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House Appropriations Committee Approves FY 2023 Spending Bills

WIH

Earlier this week the House Appropriations Committee marked-up and passed several FY 2023 spending bills. House Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-NY) is pleased with the committee’s progress. Below is detailed information about the following FY 2023 appropriations bills: Labor-Health and Human Services-Education; Commerce-Justice-Science; and Energy and Water.

FY 2023 Labor-Health and Human Services- Education Appropriations

By a vote of 32-24, the House Appropriations Committee passed the FY 2023 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which includes funding for the U.S. Department of Education and the National Institutes of Health. Specifically, the Committee approved an appropriation of $86.7 billion for the Department of Education, which is an increase of $10.3 billion over the FY 2022 enacted level of funding. Nearly $4 billion of that amount would be appropriated to higher education programs, which is $965 million over the FY 2022 enacted level of funding. The Committee- passed bill calls for an increase in federal investments in strengthening minority serving institutions, including the Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans program, the Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions program, and Strengthening Master’s Degree Programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The bill appropriates $1.3 billion for TRIO programs, which include the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. Other notable programs include the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need program which received an appropriation of $24 million. This is an increase of $500,000. The Child Care Access Means Parents in School program fared better, with an appropriation of $95 million, which is an increase of $30 million over the FY 2022 enacted level.

For FY 2023 the Committee recommended the following levels of funding:

  • Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions: $246.7 million, which is an increase of $63.8 million over the FY 2022 enacted level.
  • Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans: $28.8 million
  • Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities: $402.6 million, which is an increase of $39.8 million over the FY 2022 enacted level.
  • Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions: $102.3 million, which is $9.1 million over the FY 2022 enacted level.
  • Strengthening HBCU Masters Program: $20.9 million, which is an increase of $6 million over the FY 2022 enacted level.
  • Title VI and Fulbright-Hays (International Education and Studies): $88.7 million, which is an increase of $7 million over the FY 2022 enacted level.

The committee report addressed the issue of graduate student loan debt as well. The report says, “According to the fiscal year 2023 budget request, excluding consolidations, graduate student loans are expected to make up over 47 percent of new Federal student loan originations in fiscal year 2023. This portion is significantly up from the 34 percent of new loan originations graduate student debt represented in fiscal year 2014.”

The Committee-passed bill also included $46 billion for the National Institutes of Health and $2.7 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). While this level of funding for ARPA-H is consistent with FY 2022 enacted levels, it is well below the $5 billion the Administration requested in its FY 2023 Budget Request. Following the passage of the bill, Ad hoc for Medical Research released a statement applauding the Committee for its support of NIH.

FY 2023 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations

By a vote of 31-24, the House Appropriations Committee passed the FY 2023 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The Committee approved $9.6 billion for the National Science Foundation, a 9 percent increase but far from the $11 billion requested by CGS and the higher education and scientific communities. In its report, the Committee highlighted its continued support for basic research in fundamental science areas and recognized the need for NSF to make continued investments in large scientific facilities and research infrastructure. The Committee also recognized the official transfer of the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) from the Research and Related Activities Directorate to the newly renamed STEM Education Directorate. While the Committee-passed bill includes an increase in funding for the Research and Related Activities Directorate and level funding for the Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction Directorate, it calls for $1.25 billion in funding for the STEM Education Directorate. This is an increase of $244 million over the FY 2022 enacted level.

For FY 2023 the Committee recommended the following levels of funding for STEM Education:

  • CyberCorps Scholarships for Service: $74 million, an increase of $11 million over the FY 2022 enacted level.
  • Graduate Research Fellowships Program: $320 million, an increase of 30 million over the FY 2022 enacted level.
  • Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate: $10 million
  • Centers for Research Excellence in Science and Technology: $28.5 million

FY 2023 Energy and Water Appropriations

By a vote of 32-24, the House Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2023 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. The Committee-passed bill funds the Department of Energy’s Office of Science at $8 billion which is $525 million over the FY 2022 enacted funding level. This level of funding is below the amount that CGS and the broader higher education and scientific communities requested for the Office of Science. The Committee also approved $550 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency- Energy (ARPA-E).