CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE:
Institute Holds Annual Meeting at AMD; Rep. Farr Keynotes
Californians Circulating Letter Opposing Title I Education Rider
Letter Circulating For Meth Strategy Funds
Letter Circulating Defending Organic Grape Growers
House to Vote Wednesday on 5-Year Internet Tax Moratorium Extension
House Unanimously Passes Cunningham’s Stock Options Bill
House Agriculture Panel Holds Field Hearing in Woodland
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Discusses Electricity Legislation
House Ways and Means Committee Discusses China’s WTO Application
House Looks at Amending Klamath River Basin Fishery Resources
           Restoration Act For Tribal Representation
Rep. Horn Discusses Emerging Technologies and Their Effect on Federal Policy and Government
House Agriculture Appropriations Includes Wine Pest Research Funds
House Authorizes Funding Ramp-Up for Disabled Education
Senate Health Committee Examines Medical Records Privacy
State’s Population Up Sharply, Department of Finance Finds
California Census Responses Remain Strong
House and Senate Appropriators Approve 302(b) Allocations for FY 2001

On May 1, the California Institute held its annual spring meeting and Congressional luncheon at the headquarters of Advanced Micro Devices in Sunnyvale. California Democratic Congressional Delegation Chairman Sam Farr (Carmel) was the keynote speaker, addressing Congressional staff and representatives of California’s businesses, labor and academic communities.

Rep. Farr noted that despite the diversity of political views within the state’s Congressional delegation, there are a number of recent successes that have resulted from the actions of a united Delegation, including statewide Methamphetamine strategy, SCAAP funding, FEMA rule review, and efforts to ease transfer of surplus military base property.

Following Rep. Farr’s comments, California Institute Executive Director Tim Ransdell reviewed California’s share of federal dollars over the past twenty years. Mr. Ransdell discussed California’s balance of payments, Department of Defense procurement levels, and California’s share of federal formula grants as compared to other states.

Earlier in the day, the Board of Directors of the California Institute met to discuss various administrative matters. Board participants included chairman Bob Foster of Southern California Edison; vice-chair Steve Chaudet of Lockheed Martin; secretary-treasurer Bill Hauck of the California Business Roundtable; and board members Cliff Jernigan of AMD, Chuck Mack of the Teamsters, Judy Michaels of the California Federation of Teachers, Jack Stewart of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, Julie Wright of the San Diego Economic Development Corporation, and Allan Zaremberg of the California Chamber of Commerce.

The luncheon was followed by a tour of the nearby Intel Museum.

The California Institute would like to especially thank AMD for hosting the luncheon and meeting, as well as Intel for arranging the tour. In addition, we thank our board members for their advice and support.
 

Californians Circulating Letter Opposing Title I Education Rider

House members from California are circulating for signature a letter opposing use of a “100% hold harmless” in the FY 2001 appropriations for the Title I education program. A similar letter last year was signed by all 52 California members.

The letter, addressed to House Subcommittee Chairman John Porter (IL), notes that “It has been six years since Congress amended Title I to require child poverty rates to be updated biannually so that funding reflects, as accurately as possible, current school enrollments. However, over the objections of the House, the Senate has made an annual practice of attaching a 100% state hold harmless rider to the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill that effectively bars use of the updates and prevents money from flowing to states according to the number of eligible school-aged children that they actually serve.” The letter effort is being led by Reps. Duke Cunningham (San Diego), Buck McKeon (Santa Clarita), George Miller (Martinez), and Lynn Woolsey (Petaluma).

The letter further states that the “Congressional Research Service reports that, for FY 1999, this action cost the State of California more than $36 million in Title I funds, and an additional $17 million in funds for other education programs for which allocations are based on Title I. Other states, including Florida, Georgia, New York, and Texas have also lost significant amounts.”

Most California offices have signed the letter. Those who have not yet done so but wish to should contact Lynda Theil with Rep. Lynn Woolsey (225-5161) or Kirsten Kuhn with Rep. Duke Cunningham (225-5452). The deadline is Friday, May 5.
 

Letter Circulating For Meth Strategy Funds

A letter to Rep. Hal Rogers (KY) and Rep. Jose Serrano (NY) is circulating to make appropriation funds available through the House Commerce, Justice, State & Judiciary Subcommittee for California’s continual war against meth. The letter, initiated by Rep. Doug Ose (Sacramento) requests $18.2 million for the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) to continue their joint venture, named the California Methamphetamine Strategy (CALMS), with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

CALMS incorporates five components in its fight against meth: law enforcement, intelligence, forensics, training and safety, and crime prevention and education. The success of the program was evidenced in 1998, when the BNE seized over 12,384 pounds of meth, a 71.5% increase from 1997. Appropriation funds would be used to continue the CALMS program.

A bipartisan majority of California members has signed on as of May 4, 2000.

For more information or to sign the letter, contact Dan Skopec at Rep. Doug Ose’s office at (202) 225-5718 or Randy Groves with Rep. Condit’s office at (202) 225-6131.
 

Letter Circulating Defending Organic Grape Growers

Reps. George Radanovich (Mariposa) and Mike Thompson (St. Helena) are circulating a letter to address concerns that they have with the a proposed regulation by the Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS). Organic Proposal Docket No. TMD-00-02-PR2 would prohibit those who make wine from organic grapes to state “made with organically grown grapes” on their label. The authors contest that disallowing the organic label is detrimental to consumers who buy organically grown wines, is a violation of First Amendment Rights and therefore should not be implemented. The Representatives further explain that the proposal is not consistent with the existing Federal regulations that permit organic wines containing sulfites to bear the label “made with organically grown grapes.”

The letter, addressed to Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman is in circulation. All members who wish to sign the letter should contact Tricia Geringer with Rep. Radanovich at 225-4540 or Tom LaFaille with Rep. Thompson at 225-3311. The deadline for signatures is May 10.
 

House to Vote Wednesday on 5-Year Internet Tax Moratorium Extension

On Wednesday, May 10, the House is expected to vote on HR 3709, which would extend a moratorium on levying new taxes on purchases made over the Internet through FY 2006. The bill tracks with recommendations made by the congressionally appointed Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce, and is similar to legislation sponsored by Rep. Christopher Cox (Newport Beach) except that the Cox bill would permanently extend the moratorium.

Without Congressional action, the moratorium enacted in 1998 would expire on Oct. 1, 2001. The House Judiciary Committee approved the amended version Thursday, acting to change the moratorium’s expiration date to Oct. 1, 2006.
 

House Unanimously Passes Cunningham’s Stock Options Bill

On Thursday, May 4, the House passed S.2323 by bipartisan unanimous consent (421-0). The bill, titled the Worker Economic Opportunity Act, would exempt stock options and equity sharing from overtime pay calculations. The bill was designed to respond to many employee’s desire to offer stock options to all workers as an incentive. S. 2323 is the companion bill to Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (San Diego)’s H.R. 4182. See, Bulletin Vol. 7 No. 3 (2/3/00) and Vol. 7, No. 13 (4/14/00).

Rep. Cunningham called the vote “a big win for high-tech and America’s workers and employers — a real win for the dot-com American Dream.” Rep. Steve Kuykendall (Rancho Palos Verdes) praised the bill on the House floor, stating that “for the first time, employees of all levels have a meaningful stake in the success of their business.” A Labor Department advisory opinion suggesting that stock options be included in overtime pay fueled the initiation of both bills. Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY) introduced the Senate side bill.

In April, S. 2323 was passed favorably out of the Senate, and is supported by the Administration.
 

House Agriculture Panel Holds Field Hearing in Woodland

In Woodland on May 1, Rep. Doug Ose (Sacramento) hosted a hearing of the House Agriculture Committee along with Committee Chairman Larry Combest (TX). The field hearing was one of ten similar events being held this Spring throughout the United States which are intended to hear agricultural producers’ experiences and suggestions. The committee specifically addressed the Freedom to Farm Act (1996) and its potential reauthorization next year. The Freedom to Farm Act aims at giving farmers more authority over their agricultural practices. Additionally, the hearing addressed crop insurance legislation and U.S. trade relations with China.

California members attending the hearing included Reps. Ose, Richard Pombo (Tracy), Gary Condit (Ceres), and Mike Thompson (St. Helena). Representatives heard from 19 witnesses, with over 300 farmers in attendance.

The majority of witnesses testified in support of agriculture in the next farm bill. One witness, Steve Restroom, a rice grower in Butte County said: “We strongly believe that additional financial help for U.S. farmers is entirely justified when considered against the backdrop of the long-standing U.S. policy for low-cost food and the fact that our access to global markets is substantially denied due to trade sanctions and other barriers.”

For more information contact the House Agriculture Committee at (202) 225-2171 or at their web site http://www.house.gov/agriculture .
 

Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Discusses Electricity Legislation

On Thursday, April 27, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing on various pieces of electricity restructuring legislation.

At the hearing, witnesses included: James Hoecker, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Linda Breathitt, Commissioner, FERC; William Massey, Commissioner, FERC; and Curt Herbert, Commissioner, FERC.

One of the witnesses, Chairman James Hoecker, testified that “The operation and planning of the grid is not as efficient as be and the potential for market power abuses remains” and further stated that the transition time to competitive markets is damaging reliability of the electric power system. He suggests that Congress enact legislation to: make rules for non-discriminatory open access and comparable services transparent; reinforce the Commission’s authority; establish mandatory reliability rules to protect the integrity of the transmission service; and provide the Commission with the appropriate authority to remedy market power.

Another witness, Curt Herbert stated that “Congress should adopt the principle that legislation should remove obstacles to the natural evolution of the industry. FERC does not need jurisdiction; indeed we need less.”

William Massey testified on one specific reform he believes is needed: access to and efficient management of the transmission grid. He also stated that he endorses the Administration’s bill, S. 1047. See Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 13 (4/13/00).

For more information, contact the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee at (202) 224-4971 or their web site http://www.senate.gov/~energy .
 

House Ways and Means Committee Discusses China’s WTO Application

On Wednesday, May 3, the House Ways and Means Committee discussed China’s application to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Witnesses from Panel I included: Lawrence H. Summers, Secretary, U.S. Department of Treasury; Dan Glickman, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture; William Daley, Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce; and Charlene Barshefsky, Ambassador, U.S. Trade Representative. Panel II included: Elliott Abrams, Commissioner, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; Reverend Daniel Su, Assistant to the President, China Outreach Ministries; John Kamm, Executive Director, Dui Hua Foundation; Alan Reuther, Legislative Director, International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America; Kyle Burns, Director of Sales, Asia Pacific; and David Laux, President, U.S. – Taiwan Business Forum.

The four senior Administration officials testified in support of China’s accession to WTO. They outlined the duties of a $22 million monitoring and response team to enforce China’s compliance with trade agreements. Officials further expressed support for a House proposal authored by Rep. Sander Levin (MI) to create a group to monitor human rights in China.

Another witness, John Kamm of San Francisco based Dui Hua Foundation testified in support of China’s accession to WTO, commenting that “The debate is now between perpetual NTR and permanent NTR; regardless of the outcome of the debate, China will enjoy exactly the same access to the US market as it enjoys today.”

Opponents of granting China permanent NTR and allowing its accession into WTO cite a long standing record of human rights violations in that nation argue that the agreement will have a negative impact on U.S. labor.

For more information on the hearing, contact the House Ways and Means Committee at (202)225-3625 or their web site at http://www.house.gov/ways_means .
 

House Looks at Amending Klamath River Basin Fishery Resources Restoration Act For Tribal Representation

On Thursday, May 4, the House Resource’s Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Ocean Subcommittee held a hearing on Rep. Wally Herger’s (Marysville) H.R. 2875. The Klamath River Basin Fishery Resources Restoration Act establishes a Klamath River Basin Conservation Area Restoration Program, including a long-term plan to restore and maintain anadromous fish populations to the area at “optimum levels.” It further establishes an 11-member Klamath Fishery Management Council to govern harvesting in the Klamath and Trinity River Basin. H.R. 2875 would provide for Karuk Indian Tribal representation on that Council, federally recognize the Karuk tribe, and include the Karuk Indian tribe in the in-river tribal allocation.

At the hearing, a number of witness testified including: Rep. Herger; Michael Anderson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior; Leaf G. Hillman, Director of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy, Department of Natural Resources, Karuk Tribe; Duane Sherman, Chairman, Hoopa Valley Tribe; and Susan Masten, Chairperson, Yurok Tribe.

One of the witnesses, Michael Anderson from the Department of the Interior testified in support of allowing the Karuk Tribe representation on the Fishery Management Council, but opposed the inclusion of the Karuk Tribe’s catch of Klamath fishery resources within the allocation of the Yurok and Hoopa Valley Tribes (in-river tribal allocation).

Leaf Hillman, representing the Karuk Tribe testified that “this legislation is not intended to establish or create a new Karuk fishery or fishing right, [it] simply acknowledges and recognizes a ceremonial and subsistence fishery that has continued to exist, uninterrupted since time immemorial.”

Witnesses from the Hoopa Valley and Yurok Tribe testified as to their concerns with H.R. 2875. Both tribes are concerned that the proposed legislation would interfere with their property rights under the Hoopa-Yurok Settlement Act.

For more information, contact the Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee at (202)226-0200 or at their web site http://www.house.gov/resources .
 

Rep. Horn Discusses Emerging Technologies and Their Effect on Federal Policy and Government

On Monday, April 24, the House Committee on Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Government Management, Information and Technology held a field hearing at Moffett Field at the NASA Ames Research Center in Sunnyvale. Led by Chairman Steven Horn (Long Beach),witnesses and Committee members discussed various technologies and how they may impact the functionality of government.

Several witnesses from California attended the hearing including: Dr. Sam Vainer, Associate Administrator for Aerospace Technology, NASA; Mr. Gilman Louie, President and CEO, In-Q-Tel; Dr. Charles Shank, Director, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, UC; Dr. Steven Popper, Associate Director, Science and Technology Policy Institute, RAND Inst.; Dr. Richard Williams, College of Engineering, CSU Long Beach; Richard H. Davies, President and Chairman, Western Disaster Center; Honorable Pat Vorreiter, Mayor, Sunnyvale; Dr. Susanne Huttner, Executive Director, Industry-University Cooperative Research Program, UC; and Dr. Lea Rudee, California Council on Science and Technology and UC San Diego.

Rep. Horn opened the discussion by asking the witnesses what type of governmental policies they see needed to encourage scientific research. He also encouraged that the witnesses further examine some of the technologies in use today during governmental operations.

Dr. Shank testified in support of emerging technology to make government operations more efficient and enhance management of public resources. He cited computer based energy analysis tools, advanced flourescent lamps, novel windows, and new appliance standards that are saving Americans more than $2 billion per year and enhances governmental capabilities. He further testified that the recent deciphering of the human genome (at the Berkeley Lab) will allow doctors to understand their patient’s genetic makeup, enabling them to individualize a diagnosis and drive down treatment costs.

Mr. Davies also supported the use of technology to increase governmental efficiency. Recovering from natural, environmental and man-made disasters has cost the Federal government as much as $1 billion per week, he reported. Mr. Davies recommended that advanced technology of communications, remote sensing and computing for sharing of information be harnessed to aid State and local disaster managers.

For more information, contact the Government Management, Information and Technology Subcommittee at (202) 225-5147, or visit the subcommittee website at http://www.house.gov/reform/gmit/index.htm .
 

House Agriculture Appropriations Includes Wine Pest Research Funds

On Thursday, May 3, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture approved its FY 2001 funding bill. Total funding under the bill would be $14.4 billion, an increase from the $13.9 billion level for FY 2000. The bill includes funding for several approaches to fight exotic pests in California, particularly Pierce’s Disease, which is threatening the state’s wine grape stock as well as other crops.

The bill includes $2 million requested by Rep. Ken Calvert (Corona) to establish a Center for Exotic Pest Research in California. Another $2 million was secured for Pierce’s Disease research at the University of California, and $1.1 million was allotted for Pierce’s Disease research at the USDA’s Agriculture Research Service.

In March, a bipartisan majority of the California Congressional delegation wrote to House Appropriations leaders urging emergency appropriation funding for Pierce’s Disease. See also, Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 7 (3/2/00) and No. 10 (3/23/00).

In addition, the agriculture appropriations bill includes establishes a new farm labor housing account, as proposed in the Administration budget request. This new account is funded at $30 million, which is $5 million above last year’s loan authorization level. Child Nutrition Programs are funded at $9.535 billion, a decrease of $19 million below last year and $11 million below the President’s request. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is funded at $4.067 billion, an increase of $35 million above last year and $81.1 million below the President’s request. The committee states that the current projection for FY00 unspent funds for WIC will be $182 million.
 

House Authorizes Funding Ramp-Up for Disabled Education

On Wednesday, May 3, the House of Representatives nearly unanimously passed H.R. 4155, the IDEA Full Funding Act of 2000. The bill would authorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) at $7 billion in FY 2001 and ramp up the authorization levels over 10 years to reach $25 million in FY 2010. These funds would still be subject to appropriations, however, and the FY 2000 funds appropriated were $4.9 billion.

Critics have argued that the authors of federal disabled education legislation had initially intended that the federal government would cover 40% of the cost of providing such services; historically, however, the federal share has been closer to 10%.
 

Senate Health Committee Examines Medical Records Privacy

On Wednesday, April 26, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held its eighth hearing on medical records privacy. The committee heard from a number of witnesses including: Dr. Janet Heinrich, General Accounting Office (GAO); Kathy Farmer, Hewlett Packard; and Dr. Joanna Horobin on behalf of the Biotech Industry Organization (BIO).

Dr. Heinrich reported on GAO’s recently released study, Privacy Standards, Issues in HHS’ Proposed Rule on Confidentiality of Personal Health Information (GAO/T-HEHS-00-106). GAO was asked by Congress to examine the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) legal authority to act in the area of medical records confidentiality, as well as to assess the comments received by HHS from interested parties. Its study found that the regulatory strategies HHS adopted in its proposed rule are consistent with the controlling law — the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). For other proposed changes, such as coverage of records that had never been stored or transmitted electronically, however, GAO found that it was less clear that HHS could act without new legislation.

In comments from interested parties, GAO found sharply divergent views on several critical issues. For instance, it found that patient advocates, state governments, and providers strongly supported the provision of the rule that would preempt weaker state laws, while leaving intact stronger ones. Health plans and employers, on the other hand, emphasized the practical difficulties of implementing the complex interaction of federal and different state standards.

The full text of the GAO report can be found on its web site at: http://www.gao.gov.

Ms. Farmer, Manager of U.S. Compensation and Benefits for Hewlett Packard testified on behalf of the Washington Business Group on Health (WBGH), arguing that the proposed rule falls short in several categories. For instance, Ms. Farmer testified that because the statutory constraints of the HIPAA allow only electronically transmitted records to be covered, a fragmented approach covering only some, but not all, records would result. Such a bifurcation is impractical and would be a disincentive for employers to move towards electronic records. Ms. Farmer also testified that the definition of “business partner” relationships covered by the rule is vague and provides no guidance on whether such relationships can or need to exist within different divisions of the same employer. The preemption provisions in the rule also cause concern for several reasons as well. As a result, WBGH and Hewlett Packard strongly support a federal legislative solution that would cover all health records and regulate employers as comprehensive entities.

Dr. Horobin of BIO also testified in support of a national uniform standard for medical records confidentiality and her testimony cited several flaws with the HHS proposed rule. For instance, she points out that the potential for civil and criminal liability, unless an entity can prove that it made “all reasonable efforts” to limit disclosure of information is too broad and will adversely impact medical research. Instead, BIO argues that an entity should be able to rely on its own internal review board to determine whether disclosures have been adequately limited. Dr. Horobin also argued that the provisions governing “de-identified” data are too restrictive, and will hamper the use of critically needed data sets of information in medical research.

The testimony of all witnesses can be obtained from the committee’s web site: www.senate.gov/~labor .
 

State’s Population Up Sharply, Department of Finance Finds

The California Department of Finance (DOF), via its Demographic Research Unit, this week estimated that California gained 571,000 people during 1999. According to DOF, the state’s January 1, 2000 population was more than 34.3 million, 1.65% rise from the beginning of 1999.

The DOF figures significantly exceed estimates prepared by the U.S. Census Bureau, which estimated California’s population at 33.1 million on July 1, 1999. The DOF figures are based on a wider range of data points (including driver’s license address changes and changes in city housing stocks) than are Census Bureau estimates.

According to DOF, Riverside County was the fastest growing large county in the state, growing by 2.8% to 1.52 million persons. The largest numeric growth among the state’s counties was not surprisingly in the state’s largest — Los Angeles County — which rose by 169,400 persons (1.7%) to nearly 9.9 million. The second largest county, San Diego, grew by 55,600 people (1.9%) to 2.9 million.

The full report, including data on 471 cities and 58 counties, is available on the DOF website at http://www.dof.ca.gov .
 

California Census Responses Remain Strong

As of April 25, California’s response rate for the 2000 census of 68% exceeded the national rate of 65%, and was ahead of every other state in the West except Colorado (which tied California at 68%). California’s rate also exceeded that of all Southern states except Virginia (70%). (In the Midwest, on the other hand, all states were above the national average and most met or exceeded California’s 68% level. Six of California’s 58 counties exceeded their target response rate for 2000: Imperial, Madera, Riverside, Stanislaus, Tulare and Yolo.

Of 470 California cities, 166 met their “target” response rate (their 1990 rate plus 5%) for the 2000 census. In other words, 35.3% percent of the state’s cites have met or exceeded their target rate, double the 17% mark reported for all cities nationwide.

Cities meeting their target levels were in various types of communities. Among cities which met their target levels very early, some are in urban areas (Compton, East Palo Alto, Inglewood, City of Industry); while others are in more affluent suburbs (Anaheim, Calabasas, Dana Point, Folsom, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Windsor); some are fast-growing “exurbs” on the fringes of urban areas (Palmdale, Lancaster, San Marcos, Temecula, Tracy, Woodland) and still others are in more rural areas (Carmel-by-the-Sea, Chico, Ceres, Coalinga, King City, Redding, Wasco).

With the exception of Anaheim, Oakland, Riverside and Santa Ana, most of the state’s largest cities had not met their targets by the end of April. Yet all but one of these cities were at or above their comparable rate at this point in the 1990 census. Large city rates to date include: Anaheim 73% (target was 69%), Fresno 65% (target was 68%), Long Beach 66% (target was 68%) Los Angeles 62% (target was 65%), Oakland 62% (target was 62%), Riverside 70% (target was 69%), Sacramento 54% (target was 69%), San Bernardino 60% (target was 64%), San Diego 71% (target was 72%), San Francisco 65% (target was 69%), San Jose 71% (target was 74%), and Santa Ana 71% (target 66%). Of these dozen, only Sacramento, site of last year’s dress rehearsal for the census, is lagging badly, currently running 10 points behind even its 1990 performance.

Among counties, the highest response rate was in Ventura County (74%); followed by Contra Costa and Orange (at 73%); San Mateo, Santa Clara, Stanislaus and Yolo (at 72%); and Marin and San Diego (at 71%). At the low end of the state spectrum to date were the rural Counties of Mono (30%), Plumas and Lake (48%), and Sierra and Lassen (50%).

An important question will be whether California can maintain this strong census response in the next phase of counting. In addition, some caution that the mail response rates may not reflect the full number of people living in the responding households. For example, a respondent may report only one family living in a household, concealing the fact that several may actually live there. It will be several months before the door-to-door census follow-up process is complete.

For more information see the census special website, at http://rates.census.gov
 

House and Senate Appropriators Approve 302(b) Allocations for FY 2001

On Thursday, May 4, the House and Senate Appropriations approved the allocation formula for their 13 respective appropriations subcommittees, in a process known as the 302(b) allocation. The below table shows the FY 2001 proposed budget authority (BA) and outlays figures for the House Appropriations proposal and the Senate Appropriations proposal passed Thursday, and for the President’s Budget request sent to Congress earlier this year.

The House and Senate each set total budget authority at slightly more than $600 million. The House’s budget figure exceeds the Senate figure for Commerce-Justice-State, Defense, Energy & Water, and Transportation. The Senate plan provides a higher BA level for Agriculture, Foreign Operations, Interior, Labor-HHS-Education, Treasury-Postal, and VA-HUD.
 

302(b) Allocations for FY 2001						5/4/2000
(figures in millions)	House	House	Senate	Senate	Admin.	Admin.
	BA	Outlays	BA	Outlays	BA	Outlays
Agriculture	14,376	14,861	14,850	14,931	15,127	15,016
Commerce, Justice, State	34,904	35,977	34,670	36,486	37,663	37,543
Defense	288,414	279,025	287,406	274,669	284,329	272,213
District of Columbia	414	414	441	442	445	449
Energy and Water Devt.	21,743	22,025	22,470	22,229	22,695	22,295
Foreign Operations	13,281	8,512	13,385	14,330	15,101	15,873
Interior	14,742	15,262	15,474	15,461	16,416	16,006
Labor, HHS, Education	95,888	90,433	100,000	95,204	105,768	94,630
Legislative	2,355	2,383	2,500	2,502	2,713	2,667
Military Construction.	8,634	8,684	8,634	8,710	8,033	8,596
Transportation	14,989	48,513	13,291	47,446	13,898	47,703
Treasury, Postal Service	14,088	14,563	14,300	14,566	16,295	15,255
VA, HUD, Independent Agencies	76,194	84,154	77,800	84,455	84,477	86,257
(allowance for deficiencies)	273	273	0	(1,790)	293	293
TOTAL	600,295	625,079	600,296	624,938	623,253	634,796

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