $1.4 billion for Impact Aid, an increase of $25 million
- $1.2 billion, level with FY2019, for 21st Century Community Learning Centers to support academic enrichment activities for students before school, after school, and during the summer
- $460 million for the Charter Schools Program, an increase of $20 million including $7.5 million specifically to expand charter schools in rural areas
- $105 million for Safe Schools National Activities, an increase of $10 million, which supports evidence-based activities to improve school safety, prevent violence, and improve school climates
- $60 million in dedicated STEM education funding within the Education Innovation and Research program, the same as FY2019
- $190 million for the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grants program and $27 million for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program
- $737.4 million for the English Language Acquisition program, the same as FY2019
Institute of Education Sciences – The bill provides $615.4 million in discretionary funding for the Institute of Education Sciences, a $0 increase above FY2019.
- $192.7 million for education research, development, and national dissemination activities
- $109.5 for data gathering and statistical analysis activities at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
- $56 million for research and innovation in special education conducted by the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)
- $10.8 million for special education studies and evaluations
- $55.4 million to continue support for the Regional Educational Laboratories program
- $32.2 million for the Statewide Data Systems program
- $158.7 million to provide support for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
