Last week the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee began deliberations on the FY 2009 Budget Resolution. The resolution sets the general spending parameters and is the first step in the FY 2009 funding process.
The resolution contains a $7.1 billion increase (8.2%) over the President’s FY 2009 discretionary funding request for education, training, employment, and social services programs. In addition, the resolution funds math and science education as part of the America COMPETES Act. It also provides $50 billion for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), continuing coverage for roughly 6.7 million kids as well as providing coverage for an addition 4 million uninsured kids across the country.
In addition, the U.S. Senate Budget Committee approved their FY 2009 Budget Resolution. Like its House counterpart, this resolution sets the general spending parameters for Senate appropriations and is the first step in the FY 2009 funding process.
The resolution contains a $4.8 billion increase over FY 2008 funding for the Department of Education. The Senate resolution, like the House resolution, also provides $50 billion for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), continuing coverage for roughly 6.7 million kids as well as providing coverage for an additional 4 million uninsured kids across the country.
ASCD is encouraged by the progress made by both the House and Senate thus far. We will be working to maintain these funding levels when the budget resolutions go before both chambers of Congress in the coming days.
